"Your pretended friend Pourichkevitch dined with me to-night, and he, too, intends that you shall be removed. We all pray that no harm shall befall you. But I send this at once in warning. I shall be at the seance tomorrow, when I hope to have an opportunity of speaking with you alone. A young friend of mine, Nadjezda Boldyieff, daughter of the General at Kiev, is anxious to enter our circle. So I shall bring her with me. But do, I beg of you, heed this warning, and avoid all contact with the persons herein named.--Your sister, Feo." The monk, who was in his cups, as he usually was after midnight-- according to his servant's statement--handed the letter to Sturmer with an inane laugh. And stroking his beard, said with his extraordinary egotism: "Enemies! Why do these silly impetuous women warn me? I am careful enough to look after myself. I rule Russia--at the orders of the Emperor William! The Tsar is only Tsar in name. The Emperor is myself, Gregory the monk!" "But Pourichkevitch is dangerous," declared the traitorous ex-Prime Minister. "He is the fiercest member of the Extreme Right, and our friend Protopopoff has lately received many reports concerning him through the Secret Police." "If so, then why is he not imprisoned?" asked Rasputin. "Protopopoff is far too hesitating. A few compromising documents introduced into his house, a police search, an arrest, a word to the Emperor--and he would have an uncomfortable little room beneath the lake in the Fortress of Schusselburg. No, our friend Protopopoff is far too weak. He dallies too much for the public favour. What is it worth? Personally, I prefer their hatred." "And yet you are the great healer--the idol of the working-class, just as Gapon was long ago!" laughed the ex-Premier. "Yes, I am their Grichka," laughed Rasputin in his drunken humour. "It is true, my dear Boris. There is but one Tsar, and it is myself--eh?" And he chuckled as he drained his glass of champagne, and laughed at the warning sent him by the woman who had sat at his knee and who had given over her whole private fortune to him, just as a dozen other society women in Petrograd had done. If his "sister-disciples" failed him in funds, then he simply held their letters and blackmailed them till he drove them to desperation, and in six known cases to suicide. The fears of the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna for the safety of her pet monk in whom she believed so devoutly, seem to have been aroused by the warning given by the Baroness Mesentzoff, for next day there came to him an urgent telegram from Gatchina, where the Tsaritza had gone on a visit to the Dowager Empress. It read: "You are in grave danger. Mother Superior Paula, of the Novo-Devitsky Nunnery, has disclosed something to me. Come to Tsarskoe-Selo at once. Nikki is eager to consult you.--A."