"Tell the Father that his wishes were carried out half an hour ago. You know what I mean—eh?"
"Yes," I replied. "I know—I will tell him at once." And then I rang off.
Returning to Rasputin's handsome room I repeated the message, whereupon he sprang up with eager delight, and ringing up Protopopoff at his house in Petrograd, told him to order an immediate police search of Purishkevitch's house, as had already been arranged.
After that I had some business with the Master of the Imperial Household in the opposite wing of the palace, and it was not till half-an-hour later that I re-entered the "saint's" room.
I found Rasputin foaming with rage and stamping up and down the room in fury.
"I told the Empress and Anna the good news, now to find that it is false!" he cried. "The police made a domiciliary visit only to be greeted by Purishkevitch himself. Think of it!"
"Then the fellow is not dead!" I gasped in amazement.
"No. He is still alive. His valet Protzenko died an hour ago. That fool of a girl has blundered!"
As he uttered these words the door opened and the Empress appeared, looking pale and desperate.
"Father," she said, "this is a very serious contretemps for us all. How do we not know that the girl Bauer purposely removed the valet in place of his master? The visit of the police will arouse the suspicion of our enemy, and he may trace the crime to his valet's female acquaintance. What then?"