Sources:
Letters of the Tsaritsa to the Tsar, 1914-1916, published by Duckworth & Co., 1923
The letter:
No. 123.
Tsarskoje Selo, Sept. 15-th 1915.
My very own precious Darling,
Grey and raining & quite cold. Am still not feeling famous & head continues aching rather — nevertheless I have a committee for our prisoners in Germany. A private society all over Russia now has begun the same thing, instigated by Suvorin, as he finds Pr. Galitzin does not work enough — I do not like the idea as its only so as to hinder me, instead of asking to become part of our society. —
Not feeling well, I have been unable to go to old Arseniev's services but shall go either to-morrow evening to the funeral & service at Znamenia or to the funeral there Thursday morning. I sent a cross of flowers from us both & wrote to poor little Nadinka & sent expression of your sympathy to her brothers. — A bit of old history dies with him. I at once gave over yr. order about the papers & letters he had, wh. belonged to yr. library. —
To-day it was put in the papers about the naval losses & now I understand all. And how good the French & English at last began — & with success, may they continue thus — it is as they had promised in September. But what obstinate fighting on our side, despairing feeling that taking & retaking of places & positions several times running. —
Its sad you will have to go to Kaluga, wh. is such a big town & yet further away — but I suppose on account on account of the railway line? — So strange you should have lived at different places & gone through so much there & that I do not know them & had no share on yr. life there. —
Lovy, can one have an eye upon what is going on at Pershino not good rumours come from there. —
How I wish I had something interesting, cheery to tell you, instead of harping always on the same subject. —
Remember to keep the Image in yr. hand again & several times to comb yr. hair with His comb before the sitting of the ministers. Oh how I shall think of you & pray for you more than ever then, Beloved One. — Ania sends you her love. — One says Theo Nirod has left the service so as to follow Nikolasha. I find he is taking far too big a suite of a. d. c. yr. g. ad. & Orlov — its not good coming with such a court & clique, & I very much dread they will try to continue making messes. — God grant that only nothing shld. succeed in the Caucasus, & the people show their devotion to you & allow no playing of a grand part — I fear Militza & her wickedness — but God will protect against evil.
Well, the sitting went off allright, 10 people. I took Olga to sit near me & then she will get more accustomed to see people & hear what is going. She is a clever child, but does not use her brains enough. Before that I had Kussov for an hour, because he would not go away without having seen me once more. Quite disgusted with town & so pained by everything & that my name is always mentioned, as tho' I had cleared Orlov & Dzhunkovsky away because of our Fr. etc. He began to have a constant eye upon the going on in the Caucasus, that they should not spoil everything there & to send people to find out fr. time to time to "feel the atmosphere" — he certainly, one sees, has a very bad opinion of them all. Stcherbatov told him in the train that Goremykin is a decrepit old man (not "mad" as Ania said) & that he finds one must make concessions, wh. Kussov said to him would be most dangerous, as one gives a finger & the whole arm is cought hold of. People want Stcherbatov instead of Goremykin, I understand them, as he is weak & one can do anything & he is like a weathercock, alas. — Benkendorf let me know, that he is sending Gerbel to Moscou on account of the demenagement — that means yours I suppose. How sad, that you really have to go so far away & be near that rotten Moscou. — Ania went to town to her Parents till 5 — she took Groten to Nat. Br. and back again, he enjoyed the change after the sick room. —
Am so anxious, how it will be with the ministers — now you cant change them once they come there & its so essential, only you must get a look at the others first. Please remember Khvostov. —
You know my committee will have to ask the government for big sums for our prisoners, we shall never have enough, & the number will be, alas, several millions — its most necessary, otherwise bad elements will profit & say we are not thinking of them, they are forgotten & many bad things can be inculcated into them, as amongst our prisoners for sure there are rotten red creatures.
The organisation of the Union of Cities are also forming a society for the same thing, that makes 3 — we must keep in contact with them. Do take everything in hand, so as to say afterwards that the government does nothing, & they everything, the same for the wounded & refugees — they turn up & help everywhere — & their deligates need watching. —
Now goodbye my love, I am tired & head & eyes ache. —
Goodbye, dear Beloved, my own sweet husband, joy of my heart — I cover you with tender longing kisses. —
Ever yr. very own old
Wify.
Please, give this other letter enclosed to Misha.
My love to old man & N. P. How are you contented with Vilna, & Dvinsk, & Baranovitchi, — are things going as you wish?
Sleep well & feel my warm presence. —
Nicholas's telegram:
Telegram. Stavka. 15 September, 1915.
I thank you sincerely for letters, yours and Olga's, and food. Ideal weather. I thank you for the telegram. The news is good. I am glad that you are feeling better. In thought I am with you. Do not worry about my conference tomorrow. I will show them...
Above: Alexandra.
Above: Nicholas. Photo courtesy of Ilya Grigoryev at lastromanovs on VK.
Above: Grigori Rasputin.
Above: Olga.
Note: "Remember to keep the Image in yr. hand again & several times to comb yr. hair with His comb before the sitting of the ministers" = Alexandra sometimes sent Nicholas objects which Grigori Rasputin had touched or blessed.
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