Page:Ossendowski - The Shadow of the Gloomy East.djvu/112

96 He turned from time to time towards the Holy Picture, outstretched his hands, and spoke in tones imploring and commanding:

"Turn Thine eyes upon us and give a sign that Thou hearest me!"

And the man praying seemed to perceive the eyes of the Holy Image moving and gazing upon the crowd.

Rayevski told me that one afternoon when Rasputin was sitting for his portrait, a well-known nobleman drove up in his car to the painter's studio, and rushing in, fell on his knees in front of Rasputin with the words:

"Father! My brother is dying! Help!"

Rasputin got up at once, and forgetting his fur coat, ran down the staircase murmuring:

"Lord! Oh Lord! Creator of all life, grant me to arrive in time!"

Arrived at the palace, Rasputin found an elderly man in a terrible state of asthma, which was still further endangered by a heart attack. The sick man had already lost consciousness. Rasputin looked a long time into his face, and then exclaimed, or rather howled like a terrified dog in a winter's night:

"Why dost thou not call for help to our Lord? Why dost thou not ask Him: 'Deliver me from my disease, and give me, O Creator, the strength to praise Thy name in glory?' Awake, and repeat these words of my prayer! Awake!"

"Can you imagine," said Rayevski, "the Count