Sources:
Letters of the Tsaritsa to the Tsar, 1914-1916, published by Duckworth & Co., 1923
The letter:
No. 116.
Tsarskoje Selo, Sept. 8-th 1915
My own beloved One,
Am so anxious what news — its 10½ & the "Novoye Vremya" has not come & I don't know what is going on, as never get the telegr. any more as before were sent me, when you were at the Headquarters. So cold, 3 degr. only in the night, grey & windy. The eldest went to mass at 9 & the little ones now, I shall follow, have been reading through an immense fat report fr. Rostovtsev. — There is Prince Ukhtomsky in the 4-th rifles & his wife is terribly worried, as some of the comrades said they had seen him fallen, wounded, whereas no sanitary has yet brought him. Did Boris bring the lists? But it may have happened since. In town one says all the guard was surrounded, but I wont believe anything that is not official. I must dress for Church. Service was nice last night & they sang well. —
Dear one, it is so difficult when there are things one must tell you directly — & I dont know whether anybody reads our telegrams. Again I have had to wire an unpleasant thing to you, but there was no time to loose. I have asked her, as well as she can, to write out Suslik's conversation in the Synod. Really the little man has behaved with marvelous energy, standing up for us & our Friend, & gave back slapping answers to their questions. Tho' the Metropolitan is very displeased with Samarin, yet at this interrogation he was feeble & held his tongue, alas. — They want to clear Varnava out & put Hermogen in his place, have you ever heard such an impudence! They dare not do it without yr. sanction, as by yr. order he was punished. Its once more Nikolasha's doing (egged on by the women) he made him come out of his place, without any right, to Vilna to live with Agafangel & of course this latter, S. Philip & Nikon (the awful harmbringer to Athos) attacked Varnava about our Friend for 3 hours; Samarin went to Moscou for 3 days I think, no doubt to see Hermogen — I sent you the cutting about his having been allowed to spend 2 days in Moscou at Vostokov's by Nikolasha's order — since when was he allowed to mix in such questions, knowing that by yr. order the punishment was inflicted upon Hermogen! How dare they go against yr. permission of the "salutation" — what have they come to, even there anarchy reigns & once more Nikolasha's fault, as he (purposely) proposed Samarin, knowing that that man would do all in his power against Gregory & me, but here you are dragged in, & that is criminal, & at such a time quite particularly. Several times the old man told Samarin not to touch that subject, therefore he is fearfully hurt & said to Varnava & that he found Samarin must at once leave, other-wise they will drag it into the public. I find those 2 bishops ought at once to be taken out of the Synod — let Pitirim come & sit there, as our Friend feared Nikolasha would harm him if he heard that Piritim venerates our Friend. Get other, more worthy Bishops in. Strike of the Synod — at such a time, too unpatriotic, unloyal — what does it concern anybody — may they now pay for it & learn who is their master. Here is a cutting "again" you will say, but V. J. Gurko says (I will write it better out instead of sending you the paper). In Moscou, Lvov allowed him to speak: "We want a strong authority — we mean an authority armed with extraordinary powers, authority with a horse-whip (now you show it them in every way, where you can, you are their autocrat master) but not such an authority which it itself under whip." A slandering pun, directed against you & our Friend, God punish them for this; — its not Christian to write this, then better, God forgive them, but above all make them repent. —
Varnava told Goremykin all about the Governor — how nice he was with Gregory until he came here & got horrid orders fr. Stcherbatov, i. e. Samarin. About me he said to Suslik "a foolish woman" & about Ania abominable things wh. he cld. not even repeat. Goremykin says he must at once be changed. Look through my letters of about 5 days ago, there I named one, our Friend would have liked to have. Only all this must be done quickly, the effect is all the greater. Samarin knows yr. opinion & wishes & so does Stcherbatov & they don't care, thats the vile part of it. Give orders to the old man, that is then easy for him to fulfil. He told Varnava how hard it was to have all against him, if only you would give him new ministers to work with. — Samarin had ordered Varnava to go to you — now it would have been good, he could have told you all, only it will take up your time & one must hurry with ones decisions. You see he is like S. I. incorrigible & narrowminded. He ought to think of his churches, clergy & convents & not of whom we receive. That is his bad conscience now. Once more "who digs a pit for others, falls into it himself", like Nikolasha. — Quicker also change the ministers, he cannot work with them — if you give him categorical orders, then he can give them over, thats easier — but to talk with them he cant. Excellent to send several flying & keep him, serves them right, please think of it.
Despairing not to be with you & talk all over quietly together. —
About the war news our Friend writes (add it to yr. list of telegrams) Sept. 8: "Don't fear it will not be worse than it was, faith and the banner will favor us." — I enclose a telegram of E. Wittgenstein, born Nabokova (Groten's great friend, was in Marie's train). She wants medals, perhaps you would give Fred. the order — & the telegram too. The Images I can send her straight. — Here my love is Khvostov's speech in reading you will understand why Paul disapproved because he openly speaks against Dzhunkovsky. You better keep it in case one makes remarks about him, you can always fall back upon it; its clever & honest & energetic — a man longing to be of use to you. — Are you having more justice done in the Baltic provinces, one would like that, I must say poor people suffer enough. — Khvostov's speech I have just read through, very clear & interesting, but I must say our own lazy slave natures without any initiative have been at fault, we ought to have kept the bank in hand before — earlier nobody paid attention, now all eyes hunt for the German influence, but we brought it on ourselves, I assure you by our lazyness. Pay attention to page 21, 22 about Dzhunkovsky, what right had he to telegraph such a thing, it was only possible in quite particular cases — & that sounds rotten. I think it will interest you as it shows you his ideas about the banks etc. Then Ania's paper I enclose about Varnava & the Synod. Anastasia kisses you & begs pardon for not having written but we went for a little drive (of course the girls froze) & then to the Invalid-house where it lasted 1½ hour talking to all. We picked up Ania again at Css. Schulenberg's ideal little cottage. Then they went to their hospital & after tea to Ania's to play with some young girls. — One's head is ramolished fr. conversations — but the spirit is good, Lovy, & ready for anything you need. Varnava comes to me to-morrow. Go on being energetic Sweetheart, use your broom — show them your energetic, sure, firm side wh. they have not seen enough. Now is the fight to show them who you are, & that you have enough — you tried with gentleness & kindness, but that did not take, now you will show the contrary — the Master-will. Kussov wrote to Ania amongst other things, sad that a man like Miheyev came in yr. name as he represents nothing & does not know how to represent — nor to speak.
Manny mine, Angel Sweetheart, so sorry to daily bore you with things, but I cant otherwise. — I long to kiss & gaze into yr. beloved eyes. I bless & kiss you without end in true & deep devotion. God bless, guard, guide & protect you.
Ever yr. very own old
Wify.
Are you thinking of sending Dmitri back to the regiment? Dont let him dawdle about doing nothing, its his ruin, he will be worth nothing, if his caracter does not get formed at the war — he was not out more than one or 2 months.
Nicholas's telegram:
Telegram.
Stavka. 8 September 1915.
Thanks for telegram. It is difficult to dismiss him without having chosen somebody in his place. Could not the old man give you a list to choose from, and send it on to me? To-day, Mordvinov, who is accompanying George, told me a great deal of good news about the army. I kiss you tenderly.
NICKY.
Stavka. 8 September 1915.
Thanks for telegram. It is difficult to dismiss him without having chosen somebody in his place. Could not the old man give you a list to choose from, and send it on to me? To-day, Mordvinov, who is accompanying George, told me a great deal of good news about the army. I kiss you tenderly.
NICKY.
Above: Nicholas and Alexandra.
Above: Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia and Alexei.
Above: Grigori Rasputin.
Notes: Alexandra almost always referred to Grigori Rasputin as "our Friend".
"him" = Samarin, the Procurator of the Synod.
