Sources:
Letters of the Tsaritsa to the Tsar, 1914-1916, published by Duckworth & Co., 1923
The letter:
No. 121.
Tsarskoje Selo, Sept. 13-th 1915
My very own Treasure,
I am glad you have fine weather, here it is real autumn, there was a little sun an hour ago and now there is again a grey haze. — The 4 Girls have gone to early Church — "Engineer Mechanic" came, so keeps me company. So you cannot come before the end of the week, I feared so, as things are still very serious near Dvinsk — but how brave both sides are — God help and strengthen our dear troops. — The papers continue aggravating me, discussing and groaning that there will be a censure — and that ought to have been regulised months ago. — There is a messenger leaving for England this afternoon, so I must quickly profit to write to Victoria — this I will finish later in the day, as usual. — Sazonov says it concerns Alexeiev the exchange of prisoners, so I don't know what to do about Fürst Bentheim, I cannot ask for a German (and I believe not wounded or long ago well by now) — whom could one exchange him with? — I am glad you wrote a good letter to the old Man, it will help him in his difficult task. — 3 weeks to-day that you arrived at the Headquarters — when is Nikolasha going to Tiflis? To-day it is put in the papers that Dzhunkovsky is going to the Army and not any more under Alexeiev's orders for Sanitary questions.
Sweet Manny mine — am always in thoughts with you, yearning to see what you look and feel like; I have no doubt much better than when you were here. I told you about Y. Trubetskoy yesterday, so as that one should have an eye upon him, if he really is so very little famous and confuses them all. Am I meddling? I don't mean to, I only repeat what Kussov said, as I know he tells me things in the hope I will give all over. — What news fr. the Black Sea and Baltic?
I spent the afternoon on my sopha in the corner of my big room and Ania read to me, tea we had at 4 and then the 5 Children went to Ania for an hour to see some Children. I have crawled into bed, so as to go to church, service to-day is from 6-8, and I shall go at about 7, more I have not the strength for, as cannot take drops and feel tired, but to-day the heart was not enlarged. A dreary day. — In Moscou Mme Gardinsky finds the things better than they expected, Petrograd she finds horrid just now and I think all agree. — I gave Zizi papers about John Maximovitch and how they found his tomb, and she was grateful and emotioned as it showed her all in quite another light, and now I made Ania send it to O. Father Alex. — I want others to understand the thing and the wrong behaviour of the Synod. If they choose to find you had not the right to give such an order, nevertheless, all the more they ought to have stood up for it, legalised it still from their side, instead of purposely going against your orders — and all that simply out of opposition and to harm Varnava and throw again a bad light on our Friend. —
My letter is dull, I have seen nobody interesting. — A. is going over to the big Palace for a week, so as to have her rooms cleaned, the shaky plafond seen to and windows arranged for winter. Danini is going to see it! She can meanwhile go through a cure of electrifying and strong light wh. we have next door in the hospital and Vladimir Nikolaievitch will do it, and her Feodosia Stepanovna works there too and does massage for the wounded officers. —
I enclose a letter fr. Olga, and am sending you flowers again — the frezia last very long and every bud will open in your vase. —
The leaves are turning very yellow and red, I see it from the windows of my big room. — Sweetheart, you never give me an answer about Dmitri, why you dont send him back to his regiment, as Paul had hoped; — he worrys so about the boy wasting his best years and at such a grave moment, doing nothing. It does not look well, no Granddukes are out, only Boris from time to time, the poor Constantins boys always ill. — I do so hope to get your letter before closing this, so I will rest and then finish it up. —
Well I must send it off. I kiss and bless you over and over again, my very own beloved Treasure, Sunshine.
I cover you with tender kisses — God bless and keep you.
A tender kiss
fr. yr. very own old
Wify.
Nicholas's telegram:
Telegram. Stavka. 13 September, 1915.
Hearty thanks for dear letter and telegram, also to Anastasia and Alexey. Wonderful summer-like weather. Have been to church twice. The news is better, but I cannot yet find out for certain about the losses. I have told Boris to inform me. He is returning now. Goodnight. I kiss you fondly.
NICKY.
Above: Nicholas and Alexandra. Photo courtesy of Ilya Grigoryev at lastromanovs on VK.
Above: Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia. Photo courtesy of Ilya Grigoryev at lastromanovs on VK.
Note: Alexandra almost always referred to Grigori Rasputin as "our Friend".
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