Part 13 (1/2)

In half an hour the servant returned with his master, the head of the political police, a short, fat man in general's uniform, with decorations, who, when he entered the room, betrayed unmistakable signs of having dined well. Indeed, he had been unearthed from a midnight carouse at a questionable restaurant.

At sight of Rasputin, a power to be reckoned with and a person of whom even the greatest in the land craved favours, he pulled himself together and cast himself into a chair to listen.

The monk was clever enough not to enlighten the Police Director regarding the plot to upset Kokovtsov's undue inquisitiveness. He merely told him that a certain secret agent named Botkine was leaving Berlin for Petrograd on the twenty-second.

”The man is dangerous,” he added, ”extremely dangerous.”

”Why?” asked Gutchkoff, somewhat surprised at our midnight visit.

”Because--well, because I happen to know that he is in possession of certain facts concerning very high personages. He is a blackmailer, and has been to Berlin to endeavour to sell some doc.u.ments to Maximilian Harden--doc.u.ments which, if published, would place a certain member of our Imperial family in a very unsatisfactory light,” Rasputin said. ”My friend Rogogin here will bear me out.”

The Police Director, after a few minutes' silence, asked:

”Has he sold the doc.u.ments in question?”

”I think not,” was Rasputin's reply. ”If he has not, he will have them in his possession on his return. We must secure them at all costs.”

”You wish to close his mouth--eh?”

”Yes. He must be suppressed at all hazards,” declared the monk. ”It is the wish of the Emperor,” he added, a glib lie always ready upon his tongue. ”Further, I need not add that if this affair be conducted in secrecy and scandal in the Imperial House avoided, His Majesty will certainly see that you are adequately rewarded. I can promise you that.”

General Gutchkoff was again silent. He well knew that if the Tsar had ordered the man Botkine to be silenced there must be some very unsavoury affair to be hushed up.

”There is an agent of yours in Berlin named Ostrovski, is there not?” the monk asked.

”Yes.”

”Then he must also be removed at once to another post. Transfer him to Constantinople, or, better still, to Yokohama. He must not remain in Berlin another twenty-four hours, and he must, not, at any cost, be allowed to return to Russia,” Rasputin said decisively.

”I scarcely follow you, Holy Father,” was the amazed general's reply.

”Ostrovski is very reliable, and has been entrusted with the most delicate affairs. He has always given me the greatest satisfaction.”

”I regret if he is under your protection, but that does not alter matters. He and Botkine have been acting in unison, and hence Ostrovski knows more of this scandal concerning a certain member of the Imperial family than is good for him to know. Promote him with increased salary to Yokohama, and send him there by way of Ma.r.s.eilles upon some confidential mission. But on no account must he return to Russia before going to j.a.pan--you understand? He will no doubt wish to travel by way of Siberia, but this must be forbidden. If you will write out his appointment, I will obtain the Emperor's signature to it to-morrow morning.”

”You wish me to write out the order now--eh?” asked Gutchkoff, still much puzzled, but eager to get scent of the particular scandal known to Botkine.

”Yes, now,” replied the monk, pointing to the writing-table, whereupon the Police Director sat down and wrote out the order transferring the agent Ostrovski to j.a.pan, an order which Rasputin, after pretending to read it, handed to me to place in my pocket.

”And now, what about this person Botkine?” asked Gutchkoff. ”How do you wish me to act towards him?”

”In the way that I will direct to-morrow,” replied the monk. ”I must have time to devise some plan--a plan which will be secret and arouse no suspicion,” he added grimly, with a sinister smile.

Early next morning I accompanied him to Peterhof, where the Imperial Court happened to be. Anna Vyrubova was away in Moscow, but without delay he sought the Empress and remained in her boudoir for a full hour, no doubt explaining the discovery of Kokovtsov's inquiries in Berlin.

I met the Prime Minister himself in the long corridor guarded by ”Araby”

servants which led to the Emperor's private cabinet, and with him was General Gutchkoff, who had evidently also been summoned to audience regarding some matters concerning the police administration. Kokovtsov had no suspicion of what Rasputin had learned, or that Gutchkoff had promised to act as he directed against his trusted agent Ivan Botkine.