"He did not dare to do so openly, lest he himself should be implicated," replied the German. "We were compelled to wait and inquire with due judiciousness. Even then we could not discover whither you had been sent--not until yesterday. But it is all a mistake, my dear Rajevski--all a mistake, and you must overlook it. The Father is eagerly awaiting your return." "I must first go home and exchange these dirty clothes," I remarked. "Yes. But first accept the apologies of the General and myself. You, of course, knew that we should extricate you--as we shall again, if any other untoward circumstances happen to arise. Recollect that we can open any door of prison or palace in Russia," and then he smiled grimly as I took my leave. I returned to my own rooms to find that they had, during my absence, been searched by the police, and some of my correspondence, of a private and family nature, had been taken away. At this I felt greatly annoyed, and resolved to obtain from Kouropatkine immunity from such domiciliary visits in future. Upon my table lay a letter which had, I was told, arrived for me that morning. On opening it I found that it was from the head office of the Azof-Don Commercial Bank, in the Morskaya, officially informing me that a sum of fifty thousand roubles had been placed to my credit there by some person who remained anonymous. The present was certainly a welcome one, made no doubt as reparation for the inconvenience I had suffered. Half-an-hour later I arrived at the Poltavskaya where old Anna admitted me, and I at once went to the monk's sanctum. Rasputin sprang from his chair and, seizing both my hands, cried: "Ah! my dear Feodor! 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.