irit of my dear father Alexander. Truly, thy
powers are great, and we have need of thee. Why didst thou refuse to come
to us even though the Empress sent thee so many commands?"

"Because, as I have replied to Her Majesty, I am no courtier. My work
lies in the homes of the poor, not in the palaces."

"Ah, no," laughed the autocrat with good humour. "Thou art truly sent to
us to save Russia. Thy place is here, in our own home."

I drew a long breath when I heard the Tsar pronounce those words, for
they showed quite plainly the strong, invincible grip the impostor had,
by posing with unconcern, already obtained upon the Imperial family and
the Court.

The Starets crossed himself, and again bowed. I was amazed to witness the
crass ignorance and astounding superstition displayed by the Emperor of
Russia, whom all Europe believed to be a progressive, wideawake monarch.
That he possessed a spiritualistic kink, as did also his German wife, was
quite apparent. Any bogus medium or charlatan could easily impose upon
him. A dozen men and women who, by their vagaries and pretended powers,
had brought psychic studies into ridicule, had given seances before the
Emperor, and had told him things which his crafty entourage had already
paid them to "reveal."

On the night of the declaration of war with Japan, Kouropatkine brought
to Peterhof the French medium Jules Verrier, who received a handsome fee
for pretending to get into touch with the spirit of Peter the Great, who
declared that Russia, in declaring war, had carried out his wishes. And
Nicholas was at once in high glee, and mightily enthusiastic to know that
his historic ancestor approved of his action.

The Imperial Court was full of frauds, traitors, and sycophants. In all
of them Nicholas had the fullest confidence, while his wife was possessed
of certain knowledge which sometimes caused her to discriminate.

The commonplace-looking man in tweeds, who was the entire reverse of
one's idea of an Emperor, grew confidential, and it was plain that he was
quite as much impressed by Grichka as the Empress had been, for
throughout the audience the monk had used to the full his inexplicable
hypnotic power.

"Our good Theophanus and Helidor favour us with their counsel, but,
Father, thou hast our most complete confidence. I beg of thee to grant
the Empress another interview to-morrow, for she is daily longing for
counsel from thee. I will fix the audience. So, as our friend, ple