ated. No stranger brought
into contact with Nicholas II. could help being attracted by his
personal charm; but he was a reactionary surrounded by ultra-reactionaries
and evil counsellors, who played upon his superstitions and his
belief in the Divine Right of Kings and who brought him to his ruin
together with his country. One had heard much in the past of the
veneration in which Russians of all ranks and classes held their
Sovereign as a matter of course. But, when brought into contact with
Russian officers in 1916, one speedily realized that the Emperor
Nicholas had lost his hold upon the affections of the army. Not that
they spoke slightingly of him--they merely appeared to take no
interest in him, which was perhaps worse. As for the Empress, there
was little concealment in respect to her extreme unpopularity.
Rasputin I never heard mentioned by a Russian in Russia; but one knew
all about that sinister figure from our own people.

Owing to a telegram that he received in connection with his special
negotiations, Sykes left hurriedly that night, making straight for
Tiflis, and I did not see him again in Russia. We, on the other hand,
returned to Petrograd for a day or two. There were special entrances,
with rooms attached, for the Imperial family at all the Petrograd
stations and also at stations in important cities like Moscow and
Rostoff; we were always conducted to and from the trains through
these, which was much pleasanter than struggling along with the crowd.
For the journey to Transcaucasia we were provided with a special car
of our own. In this we lived except when actually at Tiflis--a much
more comfortable arrangement than going to hotels at places like
Batoum and Kars; we each had a double compartment to ourselves, and
another was shared by our soldier-servant with one of the Imperial
household, who accompanied us in the capacity of courier, interpreter
and additional servant. There is no getting away from it, travelling
under these somewhat artificial conditions has its points. As far as
the Don we used the ordinary dining-cars; but beyond that point
dining-cars did not run, and meals were supposed to be taken at the
station restaurants. For us, however, cook, meal and all used to come
aboard our car and travel along to some station farther on, where the
cook would be shot out with the debris; it was admirably managed,
however it was done, and was more the kind of thing one expects in
India than in Europe.