econds later we were taken in charge by the "skorochodi," servants
who are so intelligent that they are nicknamed the "quick-walkers." The
palace contains hundreds of servants and hangers-on, but these are the
ones picked to take visitors through the semicircular built palace to
audience of either the Tsar or his spouse.

Through a long corridor we were conducted past the doors of a number of
rooms. At each were two sentries, one a big Abyssinian negro in blue and
gold--called an "Araby" in the palace--and the other a stolid Cossack
sentry with his fixed bayonet.

At the end of the corridor we were met by one of the Emperor's personal
servants who came forward in all humility, and bowing before Rasputin,
asked.

"Can I be of service, Father, before you have audience?"

Both of us were surprised. Here, in the midst of all the pomp and
ceremony was an ordinary Russian peasant, as unlettered and as uncouth as
Rasputin himself, and a personal attendant of his Majesty.

He ushered us into a pretty room, with a long balcony upholstered in pale
grey silk, with thick soft carpet to match, an apartment which might have
been the boudoir of the Empress herself.

"I am here at Her Imperial Majesty's command," replied the Father, ready
for the crowning of the slow and subtle plot which Stuermer had engineered
with Kouropatkine. "She desires to speak with me."

Next instant the servant, who no doubt knew of Grichka's wonder-working
with his mock miracles, threw himself upon his knees, and craved:

"Oh, our Father, I beseech thee to place thy blessing upon me, and upon
my wife and my invalid child. The doctor who came yesterday said that she
is suffering from phthisis, and that the case is serious. I beg of thee
to cure her."

"Thy name?" he asked quickly, looking straight into his face with those
wonderful eyes.

"Aivasoff--Ivan Aivasoff."

"Whence do you come?"

"From Ossa, in the Government of Perm."

"And you are His Majesty's valet, eh?"

"I am one of His Imperial Majesty's valets. He told me that the Tsaritza
had commanded you here, and that I was to introduce you and your
secretary, Feodor Rajevski."

Rasputin halted, and assuming his most pious demeanour--that same
attitude which had attracted Petrograd society--and incidentally
extracted hundreds of thousands of roubles from its pockets--crossed his
hands, muttered some words, and bestowed his blessing upon the Tsar's
body servant.

A minute later the man