Nicholas's letter to Alexandra, dated September 1, 1902, and her reply, dated September 3, 1902

Alexandra wrote this letter (the second one) in reply to Nicholas on September 3, 1902. In his letter, dated September 1, he tells her of his visit to Kursk.

Source:

A Lifelong Passion, letters and diary entries compiled by Andrei Maylunas and Sergei Mironenko

The letters:

Nicholas's letter:

My own precious Darling,
Tender thanks for your dear letter. It was lying on the table in my cabin when we came back from our successful visit to Kursk.

We left by carriage for town at 9.30 and got back to our train for luncheon at 3 o'clock. You can see what a busy Sunday morning it was. We drove right through the town to the Znamenski monastery, after service we all kissed the Virgin's image.

The whole cathedral was full of schoolchildren, girls and boys, so I saw them all.

From there we went to another fine old church, built by the famous Rastrelli.

Then we visited the Red Cross hospital, very well kept.

After that we drove to the Nobility's Assembly. In their magnificent hall the Bishop made the sanctifying of Papa's bust; in a standing position the figure is rather good. We all felt extremely hungry and were very thankful to drink a cup of tea and eat a sandwich. We sat at a round table and the tall Marie Bariatinskaya did the honours.

There were any amount of ladies, some were rather good looking with fatal eyes and they kept looking steadily at Misha and me, smiling sweetly, when we turned our heads in their direction. At the end of our tea, there stood such a wall of them around us, that we could not bear it any longer and got up.

M. Bariatinskaya asked very much about you. Our last visit was to the governor's house, where I spoke again. This time it was to the peasants of the five adjacent governments. That went off well because it is much easier to talk to simple people. We left Kursk under the best impression and spent a quiet afternoon near our platform. It suddenly became cold, after the lovely summer weather we had the last days. At 8.0 there was a big dinner in the tent for all the people of Kursk, about 90 persons. Sergei came from his bivouac and left immediately after. He wants to come to Peterhof to fetch Ella.

Now goodbye and God bless you, my sweet little Wify. I kiss you tenderly and all the children. I love you and want you, Oh! So naughty!!

Ever your loving and devoted
Nicky

Alexandra's reply:

Sweetest lovey mine,
Tenderest thanks for your interesting letter all about your visit to Kursk. I followed the detailed description also in the papers. The image of the Virgin is the one Serafim loved and which cured him as a boy.

I can see you drinking tea, surrounded by a band of languishing ladies, and I know the adorable expression of shyness which creeps over you and makes your sweet eyes all the more dangerous. I am sure many hearts have beaten faster ever since then, you old sinner. I shall make you wear blue spectacles to frighten gay butterflies off from my too dangerous husband.

Rain, rain, water very high, but a little warmer today.

What an imposing and emotional sight the attack of those 80 battalions must have been, and then, that colossal luncheon on the meadow.

I must be off to bed. Good night, and God bless and keep you. A tender kiss my beloved Huzy from your very own wife,
Alix

Above: Alexandra.

Above: Nicholas.