! So here you are back with us! This relieves my mind
greatly."

"Yes," I said. "Back from the grave."

"The infernal idiots!" declared the monk, his wide-open eyes flashing as
he spoke. "I will see that it does not occur again. But you quite
understand, Feodor, that it was not wise to reveal that I had gone to
Kazan on purpose to pray in the Empress's presence."

I smiled, and said:

"Somebody has placed fifty thousand roubles to my account at the Azof-Don
Bank."

In turn the rascal smiled, and said:

"You need not seek its source. It is out of the Government funds, and is
yours. Keep a still tongue, and there may be other payments." Then,
turning to his table, he showed me quantities of correspondence which had
been left unattended in my absence, and urged me to get to work, adding:
"I have to be at the Baroness Tchelkounoff's this afternoon, and there is
a seance here to-morrow--five neophytes to be initiated."

So five more silly, neurotic and, of course, wealthy women were to be
initiated into the mysteries of the mock saint's religion. Grichka had no
use for those whose pockets were not well lined, for he was accumulating
vast sums from those weak, fascinated females who believed in his
divinity as healer and spiritual guide.

Presently I seated myself at the table and recommenced my secretarial
duties, while he went forth. In many letters were drafts for
subscriptions for Rasputin's convent in far-off Pokrovsky in Siberia, a
place which no one had ever visited, yet in support of which he had
obtained hundreds of thousands of roubles. I might here state that later
on, when I visited Pokrovsky, I found the wonderful convent, of which he
told me such pious stories, consisted of a plain house cheaply furnished
in which lived his peasant wife and children, together with twelve of his
chosen sister-disciples, foolish women who had made over their money to
him and devoted their lives to piety as set forth in his new "religion."

A fortnight passed. Of Kouropatkine we saw little. He had, at last,
assisted by the traitor Stoessel and at Germany's instigation, succeeded
in forcing war with Japan, and the streets of the capital were filled
with urging, enthusiastic crowds bent upon pulling the Mikado from his
throne.

Kouropatkine had, according to what Rasputin told me, assured the Emperor
that the victory would be an easy one, and that the Japanese would fly at
first sight of our troops. The General had quite