Sources:
Letters of the Tsaritsa to the Tsar, 1914-1916, published by Duckworth & Co., 1923
The letter:
No. 119.
Tsarskoje Selo, Sept. 11-th 1915
My own beloved Darling,
It was so grey, that I felt quite sad, but now the sun is trying to pierce its way through the clouds. The colouring of the trees is so lovely now, many have turned yellow, red & copper. Sad to think summer is over & endless winter awaits us soon. It was strange to see the beloved sea, but so dirty — pain filled my heart when I saw the Alexandrie from far & remembered with what joy we always saw her, knowing that she was the means for taking us to our beloved "Standart" & fiords! Now all but a dream. What are the Bulgarians up to, why is Sazonov such a pancake? It seems to me that the people want to side with us & only the Minister & rotten Ferdinand mobilize to join the other countrys so as to squash Servia & throw themselves greedily upon Greece. Get rid of our Minister at Buccarest & the Rumaniens cld. be got to march with us, I am sure. — Is it true that they intend sending Gutchkov & some others from Moscou, as a deputation to you? A strong railwayaccident in wh. he alone wld. suffer wld. be a real punishment fr. God & well deserved, they go too far, & that fool Stcherbatov gained nothing by only blotching out parts of what they said — indeed a rotten governement — wh. wont work with, but against its leader. — I am remaining in bed till luncheon, the motordrive shook me too much & I am tired from seeing i. e. visiting hospitals three days running. — Do so much wonder when you will be able to return & for how many days — how you have arranged with Alexeiev, when you leave? — The old man has asked to see me this evening, & as I know he must see you, I have already wired to you. He finds it absolutely indispensible Sazonov should at once leave, he told it to Andronnikov — another man they propose is Makarov, but that won't do, as he did not show himself at all well in the story of Hermogen. Now another is the editor of the "Government Bulletin" Marshal of the Horse, Prince Urussov an other man, very loyal to you, religious (made our Friend's acquaintance) — that would be best I think & at once. I write all this for you to have it clearly in yr. head — now I suppose he may bring yet candidates. The story of Varnava is going too far — he did not go again to the Synod, because he will not hear yr. orders mocked at — the Metropolitan calls yr. telegram "foolish telegram" — such impertinence cannot be borne — you must set yr. broom working & clear out the dirts that has accumulated at the Synod. — All this row about Varnava is only so as to drag our Friend's name into the Duma. When Samarin accepted this place he told his set at Moscou that he takes it only because he intends to get rid of Gregory & that he will do all in his power to succeed. — One betted in the Duma, that they would prevent you fr. going to the war. — you did go — they said nobody dare close the Duma — you did — now they have betted that you cannot send Samarin away — & you will. The Bishops too, that sat there & mocked at yr. orders — you have not had time no doubt to read the articles about the accusations against Varnava at the Synod about the worship. You show yourself the master. We cleared S. I. out & her friends shall flie too & with this ridiculous, unloyal, mad idea of saving Russia. Lots of grand words. Goremykin must tell him, that you chose him believing him to be a man, who would work for you & the Church & he has turned out a spy upon the doings & telegr.: of Varnava & Gregory & has posed as an accusing advocate & persecutor — & doubter of your wishes & orders. You are the head & protector of the Church & he tries to undermine you in the eyes of the Church. At once my Love, clear him out & Stcherbatov too. This night he sent out a circular to all the papers, that they may print anything they like against the Governement (your governement) — how dare he — only not against you. But they do all in a hidden way, des sousentendu — and he plays fast & loose a very fool indeed. — Please take Khvostov in his place. Did you look through his book? He wants very much to see me, looks upon me as the one to save the situation whilst you are away (told it Andronnikov) & wants to pour out his heart to me & tell me all his ideas. — He is very energetic, fears no one & is colossaly devoted to you, wh. is the chief thing now a days. — His gaffes, one can warn him against making them — he knows the Duma people well, will not allow them to attack one, he knows how to speak; please Sweetheart seriously think of him, he is not such a coward & rag as Stcherbatov. The Government must be set to right & the old man needs good, devoted & energetic men to help him in his old age; he cannot go on like this.
You must tell him all, ask everything — he is too discreet & generally waits to be asked & then says his impressions or what he knows. Keep him up, show him you need & trust him & will give him new workers — & God will bless the work. — Take a slip of paper & note down what to talk over, last time you forgot about Khvostov, & then let the old man have it as a help to remember all questions. — 1) Samarin, 2) Stcherbatov-Synod, 3) Sazonov, 4) Krivoshein who is an underhand enemy & false to the old man the whole time. — 5) How to let the Barons know that it was a great untruth Nikolasha told them, that he got the orders from Tsarskoje to persecute the Barons — that must be cleared up cleverly, delicately. — The old man begs always you should hasten & be decisive; when you give him categoric answers or orders to fulfil its far easier for him & they are forced to listen. — I do bother you, poor wee one, but they come to me & I cant do otherwise for your sake, Baby's & Russias. Being out there, your mind can see all clearly & calmly — I am too calm & firm, only when changes must be made to save further horrors & filth, as that at the Synod headed by the soi disant "gentleman" Samarin — then I get wild & beg you to hasten. He dare not treat your words like dust, none of the Ministers dare behave as they do after the way you spoke to them. I told you Samarin is stupid insolent fellow — remember how impertinently he behaved to me at Peterhof last summer about the evacuation question & his opinion of Petersburg in comparison to Moscou etc., he had no right to speak to his Empress as he did — had he wished my good, he would have done all in his power for me, to take it as I wished, & he would have guided & helped me & it would have been a big & popular thing — but I felt his antagonism — as S. I.'s friend; & that [is] why he was proposed to you, & not for the Churches good. — I am inconvenient to such times, because I am energetic & stick to my friends wherever they may be. When the Duma closed, in a private sitting there, they said filth about Gregory Ania & her poor father — so loathsome.
Is that devotion, I ask you? Show yr. fist, chastisen, be the master & lord, you are the Autocrat & they dare not forget it, when they do, as now, woe into them. — Over & over let me thank you for your very sweet & dear letter, I was overjoyed to receive it & devoured it up. How glad I am you get lots of nice telegrams. — Thats the proof & your recompense, God will bless you for it, you saved Russia & the throne by that action. — I wish you could have a real good talk with Shavelsky about all that has been & about our Friend — get him to tea à 2. — Ania spoke to him once, but he had his ears filled with horrors & I am sure Nikolasha continued thus. —
Olga thanks Mordvinov for his letter. — I fear Misha will ask for his wife to get a title — she cant — she left two husbands already & he is yr. only Brother, Paul is of no consequence. — Why is Boris still with you, he ought to be back with his regiment, not so? Gregory wrote despairing wires about his son & begged him to be taken into the United Regiment wh. we said was impossible, Ania begged Voyeikov to do something, as he promised to before & he answered he could not. I understand the boy had to be called in, but he might have got him to a train as sanitary or anything — he always had to do with his hous in the country, an only son, its awfully hard of course. One longs to help without harming Father or Son. — What lovely telegrams he wrote again. — I had old Rauchfuss — we have got masses of cribs in these three last months all over Russia for our Society for Mothers & Babies — its a great joy to me to see how all have taken to it so quickly & have realised the gravity of the question, now especially every Baby must be cared for, as the losses are so heavy at the war.
One says the guard has again lost colossally now. —
We drove to Pavlovsk, lovely air & so sunny, the beautiful Cosacks with St. George's Crosses follow one. —
Now I must end, Sunshine my beloved One. I long for you. kiss you without end, hold you tightly clasped in my arms.
God bless you & protect you, give you strength, health, courage, surety of your opinion, wisdom & peace.
Ever Nicky mine yr. very own old Wify
Alice.
The Children's joy over your letters is intense, they are all well, thank God.
Nicholas's telegram:
Telegram. Stavka. 11 September, 1915.
Thanks for dear letters, yours and Tatiana's. Fine and warm. Misha has just arrived, he [...]. To-day I inspected some troops. I am writing. [Kiss] all tenderly. Thank her for the ikon.
It is again [...] looks well.
I kiss you
NICKY
Above: Nicholas and Alexandra.
Above: Grigori Rasputin.
Notes: Servia = the old name for Serbia.
Alexandra almost always referred to Grigori Rasputin as "our Friend".
S. I. = Sofia Ivanova Tyutcheva.
des sous-entendu = implications.
soi disant = so-called.
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