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7°
RASPUTIN
[chap. vii.
had sprung up, who, aware of the ever-increasing
influence of the Siberian rogue over the august
personages of Tsarskoe-Selo, set themselves out to guide
Rasputin, and allied themselves to the Vyrouboff and
her relations in order to gain access to the public offices
of the State and particularly to the public funds. One
began to hear the names of a Prince Andronnikoff, of
a M. Manus, of a MiassoiedofF, and they-were spoken
of as people who were plotting great things and
influencing even the Government. The waiting-room of
the uncouth moujik Rasputin was filled every morning
by persons coming to ask favours, amongst whom one
met with people of position and of the upper classes ;
they showed each other notes scrawled by this same
Rasputin in a common style and an appalling
handwriting, and in which he recommended some humble
protege or some one in need of assistance to the good
graces of such and such a Minister.
One heard at the same time that the ecclesiastical
dignitary who had contributed the most to Rasputin’s
good fortune had just written a letter to the Emperor
in which he revealed the depravity of his ex-protege, and
repented bitterly of having introduced him at the
Palace ; the honest but ingenuous bishop concluded his
epistle by entreating the Emperor to send Rasputin
away; for himself, he implored permission to retire as a
simple monk into a monastery, in order to do penance
there to the end of his days. The story went that the
bishop received a very gracious reply from the Emperor,
earnestly begging him to remain at the head of his
diocese : but Rasputin still continued in high favour.
At one time, influenced by a few letters of this kind,
the statements of a few officials and some serious
warnings, the Emperor did make up his mind to send
Rasputin back to his Siberian village, where the
adventurer arrived loaded with magnificent gifts and
provided with a considerable sum of money; but by
the time I arrived in St. Petersburg all the town was
indignantly talking about the return of the "old man"
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