In describing this "monastery" for which the monk had filched thousands upon thousands of roubles from the pockets of his neophytes in Petrograd, Helidor says: "It was a large house, which had only recently been furnished luxuriously. It was full of holy ikons, of portraits of women, and of magnificent presents from their Majesties. The occupants of the place numbered a dozen women, mostly young, garbed as nuns and performing daily religious observances." Apparently the establishment was a Siberian "Abode of Love," much upon the lines, as the Smyth-Piggott cult, yet Helidor has declared that what struck him most was the open hostility of the mujiks towards the "Holy Father." "They are annoyed, my dear brother Helidor, because you have come with me from Petrograd," the "saint" declared in excuse. But Helidor noticed that Antoine, the Archbishop of Tobolsk, who visited him, betrayed the same marked hostility, while the people of the village all declared without mincing matters that Grichka, whom they had known as a convicted horse-thief and assaulter of women, was merely a _debauche_. Again came wild telegrams from the Empress. The "Saint's" prophecy had been fulfilled and the Tsarevitch had been taken seriously ill at the exact hour he had predicted. "Nikki has returned. Both of us are in deadly fear," she telegraphed. "Kousmin (the Court physician) cannot diagnose the malady. Come to us at once, Holy Father, I pray to you, come and save us. Give your blessing and your sympathy to your devoted sister.--A." At the same time His Majesty sent a telegraphic message to the man who made and unmade Ministers and who ruled all Russia at home and in the field. It was despatched from the Winter Palace half-an-hour after the message of the Empress, and read: "Friend, I cannot command, but I beg of you to return instantly to us. We want your help. Without it, Alexis will die, and the House of Romanoff is doomed. I have sent the Imperial train to you. It leaves in an hour.--Nicholas." Of this summons the villainous ex-thief took no notice. Helidor says: "He showed me the telegrams and laughed triumphantly, saying, `Nikki seems very much troubled! Why does he not return to the front and urge on his soldiers against the advancing hosts.' The greater our losses the nearer shall we be to peace. I shall take care that ignorant Russia will not win against the causes of civilisation and humanity." "Civilisation and humanity!" This illiterate and dissolute peasant, who each night became hopelessly intoxicated and who in his cups would revile his paymasters the Huns and chant in his deep bass voice refrains of Russian patriotic airs, was actually the dear "friend" of the Tsar of All the Russias! The vicious scoundrel's influence was reaching its zenith.