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former usefulness。 There was present at the time another person
besides myself who had heard the previous statement as to the
blindness of the archbishop； and； on our both asking the general
if he was sure that the archbishop's arm was paralyzed as stated；
he declared that he could not doubt it； as he had the account
directly from persons entirely trustworthy who were cognizant of
all the facts。
Sometime later； meeting Pobedonostzeff； I asked him which of
these stories was correct。 He answered immediately； 〃Neither： in
the discharge of my duties I saw the Archbishop Isidore
constantly down to the last hours of his life； and no such event
ever occurred。 He was never paralyzed and never blind。〃 But the
great statesman and churchman then went on to say that； although
this story was untrue； there were a multitude of others quite as
remarkable in which he believed； and he gave me a number of
legends showing that Father Ivan possessed supernatural knowledge
and miraculous powers。 These he unfolded to me with much detail；
and with such an accent of conviction that we seemed surrounded
by a mediaeval atmosphere in which signs and wonders were the
most natural things in the world。
As to his action on politics since my leaving Russia； the power
which he exercised over Alexander III has evidently been
continued during the reign of the young Nicholas II。 In spite of
his eighty years； he seems to be； to…day； the leader of the
reactionary party。
During the early weeks of The Hague Conference； Count Munster； in
his frequent diatribes against its whole purpose； and especially
against arbitration； was wont to insist that the whole thing was
a scheme prepared by Pobedonostzeff to embarrass Germany； that；
as Russia was always wretchedly unready with her army； The Hague
Conference was simply a trick for gaining time against her rivals
who kept up better military preparations。 There may have been
truth in part of this assertion； but the motive of the great
Russian statesman in favoring the conference was probably not so
much to gain time for the army as to gain money for the church。
With his intense desire to increase the stipends of the Russian
orthodox clergy； and thus to raise them somewhat above their
present low condition； he must have groaned over the enormous
sums spent by his government in the frequent changes in almost
every item of expenditure for its vast armychanges made in
times of profound peace； simply to show that Russia was keeping
her army abreast of those of her sister nations。 Hence came the
expressed Russian desire to 〃keep people from inventing things。〃
It has always seemed to me that； while the idea underlying the
Peace Conference came originally from Jean de Bloch； there must
have been powerful aid from Pobedonostzeff。 So much of goodand；
indeed； of great good we may attribute to him as highly
probable； if not certain。
But； on the other hand； there would seem to be equal reason for
attributing to him； in these latter days； a fearful mass of evil。
To say nothing of the policy of Russia in Poland and elsewhere；
her dealings with Finland thus far form one of the blackest spots
on the history of the empire。 Whether he originated this iniquity
or not is uncertain； but when； in 1892； I first saw the new
Russian cathedral rising on the heights above Helsingfors；a
structure vastly more imposing than any warranted by the small
number of the 〃orthodox〃 in Finland；with its architecture of
the old Muscovite type； symbolical of fetishism； I could not but
recognize his hand in it。 It seemed clear to me that here was the
beginning of religious aggression on the Lutheran Finlanders；
which must logically be followed by political and military
aggression； and； in view of his agency in this as in everything
reactionary； I did not wonder at the attempt to assassinate him
not long afterward。
During my recent stay in Germany he visited me at the Berlin
Embassy。 He was； as of old； apparently gentle； kindly； interested
in literature； not interested to any great extent in current
Western politics。 This gentle； kindly manner of his brought back
forcibly to my mind a remark of one of the most cultivated women
I met in Russia； a princess of ancient lineage； who ardently
desired reasonable reforms； and who； when I mentioned to her a
report that Pobedonostzeff was weary of political life； and was
about to retire from office in order to devote himself to
literary pursuits； said： 〃Don't； I beg of you； tell me that； for
I have always noticed that whenever such a report is circulated；
it is followed by some new scheme of his； even more infernal than
those preceding it。〃
So much for the man who； during the present reign； seems one of
the main agents in holding Russian policy on the road to ruin。 He
is indeed a study。 The descriptive epithet which clings to
him〃the Torquemada of the nineteenth century〃he once
discussed with me in no unkindly spirit； indeed； in as gentle a
spirit as can well be conceived。 His life furnishes a most
interesting study in churchmanship； in statesmanship； and in
human nature； and shows how some of the men most severely
condemned by modern historiansgreat persecutors； inquisitors；
and the likemay have based their actions on theories the world
has little understood； and may have had as little conscious
ferocity as their more tolerant neighbors。
CHAPTER XXXVII
WALKS AND TALES WITH TOLSTOIMARCH； 1894
Revisiting Moscow after an absence of thirty…five years； the most
surprising thing to me was that there had been so little change。
With the exception of the new gallery of Russian art； and the
bazaar opposite the sacred gate of the Kremlin； things seemed as
I had left them just after the accession of Alexander II。 There
were the same unkempt streets； the same peasantry clad in
sheepskins； the same troops of beggars； sturdy and dirty； the
same squalid crowds crossing themselves before the images at the
street corners； the same throngs of worshipers knocking their
heads against the pavements of churches； and above all loomed；
now as then； the tower of Ivan and the domes of St。 Basil；
gloomy； gaudy； and barbaric。 Only one change had taken place
which interested me： for the first time in the history of Russia；
a man of world…wide fame in literature and thought was abiding
thereCount Leo Tolstoi。
On the evening of my arrival I went with my secretary to his
weekly reception。 As we entered his house on the outskirts of the
city； two servants in evening dress came forward； removed our fur
coats； and opened the doors into the reception…room of the
master。 Then came a surprise。 His living…room seemed the cabin of
a Russian peasant。 It was wainscoted almost rudely and furnished
very simply； and there approached us a tall； gaunt Russian；
unmistakably born to command； yet clad as a peasant； his hair
thrown back over his ears on either side； his flowing blouse kept
together by a leathern girdle； his high jack…boots completing the
costume。 This was Tolstoi。
Nothing could be more kindly than his greeting。 While his dress
was that of a peasant； his bearing was the very opposite； for；
instead of the depressed； demure； hangdog expression of the
average muzhik； his manner； though cordial； was dignified and
impressive。 Having given us a hearty welcome； he made us
acquainted with various other guests。 It was a singular