Pastor van
Meuwen, from Utrecht. My police have no knowledge that you are Russian
and an enemy. But there, you are clever, and your services to me are
worthy far greater reward than you have yet received. Now tell me," he
added, "how is Stuermer? I sometimes wonder whether he is acting straight
or crooked. Only the other day he telegraphed to Downing Street that you
Russians would never agree to a separate peace to isolate Britain. This
is most annoying."

"Thou art misled, as is all the world," replied the monk with a meaning
smile. "That telegram was sent to London only after many conferences, in
which Alexandra Feodorovna took part with Nicholas, Stuermer, Fredericks,
and Protopopoff. The British Press was growing dubious as to our
determination in winning the war, hence Stuermer's assurance to bamboozle
the world was highly necessary."

"That relieves us of much anxiety," remarked Bethmann-Hollweg, chewing
the end of his cigar. "We were beginning to fear that Stuermer might be
leaning towards England."

Rasputin made a gesture in the negative.

"Stuermer is ever a good friend of the Fatherland," was his slow reply,
his eyes fixed upon the Emperor.

"There must be famine in Russia," declared the Kaiser impatiently. "Your
friend Protopopoff has not yet created it, as he promised when he saw me.
Famine will bring Russia quickly to her knees, as it will eventually
bring Britain. Our U-boats are doing marvels. Happily we warned the
British, therefore we are contravening no convention."

"Soon our friends in London who have sworn never to sheathe the sword
until we are wiped from the face of the earth will begin to squeal,"
remarked the Imperial Chancellor with a laugh. "And especially if we can
carry out Professor Hoheisel's plan and create a pestilence. It must be
tried in Russia first, and then in England," Bethmann-Hollweg went on.
"The bacteria of anthrax, glanders, and bubonic plague must be sown in
various parts of Russia, Gregory. Before you leave Berlin the plan will
be explained to you."

"The plan by which we sought to propagate cholera by sending infected
fruit to various charitable institutions broke down because the delivery
of the fruit was delayed, and it arrived at its destination in an
uneatable condition," replied Rasputin. "No one would touch it, hence all
our plans were upset."

"The distribution of presents to charitable institutions must be
repeated," declared the Chancellor, to which the