stion, whereupon Stuermer resolved to execute it upon his
own initiative.

In Rasputin's room, and in my presence, he drew up a document to that
effect, but to make it law it required the Tsar's consent, and Nicholas
was far away. It was Stuermer or the Duma.

Alexandra Feodorovna and Rasputin were both working with Stuermer to
dissolve the people's representatives, and again prevent them from
reassembling.

As Rasputin put it to me clearly that night:

"Feodor, this is a great crisis. The Duma and Stuermer are incompatible.
The victory of the latter will mean revolution. The triumph of the Duma
will indicate the winning of the battle by the democracy. To achieve his
purpose, Stuermer needs an audience with the Tsar, and he must have it.
Alexandra Feodorovna seems to be failing us, for Nicholas has hidden
himself, hoping that the storm will blow over."

Stuermer strained every effort to obtain audience with the Emperor, but he
was elusive, and for days no one knew where he was. An audience would
mean the dissolution of the Duma, and this Nicholas feared would bring
revolution.

As is well known, by a record published by an American journalist, there
suddenly appeared in the Duma the Ministers of War and Marine, General
Shuvaiev and Admiral Grigorovitch. They announced that they had a
statement to make. The representatives of the people held their breath in
suspense. The War Minister mounted the tribune, and paid a tribute to the
people's efforts in the cause of national defence, requesting the Duma's
and the country's future co-operation in the work of equipping the army.
The Minister of Marine reiterated General Shuvaiev's demand for
co-operation between the Government and the Duma. The latter, perhaps,
never witnessed such a scene as that which followed the two Ministers'
speeches. There was a great ovation, after which Miliukoff rose and said:

"The War and Marine Ministers have declared themselves on the side of the
Duma and the people. We, on our part, have said that the Duma is with the
army and the people."

This sealed the fate of Boris Stuermer. The people had achieved their
first victory over the "dark forces," and Stuermer, driven out, came one
night to us, and, pacing the room, tore his beard and cursed both the
Emperor and Empress.

Then, turning upon Rasputin, he cried with a sneer:

"And you, the holy Father and our divine guide, have been powerless to
save us! Where are your miraculous powers