Source:
Letters of the Tsaritsa to the Tsar, 1914-1916, published by Duckworth & Co., 1923
The letter:
No. 86.
Tsarskoje Selo, June 14-th 1915
My own beloved Nicky,
So many thanks for yr. dear telegram. Poor Darling, even on Sunday a council of ministers! — We had a nice drive to Pavlovsk, coming back, little Georgi on his small motor (like Alexeis) flew into our carriage, but luckily he did not upset & his machine was not spoiled. — Paul came to tea & remained 1 & ¾ hours, he was very nice & spoke honestly & simply, meaning well, not wishing to meddle with what does not concern him, only asking all sorts of things wh. I now repeat to you, with his knowledge. Well, to begin with, Paleolog dined with him a few days ago & then they had a long private talk & the latter tried to find out from him, very cleverly, whether he knew if you had any ideas about forming a seperate peace with Germany, as he heard such things being spoken about here, & as tho' in France one had got wind of it — & that there they intend fighting to the very end. Paul answered that he was convinced it was not true, all the more, as at the outset of the war we & our allies had settled, that peace could only be concluded together on no account separately. Then I told Paul that you had heard the same rumour about France; & he crossed himself when I said you were not dreaming of peace & knew it would mean revolution here & therefore the Germans are trying to egg it on. He said he had heard even the German mad conditions posed to us. — I warned him he wld. next hear, that I am wishing peace to be concluded. —
Then he asked me whether it was true that Stcheglovitov was being changed & that rotten Manukhin named in his place — I said I knew nothing, wh. is the truth, & neither why Stchegl. has chosen the moment now to go to the Solov. convent. Then he mentioned another thing to me wh. tho' painful its better to warn you about — namely, that since 6 months one speaks of a spy being at the Headquarters & when I asked the name, he said Gen. Danilov (the black one), that from many sides one has told him this "feeling", & that now in the army one speaks about it. Lovy mine, Vojeikov is sly & clever, talk to him about this, & let him slyly & cleverly try & have an eye upon the man & his doings — why not have him watched — of course as Paul says one has the spy mania now, but as things are at once known abroad wh. only very wellinitiated people at the Headquarters can know, this strong doubt has arisen, & Paul thought it honest to ask me whether you had ever mentioned this to me — I said no. — Only dont mention it to Nikolasha before you have taken information, as he can spoil all by his excited way & tell the man straight out or disbelieve all. But I think, it would only be right, tho' the man may seem perfectly charming & honest, to have him watched. Whilst you are there the yellow men & others can use eyes & ears & watch his telegrams & the people he sees etc. One pretends as tho' he often receives big sums. I only tell you all this, knowing nothing whether there is any foundation to it, only better to warn you. Many dislike the Headquarters & have an uncomfortable feeling there & as, alas, we have had spies & also innocent people accused by Nikolasha, now you can find out carefully, please. — Paul says Schtcherbatov's nomination was hailed with delight; he does not know him. — Forgive my bothering you so, poor weary Sweetheart, but one longs to be of help & perhaps I can be of some use giving over such messages. —
Mary Vassiltchikov & family live in the green corner house & fr. her window she watches like a cat all the people, that go in & out of our house & makes her remarks. She drove Isa wild asking why the children one day went out of one gate on foot & next time on bicycles, why an officer comes with a portfolio in the morning in one uniform & differently dressed in the evening — told Css. Fred. that she saw Gr. driving in — (odious). So to punish her, we went to A. this evening by a round about way, so she did not see us pass out. He was with us fr. 10-11½ in her house — I send you a stick (fish holding a bird) wh. was sent to Him fr. New Athos to give to you — he used it first & now sends it to you as a blessing — if you can sometimes use it, wld. be nice & to have it in yr. compartment near the one Mr. Ph. touched, is nice too. He spoke much & beautifully — & what a Russian Emperor is, tho' other Sovereigns are anointed & crowned, only the Russian one is a real Anointed since 300 years. Says you will save your reign by not calling out the 2nd class now — says Shakhovskoy was delighted you spoke about it, because the ministers agreed, but had you not begun, they did not intend speaking.
Finds, you ought to order fabricks to make Ammunition, simply you to give the order even choose wh. fabrick, if they show you the list of them, instead of giving the order over through commissions wh. talk for weeks & never can make up their minds.
Be more autocratic my very own Sweetheart, show your mind. —
The exhibition-bazar began to-day in the big Palace, on the terrace — not very big (have not yet been there) & our works are already bought up, it's true we had not done very much & we shall continue working & sending things there; they sold over 2100 entrance tickets à 10 kop., soldiers (wounded) need not pay, as they must go & see what works please them & wh. they can make.
I gave a few of our vases & two cups, as they always attract people.
Tell the old man I saw his family a moment yesterday, when I went to fetch Ania at Ninis, & found the three ladies looking well. Tell Vojeikov, that I find his cabinet quite charming (happily not smelling of cigars).
Now I must go to sleep & finish to-morrow. —
So fresh, we dined out & there were only 9 degrees. Baby enjoyed Peterhof & then the games with the officers. Dmitri is better & hopes to leave on Thursday, if even on crutches — is in despair to have remained behind.
The last Dolgoruky, Alexei died in London. — Sleep peacefully & rest well, my treasure — I have blessed & kissed your cushion, as alas have not you here to tenderly caress & codle. Goodnight my Angel. —
June 15-th. Very fine again, am writing on the balkony, we have lunched, then I must receive some officers & hereafter go to Mavra. We photographed at the hospital in the garden & sat on the balkony after we had finished everything. —
Do so long for news. — Wonder how long you will remain away.
Ania has gone for the first time to town by motor to her Parents, as her Mother is ill, & then to our Friend. —
Now goodbye my very own, longed for Treasure, my Sweetheart, I kiss you ever so fondly & pray God to bless, protect & guide you
Yr. own old
Wify
Have you the patience to read such long letters?
Above: Nicholas and Alexandra.
Above: Alexandra and Anna Vyrubova with Olga and Tatiana.
Above: Alexandra with Alexei.
Above: Grigori Rasputin.
Note: Alexandra often referred to Grigori Rasputin as "our Friend".
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