barefoot.

Rasputin had left his district of Tobolsk and at Moscow had started a
new cult, where mystical seances were mingled with debauchery. Through
Madame Verubova he had been introduced to the Empress herself. He became
the friend of Count Witte, of Stuermer, and Protopopov was his tool.
Rumor credited him with exercising an extraordinary influence upon the
Czarina, and through her upon the Czar. This influence was thought to be
responsible for many of the Czar's unpopular policies. In times of great
public agitation the wildest rumors are easily taken for truth and the
absurd legends which were easily associated with his name were greedily
accepted by people of every rank. The influence of Rasputin over the
Imperial family was denied again and again. It has been said from
authoritative sources that the Czar did not know him by sight, and that
the Czarina knew him only as a superstitious and neurotic woman might
know some fortune teller or other charlatan. Nevertheless the credulous
public believed him to be the evil spirit of the Imperial circle, and
every false move, every unpopular act, was ascribed to his baneful
influence. But such a career could not last long, and the end became a
tragedy.

Several times Rasputin had been attacked, but had escaped. At last, on
the 29th of December, 1916, Prince Yusapov, a young man of wealth and
position, invited him to dine with him at his own home. The Prince came
for him in his own car. Entering the dining-room, they found there the
Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovitch. M. Purishkevitch, a member of the Duma,
had acted as chauffeur, and he followed him in. The three told him that
he was to die and he was handed a pistol that he might kill himself;
instead of doing so, he shot at the Grand Duke, but missed, and then was
shot in turn by his captors. The noise attracted the attention of the
police who inquired what had happened. "I have just killed a dog," was
the reply.

His body was taken in an automobile to the Neva River, a hole cut in the
ice, and weighted with stones, it was dropped into the waters. On the
next day his executioners notified the police of what they had done, and
the news was announced at the Imperial Theatre, whose audience went wild
with enthusiasm, and sang the National Hymn. No legal action was ever
taken against Rasputin's executioners. His body was recovered and given
honorable burial. The Czarina, according to report, following the coffin
to the grave.