The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-02-05

teens he had prayed and tasted and mortified
his flesh until he was rewarded by the Lord.
who ordered the soul of St. Nicholas, the
greatest worker of miracles. to follow and
assist him (Mardari). Once in a while. when
nobody was in Mardari's company, the soul
of ST. Nicholas assumed the bodily form of
the Russian patron-saint
Mardari was about 25 or rs years of age.
tall, slender and exceptionally beautiful. with
an Adonis head as If shaped by Praxiteles.
His face was deadly pale, waxen and motion
less, only the dark, deep and penetrating
eyes proving that it was a living man who
stood there in a food of sunshine or. when II
was cloudy, of electric rays. White were
his small hands. Black curls reached his
shoulders. Barefoot, he wore a long robe.
Slowly. with raised hands. he proceeded to
the altar and sat down in one Of the two
armchairs. Then he made a short address.
urging his audience to contribute freely to
the funds of the convent on the Athos
Mountain.
Gold and silver coins and bank notes,
jewelry from valuable brilliants to cheap
rings and earrings, checks, drafts and prom
issory notes were placed in the collection
plate. The collection over, Mardari said
short prayer to St Nicholas, and from the
empty armchair came the low voice OF an
old man, blessing those present in ancient
Slavic words. The multitude threw them
selves to the floor, while Mardari. again with
raised hands, left through the same small
door by which he had entered the refectory.
He was followed by two monks carrying the
collection plate.
The monks certainly knew that Mardari
was clever ventriloqust an impostor; but
they cooperated with the swindler because
he brought them wealth. The skeptics
among the pilgrims understood the situation.
but to tell or hint at the truth would have
meant instant death by the hands of the
bgoted and superstitious mob and ruthless
persecution by the Cars Government.
Mardari collected immense sums, his fame
and influence grew from day to day, the
more so the miracle worker was in some
respects an ascetic who. for instance, drank
nothing but water, while the average Rus
sian monks were rumsoaked debauchees
Unlike Rasputin Mardari was not an erotic:
he took no notice of the numerous advances
by ladies Of the exclusive Petrograd society.
He did not stay long at the Warlaam Con-
vent. The imperial court had an inordinate
longing for some new neurotic excitement
Car and Czarina devout!y listened to Mar
darts own sermons as well as to the scrip
tural sentences OF ST. Nicholas.
Mardari lived at the Hotel d'Angleterre
his expenses and those of his invisible com
panion. st. Nicholas, being paid by the
Ministry OF the Imperial Court. The Car
often sent him expensive wines and fruit
which found their way to the invisible
stomach OF ST. Nicholas.
Suddenly Mardari disappeared. as did also
"St Nicholas" Neither the monk nor the
saint was ever seen again. The cotere
they had served had to render them harm
less forever. There can be no doubt that the
Ochrana (secret police) took care of Mardari
and "St. Nicholas" If the waters Of the
Neva River could speak they would prob
ably be able to tell the final chapter az
Mardari's LIE.