ried out his plan, and the count saw them
together.

The monk was not blind to the fact that he was surrounded by enemies, all
of whom were jealous of his power and sought his downfall. By bribery,
blackmail, and the unscrupulous use of the secret police, which was under
Protopopoff as Minister of the Interior, the camarilla were waxing fat,
and woe betide any who dared utter a warning to the Emperor.

Monsieur Gutchkoff had denounced, before the Duma, the scandal of the
sexually-perverted peasant's presence at Court and prophesied the direct
disaster. Kokovtsov had loyally warned his master of the effect upon the
country which the low intrigues of his courtiers was producing. Then,
when Goremykin urged the Tsar to prorogue the Duma, General Polivanof had
the courage to sign an address to His Majesty urging him not to do so, as
it would be a highly dangerous measure. Rodzianko, too, regardless of
consequences, took to Tsarskoe-Selo a full report of the accusations made
in the Duma, and urged His Majesty to put an end to the outrageous
scandals.

The monk had noted all this, and had already marked down all his enemies
for destruction. He well knew what aversion the Tsar had to anyone who
spoke what was unwelcome. Weak and vacillating, His Majesty hated to be
told the plain truth, and for that reason he was so constantly kept in
the dark. Even his loyal Ministers knew that by being outspoken they
would be seeking dismissal. Indeed, with Rasputin's clever intriguing,
Kokovtsov, Sazonov, Krivochein and Polivanof all paid for their
sincerity by the loss of their offices and the displeasure of their
Imperial master. Again, it was the monk who had contrived to dismiss
Monsieur Trepof, for I actually wrote out the order, which Nicholas
signed, dismissing him! And, in addition, Rodzianko, whom the Emperor
nicknamed "the Archdeacon" because of his deep, impressive voice, lost
the sympathy of his sovereign because he had prophesied evil.

And now yet another enemy had arisen in the person of Count Vorontsof
Dachkof.

"The count shall pay for this, and dearly!" repeated Rasputin, as he sat
with his brows knit, stroking his unkempt beard.

"At least he can be dismissed, just as you sent into disgrace Prince
Orlof, the fidus Achates of the Emperor," remarked Anna Vyrubova, who was
handsomely dressed and wearing some fine diamonds.

Rasputin gave vent to an evil laugh.

"And Witte also," he said. Then, with his unbounded egot