Sources:
Alexandra Feodorovna: Diaries and Correspondence, volume 2: Engagement and Marriage, 1894, pages 27 to 28, by George Hawkins, 2023
The letter:
April 26th 1894. Gatchina.
May 8th Here a kiss was laid for you!
O
N 5.
My own darling sweet little Alix,
What a lucky day, I just got your dear [letter] from Windsor & thank you over & over again for it. How dear & kind it is of you to sit down directly after such a long journey & Granny's breakfast and write me a letter & such a sweet one too! Oh! how I also long for a precious kiss from you my darling girly-dear; especially after receiving a letter I would like so awfully to press you to my heart, don't you think — so!
I enclose herein a letter for you fr. aunt Miechen; spent a day here with Mama, while Papa & u. Wladimir were out shooting. My dear Спицбуб will ask why did not лаусбуб also go out shooting — the answer shall be a simple one: he has got a regiment to serve in & yesterday he remained in town from the morning until the afternoon, when on coming back to Gatchina, лаусбуб found спицбуб's precious letter. Whereupon he went out in the garden, got into his canoe & having paddled far off in to the middle of the lake, he tore open the letter & read it & enjoyed it quite by himself!!!
I looked up just now & caught a very shy wink & glance that yr. new photo (en face) threw me. Oh! Oh! something is going wrong at Windsor. I hope Coburg is not quite empty yet!!! No sweety don't be angry with the old лаусбуб the "verspötter"! it is only to have just a little fun & fr. so far it cannot harm, don't you think — — — — — — — — — so!
Naughty, naughty little girly-dear, I am again reading line by line your letter & what do I see you have put in the end, what do you mean by it? Sweet one, it is me who is not worthy of your love & such sacrifice that you leave your "sweet home" for me! No! The thought of possessing such an affection is really too heavenly a thing, which no words in no language could ever express! That is also why I was often dumb sitting with you!
I am sending you three cowslips — that I tore off the shore whilst sitting in the canoe. The weather is continuing to be heavenly — I wish I had a little less to do — then I might enjoy being in the open air more than now. But soon, a few days after my birthday, I am going to be sent off to the camp with my battalion & there shall begin the life I used to like formerly! ......... whereas now I only care for the place where my спицбуб is for the present moment. After that you pretend that you have not changed me!!! Donnerwetter! Potztausend! Es war einmal ein König, der hatte eine Hoh... etc I only am certain about the end.
Well! my own darling little one I must end now. Three fond kisses & God's blessing's upon you my own sweet little bride +. Ever & ever yr. own Nicky
Above: Nicholas and Alix. Photo courtesy of Ilya Grigoryev on Flickr.
Notes: Спицбуб (Spitzbub) = rascal.
лаусбуб (Lausbub) = rascal. Spitzbub and Lausbub were Nicholas's and Alix's nicknames for each other.
en face = in front of.
Verspötter = mocker.
Donnerwetter! = well now!
Potztausend! = oh my goodness!
"Es war einmal ein König, der hatte eine Floh..." = "There was once a king who had a flea..."
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