RASPUTIN

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 December 1934, Page 3

RASPUTIN

A NEW VIEW. “One Crowded Hour,” by Count Bohdan K. de Castellano, published i cccntly gives (says the London “Daily Telegraph") a new and strikingly “different." portrait, of Rasputin. The author, aristocrat and monarchist, was in close touch with the. Russian Imperial family. He relates that in 1915 lie became very well acquainted with “this strange old man,? Rasputin. “Though many books have been written about him, 1 do not feel that any one of them conforms entirely with the truth. Rasputin was never a monk or a priest; neither was he a holy devil nor a saint.” The son of a prosperous peasant from Siberia, he wandered round the country and eventually came to Petrograd, where the fervent and impressive way in which he performed his devotions at a cathedral attracted the attention of the other worshippers, among them a prince, through whose introduction he was invited to the palace of one of the Grand Duchesses.

She, hearing that Rasputin possessed extraordinary powers of healiilg, persuaded the Tsarina to summon him to the sick-bed of the Tsarevitch who, suffering from haemophilia, was constantly in pain. “The appearance of this strange and rather ugly old man made a remarkable impression on the little invalid. Wlien Rasputin, in his quiet and magnetic voice, said to him: ‘Don’t worry, you’ll be all right very soon.’ the boy smiled and said that ho felt his pain was already disap-

pearing. Then Rasputin started to tell him -fairy tales of Siberia which interested the boy so much that he implored his. mother to incite the strange man again.” GROWTH OF INFLUENCE. He became a constant visitor to Tsarkoye Selo, until the growing intimacy and irregularities, such as addressing the Tsarina as Matoushlta(“mother, dear”) . and tapping the Tsar on the shoulder, so shocked Court circles that a Minister made a formal potest, and lie was sent away. But when later the Tsarevitch was injured by a fall and tlie doctors gave up hope of his, life, the Tsarina, indespair, sent him a telegram, to which he replied: “ ‘God has listened to your tears and prayers. Do not despair. Your

> r.on will live. Do not let the doctors . torment him. Gregory.’ To the groat : astonishment of the doctors, when > this telegram was read to the boy he smiled happily tynd fell asleep. The next morning he was better.” After that Rasputin was recalled from exile and would sit up night afi tor night with Jiis haiyl on the fore- ■ j head of the ailing boy, who would •I fall asleep under his influence and • wake up free from’ pain. ’ It was through this, we are informed, that he gradually came to acquire his ascendancy over the Tsarina and - to be looked upon as a benevolent i . genius protecting the whole imperial ; household from evil. I “His influence grew until, his ad-, i vice was sought in matters beyond the sick room; but this peasant did not have sufficient understanding to realise that, his .brain was inadequate

to cope with State problems. One •thing, however, may.,be said of him—- ' honestly believed that he was helpHg {he Tsar and Russia by .giving |iis advice, for which he asked no- - thing in exchange.” i After he was killed, says Count Castellane, the.Tsar and Tsarina, lost ’j their heads to such an extent that;; al'i though they saw clearly the approachling revolt, they took practically.? no measures to prevent or meet it. “Because the-Tsarina blindly believ- ■ cd. the prophecy once • made, by. Rasputin that v his death; ,wbpl(|. be. fol- ■ lowed by the deaths, of, ajjt tlie mbniI bers of the Imperial faintly, and by the downfall; of Russia; .she and, I through her influence, tlie .Tsar, awaited events with .resignation ,apd without attempting to. control .them.” Of the revolution days that followed Count Castellane gives us some graphic memories.