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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a39869c --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #64444 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/64444) diff --git a/old/64444-0.txt b/old/64444-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 36f75b0..0000000 --- a/old/64444-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,5091 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of My empress; twenty-three years of intimate -life with the empress of all the Russias from her marriage to the day of -her exile, by Marfa Mouchanow - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: My empress; twenty-three years of intimate life with the empress - of all the Russias from her marriage to the day of her exile - -Author: Marfa Mouchanow - -Release Date: February 02, 2021 [eBook #64444] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: Fay Dunn, Fiona Holmes and the Online Distributed - Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was - produced from images generously made available by The Internet - Archive/American Libraries.) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MY EMPRESS; TWENTY-THREE YEARS OF -INTIMATE LIFE WITH THE EMPRESS OF ALL THE RUSSIAS FROM HER MARRIAGE TO THE -DAY OF HER EXILE *** - - -Transcriber’s Notes - -Hyphenation has been standardised. - -Other changes made are noted at the end of the book. - - - - -[Illustration: - -_International Film Service_ - -THE EX-CZARINA ALEXANDRA OF RUSSIA] - - - - -MY EMPRESS - -TWENTY-THREE YEARS OF INTIMATE LIFE WITH THE EMPRESS OF ALL THE RUSSIAS -FROM HER MARRIAGE TO THE DAY OF HER EXILE - -BY - -MADAME MARFA MOUCHANOW - -FIRST MAID IN WAITING TO HER FORMER MAJESTY THE CZARINA ALEXANDRA OF -RUSSIA - -WITH ILLUSTRATIONS FROM PHOTOGRAPHS - -NEW YORK: JOHN LANE COMPANY LONDON: JOHN LANE, THE BODLEY HEAD MCMXVIII - - - - -COPYRIGHT, 1918, BY CURTIS PUBLISHING COMPANY - -COPYRIGHT, 1918, BY JOHN LANE COMPANY - - -Press of J. J. Little & Ives Co. New York - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER PAGE - - I MY APPOINTMENT 11 - - II THE FIRST MONTHS OF THE CZARINA’S MARRIED LIFE 20 - - III BIRTH OF GRAND DUCHESS OLGA 33 - - IV THE CORONATION 46 - - V VISITS ABROAD 59 - - VI THE GRAND DUCHESS ELIZABETH 72 - - VII THE CZARINA’S FAMILY RELATIONS 82 - - VIII LIFE AT CZARSKOI SELO 94 - - IX THE COURT AND ATTENDANTS OF THE CZARINA 105 - - X THE CZARINA AND ST. PETERSBURG SOCIETY 117 - - XI THE CZARINA AND HER MOTHER-IN-LAW 129 - - XII THE CZARINA’S DAILY OCCUPATIONS 141 - - XIII THE JAPANESE WAR AND THE BIRTH OF THE CZAREVITSCH 152 - - XIV THE CZARINA, HER CHILDREN AND HER CHARITIES 164 - - XV THE FIRST REVOLUTION 176 - - XVI THE CZARINA’S FRIENDS 188 - - XVII THE GREAT WAR 200 - - XVIII DISASTERS AND THE SECOND REVOLUTION 211 - - XIX HOW THE CZARINA WAS ARRESTED 222 - - XX LIFE IN PRISON 236 - - XXI EXILE—I AM DISMISSED 249 - - - - -ILLUSTRATIONS - - -The ex-Czarina Alexandra of Russia _Frontispiece_ - - FACING PAGE - - The ex-Czar Nicholas II of Russia 20 - - Winter Palace, Petrograd 34 - - Alexander Hall in the Kremlin at Moscow 44 - - Throne Room in the Kremlin at Moscow 52 - - Old Banquet Hall of the Czars 70 - - Rasputin 80 - - The ex-Czarina of Russia and her Four Daughters 102 - - Grounds of the Imperial Palace at Tzarskoié Sélo 122 - - Grand Duke Michael 132 - - Grand Duchess Olga 144 - - The ex-Czarevitch 156 - - The ex-Czarina and her Son 168 - - The Grand Staircase, Winter Palace, Petrograd 178 - - Grand Duchess Elizabeth 188 - - Grand Duchess Anastasia 220 - - - - -MY EMPRESS - - - - -CHAPTER I - -MY APPOINTMENT - - -It is the custom, or rather it was the custom, at the Russian Court, -not to allow any Princess marrying into the Imperial family to bring -with her maids from her own country. I believe that this custom was -also observed at Foreign Courts, at least in former times. Therefore, -when it became known that the heir to the Russian Throne, as Nicholas -II. still was when he became the affianced husband of the lovely -Princess Alix of Hesse, was about to bring a bride to his parents’ -home, speculations became rife, and much heart burning resulted among -people who considered themselves entitled to the honour of becoming -attendants on the future Empress of All the Russias. - -Of course the choice of the maids destined to wait upon her was to a -certain measure dependent on the will of the Reigning Empress, and -the latter felt that it would not do to surround her daughter-in-law -with women unable to talk any other language than Russian. A list was -submitted to her of ladies who were supposed to be eligible for the -position, and, unknown to myself, my name was placed upon it. - -The functions of first maid to a Czarina were far from being purely -honorific. Of course she was not supposed to do any menial work, -but, on the other hand, she had to show herself most discreet, to -avoid gossip of any kind, to have no intimate friends or relatives in -whom she might feel tempted to confide, and, moreover, considerable -responsibility rested on her shoulders, as she had under her care not -only the personal jewels of her Imperial mistress, but also those -belonging to the Crown (when these happened to be used), the control of -everything that was connected with the toilet and personal adornment -of the Princess in whose service she stood, the paying of her private -bills, and so forth. She had under her eight other maids, whose duties -consisted in attending to the wants of the Princess, but these took -no initiative, and were entirely dependent upon her, having to obey -her and to listen to all her instructions. One had to have a certain -rank or Tschin, as it is called in Russian, to be able to obtain -such an appointment, and probably the fact that my husband, who had -died a short time before the marriage of Nicholas II. and Alexandra -Feodorovna, had been a Colonel, had something to do with the fact that -my name figured on the list of the women considered eligible for the -position which I was to obtain. - -As is well known, the arrival of the Princess Alix in Russia was -hurried on account of the illness of the Czar Alexander III., who knew -himself to be dying, and who wished to see his future daughter-in-law -before he breathed his last. The Grand Duchess Elizabeth of Russia, -the wife of the Grand Duke Sergius, who was the eldest sister of the -Princess, went to meet her at Warsaw, and brought her to Livadia, in -the Crimea, which she reached about three days before the demise of the -Emperor. She was met on her arrival with all the honours pertaining to -the bride of the heir apparent, but the circumstances which accompanied -her journey were such sad ones, that they could not help painfully -impressing her and adding to the natural melancholy of her character, -which was already at that time sufficiently pronounced to cause -anxiety to the people who surrounded her. - -The mortal remains of Alexander III. were brought back with much pomp -to St. Petersburg, where instead of making the solemn entry which -Russian Imperial brides generally do in the capital, in golden coaches -surrounded with elaborate ceremonies, the Princess Alix arrived in a -mourning carriage, smothered in the folds of her crêpe veil. No one -noticed her, and the general interest of the public was concentrated -on the Empress Dowager, whose grief was pitiable to witness. The young -girl about to take the latter’s place on the throne of Russia felt -quite lost and lonely amidst her new surroundings, and no one seemed -to care for her, or to trouble as to what was going to befall her. At -that time many people believed that her marriage would be postponed -until after the mourning for Alexander III. was over, and hoped that -something might yet occur to prevent its ever taking place. The -alliance was not popular, and neither Court society nor the nation felt -pleased at the idea of a German Princess coming to share the throne of -their new Sovereign. He was known already to be absolutely lacking in -character, and many persons feared that through the influence which -his wife might come to acquire over his mind, the Grand Duke Sergius, -who was married, as I have already related, to the sister of the -Princess Alix, would become paramount at the Russian Court. And the -Grand Duke was the most hated and the most unpopular personage in the -whole country. - -Family intervention, however, decided otherwise, and, partly thanks to -the efforts of the Prince and Princess of Wales, who had arrived in -St. Petersburg to be with the Empress Marie in her hour of sorrow, it -was decided to solemnise the nuptials of the new Czar as quickly as -possible; therefore the twenty-sixth of November, 1894, the birthday -anniversary of the widow of Alexander III., was chosen for it. - -All this time I had not seen my new mistress. She was supposed to -be too busy to have leisure to become acquainted with her future -household, and it was only some three days before the one selected for -the wedding that I was at last presented to her in the Palace of the -Grand Duke Sergius, where she had resided since her arrival in St. -Petersburg. - -My first impression was that of a tall, slight girl, with straight -long features, a classical profile, and a lovely figure, which gave no -indications of the tendency to stoutness that was to spoil it later on. -She had fair hair that shone like gold in the sun, whilst at times it -appeared quite dark, according to the light which played upon it. The -mouth was the most defective feature in an otherwise almost perfectly -beautiful face. It had a determined expression, which even then could -be unpleasant, and the chin was decidedly heavy. But the general -impression she produced was that of a superb woman. The deep mourning -which she wore suited her, and heightened the natural whiteness of her -lovely complexion, and I remember thinking that I had never yet seen -any one more beautiful than this girl about to become my Empress. - -She said very little to me, and what she did say was uttered in a low, -constrained voice. She seemed to have a nervous dread at the idea -of being compelled to have strangers about her, and she asked me to -ascertain from the maid from whom she was about to part her customs and -habits, so as to be able to direct the women who were to attend on her -in the future. But when I asked her to allow me to begin my duties at -once, she objected, saying that it would be time enough on her wedding -day. - -This proved inconvenient in many respects, because it was most -difficult to attend to the many details connected with a complicated -toilet, such as a bridal one invariably is, let alone an Imperial one, -and to make decisions for an utter stranger. According to etiquette the -Grand Duchess (the Princess Alix had been given this title on the day -she had entered the Greek Church) had to dress in the Winter Palace, -where not only her eight maids, but all the ladies in waiting on the -Empress Dowager, those of her own future household, and the jewels she -was to wear, were awaiting her. To a room set aside for the purpose by -etiquette had been brought the gold toilet service of the Empress Anne, -which is always taken out for such occasions and for such only, and -it was spread on a table before which the Princess was asked to sit. -The diamond Crown used for Imperial weddings was then brought to the -Empress Dowager, who, according to the rules of the ceremony, had to -put it on the head of the bride. But an unforeseen incident occurred. -The hairdresser, who was to adjust the crown and the bridal veil, could -not be found; no one knew where he was, nor could any one take his -place. At last it was discovered that an over-zealous police official, -believing his ticket of admission invalid, had refused to let him enter -the Winter Palace. A whole hour went by before this was discovered, and -the marriage was delayed for that length of time, to the wonder of the -thousands of people assembled to witness it, in the various rooms and -halls of the Imperial residence. - -During this weary hour the Princess sat motionless before her looking -glass, hardly saying a word, but with tears in her eyes which, however, -she bravely tried to conceal. People buzzed around her, trying to -attract her attention, but she did not seem to heed them, and merely -waited and waited, with that patience which, as I discovered later on, -was a distinctive feature in her character. At last the hairdresser was -brought in, hot and excited, and he quickly fastened the diamond diadem -on the head of the young bride, whom we proceeded to array in the long -mantle of cloth of gold, lined with ermine, which she was to wear -over her white gown. When she was ready and stood before us, previous -to the starting of the procession for the chapel, we all uttered an -exclamation. None among us had ever gazed at anything more lovely than -she appeared to our eyes, and indeed I have never, in the years that -followed, seen Alexandra Feodorovna look so splendid as on that grey -November morning which saw her married to the Czar of All the Russias. - - - - -CHAPTER II - -THE FIRST MONTHS OF THE CZARINA’S MARRIED LIFE - -[Illustration:_International Film Service_ - -THE EX-CZAR NICHOLAS II OF RUSSIA] - -Owing to the haste with which the royal wedding was celebrated there -was no time to prepare in advance suitable apartments for the Czar and -his bride in any of the Imperial palaces either in St. Petersburg or -in Czarskoi Selo. The latter residence had from the very first been -spoken of as the future abode of the young couple, being a favourite -one with the new Sovereign. But the Alexander Palace, the only one -which was more or less adapted to the exigencies of modern life, had -not been inhabited since the death of the Empress Marie Alexandrovna, -the Consort of Alexander II., and required to be entirely overhauled. -The Winter Palace, too, was in want of renovation, and particularly -unsuitable, as the young Empress had expressed a wish to have the -apartments which she was to occupy newly furnished, according to her -own tastes and ideas. The result of this state of things was that -the newly married couple spent the first months of their wedded life -in the Anitschkoff Palace, the residence of the Dowager Empress, in -the small rooms which had been occupied by Nicholas II. as a bachelor, -rooms that were anything but comfortable, and where there was not even -sufficient place for the wardrobe of the bride, who, besides, found -herself without a sitting-room of her own, and had to borrow that of -her mother-in-law whenever she wished to receive any one. - -Of course this was not pleasant for her, and I will add that it put -her from the very outset in a false position which she felt acutely. -She was being treated like a child, and she would not have been human -had she been pleased with the situation. During the first weeks of her -marriage, when the whole court was still in deep mourning for the late -Czar, it did not perhaps matter as much as it would have done later -on, or under different circumstances, but still it was disagreeable. -The Dowager Empress was, in her way, just such an authoritative -character as was her daughter-in-law, therefore the two ladies soon -found themselves in strong opposition, and, though they did not own to -it, became heartily tired of each other. Six weeks after the wedding -Alexandra Feodorovna persuaded her husband to go for one week to -Czarskoi Selo, and when she returned to St. Petersburg I found that a -considerable change had taken place in her manners and bearing, much -of her former diffidence and shyness having disappeared. She began to -decide for herself certain things she would not have dreamt of doing -before without having consulted her mother-in-law, and she organised -her personal existence after her own heart. The first changes which she -introduced concerned her maids’ attendance upon her, and she called me -into her presence one morning to discuss them at length, refusing to -listen to some observations which I thought it my duty to make to her. -In my opinion it would have been better to have waited until we had -moved out of the Anitschkoff Palace before altering the rules which -presided over the dressing-room and wardrobe paraphernalia of the -young Empress, but my observations were not kindly received, and I was -told most peremptorily to obey the instructions given to me, which of -course I did, but not without misgivings as to the opportuneness of the -changes introduced in the routine of my Imperial mistress’ existence. - -Amongst others was the disposal of the cast-off dresses of the young -Empress. These were legion, as she had been presented with a trousseau -of unusual abundance. But they were all of them, or nearly all, -mourning or half-mourning gowns, and Alexandra seemed in haste to get -rid of them. She had her own ideas in the matter of her toilets, and -generally sketched, herself, the clothes which she ordered. She had -not good taste, this much must be admitted, but she cared for dresses, -and liked to see hers renewed as often as possible. Sometimes she had -three or four garments laid out and displayed before her eyes before -she finally made a choice. She had the idea that as a Sovereign she -ought to dress with great magnificence from the very first hours of -the morning, and she disdained the simple tailor costumes which, on -the contrary, were so much liked by her mother-in-law. The latter had -been the best dressed woman in her empire, but she had never fussed -about her clothes, and had affected a great simplicity in her every -day attire, reserving for state occasions the many Paris creations -that were being constantly sent over to her. In a small house like -the Anitschkoff Palace the servants knew, of course, everything that -was going on, and much gossip passed between the maids of the two -Empresses, those of the young one complaining to the attendants of the -Dowager of the fussiness of their mistress in regard to her toilet. -This gossip reached higher than the housekeeper’s room, and contributed -to the reputation for caprice that Alexandra Feodorovna acquired almost -immediately after her marriage, a reputation that was to cling to her -and to harm her so much in public opinion later on. - -Now I feel persuaded that if the Emperor and Empress had had from the -very first days of their married life a home of their own, this would -have been avoided, because there would have been no opportunity for -gossip between servants. As it was, the Dowager once or twice made -remarks to her daughter-in-law concerning the manner in which she -worried her attendants by too much fuss about her clothes, and these -were, of course, very badly received. And Alexandra Feodorovna bitterly -resented an allusion that was made to the fact that when she was at -Darmstadt she would not have dared to display such a capricious temper. -All these things were but trifles, but nevertheless they were to -exercise considerable influence on the afterlife of my mistress. - -The Empress was inordinately fond of beautiful furs and used to spend -considerable sums in acquiring continually new and most costly ones. -For this, too, she was reproached, and told that her trousseau had -contained sufficient fur garments, so that there was no necessity to be -always buying new ones. She was reported to be extravagant, with reason -perhaps, though there was nothing inordinate about her love for pretty -things; certainly the bills which she ran at Worth’s and Paquin’s, and -other dressmakers of repute, were not half so large as those which her -mother-in-law had incurred formerly. But then the latter had always -been a favourite, and St. Petersburg society had smiled on everything -she had ever done or said. - -One of my duties was to take care of the Empress’s jewels. She had -received some splendid and costly wedding presents from her relatives -in England and Russia, and especially from the Emperor, who, among -other things, had presented her with an all round crown of pearls and -diamonds which, together with some wonderful sapphires, he had bought -in London when he had paid her a visit there during their betrothal. -She loved to wear them, and at first had not given a thought to the -possibility of having to lay them aside for far more splendid parures -and ornaments. But very soon after her marriage there arose a question -concerning the Crown jewels, which were supposed to be devoted to the -use of the reigning Empress. During the reign of Alexander III., the -Empress Marie had had them in her own keeping, and by his will the -Emperor had given her the use of them for her lifetime. Now it seems -that he had not the power to dispose of them, and very naturally the -treasury claimed them after the demise of the Czar. His widow, however, -stoutly refused to give them up, and painful scenes ensued, which -assumed such proportions that at last Alexandra Feodorovna declared -that, for her part, she would never consent to wear the ornaments in -dispute, that her mother-in-law was welcome to them, and could keep -them as long as she liked. This, however, could not be done, and -at last the jewels were returned to the treasury whence they were -sometimes taken and handed over to me, with great ceremony, for the -use of my mistress on state occasions. But the Empress never liked -them, and avoided putting them on, preferring her own jewels. She -declared that the big pearl and diamond tiara, which, since the days of -Catherine II., had graced the head of all the Russian Empresses, was -far too heavy. I do not think I have seen her wear more than four or -five times the famous necklace valued at twenty millions of roubles, -which, on the contrary, had been one of the favourite ornaments of the -Dowager Empress. The last time this historical jewel was seen in public -was at the ball given by the nobility of St. Petersburg on the occasion -of the three hundredth anniversary of the accession of the dynasty of -Romanoff to the throne of the Ruriks, in February, 1915, which was also -the last time that the Empress Alexandra ever appeared at any save a -religious festivity. - -Whenever she decided to put on any of those Crown jewels I had to send -a note announcing her intention to the head treasurer in charge of the -strong room where the diamonds and precious stones of the Czar were -kept. He then summoned an escort of three soldiers out of the guard -on duty in the Winter Palace, and, surrounded by them, brought me the -articles I had requested him to deliver. I had to give a receipt for -them, and as soon as the Empress had taken them off I had to advise -that same treasurer of the fact, then he immediately came with another -escort to reclaim them, returning to me at the same time the receipt -I had signed a few hours previous. The complications associated with -this procedure were one of the reasons that made the Empress averse to -using those ornaments, about which she did not care. She much preferred -adding constantly to her private jewel boxes, and soon she became -possessed of one of the most remarkable collections of precious stones -in Europe. Pearls were her special favourites, and the Emperor, who -was aware of the fact, was constantly presenting her with additions to -her various necklaces, and other pearl ornaments, and the two Court -jewellers, Bolin and Faberge, had a standing order to bring to Czarskoi -Selo every fine specimen they could get hold of, before showing it to -any one else among their customers. - -This passion of the Empress for constantly acquiring new ornaments -was also a cause of bitter reproach, and one of her aunts, the Grand -Duchess Marie Pavlovna, who was anything but kind and charitable, once -characterised it as “_un gout de parvenue_.” - -In those early days of her married life there arose another cause of -friction between the Empress and her mother-in-law. It was connected -with the manner of praying in church for the two ladies. The Dowager -insisted that her name ought to come first, immediately after that of -her son, the Sovereign. But the ministers, and even the Holy Synod, -objected and declared that, according to custom, the mother ought to -rank after the wife. Finally it was the opinion of the Synod that -prevailed. But Alexandra Feodorovna, who had interested herself deeply -in the matter, was not wise enough to hide her joy at the turn things -had taken, and this of course contributed to the strained relations -that soon established themselves between her and the widow of Alexander -III. - -No harmony reigned at the Anitschkoff Palace during those early days of -my mistress’ married life, and it is no wonder that the latter became -more and more embittered as time went on. She felt herself neglected, -and did nothing to please those whom she suspected of wilfully -slighting her. She had a morbid desire to please, combined with a -natural haughtiness, which made her not only sensible to a rebuff, but -also desirous of avenging it. She did not care to be brushed aside -by her relatives, and yet she was herself contributing to the cause -of their actions, by her aloofness from all those who might have been -of use to her. She did not understand St. Petersburg society; she -considered it immoral and fast, and she made no secret of the fact, -snubbing unnecessarily people strong enough to do her serious harm by -their judgments and appreciations of her conduct and personality. The -misunderstandings which caused her future unpopularity began from the -very first hours of her arrival in Russia. - -With her attendants, however, she was always kind and gracious, -though distant in her manner. It was only after many years that she -grew to have confidence in me, but then it was a complete one, and -sometimes she would allow herself to give way in my presence to -fits of despondency such as over-took her from time to time, during -which I feel perfectly convinced she was not entirely responsible -for her actions. Her mind, always prone to melancholy, made her look -at things on their blackest side, and this partly accounts for the -tendency towards mysticism which she was to develop later on, and which -contributed, more than anything else, to the catastrophe that was -to send her an exile to the solitudes of Siberia. She was never well -balanced, and, when judging her, one must not forget that insanity was -hereditary in the House of Hesse, a fact of which many people in Russia -were aware, but of which it seems that the Imperial family were left in -ignorance. Sensitive to a degree, she could not get rid of prejudices -which she was inclined to adopt without any reason other than caprice, -and prejudices are among the things which sovereigns ought never to -entertain in regard to those whom they may happen to meet, or with -whom they are surrounded. But with it all she was sweet and gentle, -and good, and conscientious; a perfect mother, a most devoted wife, a -staunch friend, incapable of meanness or of treachery, but destined by -her very qualities to be always misunderstood, and never appreciated as -she ought to have been. Amidst the pomp and splendour that surrounded -her she was lonely; she felt isolated, and though she had found on -her arrival in her new country hosts of relatives and courtiers, she -had not met one single disinterested friend whom she could trust, or -towards whom she could turn for advice and protection. The grandeur -of her position put her, as it were, outside of the world, and, -unfortunately, she was so overpowered by this grandeur that she did not -even attempt to break through the barriers it had erected around her, -and which divided her from the rest of mankind. - - - - -CHAPTER III - -BIRTH OF GRAND DUCHESS OLGA - - -The uncomfortable winter which followed upon the marriage of the -Czar came at last to an end without his young bride having been much -seen in public. The ladies prominent in St. Petersburg society were -presented to her during a great reception which she held in the Winter -Palace, but this presentation consisted simply in their passing before -her with a curtsey, whilst her Mistress of the Robes, the Princess -Galitzyne, whispered their names into her ear. She spoke to no one, -and of course no one spoke to her, and for the influence that this -reception had upon her relations with that society over which she had -to preside, it might just as well never have taken place. There were, -it is true, a few old ladies whose husbands either had been, or still -were, in high official positions, who were received by the Empress -in private audience, but these interviews were generally of short -duration, and consisted in the exchange of a few banalities in the way -of conversation. The Empress did not speak French well, and English at -that time was not the fashionable language of the upper class, as is -the case at present. Ill-natured people commented on the mistakes made -by the young Sovereign in her use of the French idiom, and ridiculed -them. She became aware of the fact, and it hurt her deeply, and added -to the natural diffidence of her character. In those early days of her -married life, Alexandra Feodorovna was striving still for popularity, -but doing it in a clumsy, mistaken manner. She felt afraid of being -called pro-German, and exaggerated in consequence her manifestations -of amiability in regard to everybody and everything that was connected -with France, to such an extent that she was accused of want of -frankness, not to use a more emphatic word. It was the same thing with -her sympathies for the autocratic régime. At the time of her marriage, -people hoped that her influence over her husband would result in his -granting to Russia that constitution which everybody had been sighing -for, for years. But the Imperial family, from the very first hour of -her arrival in the country, had repeated to her that it was her duty -to uphold the principles of that autocracy which Alexander III. had -so successfully maintained during the whole time of his reign. She -accepted this bad advice, and, in her dread of being thought adverse -to it, she applied herself to persuade the Czar that he ought to make -some public declaration of his intentions to govern according to the -principles that had inspired his deceased father. She partly succeeded, -but the attempt was not a happy one, because the famous speech of -Nicholas II. to the zemstvos, where he affirmed his resolve to govern -despotically, and characterised as senseless dreams the aspirations of -his people, contributed more than anything else to make him, together -with his consort, the most hated and unpopular Sovereign Russia had -ever known. - -[Illustration: _International Film Service_ - -WINTER PALACE, PETROGRAD] - -The first winter which saw the Princess Alix transformed into the -Empress of All the Russias was, therefore, not precisely what can be -called a happy one. In summer the Court went as usual to Peterhof, and -the alterations which by this time had begun to be made in the Czarskoi -Selo Palace were hastened, because the first accouchement of the young -Empress was expected in November, and it had been decided that the -expected family event, so anxiously looked forward to, should take -place there. - -Alexander Feodorovna herself superintended these alterations. Under -her care the old building which had been the favourite residence of -Alexander II. and of his consort, that other Hessian Princess who, -however, had been both liked and respected by her subjects, was -completely transformed. Splendour was banished from it, but the whole -place was furnished and arranged in the style of an English cottage, -with chintz hangings, plenty of flowers of which the Empress was -inordinately fond, and a lot of nick-nacks and photographs that gave -it quite a homelike look. Alexandra had admirable taste in all that -concerned the inner arrangements of her apartments, and she transformed -the old residence of the Russian Czars into a lovely country house, -such as one finds in old England or in France. But her ideas in regard -to furniture and curtains and general interior ornamentation of the -rooms destined for her private use differed so entirely from the -accepted Russian notions on the subject that they came to be discussed, -not only ill-naturedly, but also disagreeably. She had consulted no -one, and had made no secret of her disapproval of certain things that -had been done without her consent, speaking about them with an acrimony -she would have done better, for her future peace, to have avoided. - -The Emperor, however, was charmed with all that she had done, and -delighted at the way in which she had arranged their new residence, -to which they moved early in the month of October, 1895. The Empress -at once organised her existence upon lines to which she remained more -or less faithful all through her reign. She used to rise early, and -never failed to breakfast with the Emperor and to accompany him in -the walk which he liked to take every morning before settling down to -the business of the day. They used to go, in all kinds of weather, -for long rambles in the park which surrounded the Palace of Czarskoi -Selo, Alexandra Feodorovna dressed in a short sable jacket and a -velvet skirt, which she changed for a more elaborate garment when she -returned home. She disliked dressing gowns, and the first one I ever -saw her wear was during an illness which attacked the Grand Duchess -Olga, in the latter’s early childhood, when her mother sat up with her -at night, and was persuaded to exchange her tight garments for more -comfortable ones. - -At eleven o’clock, the Empress’ private secretary made his appearance, -and brought to her the numerous correspondence that had to be handled. -They worked together for an hour or so, and Alexandra more than once -tried to interest herself in public charities and to gather knowledge -in regard to the various educational establishments in the Empire. -These, however, were under the special patronage of the Empress -Dowager, who did not brook any interference in the matter, and who -applied herself to keep her daughter-in-law quite outside of it. This -was a great misfortune because it deprived the latter of considerable -interest in her existence, and almost compelled her to spend her time -in frivolous occupations for which she did not care. Lunch was served -at two o’clock, and was generally a simple meal, though an abundant -one, to which guests were seldom invited. After it was over the Emperor -remained for an hour with his wife, chatting about the various news of -the day, and then they both went out for another walk. Tea was brought -to the Empress at five o’clock on a tray in her own room, and she -generally swallowed it in a gulp, without even looking at the cup in -which it was contained. She was fond of needlework, and amused herself -by making lovely little lace garments for her expected baby. She did -not care for the society of her ladies in waiting, whom sometimes -she did not see for weeks at a time, during those early days of her -marriage. Later on, however, on account of the reproaches that were -showered upon her for this neglect of her personal attendants, she had -them dine with her and the Emperor on Sundays, and this custom lasted -until the Revolution, when it fell into disuse, together with so many -other things. - -After dinner the Empress used to ensconce herself in a large armchair -by the open fire, and again take up her needlework, whilst the Emperor -read aloud to her. He was very fond of reading, and read extremely -well. He liked historical books better than any others, and followed -with considerable interest the different English and French reviews -which were regularly sent to him. This lasted until eleven o’clock -or thereabouts, when Nicholas II. repaired to his study for a couple -of hours’ work, whilst the Empress began to undress. I was generally -present at this operation, which was performed by the two maids -on duty, who were changed every day. Alexandra had a profusion of -beautiful, silky hair, and though she was not so capricious about its -treatment as the poor Empress Elizabeth of Austria, yet she liked to -have it brushed for half an hour or so, after which it was tightly -plaited, and bound with silk ribbon matching the one which trimmed -her nightgowns. These were of the finest linen or batiste, profusely -ornamented with Valenciennes or Mechlin lace. The dressing jackets -and peignoirs of the Empress were generally made out of muslin over -silk, with insertions of Brussels net. She was excessively fond of -beautiful lingerie, and owned to me one day that one of her greatest -pleasures after her marriage had been the possibility of being at last -able to indulge in her weakness for it. Her bed sheets were absolutely -magnificent, and changed every day, the lace which trimmed them being -carefully selected to match that on her night dresses. Madame Barrauld, -the great French lingère, who had made the trousseaux of all the smart -young girls of St. Petersburg society, was summoned about once a week -to Czarskoi Selo, to receive the orders of the Empress in regard to -her lingerie, and that of her daughters when these were born. - -In regard to dresses, Alexandra Feodorovna had about fifty for each -season, without counting the extras. She was very fond of white gowns, -notwithstanding the fact that these did not suit her. But she had been -told that it was a Russian custom to wear white garments for every -great festival, and she had exaggerated it to such an extent that St. -Petersburg society, always on the alert to criticise its new Sovereign, -had made fun of it, and its smart leaders of fashion had affected to -put on coloured, and even dark dresses, on occasions when previously -they would never have thought of so doing. She was supposed to have -no taste in her manner of attiring herself, and consequently it was -considered the thing to do exactly the contrary of what she was doing, -in that matter at least. - -The Imperial family did not often come to Czarskoi Selo. At first, -the Grand Duchesses, aunts of the Empress, had attempted to see her, -without being summoned to her presence; but they had soon found out -that between them and her there existed a barrier which it was out of -their power to remove. Alexandra Feodorovna was always civil to them, -always received them with a smile, but she nevertheless contrived to -make them feel that they bored her, and that she did not care for -their visits. The Empress Dowager also had tried to break through her -daughter-in-law’s reserve, but though the latter had avoided hurting -her by showing too openly her dislike to having her solitude intruded -upon, yet her stiffness had not encouraged Marie Feodorovna to repeat -the attempt of considering her son’s home as her own, and of coming and -going in and out of it at her will and pleasure. - -All this caused the conduct of the young wife of Nicholas II. to be -severely criticised from almost the first days of her arrival in -Russia. Unfortunately for her the choice that had been made of the -members of her household had not been a happy one. Her Mistress of the -Robes, the Princess Galitzyne, was an intriguing woman, who thought -only of her own advantages and the possibility of turning to her use -and benefit the high position in which she found herself placed. Her -maids of honour were very nice girls, but mostly nonentities, and, if -the truth need be told, her husband was not the man capable of being -for her the guide she required during those first days of her married -life. The only person whom she saw intimately, and who came in time to -acquire a considerable influence over her, was her sister, the Grand -Duchess Elizabeth, of whom she had stood more or less in awe during -her girlish days, and who abused the privileges due to her as the -Empress’ senior. And the Grand Duchess was not a wise mentor for the -impressionable, impulsive woman who had been raised by destiny to the -throne of All the Russias. - -With her servants Alexandra Feodorovna never spoke, except in reference -to questions concerning their duties. She used to have half an hour’s -conversation with me in the morning and evening, in regard to matters -concerning her dresses or jewels, and gave me her instructions as to -what she required to be done in regard to them. But it was only after a -number of years, and after I had helped her nurse the young Princesses -during an attack of scarlet fever, that the Empress began to talk with -me of domestic matters, and of different other things which worried -her. She hated familiarity, and firmly believed that it was part of her -duties to keep people at a distance. And yet what a kind heart she had! -It was sufficient for her to know that any misfortune had befallen one -of her attendants or servants, to show them all the sympathy with which -her soul was full. But in normal times she maintained an attitude of -reserve that was always misunderstood, and for which she was more than -once bitterly reproached. - -[Illustration: - -_Paul Thompson_ - -ALEXANDER HALL IN THE KREMLIN AT MOSCOW] - -During that month of November which saw the first anniversary of the -Czar’s marriage the Court was expecting the birth of the first child -of the Imperial pair. All had made up their minds that it was going -to be a son, an heir to the vast estates and to the throne of the -Romanoffs. The thought that it might be a girl had never crossed the -mind either of the nation or of the sovereigns themselves. Preparations -without number had been made for the arrival into the world of that -much-longed-for boy, and for some days no one had slept in the Palace -of Czarskoi Selo. At last the doctors, who for weeks had not left -the Imperial residence, were summoned to the bedside of Alexandra -Feodorovna. The poor woman had a very hard time, and for long hours -her life trembled in the balance, whilst every hope of seeing the -child born alive had almost disappeared. Great was the joy, therefore, -when its cry was heard for the first time, a joy, however, that was -turned into an intense disappointment when it was announced that the -baby was nothing but a poor little girl, tiny and delicate; a little -girl whom no one wanted, and whom no one was prepared to like, except -the mother, who took it to her heart with all the tenderness which, -though restrained, formed one of the bases of her strange, perhaps not -lovable, but altogether admirable character. - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -THE CORONATION - - -The christening of the Grand Duchess Olga Nicolaievna was solemnised -with great pomp at Czarskoi Selo, after which the Court moved to St. -Petersburg, and the young Empress took possession of her new apartments -in the Winter Palace. These had been gorgeously fitted up with -magnificent silk hangings manufactured in Lyons, and copied from those -which adorn the rooms occupied by Marie Antoinette in the Royal Palace -of Fontainebleau in France. This had been a surprise of the Czar to his -wife, but the latter, instead of being pleased, was superstitiously -affected by this remembrance of the unfortunate Queen of France. It has -never yet been told that when the Empress was quite a child in London -an old gipsy woman whom she had met when walking with her sisters in -Richmond Park, had prophesied misfortune to her and to her sister -Elizabeth, saying that they would both marry in a distant country, -where nothing but tears and sorrow awaited them. This fact, which she -had never forgotten, had more to do than one imagined with that weight -of sadness which seemed to be always pressing on Alexandra Feodorovna, -though of course she avoided mentioning it. - -Nevertheless she tried to shake off the premonitions with which her -soul became filled, when she saw the rooms which had been prepared -for her, and she applied herself to give them that touch of intimacy -which she invariably communicated to all the places where she lived. -Big palms were brought in, and put in different corners, and a few -valuable pictures were hung on the walls. But the Empress did not care -for paintings, and when she was asked whether she would not have a few -of those in the Ermitage collection brought to her, as was done in the -case of her husband’s grandmother, the Empress Marie Alexandrovna, -she refused, saying that she did not care to deprive the public of -the sight of them. In general, art did not appeal to her, but she -read a good deal, and played on the piano with considerable pleasure, -without, however, having the talent for music which distinguished her -eldest daughter, the Grand Duchess Olga, who became quite an artist -later on. It was the Empress’ custom before she began to play to take -off her rings, of which she possessed some beautiful specimens, and -to throw them on the piece of furniture nearest at hand, forgetting -afterwards where she had put them. This sometimes caused considerable -annoyance, as they could not always be found immediately, and a frantic -search was made all over the Palace, until at last they turned up in -some impossible place or other. Among these rings was one containing -a beautiful pink diamond, the Empress’ engagement ring, which she -preferred to all others, and which she constantly wore. Nevertheless -she could not, even in the case of this favourite jewel, divest -herself of the curious habit of taking it off her finger now and then, -and playing with it, as a child might have done, sometimes quite -unconscious that she was so doing. - -The Empress’ piano was a splendid instrument by Erard, and had been a -wedding present from her mother-in-law. She preferred it to all the -others that she possessed, and when the Court settled at Czarskoi Selo -definitely, not returning to the Winter Palace more than for a few -hours, she had it removed there, and played on it up to the time she -was sent into that Siberian exile whence perhaps she will never return. - -The baptism of the Grand Duchess Olga was the signal for Court -festivities to be resumed after the period of mourning for Alexander -III. was over. Balls were again given in the Winter Palace, though -its young mistress did not much care for dancing, but they were of -shorter duration, and not half so lively as those of past times. For -one thing the Empress was herself nursing her little daughter, much -to the indignation of her relatives, who considered that it was not -a befitting thing to do in her position, and she liked to retire -early. At all these receptions she was lovely in appearance, and was -gorgeously dressed, perhaps too gorgeously, and she certainly made a -splendid apparition when she entered a ballroom. But people thought her -dull, and found her devoid of that kind of conversation which goes by -the name of “small talk.” She was far too frank to hide her feelings, -and could not bring herself to show herself amused whilst in reality -she felt bored. This was noticed, and of course resented. People expect -one to be interested in their doings and sayings, and an Empress who -hardly ever smiled did not tally with their estimate of what she ought -to have been, so that with one thing and another, the winter season, -generally so brilliant in St. Petersburg, and to which one had looked -forward eagerly after the sad one which had preceded it, did not prove -the success that was expected. Alexandra Feodorovna was fast becoming -unpopular, simply because she would not lower herself to the level of -those who criticised her so openly and so persistently. - -Already in those early days there existed a party against her, which -never missed an opportunity to compare her with her mother-in-law, -and this not to her advantage. The Dowager had been immensely liked, -partly because she had always made it a point to appear to like every -one she knew or met. She had not perhaps been more talkative than her -daughter-in-law, but she had smiled sweetly and nodded kindly to all -her acquaintances, and she had never noticed the shortcomings of her -neighbour. Alexandra Feodorovna, on the contrary, was inclined to be -satirical, and had a keen sense of humour, that was not destined to add -to the pleasures of her existence. She drew most clever caricatures, -and was fond of showing them. One day she produced a wonderfully clever -sketch of the Czar, sitting in a baby chair, whilst his mother was -scolding him for refusing to take a plate of soup she was handing to -him. The drawing passed from hand to hand, and did not contribute -towards establishing harmonious relations between the two Empresses, -whilst the public was scandalised to see the Czar made fun of by his -own wife, who ought to have been the first person to show him respect -and deference. All these were but small things, but they constituted -the drop of water which ends by wearing away the hardest rock. Many -times I wished to warn my mistress of the criticisms to which she -willingly lent herself by her manners and conduct, but I never dared; -and those who could have done so, like her Mistress of the Robes and -her ladies in waiting, did not sufficiently consider her interests to -bring to her observation these small matters, which in reality were -important ones, in regard to her future comfort and happiness. - -What with one thing and another, the unpopularity of the young -Sovereign was already an established fact when the Coronation took -place at Moscow. It appeared quite plainly on the day she made her -public entry into the ancient city, when the crowds greeted her with -absolute silence, whilst they vociferously cheered the Dowager -Empress. Alexandra felt this deeply, and when she was alone in her -rooms she wept profusely over this manifestation of the displeasure -of the nation in regard to her person. It was the first time that I -had seen her giving way to grief of any kind, and it affected me very -much, especially in view of what was to follow. I had already learnt -to love this sweet, gentle lady, who seemed to be pursued with such -persistent bad luck, and whose actions were misunderstood by the very -people who ought to have appreciated the real motives which guided -her. The Empress had a high sense of duty, but a mistaken idea of what -it consisted. She was far too desirous of winning the approval of her -subjects to set herself to do it in the right way, and besides, she had -no one to point out to her the various idiosyncrasies of the Russian -nation and of Russian society. She did not wish to go against what she -considered to be the national feelings of the people over whom she -reigned, and yet she contrived to wound these feelings at almost every -step she took. - -[Illustration: _Paul Thompson_ - -THRONE ROOM IN THE KREMLIN AT MOSCOW] - -A terrible example of this occurred during this same Coronation I am -talking about. Every one knows the sad accident which was to mar it, -and which offered an analogy with the one that occurred in Paris -during the wedding festivities of Louis XVI. and Marie Antoinette. -Thanks to the negligence and carelessness of those who ought to have -known better, a popular festival which was one of the distinctive -features of the whole pageant of the Coronation, ended in dire -disaster, and something like twenty thousand people were crushed to -death on the Khodinka Field near Moscow. That same night a ball was -to take place at the French Embassy. The Ambassador, the Count de -Montebello, sent one of his attachés to the Master of the Ceremonies, -asking whether he was to postpone it in view of the catastrophe which -had taken place in the morning. This official who, with others, had -applied himself to keep the Czar in ignorance of the magnitude of -the disaster, took it upon himself to reply that there was no reason -for this change in the programme, and the Court accordingly repaired -to the French Embassy. The young Empress, who had heard from one of -her ladies the truth as to what had taken place, was most unhappy at -the necessity of appearing in public on the day when such a terrible -calamity had overtaken so many people, but she felt afraid to say -what she thought, out of dread that one might think she had seized -hold of the first pretext she could find in order to avoid showing -herself at the Montebellos. It was already at that time suspected -that her sympathies were with the Germans, and she was quite aware of -the opinion concerning them and herself. She did not wish to give any -further ground for this belief and thus did not follow the instincts -of her heart, which would have carried her to the different hospitals -where the victims of the morning had been taken. So with sorrow in her -soul, and anxiety in her mind, she went to that fatal ball and danced -the whole night, though her thoughts were absent from the gay scene of -which she was such an unwilling participator. - -On her return to the Kremlin she dropped into an easy-chair beside her -bed and burst into loud sobs, not heeding my presence or that of her -other maids. Not caring for them to witness this explosion of sorrow, -I sent them away, and tried to comfort my mistress to the best of my -ability, entreating her to control herself, and not to distress the -Emperor with the sight of her grief. But Alexandra Feodorovna kept -weeping until at last I induced her to repair to the nursery, where -the sight of her little girl sleeping in her cot brought back her -composure. - -And this was the woman who was represented to be cold and unfeeling, -and who was reproached for her utter indifference in presence of a -catastrophe of unusual magnitude! Had she but listened to the cry of -her own heart, and not always lived in dread of making mistakes and of -going against the sympathies of her surroundings, she would certainly -have fared much better, and most probably would have been far more -liked. - -The Coronation was far from the success that had been expected, and the -Court returned to Peterhof with a feeling of relief that it was over. -A few quiet weeks followed, perhaps the happiest in the whole life of -Alexandra Feodorovna, who started then to organise what afterwards -turned out to be quite an institution—sewing classes at which she -presided, where ladies of society made garments for the poor which -were distributed to the latter at Christmas, something like Queen -Mary of England’s Needlework Guild. This was her first venture in the -charitable line, and for some time it proved a successful one, because -many ladies entered into the spirit of it, unfortunately out of -interested motives, and because they expected that it would bring them -to the Sovereign’s notice and thus contribute to the success of their -worldly career. But here again the Empress did not realise what lay at -the bottom of the willingness with which her appeal was responded to, -and she did not show any special favour to the women who had entered -into its spirit. These were very soon disgusted at what they called -Imperial ingratitude, and at last the sewing classes of Czarskoi Selo -came to an end, at least so far as the fashionable world was concerned, -because they continued to be frequented by the wives and daughters of -the small tradesmen of the Imperial borough, eager to be brought into -personal contact with their Czar’s wife, and with this new element they -prospered and contrived to do a great deal of good. Later on, during -the Japanese war, they were transported to the Winter Palace in St. -Petersburg, where they remained installed until the Revolution, the -present war having given them a new stimulant. - -It was during the weeks which immediately followed upon the Coronation -that the plans for a series of visits abroad to the different capitals -of Europe were at last settled. It was also then that it was finally -decided these visits should include one to the President of the French -Republic, an event which, as can be imagined, gave rise to many an -animated discussion, and which caused much ink to be spilt in the -chanceries and newspaper offices of the whole world, particularly of -Europe. The Empress looked forward with apprehension to this journey, -but nevertheless prepared herself for it with unusual care. I had never -before seen her so interested in regard to the clothes she was to wear, -and she sent minute directions to Worth of rue de la Paix fame, who was -to be entrusted with the task of making the gowns required for this -momentous occasion. Much against her will, however, it was decided -that some of the Crown jewels were to be taken along, as it was deemed -necessary to display unusual splendour during this trip. This did not -please the Empress, in view of the disputes which had arisen between -her and her mother-in-law in regard to these same jewels, but she was -not allowed to interfere, and both the historic necklace and the tiara -of Catherine II. were duly packed and taken. Events proved that the -instinct of Alexandra Feodorovna had been a true one, because St. -Petersburg society bitterly reproached her for this infraction of the -old Romanoff traditions, which required that the Crown diamonds should -not be taken out of Russia, and even the Imperial family criticised -this innovation in ancient customs, and made her responsible for it. -In reality it was the then Foreign Minister, Prince Lobanoff, who had -insisted on the Empress appearing in London, Paris and Vienna, in the -full pomp of her Imperial position, and who had raised this question -with which Alexandra Feodorovna herself had had nothing to do, beyond -submitting to the arrangements which others had made on her behalf. It -is thus that history is written. - - - - -CHAPTER V - -VISITS ABROAD - - -The beginning of the visits of the young Emperor and Empress to foreign -courts was marked by one of those misfortunes which seemed to dog -their footsteps wherever they went. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, -Prince Lobanoff, died suddenly at a railway station where the Imperial -train had stopped for a few minutes. He was a man of great ability and -wide diplomatic experience, and, moreover, was a staunch friend of the -young Empress, who mourned him with all her heart. He would undoubtedly -have given her good advice later on, which she often needed, and might -have put her on her guard against the insidious counsel which she so -often received from people interested in seeing her commit blunder -after blunder. His successor, Count Mouravieff, was a protégé as well -as a favourite of the Empress’s mother, who was responsible for his -appointment. He was also a man of unusual ability, but one who knew -very well on which side his bread was buttered, and who was far too -worldly wise to attach himself to a woman who, he knew but too well, -would never succeed in making herself popular in the country on whose -throne she sat. - -One of the first visits paid by Nicholas II. and his Consort abroad was -to the German Emperor and Empress in the town of Breslau, which had -been chosen in order to give a more intimate look to the interview, and -to divest it from the more official character it would have had, had -it taken place in Berlin. They were received with great pomp. William -II. assumed his best manners and tried by all means in his power to -make his guests feel comfortable. He was the first cousin of Alexandra -Feodorovna and at one time had imagined that he would find in her a -staunch ally in his various schemes. But during those first months -of her married life the Czarina had learnt another lesson, and that -was that she had better avoid meddling with politics. She therefore -confined herself to the exchange of banalities with her German cousins, -so that the Empress Augusta Victoria afterwards remarked that she had -never expected to find “Alix” so very frivolous. The fact is that the -young Czarina had taken great care to be splendidly dressed for the -occasion. Worth had sent a special messenger to St. Petersburg to -confer with her as to the clothes she would require for this great -event: her first appearance as the Empress of All the Russias at -Foreign Courts. For the great State dinner which took place in Breslau -my mistress wore a gown the tissue of which had been specially woven -in Lyons for her, a lustrous white satin brocaded with golden lilies -and feathers, the low bodice profusely trimmed with gold lace. In her -hair was a diadem of sapphires and brilliants, and on her neck reposed -priceless sapphires and pearls, the longest row of which fell down -to the bottom of her skirt. She looked truly magnificent, but this -splendour was bitterly criticised by the German people, who declared -she wanted to impress them with her riches. Another thing which also -displeased her hosts was the fact that she had brought her gold toilet -service, and caused to be put aside the silver one that had been -prepared for her, which out of compliment for her had been specially -brought from the Royal Treasury in Berlin. This silver toilet set -had belonged to the famous Queen Louise, the mother of William I., -and the Kaiser had imagined that by allowing it to be used by his -Russian guest he was paying her a great compliment. When he heard it -had been discarded by her he was mortally offended, and even made a -cutting remark to that effect, which in her turn she bitterly resented, -saying that it seemed to her that her cousin William still thought her -the little Hessian Princess of as little importance as she had been -before her marriage. All these things might have been avoided with a -little tact, and often did I deplore this habit the Czarina had, of -impulsively saying things that hurt. I had tried to dissuade her from -dragging along with her this heavy toilet set, which, in fact, got her -into trouble wherever she went, but she would not listen, and told me -that it did not concern me what she had decided, and that I had only to -execute the commands given to me, so perforce I had to remain silent. -Another whim of the Empress was to carry with her the beautiful lace -trimmings of her dressing table. Wherever we went they had to be taken -out and adjusted to the table before which she sat to have her hair -dressed, and sometimes this caused unnecessary work which exasperated -her maids, because all tables were not of the same size, and the lace -had to be adjusted under difficulties, as of course it could not be -cut. It was point d’Angleterre and Brussels lace, and one of the sets -was composed of old Argenton, valued at twenty thousand francs. The -set had to be changed every day, and was further ornamented with satin -ribbons of different colours, that added to its impression of richness. - -Strange to say, the Czarina enjoyed far more her visit to the Vienna -Court than the one she had paid to her Berlin cousins. She had always -felt curious to know the Empress Elizabeth, and the fact that the -latter had consented to come out of her retirement, and to be present -at her reception in Vienna, could not but flatter her. Moreover, she -felt attracted by the personality of the beautiful Bavarian Princess, -whom a sad fate had transformed into a Mater Dolorosa, and the two -ladies were from the first sympathetic to each other. By a delicate -attention, which I fear no one appreciated, the Czarina had selected a -white dress for the State dinner which was given in the Hofburg, and -during the whole time she stayed in Vienna, she made it a point not -to appear in colours, out of respect for the feelings of the Empress -Elizabeth, who never, as long as she lived, left off her mourning for -the Archduke Rudolph. - -We also, during this tour, went to Balmoral, where the Empress met her -grandmother, Queen Victoria. The old Sovereign had been very kind to -this grandchild of hers, ever since the untimely death of her mother, -the Princess Alice, and had had her often with her. But this stay at -Balmoral was not a success. Perhaps it was hardly possible it could -be one, because my mistress’ disposition was not one which brooked -interference, and Queen Victoria, who had heard, as she generally did -all that concerned her immediate family, of the growing unpopularity of -the young Czarina, took her to task for it and began advising her as to -what she ought to do. The Empress, however, did not accept any advice, -thinking that no one outside of Russia could appreciate the growing -difficulties of her situation, and, besides, not caring to initiate her -grandmother into the various intrigues rampant in the Russian Imperial -family. So she received coolly the exhortations of the Queen, and when -the two ladies parted it was not as warmly as might have been expected. - -Of course the culminating point of the foreign visits of the Emperor -and Empress was Paris. It awaited them with an enthusiasm the like of -which the French capital had probably never before seen. From every -side one heard cries of “Vive l’Impératrice!” resounding in the air, -and the appreciations of the newspapers and of the public were all of -them warm and full of sincere admiration. But the Empress, who was in -a delicate state of health, did not seem to care for the elaborate -programme of festivities which had been planned in her honour, and -showed herself more than usually listless and indifferent. She was -tired, and besides felt embarrassed at what she considered to be -exaggerated expressions of admiration with which she was greeted. She -showed it so plainly that somehow the Parisians felt that she did not -quite appreciate their efforts to please her, and they began in their -turn to criticise her, together with her manners and her dresses. -Though Worth had surpassed himself, yet the clothes which he had made -for this occasion lacked the true Parisian chic which is required by -the gay city. And it began to be whispered that the Czarina did not -know how to dress herself, a grave reproach in French eyes. There -occurred also another incident which illustrates the want of tact -which so often interfered with the conduct of my Imperial mistress, -and which characterised all her entourage and court. The Russian -Ambassador, Baron Mohrenheim, gave a luncheon party at the Embassy to -which he invited the leaders of that part of French society called -the Faubourg St. Germain. Among those who responded to his appeal -were the Duchesses de Luynes and d’Uzes, the Countess Aimery de la -Rochefoucauld, and the Duchesse de Doudeauville. The Czarina had been -told that these ladies were not in favour in Republican circles, and -she felt afraid to show them any attention which might be interpreted -as a desire to please the enemies of the Régime which was welcoming -her. She consequently allowed them to be presented to her, but spoke -but a few words to them, and showed herself so cool in regard to them -that of course she gave grave offence, and Baron Mohrenheim was told -that his “_Impératrice n’était pas aimable_.” - -Of course a woman with a little experience of the world might have -known how to conciliate the different elements with which she was -brought in contact. But Alexandra Feodorovna was not a diplomat, and, -moreover, never could hide her feelings. She thus contrived to wound -those whom, perhaps, in her secret heart she was most anxious to please. - -The little Grand Duchess Olga had accompanied her parents during these -visits, and notwithstanding the many things she had to do, and the -numerous calls upon her time, my mistress never forgot to be present -at her child’s undressing in the evening, and had her brought to her -room the first thing in the morning. I generally wakened the Czarina at -eight o’clock, when I would hand her a lace and silk morning jacket, -which was brought to me by the maid on duty, and then she would ask -for her daughter, with whom she played for half an hour or so before -glancing at the morning’s papers and taking the cup of tea which she -liked in the morning. It had to be very strong and bitter, and she -never took sugar or cream with it. When she was dressed she used to -partake, with the Emperor, of an English breakfast, which, after having -been fixed for half-past nine o’clock, was, later on, partaken of -much earlier, so as not to interfere with the children’s lessons. The -Empress was fond of eggs, and of a certain crisp kind of bacon, such as -was generally found at Windsor or Balmoral, or any of the residences -of Queen Victoria. She was, in general, very English in her tastes, -and English was the only language used in the Russian Imperial family -circle. This attention of Alexandra Feodorovna to her daughter was of -course praised in Paris as well as in London, but not appreciated as -it ought to have been in St. Petersburg, where it was said that she -would have done better to have been less of a good mother, and more of -an Empress. The Imperial family especially criticised it freely, and -called her a Mere Gigogne in derision. When one daughter after another -was born to her, these criticisms became even more acute, and it was -said that she wasted all her time looking after little girls whose -existence was of no interest at all to the Russian Empire. - -I must here relate a fact that, so far as I know, has never been made -public. After the Coronation the Empress, owing to over-fatigue, had -an accident which destroyed some hopes of maternity she was nursing. -She had not spoken of her condition in her family, and she told me -that she felt very glad she had not done so, because most probably she -would have been accused of some imprudence or other, the more so that -her doctor said that the expected child would, in all probability, -have been a boy. Nevertheless the thing somehow came to the knowledge -of the public in the sense that it was suspected, though no one knew -for a certainty whether it was true or not, that such an accident -had taken place, and with the usual wickedness of humanity, it was -rumoured that the Sovereign had had reasons to hide the condition she -found herself in, and that the accident in itself had been brought -on more voluntarily than accidentally. I was one day asked whether -these sayings which circulated freely in St. Petersburg were true or -not. Imagine my indignation and anger on hearing my beloved mistress -accused of so terrible a thing, the accusation having not the slightest -foundation to justify it. When later on my Imperial mistress began to -honour me with her confidence, I implored her whenever she thought she -had reasons to suppose that she was about to become again a mother, to -mention the fact at once, and give it as much publicity as possible. -But she was so persistently pursued by bad luck that this also proved -later on a source of much trouble to her, when she happened to be -attacked by an illness which was at first attributed to a condition -that in reality did not exist. - -[Illustration: _Paul Thompson_ - -OLD BANQUET HALL OF THE CZARS] - -When we returned to St. Petersburg after this triumphant (for such it -was considered to have been) journey abroad, we were welcomed there -with more effusion than had been even expected. The French alliance was -becoming very popular, and the Russian nation moreover felt flattered -at the idea that its Sovereigns had been made so much of wherever they -had been. We went at first to Czarskoi Selo and then moved for the -winter season to the capital, where the Empress, as usual, received -the ladies of society after mass on New Year’s day, after which -began the usual round of gaieties that made St. Petersburg such an -attractive town at the time I am writing about. But instead of the -seven or eight balls generally given during the winter, the Empress -arranged to give only four, varied with four theatrical performances -in the little theatre of the Ermitage Palace, which had been built by -the Empress Catherine. These performances, which were always composed -of classical pieces, were declared to be dull, and people found one -excuse or another to absent themselves from them, thus beginning the -system of boycotting which, later on, was extended to all the Empress’ -entertainments. She was voted a bore and no criticism could have been -worse, considering the existing state, together with the habits and -customs, of the society of the Russian capital. - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -THE GRAND DUCHESS ELIZABETH - - -At the risk of rousing a storm of indignation against me, I must say -that one of the misfortunes of the Czarina was to have in Russia an -elder sister already married to a Russian Grand Duke. I know that it is -an established legend that the Grand Duchess Elizabeth is a saint, who -ought to have been canonised in her lifetime. But, in reality, things -were not as represented. The Grand Duchess was a very ambitious woman, -and moreover one who cared for nothing and for nobody in the world -with the exception of her own self. In spite of the report that her -marriage was a very miserable one, she was on the contrary perfectly -happy with her husband, who was quite content to let her live her own -life, and who never interfered with anything it might please her to -do. When he was appointed Governor General of Moscow, she hastened to -go over to the Greek Church, in order to win for herself popularity in -the ancient capital of the Russian Czars, and to a certain extent she -succeeded in doing so. She took advantage of her position as eldest -sister of the young Czarina to try to influence her, and to prejudice -her against those people of whom she thought she had personally reason -to complain. The weakness of the character of Nicholas II. was well -known to his family, long before he ever ascended the throne, and -both the Grand Duke Sergius, who, let it be said by the way, was an -exceedingly clever man, and his wife made up their minds to rule Russia -through the influence of its new Empress, and to become the only really -important personages in the State. They partly succeeded, and this was -the cause of most of the misfortunes which were later on to assail the -unfortunate Czarina. - -The latter, in spite of her impetuous and, if the truth need be -said, haughty disposition, stood in awe of her eldest sister, a -feeling out of which the Grand Duchess Elizabeth knew very well how -to make capital. She set herself to persuade her sister that it was -indispensable she should affect a far stronger attachment to the -orthodox faith than she really professed, and that if only the orthodox -clergy should think they had found in her an energetic support, she -would rapidly become popular. It must not be forgotten that at that -time the influence of priests in general was fast waning, and that -they were aware of the fact. It is not surprising, therefore, that -they tried to find a ally among the Imperial family, and that the -Grand Duchess Elizabeth, who made a profession of being absorbed in -the practices of a narrow devotion, became the object of their pet -affection. She was quite conscious of this fact, and being a far -cleverer woman than she looked, she used it to her own advantage and to -the detriment of her sister. - -Elizabeth Feodorovna had the reputation of being a semi-saint. In -reality she was nothing of the kind, for she liked the bad as well -as the good things of this world to an inordinate degree. Fond of -admiration, she had not been insensible to the one which she inspired, -and her admirers had been many, to begin with her own husband’s -brother, the Grand Duke Paul. But she had carried all her intrigues -in a grand manner, and had never allowed them to interfere with the -general comfort of her existence. Worldly to her finger tips, she yet -affected the manners of an unworldly woman, and she “took in” most of -those with whom she came into contact by her hypocrisy, for it could -hardly be called anything else. - -At heart she was jealous of her sister, just as she had been jealous -of the Empress Marie Feodorovna, during the latter’s reign. It was for -this reason principally that she had been so glad to go to Moscow, -where she knew she would be the first lady in the town, and would enjoy -a semi-Imperial position. She did not care to see any one put before -her, and she applied herself to render the young Czarina unpopular by -every means in her power. - -Of course the unfortunate Alexandra Feodorovna, who knew nothing -about Russia and still less about Russian society when she married, -believed all that her sister told her, and the latter gave her a -totally false opinion as to most of the people whom she saw, or with -whom she was thrown into contact—the Empress Dowager to begin with, -and all the other members of the Imperial family. Among the latter -the young Czarina might have found friends but too happy to guide -her, such for instance as her own sister-in-law, the Grand Duchess -Xenia, who was about her own age, and who would have been only too -glad to be of use to her. But the latter’s husband, the Grand Duke -Alexander Michaylovitsch, was credited with ambitious designs, and was -moreover one of the most intelligent men of his day. This was more than -sufficient to eliminate him from the number of the people whom it was -deemed expedient for Alexandra Feodorovna to see much of. - -I shall quote one instance of the kind of influence which the Grand -Duchess Elizabeth exercised over her sister. One day the Empress came -to me and told me (this happened during the war) that her sister had -sent her some relics of a famous saint in the Orthodox Church, who was -buried in the cathedral of Rostoff on the Don, telling her at the same -time that she ought to have them dissolved in water and then drink this -water early in the morning before she had partaken of any other food. -Should she do so, success would come to the Russian arms without fail. -The poor Empress was torn asunder between her conviction that her duty -required her to obey her sister and her distaste for the abominable -beverage she was expected to swallow. I tried my best to persuade her -that the whole thing was nonsense, but then Rasputin, who was one of -the instruments of the Grand Duchess Elizabeth, interfered, and, after -much hesitation, the unfortunate Czarina at last made up her mind to -drink the dirty relics as she had been ordered, and, as a consequence, -was abominably sick. - -It was also Elizabeth Feodorovna who was responsible for the -introduction of Rasputin into the immediate circle of the Imperial -family. Before that she had presented to her sister a Frenchman, called -Philippe, who was supposed to be one of the first mediums in Europe, -and for a short time this Philippe was quite an important personage -at Court. It was about the time the Japanese war broke out, and the -intriguing Frenchman did his best to consolidate his influence and -power, by making all kinds of prophecies as to the course the struggle -was about to take. Events, however, gave the lie to his predictions, -because instead of the brilliant successes which he had prophesied, -defeat attended the course of the campaign, and the Russian armies -were routed. This shook the reputation of the medium, and, finally, -after another failure of a private nature (he had promised the Empress -she would give birth to a son in the course of the next six months, -which did not happen) he was dismissed, principally at the request of -the Grand Duke Nicholas, who called upon the Czar and revealed to -the latter the many intrigues of which Philippe had been guilty. When -he was gone the Empress spent her time turning tables alone or with a -few chosen friends, and she at last got her nervous system into such a -condition that it is no wonder she fell an easy prey to Rasputin when -the latter was presented to her by her sister, with the assurance that -he was one of the greatest saints the Russian Orthodox Church had ever -known. - -This influence of the Grand Duchess Elizabeth was exercised not only -in religious and political matters, but also in purely frivolous ones. -For instance, she introduced into the Imperial Palace a dressmaker -from Moscow who used to make her own gowns, and to whom she had -promised she would procure the Empress as a client. This dressmaker, -who, I have always felt convinced was a German spy, became quite an -important personage at Court, and soon my mistress did not dare to -order a gown from any one else but this woman. This of course caused -great dissatisfaction among her former modistes, both in Petrograd -and in Paris, who, after having enjoyed her patronage for a number -of years, found it hard to be set aside for a newcomer. I tried more -than once to remonstrate and to urge the expediency of not offending -former friends, if such an expression can be used in the like case, -but I was immediately silenced, with the result that the Empress spent -twice as much on her clothes as she had done during the first years of -her marriage and was dressed with much less taste. Under the pretext -that she ought to wear Russian silks, gowns of inferior materials were -made for her, and made abominably into the bargain. This was the more -shameful that Moscow possesses silk manufactories, the produce of -which is not a bit inferior to the loveliest French silks, but my poor -mistress never got the chance to have them, and the cheapest and most -vile satin and velvets were those which her famous Moscow dressmaker -selected for her. Worth, who for years had had the privilege of making -the dresses of the Russian Empresses, became very angry at the neglect -with which his offers were treated, and soon the Empress came to be -called stingy, not only in St. Petersburg but also in Paris, where -proprietors of the many establishments where she had formerly got her -clothes became her enemies, and took to calling her German, for the -only reason that she did not any longer buy her dresses and other -things from them. It would have been easy to avoid all this had one -been possessed of a strong and independent will and not set trembling, -as my poor mistress was, whenever her sister swept down upon her with -a complaint or in an excitement of some kind or another. When the -little Grand Duchesses grew up, their aunt also interfered with their -education. She believed herself to be an excellent pedagogue, and was -convinced that she had brought up admirably the two motherless children -of her brother-in-law, the Grand Duke Paul, Dmitry and Marie, who was -later on to become the wife of a Swedish Prince from whom she was -divorced a short time afterwards. In reality she had done nothing of -the kind, and neither the nephew nor the niece over whose childhood she -was supposed to have watched with such care, did her any honour, nor -proved in any way the excellence of the training which she was supposed -to have given them. In regard to the children of the Czar and of the -Czarina, her influence proved quite mischievous, and might have become -even dangerous if the strong common sense of the two eldest girls had -not saved them from the danger of the superstitious atmosphere with -which their aunt wanted to surround them. - -[Illustration: _International Film Service_ - -RASPUTIN] - -The Empress was the best and most tender of mothers. Indeed her -affection for her children was almost too fervent, for she was always -anxious on their account and would hardly ever allow them to mix with -other people for fear of anything evil befalling them. She thought, -quite naturally, that she could trust her sister and share with her the -responsibilities of the education of her family. In reality she could -not have made a worse choice, because between ambition and superstition -the Grand Duchess Elizabeth was about the last person who ought to have -been permitted free access to girls of the impressionable temperament -of the young daughters of Nicholas II. - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -THE CZARINA’S FAMILY RELATIONS - - -The Empress, like all German Princesses, had been brought up in a -family atmosphere which had a great deal of the bourgeois about it. -Her father had been comparatively a poor man, and his household had -been conducted on most modest lines, as can be seen from the letters -of the Czarina’s mother, the Grand Duchess Alice of Hesse, addressed -to her own mother, Queen Victoria. Neither pomp nor magnificence had -presided over the rearing of the young Princesses left motherless so -soon, and it was only at Windsor and at Balmoral that Princess Alix -had seen what a Sovereign’s existence meant. But on the other hand she -had been very happy with her sisters and with her brother to whom she -was particularly attached. For some years after their father’s death -she had been practically the mistress of his household, and she had -felt bitterly his marriage with their cousin, the Princess Victoria -Melita of Saxe-Coburg. The latter, whose mother was a Russian Grand -Duchess, had, in her own way, just as imperious a character as her -sister-in-law, and soon relations between the two girls became more -than strained. As is well known, the marriage of the Grand Duke of -Hesse turned out a most unhappy one and ended with a divorce in which -the Princess Alix sided with her brother, and allowed the latter’s wife -to see that such was the case. This brought about a family quarrel, -which was further accentuated by the re-marriage of Victoria Melita -with her other cousin, the Grand Duke Cyril of Russia, which incensed -the Empress to such a degree that she used all her influence over -the Czar to persuade the latter to exile Cyril and his bride, and to -deprive them of their fortune and rank at the Russian Court. This was -a most unfortunate action, because it roused against the Czarina the -wrath of all her relatives, who already did not like her, and who in -consequence went over to swell the ranks of her enemies, alas, already -too numerous. - -I have always regretted that my Imperial mistress was not able to make -for herself friends among her own relatives. This partiality which -she always exhibited in regard to her Hessian connections was a very -unfortunate one, and added certainly to her unpopularity. Had she been -wise, she might easily have found a warm support in the Czar’s sister, -the Grand Duchess Xenia, and the latter’s husband, whose kind feelings -in regard to her would have secured for her the allegiance of all the -sons of the Grand Duke Michael, the great uncle of the Czar, and the -most respected member of the Romanoff family, as well as the oldest. -Unfortunately she did not see the necessity for doing so, and she -feared the influence undoubtedly exercised at one time over the Czar’s -mind by Xenia, his favourite sister. Consequently she kept her at arm’s -length, and avoided inviting her to Czarskoi Selo. The Imperial family, -finding itself snubbed at every step, boycotted in its turn their -Empress, with the result that the latter drifted every day a little -farther from those who ought to have been her natural friends and -supporters. - -The Grand Duchess Vladimir, herself a German Princess and by birth a -Duchess of Mecklenburg, had at one time been the one to whom Alexandra -Feodorovna had been the most attracted, and a certain intimacy had -even established itself between them. Then one day the Princess, when -calling on her niece, had found established in her room one of the -numerous nuns with whom the latter liked to surround herself and who -had been presented to her by her sister Elizabeth. She had made a few -remarks as to inadvisability of an Empress of Russia admitting into -such close intimacy an uneducated woman, who, moreover, was probably -like all Russian nuns, devoted to gossip. These remarks were very -badly received and put an end to a friendship that, in spite of the -many inconveniences it presented (the Grand Duchess Vladimir being -an active supporter of the Kaiser and of the German party at Court), -would still have been preferable to the one which continued to persist -between Alexandra Feodorovna and any amount of ignorant monks and nuns -whose society she grew at last to prefer to that of everybody else. -This, however, was not saying much, because as time went on my mistress -developed more and more this unfortunate love for solitude for which -she was so often, and not unjustly, reproached. She had a great defect -for a woman in her high position—that of taking life too seriously, -in the sense that she would never admit that any one had the right to -seek amusement or relaxation from the duties of one’s daily existence. -Indeed she looked out for duties, and found some where none existed. -She hated balls, and society she thoroughly despised, believing that -it was composed of frivolous and ill-natured people. She did not care -for innocent pleasures, not because she had any preference for others, -but because she was convinced that every single hour of any man’s or -woman’s existence ought to be consecrated to duty or occupation of some -kind. When she was compelled to appear at a ball or State function, -she did so with such a bored look that it could not fail to be noticed -and of course was resented. Her greatest happiness would have been to -lead an out-of-doors life, to take long walks, and to play tennis or -golf as a relaxation. Even her readings were always serious ones, and -such a thing as a novel was never seen in her apartments. Sometimes -her sisters-in-law would urge upon her the necessity of reading such -or such a book, whose publication had created some kind of stir in the -world. But she invariably refused, or if she consented did so under -protest, and would later on make scathing remarks as to her aversion -for such kind of literature. The Czar, on the other hand, liked to -peruse a good novel, and sometimes attempted to read the contents of -one aloud to his wife, when she would listen with a bored look on her -face, but would not, however, express in any other way her disapproval. -She was very considerate for her husband, though in the early days of -their marriage she had been inclined to show too much her influence and -power over his mind, which was also one of the things Russian society -had not forgiven her. One incident in particular had aroused the ire of -the Empress Dowager, who had made no secret of her indignation against -her young daughter-in-law on the subject. The Czar and his wife had -accepted an invitation to dine and spend the evening at the barracks of -the Hussar regiment, of which the Emperor, when heir to the throne, had -been in command. Nicholas II. was enjoying himself, as he invariably -did when amidst his old comrades of former times, but the Empress -was far from doing so, therefore, when eleven o’clock struck, she -determined she had had quite enough of it, and, calling to her husband, -said loudly and distinctly in English: “Now come, my boy, it is time -to go to bed!” One may imagine the horror of the assistants on hearing -the autocrat of All the Russias addressed in public as “my boy” by his -imprudent wife. The incident was widely commented upon and discussed, -and Marie Feodorovna thought it her duty to remonstrate with her -daughter-in-law on the subject, saying that she had never ventured to -address Alexander III. in presence of others, let alone in an official -occasion such as this one had been, otherwise than as “Sir” or “Your -Majesty.” My mistress took these remonstrances in very bad part, and -the relations between the two ladies did not improve after this affair. - -Had Alexandra Feodorovna been surrounded by people who wished her well, -they would have tried to educate her mind, and to bring to her notice -the necessity of observing certain details pertaining to etiquette of -which she had never been taught the necessity in her small Darmstadt, -but which she could not neglect in her position as Empress of Russia. -Kindness would have done wonders with her, and no one would have -appreciated it more than herself, but opposition of any kind had the -effect of exasperating her and of driving her to do precisely what -she ought not to have done. She had the idea that as the wife of an -autocratic ruler she was placed above every kind of criticism, and that -no one dared to make any remark concerning her conduct or manners. Of -course this was a mistaken idea, but it had so thoroughly taken hold of -her mind that nothing could ever drive it away, and it has certainly -contributed to the misfortunes which have assailed her later on. Alas! -alas! how often have I not regretted that this sweet Princess, so -attractive in many ways, could not be brought to look upon the world -with other eyes than those of an enemy. If only she had believed those -who sincerely loved her, how different her life might have been! - -During the summer of 1898, the Grand Duchess Olga caught the scarlet -fever. The English nurse who was in charge of the Imperial nursery -was left with the second little girl who had been born to the Czar -and Czarina, the Grand Duchess Tatiana, and the Empress took it upon -herself to nurse the sick child unaided. I begged permission to share -with her the care of the invalid, and it was after this that my -mistress began to confide in me to a certain degree, and to speak to -me about some of her many anxieties and sorrows. I can remember her so -well during these days and nights sitting by the cot in which her small -daughter slept, clad in a dressing gown of white flannel which I had -almost compelled her to buy for the occasion, her fair head resting on -her hand, absorbed in her thoughts, and with that sweet but anxious -expression on her beautiful face, which already at that time had begun -to settle on her features. She complained to me once that she had been -reproached by her relatives for exposing herself to the danger of -contagion. “As if that mattered,” she said, “even if I died, for the -Emperor would always find another wife who perhaps would be luckier -than I have been, and able to give him an heir. No one would miss me, -with the exception perhaps of these children,” and she started weeping -bitter tears. I tried to comfort her, saying that she must not talk in -that way, because no woman had ever been more loved by her husband than -she was by the Emperor. “Ah, my dear,” retorted the Empress, “what good -does it do me to be loved by my husband when all the world is against -me? It is the nation’s love I would wish to win, and how can I hope to -do so, so long as I have not given an heir to Russia!” Poor woman, she -really imagined that the cause of her unpopularity was the fact that -she had no son! - -This reminds me of the state of mind into which my poor mistress was -thrown at the birth of her second daughter, Tatiana. She had been -worrying the whole time of her pregnancy at the idea that she might -have another girl, until at last the thought of it had become quite an -obsession, and her nervous system had been absolutely shattered as a -consequence. When the child came into the world there was a profound -silence in the room, and the doctor informed the Czar, by a previously -arranged sign, of the sex of the infant, which it was deemed necessary -to conceal from the mother at first. But the Empress saw the anxious -and troubled faces around her when she had recovered from the effects -of the chloroform which had been administered to her, and her first -words were: “My God, it is again a daughter. What will the nation say, -what will the nation say?” and she burst into loud hysterics. - -Nevertheless, the wee, wee maidens who came one after the other to -enliven the family circle of the Czar and Czarina, though they were -very badly received, became in time the objects of their parents’ -most affectionate love, and were cared for just as much as if their -births had not constituted a severe disappointment for their father -and mother. But the fact that for something like ten years Russia had -no direct heir, shook the position of Alexandra Feodorovna, who began -to be considered as a person of no consequence. People looked up to -the Grand Duke Michael, in whom every one saw the future Czar, and -who not only was immensely popular, but whose features and character -reminded one more than those of any of his other children of the -late Alexander III. The Empress was quite aware of this fact, and it -did not contribute to her liking for her brother-in-law. In general, -she was not upon good terms with any members of the Russian Imperial -family, with the exception of her sister of course, and of the latter’s -husband, the Grand Duke Sergius, and she clung more than ever to her -German relations, and to her brother in particular. She was always -looking forward to the short sojourns which from time to time she was -allowed to make in Darmstadt, where she felt more at her ease than -anywhere else, with the exception of Livadia, in the Crimea, where she -built for herself a kind of fairy palace, in place of the small cottage -which had been found sufficient for the Empress Marie Alexandrovna, -and where Alexander III. had breathed his last. The construction of -this palace was also one of the things for which my mistress was -reproached. People said that it was not seemly to have pulled down the -house where the late Czar had died, and they had criticised the large -amount of money which had been wasted, as was said, on the erection of -this new residence. When this was repeated to the Empress, she became -quite furious, and swore that not one of those who had thus allowed -themselves to be dissatisfied with what she had done would ever enter -the gates of her Crimean home. She kept her promise, and not even -her mother-in-law was ever invited to look upon the new castle which -Alexandra Feodorovna had built for herself on the shores of the Black -Sea, and which she had made so beautiful. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -LIFE AT CZARSKOI SELO - - -I have often been asked details about the kind of existence by the -Imperial family in the interior of their home. So long as I was in -their service I never spoke of what I saw, and in general avoided -mentioning anything connected with the family life of my masters. It -seems to me now that I am not committing an indiscretion if I do so, -because I have nothing to say but good of the unfortunate Czar and -Czarina. - -They were a most affectionate couple, and to look at them and to hear -them converse with one another one could almost have believed them to -be little “bourgeois” of the type dear to French authors, rather than -powerful sovereigns. They used often to jest together, and to tease -each other in a quiet way, and both were full of fun when left to -themselves. Later on, of course, things changed, and as the political -horizon became darker and darker, the old merry laugh with which the -Emperor and his wife used to make the halls and corridors of the -Czarskoi Selo Palace echo was hushed and could be heard very seldom. -But the sense of humour of Nicholas II. and of his Consort never -deserted them, and they were inclined to look at the joyful side of -things rather than to indulge in pessimism, in all matters that did -not pertain to the administration of their vast Empire. This was the -tragic part of their life, and, being both highly conscientious people, -they suffered cruelly to find that all their efforts to ameliorate the -condition of their people were misunderstood. Of course it is idle -to deny that the weakness of character of the Emperor was greatly to -blame in the series of disasters which finally overpowered him and -his family, but it must also be acknowledged that he never met with -any sincere and disinterested help in the responsibilities of his -arduous task. During the first years of her marriage the Empress kept, -or rather was kept, aloof from everything connected with politics, -which was a great pity, because at that time she might have made -herself useful in many ways. But all the ministers and the advisers -of Nicholas II. were of opinion that his wife had to be relegated to -a subordinate position, and he himself had no desire to initiate her -into the complicated details connected with the government of Russia. -It was only after she had given birth to an heir that the position -of Alexandra Feodorovna became an important one, and that she was -consulted by her husband. By that time the reputation for weakness of -character of the Emperor had become an established fact, and those who -hitherto had ruled him, furious at finding themselves evicted, started -the report that the Empress was abusing her influence over the Czar, -and obliging him to conform himself to her own political views, which -were supposed to be entirely German. - -So far as I have been able to judge, this was an error, at least in -some details. The Czarina was very fond of the land of her birth, -this cannot be denied, but she was too affectionate a mother not to -see that it would have been impossible to carry on a purely German -policy in Russia, and the thing to which she clung the most was her -throne and the possibility of seeing her own son occupy it in time. She -was ambitious for him as well as for herself, and though this may be -deplored, yet there is nothing astonishing in the fact. - -She did not care for St. Petersburg and the luxury of her apartments -in the Winter Palace, and after the Japanese war and the Revolution she -persuaded the Czar to give up residing there and to make his permanent -home at Czarskoi Selo, or in Livadia in the Crimea. They used to come -sometimes to the capital for some military festivity or other, but -their sojourn there was always of short duration, and never extended -beyond a few hours. The only time they resided in it again, and this -only for three days, was on the occasion of the celebration of the -jubilee of three hundred years of the accession of the Romanoff dynasty -to the throne of Russia. After they left it then, they were never more -to sleep under its roof, though their rooms were always kept ready for -them. Sometimes the Empress stopped there for a cup of tea, when on -one of her rare visits to St. Petersburg, to inspect some charitable -institution, but she never liked them, though she had furnished them -with such care and she never felt at home in those immense halls -which could not be made homely or comfortable, in the sense generally -attached to this word. - -At Czarskoi Selo existence ran very smoothly. The Empress rose early -and, after partaking of a cup of tea in bed, threw a dressing gown -over her shoulders, and repaired to her children’s rooms. She was -always present when they said their prayers, and she used to read to -them a chapter of the Bible, or the Gospel for the day. It was only -after the performance of this duty that she began her own toilet, which -was always an elaborate affair, and this to the last day of my stay -with her, even after she had discarded most of her ornaments and fine -gowns and assumed the garb of the sister of charity she declared she -had become. But she was particular in the care she used to take of -her own person and would spend a longer time than any one else would -have done in her bath and in the general occupation of her dressing -and undressing. After her hair had been arranged and she had assumed -the gown she chose out of the three or four which were brought for her -inspection, she would go to the small apartment where breakfast was -served, and where her children were generally already awaiting her. A -servant would then inform the Emperor that his wife was in the dining -room, and he would join her there almost immediately. The meal never -began without him, and was a simple though an abundant one. Eggs, cold -meat, and a variety of cakes and biscuits with hot rolls, generally -composed it. Nicholas II. was a gourmet, and though he cared most for -Russian cooking, yet he insisted on everything that was served him -being of the very best. Lunch was the meal of which he partook most -freely, and it consisted always of some five or six courses, beginning -with caviar and other relishes, and ending with fresh fruit, no matter -what the season of the year might be, and very strong coffee. The Czar -was a most sober man in his family circle, contrary to what has been -said of him, and his only drink was Crimean wine from his own vintages, -which was very good indeed. Sometimes, when he went to supper at the -mess of his former regiment of Hussars, of which he had remained very -fond, he partook freely of champagne, which started the legend that -he was an inordinate drunkard, but these occasions were rare, and -certainly never gave rise to any outward manifestation on his part -which might have accredited this malicious report. Strong drinks never -appeared on the Imperial table. Nicholas II. drank a small glass of -vodka before his meals, as every Russian does, but this was all. As -for the Empress, she seldom touched anything but mineral water, and -the children were brought up on strictly abstemious lines. During -dinner, which was served at eight o’clock, Madeira and sherry appeared, -also red and white wine, but this was for the benefit of the guests -invited. There were always some at this meal, but these comprised the -ladies in waiting on the Empress, and the personal attendants on the -Emperor, rarely any one else. Sometimes a military band played some of -the Czarina’s favourite airs, when she would listen with attention, but -this seldom occurred except on Sundays. The dinner was an elaborate -affair, composed principally of Russian dishes, for Nicholas II. -disliked French sauces and French menus, and used to say that what he -preferred was plain and excellent Russian fare. The kind of fish called -Sterlet was a favourite of his, also a pudding which went by the name -of Gourieswkaya Kacha, or gruel, and which was really very good. The -Empress was absolutely indifferent to what she ate or drank, and would -have been perfectly satisfied to exist on oatmeal and eggs. The only -thing she was particular about was her tea, which she wanted to be made -very strong, and the brand she preferred was one in which green tea was -mixed with black; she utterly repudiated Indian or Ceylon tea, giving -her preference to Chinese caravan. - -As the Imperial children grew up, their mother adopted the custom of -spending most of her time with them when the state of her health so -allowed. She had always been very delicate, and developed violent -nervous headaches which totally prostrated her and confined her to her -bed in a dark room, sometimes for two or three days at a time. These -attacks left her terribly weak, and she would require care and quiet -to get over them. Sometimes another attack would overpower her before -the effects of the first one had passed away. This was the origin of -the rumour that she was an unnatural mother who for days did not allow -her daughters to approach her. Nothing of the kind ever took place, but -when my poor mistress was laid up her sufferings were so intense that -sometimes the sound of a footstep in the next room would add to the -agony which she endured, and of course she had to be left alone at such -periods. But the world, always cruel and unjust in regard to her, would -have it that she confined herself in her apartments because she could -not bear her children, and it pitied them in consequence. - -But when she was in good health, the Czarina gave up every minute of -her time to her family. She took upon herself the religious instruction -of her son and daughters, and she tried to rear them in the strong -principles which she herself professed. Both the Czar and herself -observed with extreme punctuality the rites of the Greek Orthodox -Church. During the whole six weeks of Lent, no meat appeared on the -Imperial table, and at festivals as well as on Sundays, the whole -family attended all the morning and afternoon services which were -celebrated in the chapel of the Palace. Afterwards the Empress built a -church in Czarskoi Selo, which became one of the most beautiful shrines -in the whole of Russia, and she regularly went to it, forsaking the -private chapel of her own residence. She had arranged for herself an -oratory in one corner of the building, from which she could, unseen -herself, follow the religious services. This eccentricity, which -proceeded from the fact that the Czarina did not care to be the object -of the attention of the congregation, was also made the cause of -violent and unseemly attacks upon her person and character. - -[Illustration: _International Film Service_ - -THE EX-CZARINA OF RUSSIA AND HER FOUR DAUGHTERS] - -When the state of her health allowed her to do so, Alexandra Feodorovna -went for long walks in the park surrounding the Palace, with the -Emperor and her children. She was inordinately fond of the open air, -and was never so happy as in the Crimea, where she could indulge in -her taste for it. There she spent hours arranging her rose garden and -generally beautifying this lovely place, to which she hoped she would -one day be able to retire. It is not generally known, but a fact, that -both the Emperor and herself nursed the idea of abdicating in favour -of their son as soon as the latter should be old enough to assume the -government of the country, and of retiring to Livadia for the rest of -their days. Neither Nicholas II. nor his Consort ever dreamt that this -abdication would be imposed upon them by events the magnitude of which -no one in the whole of Russia could have been able to foresee. - -Very few visitors ever came to enliven the solitude of Czarskoi Selo, -but at Livadia the Empress would make a point of inviting to dinner and -to small dances given for her daughters, all the people living in the -neighbourhood, or staying in the various hotels on the Crimean coast, -who had been presented to her. The officers of the Imperial yacht, the -_Standard_, were also bidden to these parties, and they were almost the -only persons with whom the Empress ever conversed freely. She was very -fond of the sea, and during the cruises which she took every summer in -the Finnish waters she grew to know by name all the crew of the vessel -on which she found herself, and she took pleasure in talking with the -officers and men, the former of whom were afterwards always welcomed by -her wherever she was. - -But in general she did not care for society. Her Mistress of the Robes -was about the only woman admitted to her intimacy as long the post was -occupied by the Princess Galitzyne, but after the death of the latter -and the appointment of Madame Narischkine, the relations of the Empress -with the head of her household became purely formal, and the only real -confidante she possessed during the last six or seven years which -preceded the war and the Revolution was a woman who was destined to do -her an infinity of harm and whom she would have done much better to -have kept at arm’s length—the too famous Madame Wyroubieva, about whom -I shall have something to say later on. - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -THE COURT AND ATTENDANTS OF THE CZARINA - - -When the Empress married, her household was formed in a hurry, which -was a great pity, because it was not composed entirely of the best -people from an intellectual point of view. The Empress Dowager was -so absorbed by her grief that she could not give to the subject the -attention she otherwise would have done. The Emperor, on the other -hand, knew very little about St. Petersburg society, and especially -about its gossip. When the name of the Princess Galitzyne was mentioned -to him as that of the best lady for the difficult position of Mistress -of the Robes, and chief adviser of his young wife, he accepted it as a -matter of course, having only in mind the great name and the prominent -position of the Princess. - -She was a woman with a past in which had figured most of the _jeunesse -dorée_ of St. Petersburg. She had been married when quite a girl to a -man much older than herself, and had very rapidly found a number of -people willing to console her for the great difference of age which -existed between her and her spouse. He had made her an indulgent -husband, and by reason of his great standing, riches, and other worldly -advantages, had constantly sheltered her from the evil effects of the -gossip which was but too often busy with her name. When she had become -a widow, she had mourned him quite sincerely, but had pretended a grief -greater than she had really experienced. It was discovered that he had -left his business affairs in an entangled condition, and the Princess -had retired to her country estates, to try to bring some kind of order -into their management. She had an only daughter, already married, who -became the object of her greatest care and affection. When the post of -chief adviser to the young bride of Nicholas II. was offered to her by -one of her former admirers, Baron Fredericks, then already Minister of -the Imperial Household, she had snatched at the chance with alacrity, -seeing in it a possibility of re-establishing, quicker than by a strict -economy, her shattered finances. - -She was a haughty, selfish, self-centred woman who soon made for -herself numerous enemies, thanks to the offhand manner with which -she treated all those with whom she found herself thrown in contact. -She never applied herself to the task of teaching her young mistress -the difficult lesson of trying to make herself popular, but on the -contrary tried to inspire within her the same prejudices in regard to -the people she disliked that she herself entertained. She was about the -worst adviser a newly married Sovereign could have had, and one can -only wonder why this fact was not recognised earlier than it was; for -it ultimately became a question as to who was the more disliked, the -Empress or her Mistress of the Robes. - -The Princess Galitzyne, nevertheless, soon became a power at Court. -She contrived to obtain large grants of money which the successive -ministers of finance who took over the succession of Count Witte, were -but too happy to arrange for her, in return for her protection. She -was greedy and avaricious, cruel and cold hearted, and utterly devoid -of scruples. In the Palace she was heartily disliked, yet no one dared -to say a word against her, because it was well known that eventually -she could become a terrible enemy of those of whom she thought she had -reason to complain. - -The Princess died a year or two before the great war, and for some -time her place remained empty, until at last it was offered to Madame -Narischkine, an intimate friend of the Empress Dowager, and one of the -most respected women in St. Petersburg society. - -Madame Narischkine was quite a different woman from her predecessor. -She was kind, polite, amiable, and highly principled, as well as -conscientious. She would never have hurt a fly, and she had always -applied herself to smooth the path in life of all the people in whom -she had happened to be interested. - -Unfortunately she was not sympathetic with the Empress Alexandra, -and the latter could never bring herself to treat her with the same -familiarity as she had done the Princess Galitzyne. Then Madame -Narischkine objected to Rasputin, and of course this was sufficient to -prevent her being a persona grata. The Grand Duchess Elizabeth also -did not care for her; perhaps because she felt that the new Mistress -of the Robes had never quite approved of her. Madame Narischkine was a -very discreet woman, but at the same time she could very well convey -to persons whom she did not think fit to be upon terms of intimacy -with her what she thought of them. The Empress never took to her, -which was a great pity, and sometimes treated her with great rudeness -and with an astonishing lack of consideration. But in spite of these -difficulties with which her path was beset, Madame Narischkine behaved -magnificently when the hour of danger sounded. When the Revolution -broke out, she immediately repaired to Czarskoi Selo and never left -the Empress through those days of sorrow and anxiety which saw the -latter taken prisoner in her own palace. She volunteered, in spite of -her advanced age (she is over seventy) to accompany her mistress into -exile, but the request was declined by the provisional government, and -Madame Narischkine had perforce to submit, but she was the last one to -bid good-bye to the Empress and to the young Grand Duchesses before -they entered the train which was to carry them away to the solitudes of -Siberia. It is likely that if Madame Narischkine had, from the outset, -been with the Czarina, many of the mistakes committed by the latter -would have been avoided. As it was she followed the advice given her -by the Princess Galitzyne, and this was never wise advice, because -the Princess, who was a born flatterer, was most careful never to -say to Alexandra Feodorovna anything which she knew or feared might -displease her. Under her guidance the unfortunate Empress had not a -chance to succeed in winning the affections of her subjects. Besides -the Princess, there were four maids of honour attached to the person -of the young Czarina. The first was the Countess Lamsdorff, with whom -the Sovereign could not get on and to whom she took a violent dislike. -Then came the Princess Bariatinsky, who also resigned her functions -with a certain amount of “fracas,” and who made no mystery of the fact -that she could not stand the lack of consideration with which she was -being treated. A Caucasian lady, the Princess Orbeliani, took her -place, and succeeded in retaining her difficult position until her -death. Then there was a Princess Obolensky, who had much unpleasantness -to bear, but who accepted everything with wonderful patience, thanks, -it was said, to her attachment to the young Grand Duchesses, the -daughters of Nicholas II. She is still with the Imperial family, and -has accompanied them to Tobolsk, in spite of the opposition of her -family, who would have liked her to leave the Empress. There was also -another personage in the household who held there quite a privileged -situation; this was Mademoiselle Schneider, whose duties consisted in -reading to the Czarina, and who was the only attendant she had brought -over with her from Darmstadt. Mademoiselle Schneider could enter the -apartments of her mistress whenever she liked. She was the medium -through whom Alexandra Feodorovna communicated with her relatives in -Germany, to whom she always felt afraid to write by post, and she was -also the one and only person with whom the Empress spoke German. We -all liked her, because she was a quiet, unassuming person; but I shall -not take it upon myself to say whether or not she gave to the German -government information it would have been better to have withheld. Then -again there was a private secretary, whose business it was to attend -to the correspondence of the Empress, and who used to make reports -to her every morning. The post was first filled by Count Lamsdorff, -then by Count Rostavtsoff, and neither of these gentlemen was quite up -to the task. They did not know how to interest the Czarina in their -work, which they accomplished in a methodical manner devoid of any -initiative. Among their duties was the administration of Alexandra’s -private purse and the control of her charities until the time when she -assumed it herself at the period of the Japanese war. It was part of -the privileges of the private secretary to pay out the bills of the -Empress or at least to give out their amount to the head maid, that is, -to myself. Count Lamsdorff paid whatever I asked, without the slightest -demur, but his successor used to ask for explanations, and to make -his comments, which sometimes was most annoying. The private accounts -of the Czarina were settled on the 22nd day of every month, when the -expenses of the thirty preceding days had to be balanced and adjusted. -She was most particular about this, and hated being in debt to any one. -But at the same time she absolutely ignored the meaning of the word -economy, bought and ordered whatever she liked without a thought as -to how her expenses were to be met, and more than once I have had to -appeal, unknown to her, to the Czar, and to ask him to give orders to -settle his wife’s bills without her being worried about the matter. - -Every spring and autumn the coming fashions were brought to the -Empress, so that she might make her choice. She usually had about -fifty dresses for each season, as I have had already occasion to -explain, but whenever any unlooked for event occurred she would order -special gowns to meet it. Her hats were generally made by Bertrand, a -French firm in St. Petersburg; she ordered about twenty-five or thirty -for the summer season and several fur toques for the winter. She liked -white hats, which she often wore, and for a long time remained faithful -to the small bonnets affected by Queen Alexandra of England in her -youth. Later on she took to large hats, which were generally trimmed -profusely with ostrich feathers. About these feathers the Empress was -most fussy. The St. Petersburg climate is so very damp that it is -almost next to impossible to keep feathers curled in summer, especially -in Peterhof, on the Baltic shore, where the Court, as a rule, spent -July and August. We had, therefore, to have the trimmings of the -Empress’s hats seen to every day, and messengers used to go daily to -St. Petersburg to carry to Madame Bertrand the different millinery as -well as the feather boas of Alexandra Feodorovna to be freshened and -rearranged. - -As a rule, the Czarina used to spend something like ten thousand -roubles a month on her toilet, and sometimes even more than that. -She was extravagant,—there is no doubt about it,—but then she was -the Empress of Russia, and considered it part of her duties to appear -magnificently attired. The Emperor, too, liked to see her well dressed, -and especially richly dressed. The latter was easy, but the former more -difficult, because of the peculiar ideas of my Imperial mistress in -regard to her clothes. - -When her household was organised she was given eight maids to attend -upon her, of whom there were to be always two on duty during the -day, and two during the night, when they had to sit in a room in the -near vicinity of the Imperial bedchamber, ready to be called in case -of emergency. In the usual order of things they would have had to -dress the Czarina’s hair morning and evening, but the latter hated -to have different hands perform this task, so she arranged to have a -hairdresser come each day to arrange her coiffure, which was never -very elaborate except upon official occasions, when a diadem had to be -fixed in her hair. I was always present when she dressed and undressed. -It was part of my business to see that everything connected with her -toilet was in order and that nothing she required was missing. She -never twice wore the same pair of gloves, but liked old shoes and -slippers. As for her stockings they were of the finest silk, and -manufactured specially for her by the firm of Swears and Wells in -London. - -This system of having eight maids was continued for about ten years or -so, then one of them died, and another one asked to be relieved from -her duties, and they were never replaced. The Czarina thought that it -was quite sufficient for her to have six attendants, and she abolished -the night waiting, which had always been so irksome to the people -concerned in it. She used to dismiss her maids at eleven o’clock and -then retire to her bedroom, where she read or worked alone, but did -not require any more attendance, except in case she felt ill or one -of her children was indisposed. She was exacting, but never unjust or -cruel, and she hated to be the cause of inconvenience to other people. -At first she had never dared to alter anything in the customs of the -Russian Court, but later on she asserted herself and made many changes -in the interior arrangements of the Palace, all of which were practical -and tended to the amelioration of the condition of her numerous -servants, who nevertheless did not show themselves grateful to her for -her anxiety about their welfare, and who in the hour of her misfortune -mostly abandoned her, or turned with alacrity against her. - - - - -CHAPTER X - -THE CZARINA AND ST. PETERSBURG SOCIETY - - -At the time of her marriage St. Petersburg society was well disposed -toward my unfortunate mistress, and it would have been easy for her -to have made herself popular. Unfortunately she had, as I have said, -a sarcastic tongue, and made no secret of her likes and dislikes; -nor did she hesitate to ridicule certain customs to which old and -important dowagers clung with persistency. She always feared to be -thought too familiar, owing to the fact that the Imperial family, from -the very first day of her arrival in Russia, had drilled into her -ears the caution that St. Petersburg was not Darmstadt, and that the -free and easy manners of a little German town would be out of place -at the Court of the mighty Czar of All the Russias. She had therefore -fallen into the other extreme, and disciplined herself to be as stiff -as possible. The Empress Marie had been in the habit of receiving in -her own private boudoir the ladies who craved an audience from her, -and of asking them to sit beside her. Her daughter-in-law made it a -point to give her audience standing, and to converse for a few minutes -without ever offering a chair to the old women who had applied for the -honour of an introduction to her. She coldly extended to them her hand -to kiss, which further incensed them, and her natural shyness, added -to this stiff reception, of course made her many enemies. She began -to be criticized, and that in no friendly spirit. Unfortunately she -became aware of this, and it set her from the very first against the -people she ought to have tried to make her friends. Then gossip, and -that mostly ill natured, too, did its work, and all kinds of anecdotes -were put into circulation concerning the want of kindness of the -young Empress. She was accused of being sarcastic and of making fun -of old people whom age and past service ought to have preserved from -the ridicule she was supposed to shower upon them. Then, again, the -Czarina had the imprudence to express in public her disgust at what she -called the loose manners of St. Petersburg society. She tried to become -acquainted with all the gossip going about town, and declared that she -was going to reform the morals of her empire, proceeding by striking -off the list of invitations for a Court ball the names of all the women -supposed rightly or wrongly to have had a flirtation of some kind. The -result was that hardly any ladies appeared at this particular ball, -with the exception of mothers with girls to bring out, and the whole -of St. Petersburg rose up in arms against its Empress. It was decided -to boycott her, which was done, and the Empress Mother was asked to -interfere and to explain to her daughter-in-law that it was not her -business to brand with any kind of stigma the names of ladies in regard -to whom no open scandal had ever taken place. The incident assumed -such proportions that the Czar was asked to interfere, and he decided -that in future the list of invitations for Court festivities was to be -submitted to his mother and not to his wife, who was still too great a -stranger in Russia to know who ought or ought not to be invited to the -Winter Palace. - -As may be imagined, the little incident I have just narrated did -not tend to improve the relations between the young Czarina and -the Dowager, and the former’s popularity suffered from it to a -considerable extent. On the New Year following upon this memorable -tempest in a tea-cup, St. Petersburg ladies made up their minds not to -put in an appearance at the great reception which followed upon divine -service in the Winter Palace, a reception during which Court society -offered its New Year’s wishes to the sovereigns. So about four of -them, who by virtue of the official position of their husbands could -not absent themselves, were the only ones who attended the function. -This absence, _en masse_, could not but be noticed, and of course the -Czarina was offended. But she was powerless to retort otherwise than -passively, which she did by avoiding in the future showing herself in -public, also by discontinuing her audiences and even the ball which had -been considered as an indispensable feature of every winter season in -the Russian capital. This manner of manifesting her displeasure only -added to the bitterness of the feelings which she had inspired, as was -to be expected, and soon fashionable ladies deserted St. Petersburg for -the Riviera or Paris, where they felt happier and more at their ease -than in their own country. One after another the big houses, which used -to rival the Court itself by the splendour of their entertainments, -closed their doors, and the “Palmyra of the North,” as the capital of -the Czars used to be called, became one of the dullest cities in the -whole world. - -There were people who attempted to remonstrate with my mistress for -this retirement in which she persisted in living. She was told that it -would be relatively easy for her to regain some of her lost popularity -if she would only allow people to eat, drink, and be merry in her -presence. Alexander III., too, had hated society, and preferred his -beloved Gatschina to all his other residences, but he had fulfilled the -social duties he was expected to fulfill, and during his reign there -had not existed in the whole of Europe a more brilliant Court than that -of Russia. His daughter-in-law was advised to follow his example in -this respect. But she would not do so. - -I remember that one day whilst we were discussing the question of what -kind of new clothes she would want for the coming winter, I remarked -that she ought to order more evening dresses than she had done. The -Empress interrupted me with the remark that she did not mean to have -any more, because there would be no necessity for her to have them. I -then observed that it would be a great disappointment to the many young -girls about to make their appearance in society for the first time if -no Court balls were given. Alexandra Feodorovna got quite angry, and, -getting up with impatience, exclaimed, “I cannot understand why it -is expected of me to amuse all the silly children their parents are -bringing out.” - -[Illustration: _International Film Service_ - -GROUNDS OF THE IMPERIAL PALACE AT TZARSKOIÉ SÉLO] - -Happily for her no one was present when she gave way to this fit of -temper, but one may imagine how it would have been commented upon by -any of her numerous enemies had they chanced to overhear it. This state -of antagonism (for it can hardly be called by any other name) which -existed between Alexandra Feodorovna and the smart set of her capital -was not extended to other places. In the Crimea she liked to have -people about her, as I have already related, and she even gave dances -for her daughters. But though the Grand Duchess Olga had attained her -eighteenth year during the winter which preceded the outbreak of the -great war, her mother did not attempt to invite any one to the Palace -of Czarskoi Selo to amuse her. The Empress Dowager had to arrange some -entertainments in her own Anitschkoff Palace for her granddaughter’s -benefit, but each time they were invited to attend them there was an -explosion of grief on the part of their mother which completely spoilt -their pleasure. The Czarina had a morbid fear of the sharp tongues -of the ladies of the capital, and she was always expecting that her -daughters would be subjected to the same kind of criticism which had -been applied so liberally to her own self. This she wished to guard -them against. The idea was a mistaken one, because everybody admired -and liked the graceful girls, who had always an amiable word for those -they met, and who seemed so happy and so delighted whenever they had an -opportunity of enjoying themselves like all other girls of their age. - -The only person who at one time was in possession of the confidence -of the Czarina to a limited degree, the Grand Duchess Anastasia, wife -of the Grand Duke Nicholas, tried, without success, to get her to -look upon people with more indulgence, and not in such a morbid way. -My mistress would not hear reason, and at last declared that it was -useless to be an Empress of Russia if one could not do what one liked, -and that all she craved was the privilege to be left alone and allowed -to enjoy, unrestrained, her taste for solitude. - -In that respect the Empress was certainly not quite normal, and at -times she most undoubtedly suffered from what is called the mania of -persecution. People abroad have attributed this abnormal condition of -hers to the dread of revolution, the spectre of which was supposed to -haunt her constantly. This, however, was not at all the case, because -long before any one had an idea that revolution might break out, my -mistress was already affected by that strange fear of seeing strangers -approach her. The fact is that she had become morbid, thanks to the -latent dislike which she knew but too well was felt in regard to her, -and which worried her to the extent that she felt disgusted with the -world in general and had come to the conclusion that it was not worth -while to try to conciliate it, but that the best thing to do was to -avoid seeing too much of it. - -People have spoken at length of her tastes for occultism and spiritism, -and said that she looked for consolation for imaginary woes to the -practices of turning tables and other rubbish of the same kind. -Unfortunately this was true to a certain extent, because it is a sad -fact that the Empress liked to sit at tables for hours in the hope -that they would begin turning, and she firmly believed that people -could come back from the other world and manifest themselves to their -friends. But what is not so generally known is that it was the Grand -Duke Nicholas, the future generalissimo of the Russian armies, who -first set her to do so. He it was who brought to the Palace of Czarskoi -Selo a man called Philippe, who professed to be a powerful medium, and -who certainly inspired the Czarina with great confidence. For a year or -two he remained in favour, then was dismissed quite suddenly because he -had been found out by accident, but so completely that even Alexandra -Feodorovna could not defend him. - -Some people have said that it was not without malicious intention that -the Grand Duke Nicholas introduced this dangerous person to Czarskoi -Selo. It has been reported that he wanted to bring about a scandal to -the effect that the Empress should be declared, if not quite insane, -at least afflicted with melancholia, and put under restraint. She was -already at that time suspected of German leanings and sympathies, and -supposed to influence her husband in favour of Germany and a German -alliance. The Grand Duke Nicholas was a strong partisan of a close -union with France, and of course he considered that my poor mistress -was an obstacle to his views, so he would have been delighted had any -circumstance arisen which would have put her aside. Certainly he was -the means through which the Empress acquired her strange tastes for -all things connected with occultism, and he was also the first person -to draw the attention of the public and of the Imperial family to this -peculiarity, and to insist on the dangers which it presented. The fact -was that the Czarina was the only obstacle which the Grand Dukes and -their party encountered in the realisation of their plans to take under -their protection and to keep in their power the weak-minded Nicholas -II., who, it was known but too well, always adopted the opinion of -the last person who spoke with him, and was incapable of making any -decision of his own accord. The Empress, thanks to the fact that she -was always with him, had the best chance to make herself heard and -listened to, and consequently she represented a formidable danger -to the ambitions of those haughty Romanoffs who aspired, if not to -dethrone, at least to keep in their own hands this feeble nephew, so -devoid of initiative. - -During the last two or three years which preceded the war, these -different intrigues had assumed quite a dangerous character, and when -the Rasputin incident occurred, they only grew in intensity. The -Empress became the one great enemy, to the destruction of whom many -applied themselves with the more energy that she began to do what she -had carefully avoided before—to interest herself in politics, and -to study them carefully, in view to being able to advise her husband -amidst the growing difficulties of the international political position -in general. The Grand Duke Nicholas, who headed the faction having for -aim the removal of Alexandra Feodorovna, spared no means to destroy her -influence, and to ruin her reputation as a Sovereign and as a woman. He -partly succeeded, as we have seen, but at the same time he contributed -to the fall of his own dynasty, and to the ruin of his country. It is a -sad but certain fact that the Russian Imperial family never understood -the meaning of the word “solidarity,” and perhaps it is thanks to this -defect of theirs that the head of the House of Romanoff has been sent -into exile and his race deprived of the throne which Peter the Great -and Catherine II. had so gloriously occupied. - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -THE CZARINA AND HER MOTHER-IN-LAW - - -I have heard that many different tales have been circulated concerning -the relations of my mistress with the Dowager Empress. It is useless -to pretend that they were pleasant, but, on the other hand, neither of -the two ladies gave vent to open manifestations of hostility, whatever -they may have thought in the interior of their hearts. During the -first months following the marriage of the Czar things went smoothly, -because it was impossible to show more deference to any one than -Alexandra Feodorovna displayed in regard to her mother-in-law. But the -latter was still too young to care to be suddenly called upon to play -second fiddle, and she missed the power which she had exercised over -Alexander III., who used to consult her in regard to everything he did. -She had had enormous influence over him, and, if the truth be told, -over the whole course of affairs in Russia, but she had exercised it -with such tact, and so secretly, that it had never been suspected; on -the contrary, the Empress had been described as a frivolous woman who -cared only for dress, dances and parties. In regard to the Consort of -Nicholas II. things were very different. She arrived in Russia with the -reputation of being a clever woman, with strong opinions, and of course -found the public prepared either to accept them or else to start up -opposition against her. German princesses were not liked, and it had -been hoped that the heir to the throne would avoid choosing a wife in a -German court. The Dowager Empress was Danish by birth, a fact that had -contributed most certainly to the great popularity she had immediately -acquired. There was a powerful party behind her, quite ready to back -her up against her daughter-in-law, and, unfortunately, the latter was -apprised of it, which had the effect of setting her against any advice -she received from quarters which she suspected of intriguing against -her. As I have said before, if the Emperor and his young bride had -been able from the beginning to set up an establishment of their own, -perhaps things would not have fared so badly, and I have often wondered -why this was not done. With the immense Winter Palace standing -empty, or almost so, it would not have been difficult to arrange -some apartments for the newly married pair, until those they were to -occupy definitely had been got ready. There were the rooms which had -been occupied by the Empress Marie Alexandrovna, which, with small -expense, might have been made habitable in a few days. They at least -would have made a fitting establishment for a Sovereign, whilst the -two small closets (for they can hardly be called anything else) which -were assigned to Nicholas II. and his wife in the ground floor of the -Anitschkoff Palace, were so inappropriate, so ugly and so uncomfortable -that it is no wonder the latter felt depressed the whole time she was -compelled to occupy them. Then, as I have said, the servants gossiped, -and repeated to the Dowager Empress everything that her daughter-in-law -was doing, a fact of which the latter became aware through remarks -made to her by the elder lady, and the result was most disastrous. The -arrival of the children, whose advent obliged Alexandra Feodorovna to -set up a nursery, which she tried to model after those she had seen in -England, did not improve conditions that already had become strained, -because, as one daughter after another appeared, Marie Feodorovna -grew to think that her daughter-in-law would never give an heir to the -throne and to look up towards her second son Michael as the future -Emperor. This was gall and wormwood to my mistress, who often lamented -the fact, and, when she had taken me into her confidence, complained of -the want of consideration with which her mother-in-law made her feel -that she was a nobody and had not fulfilled the duty which was expected -of her, that of providing future Emperors for Russia. Other reasons -also contrived to add to this state of latent irritation which had -established itself in the bosom of the Imperial family. There was the -question of the crown jewels; of the order in which the names of the -two Empresses were to be introduced into the church liturgy; and many -others, small and great. The Dowager was far too tactful to complain -about the domestic relations of her son, but she contrived to let -people guess her sentiments on the subject, and took to spending more -and more of her time in Denmark, which after all was perhaps the best -thing she could have done. - -[Illustration: _International Film Service_ - -GRAND DUKE MICHAEL] - -The Japanese war, however, brought her back to Russia, and it was -during its course that there happened the one great event in the -life of Alexandra Feodorovna—the birth of her only son. - -Great were the rejoicings when this small boy made his appearance in -a world which was not to prove too kind to him, as we all know. His -advent, however, disturbed the equanimity of several people, whilst -it raised the hopes of others. For one thing, the Grand Duke Michael, -the only brother of the Czar, lost all the importance with which he -had been endowed in the eyes of the public as the eventual heir to -the Russian throne. It also took away some of that of his mother, -who was supposed to exercise considerable control over him, and of -course the feelings of the latter on the subject were very much mixed, -because though on the one hand she could not but rejoice at seeing the -succession secured in the direct line, yet, on the other hand, she had -accustomed herself, as had many others, to the idea that her eldest -son would never become father to a boy, and it required a certain time -before she could get accustomed to the changes which the birth of the -little Alexis had brought about. - -Furthermore, the young Empress, feeling at last secure of her own -position, began to assert herself far more than she had ever done -before, and she tried to win for herself partisans. Unfortunately she -looked for them among people who turned out afterwards to be her worst -foes, and the liberty which she imagined she had acquired to live her -own life without any regard to the trammels of etiquette or other -consideration, transformed the dislike she had hitherto inspired into -something very much akin to hatred. - -Her boy proved a delicate child, and when the fact became known it -awakened the hopes of the party antagonistic to Alexandra and raised -those of the people attached to the fortunes of the Grand Duke Michael. -His sister-in-law, when she found this out (and there were but too -many people eager to inform her of it), grew in her turn to dislike -the Grand Duke, and to think how she could get rid of him. According -to the family statute of the Romanoffs, he would have been Regent of -the Empire in case the Czar had died before his heir had reached his -majority, and the Empress, in that case, would have been more or less -subjected to him and to any commands he would have deemed it necessary -to issue to her. Most likely the first thing he would have done would -have been to deprive her of the custody of her son and to surround -the latter with men of his own choice. The very thought of such a -contingency made Alexandra Feodorovna wild, so when the Grand Duke -contracted the morganatic marriage which brought upon him the wrath of -his brother she seized upon the occasion to try to get rid once and -forever of a personage whom she considered her worst enemy. - -If the truth be told, poor Michael had never been her enemy, however -much he may have disapproved of some of her actions. The only thing -he asked was to be left alone with the wife whom he had chosen and -married against the opposition of the whole world and of his entire -family, beginning with his mother. She was a lady by birth, the wife -of one of his brother officers in a Cuirassier regiment quartered at -Gatchina. The Grand Duke had become attracted by her principally on -account of her sympathetic appearance and the patience with which she -had listened to the tale of his affection for one of his sister Olga’s -maids of honour with whom he had been passionately in love and whom he -had wished to marry. The romance was quickly nipped in the bud by the -interference of the Dowager Empress and the young lady packed away -abroad with strict injunctions not to return to Russia until further -notice. The Grand Duke had been very unhappy, but had submitted, and -poured the story of his wrongs into the ears of Madame Wulfert. The -latter was a charming woman, but she had had a first husband, from whom -she had been divorced before marrying her present one. This alone would -have made her undesirable as a wife for the only brother of the Czar, -and when her union with Captain Wulfert was also dissolved, thanks to -the relations which had established themselves between her and the -young Grand Duke, this undesirableness was still further accentuated. -But she had given birth to a son, and was moreover a person of -considerable attraction and of unusual cleverness. Michael found out -that he could not live without her, and married her in Vienna, without -asking any one’s permission to do so, thereby bringing upon his head -the wrath of all his relatives. - -The Emperor, however, would have felt inclined to let the whole -matter pass, or at least to make as if he ignored it. But neither -his mother nor his wife would hear of it. The former wished some -kind of punishment to be inflicted on her rebellious son, and the -latter decided that this punishment should be a most rigorous one. She -prevailed upon the weak-minded Czar to put his brother under restraint -and to make him what is called in England a ward in chancery, assuming -himself his guardianship and depriving him of the management of the -large fortune he had inherited from the Czar Alexander III. This made -him of course ineligible as a Regent should the Emperor die, and that -was what the Czarina was aiming at. Of course she was wrong, and -respectful as I was towards her, I could not help one evening, when -she had broached the subject of her own accord, telling her that I -thought she had made a great mistake in taking such a decided part in -the chastisement of her brother-in-law, and that it would have been -more politic on her part to keep outside the matter and to allow it to -be settled between the Czar and the Dowager Empress, who, after all, -were the only persons concerned in it. My mistress listened in silence -to my words, then suddenly exclaimed with unusual violence: “I had to -do it; I had to do it; he wanted to part me from my son; he had to -be put out of the way!” There was nothing to reply to this outburst, -but I could not help regretting that the Empress had allowed herself -to be influenced by false reports, and that her common sense had not -prevailed and stopped her from compromising herself so openly in this -matter. My forebodings, alas, turned out to have been true ones, -because the first person who was furious with the Czarina for the part -she had played in this whole story was the Empress Dowager, who had not -wished things to go so far, and who guessed at once the real reasons -which had actuated her daughter-in-law. The breach between the two -ladies was in consequence considerably widened, and as my mistress grew -more and more addicted to those superstitious practices which proved -her bane, Marie Feodorovna found real grounds for criticising her, so -that it became at last a recognised fact that the worst adversary of -the Empress was her own mother-in-law. - -I am sure that the latter would have felt sorry had she known to -what extent the strained relations which existed between her and her -son’s wife were talked of in public. She possessed far more sense of -dignity than Alexandra Feodorovna, and had moreover been reared in -old Imperial traditions unknown to her daughter-in-law. But she did -not like her, and on the other hand, this sense of dignity to which I -have just alluded suffered in seeing the domestic life of her child, a -child who was also her Sovereign, turned into ridicule by everybody, -and causing him to be despised even more than disliked. Finding that -the war did not allow her to go to her beloved Denmark, she finally -retired to Kieff, where the Revolution found her, and whence she went -to Livadia in the Crimea, where she still is to-day. When I think over -these things, it seems to me that all these frictions, which turned -out ultimately to have been far more important than they appeared -at first, might have been avoided, at least in part, if the young -Empress had restrained herself in the expression of her feelings. But -she was too frank, too honest, too true, to be able to play a comedy, -and diplomacy was an art utterly unknown to her. She had not been -trained in dissimulation, and she despised this atmosphere of the -Court where a curb on one’s thoughts and words was indispensable. In -certain respects she was a child, with all a child’s impulsiveness and -beautiful indifference to the judgments and appreciations of the world, -and this innocence of her mind and heart made her no match against -the intrigues that surrounded her. She had no one to love her except -her children, and a husband who was not strong enough to protect her -against attack, and whom in the bottom of her heart she must have -secretly despised, as indeed he deserved to be, because, whilst an -amiable and kind man, he was not suited for a Sovereign, and could no -more control his own conduct than he could the destiny of the nation -over which fate had set him to rule. He had absolutely no initiative -and no strength of character. No efforts of his parents or of his -tutors in his young days had been able to change his natural indolence -and readiness to accept and to endorse as his own the ideas and -opinions of every one he talked to, even if they differed diametrically -from those he had himself expressed previously. - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -THE CZARINA’S DAILY OCCUPATIONS - - -I have often been asked what the Czarina used to do with her days and -whether it was true that she spent them in absolute idleness. And -just as often I have wondered what could have given rise to such an -opinion. The Empress was, on the contrary, one of those industrious -women whose hands are never at rest, and who require to be always -occupied in some way or another, either mentally or with some manual -work which keeps their attention concentrated on its intricacies. At -Darmstadt the Princesses were trained to make their own clothes and to -wait upon themselves, and one of the great pleasures of my mistress -was to embroider, cut, and make the different objects composing the -layette and the wardrobe of her children. As I have already related, -she had tried to arrange in Czarskoi Selo a Needlework Guild, but she -did not meet with any enthusiastic response to her efforts in that -direction. Nevertheless, until she left it, there was in the Palace -where she had made her home a room set apart for the use of the ladies -who used to come and work on certain days and hours on clothes for -the poor which were distributed to the indigent of Czarskoi Selo and -St. Petersburg at Christmas time. When the Japanese war occurred, a -regular working room was established in the Winter Palace and never -closed, because it became the centre of the Empress’s activity in the -way of making garments for the poor. No Sovereign had ever thought of -anything of the kind in Russia, and of course the action of Alexandra -Feodorovna in that respect was discussed far and wide, and whilst many -people applauded her for the initiative she had taken, others thought -it was not dignified for a Russian Empress to cut flannels and knit -stockings, even for the poor. They would have liked her to depend for -her charities on other people, as her predecessors had done. In fact, -in this as in so many other things, she was ignoring the traditions -which governed all that went on in the Palaces of the Czars, and of -course this was resented. But the poor population of the capital learnt -to bless the Empress’s name, and for a time was grateful to her, until -the days of the first Revolution, when everything that was connected -with her became tinged with that unpopularity which had become attached -to her name. - -The Empress was a great reader, but only of serious books, and -scientific ones were her favourites. She did not care for history, -which she frankly owned bored her, because she could not interest -herself in the sayings and doings of people long dead. But science -held her enthralled, and every work which was published in English, -French and German on astronomy, mathematics, and natural history was -perused by her with avidity. She admired immensely Darwin’s “Origin of -Species,” and had one day a furious battle with her Father Confessor, -who remonstrated with her for keeping such a dangerous work in her -rooms. Astronomy was also one of her hobbies, and she expounded it to -her children whenever she found an occasion or opportunity to do so. - -She embroidered wonderfully, and made some church ornaments which would -easily have won a prize at any exhibition. But her great amusement -was the drawing of caricatures which she executed with an incredible -talent, having the knack of seizing the funny side of each thing or -person she tried her pencil upon. This talent, however, caused her -much annoyance, because the people whose ridiculous points she seized -upon became aware of it and were deeply offended, as a matter of -course, especially the members of the Imperial family, who, more than -any others, had the misfortune to fall under her satirical pencil. - -[Illustration: _International Film Service_ - -GRAND DUCHESS OLGA] - -Had she been prudent enough not to show her sketches to friends it would -not have been so bad, but she was, on the contrary, fond of exhibiting -them, and did so without the least discrimination, with the result that -she gained for herself the reputation of being an unkind and malicious -woman, which was far from the case. The Empress tried to develop a -love for music in her children, and greatly succeeded with her eldest -daughter, the Grand Duchess Olga, who had a really wonderful talent for -the piano. She could compose wild, melodious airs, imbued with that -Russian and Slav sadness which is latent in all Northern characters. -I remember one day last May when, entering unexpectedly the apartment -where the young Grand Duchesses were sitting, I was entranced by the -playing of Olga, who seemed to put into her music all the agony and -anxiety of her soul. Things were dark then. The possibility of -seeing exchanged the prison of Czarskoi Selo for another was already -looming on the horizon, and the young and blooming girl who was to be -sent to the horrors and solitude of a terrible exile was giving vent -to her feelings in the weird accents which she gave to the music with -which she tried to ease her troubled feelings. - -In spite of her taste for music, the Empress rarely went to the Opera. -She hated showing herself in the big box where etiquette compelled her -to sit, and she disliked the one that was common to all the members -of the Imperial family. So that even during the early years of her -marriage, when she used to spend a few weeks each winter in St. -Petersburg, she rarely showed herself in any theatre, not even at the -French play, which it had been almost a matter of obligation, from -times immemorial, for the sovereigns to visit every Saturday. - -She had made it a point to study the Russian language, but had never -really learned to speak it, and had never divested herself of a very -strong German accent that had a harsh sound, which added to its general -unpleasantness. The Empress had not a pleasant nor a harmonious -voice, and as she was aware of the fact she tried to overcome this -disadvantage by talking in very low tones, so low indeed that sometimes -it was difficult to hear her. She would then get impatient and break -off the conversation, to the dismay of her interlocutors. During the -last years she had grown slightly deaf, which added to the difficulty. - -Her inability to talk Russian naturally displeased people, but I -have always wondered why she was so sharply taken to account for it, -considering the fact that her mother-in-law had never learnt it either, -which had not prevented her from becoming popular. It was again a case -of “give a dog a bad name and hang him.” - -The Empress kept up a vast correspondence with her relatives all over -Europe. In England, where she had been brought up, she had also friends -with whom she liked to exchange her impressions and thoughts, and to -her brother she wrote daily. She had a very distinct handwriting, -plain and legible, and her signature was exceptionally large. Except -in official documents she always used the name “Alix,” instead of -Alexandra, and the Emperor in the privacy of their family life called -her “Alice.” She generally occupied herself with her correspondence in -the afternoon after her daily walk with the Emperor, and as soon as -her cup of tea was brought to her at five o’clock she stopped writing, -even if she was in the midst of a letter. In that respect she was quite -extraordinary. Things had to be done at a certain hour, and if not, had -to be put off until the next day. She would not for anything in the -world have sacrificed five minutes of the time appointed for something -else to finish what she was doing at the moment. - -In Czarskoi Selo she had a lovely room full of flowers where she had -her writing table, a wonderful specimen of French art of the time of -Louis XV. Next to it stood a smaller table, where she used to throw the -sheets she had just finished writing upon, until all her letters were -finished, when she would pick them up and put them in their envelopes. -This led her sometimes to mix up one letter with another, and brought -her into trouble through people getting missives which were not meant -for them. While Queen Victoria was alive the Empress wrote to her -regularly every week, but she did not much care for so doing, and used -to say that it was a duty she would rather not have had imposed upon -her. At Christmas and the New Year, she regularly sent her best wishes -to the other European sovereigns whom she knew personally. - -In this room I have just described, which was hung up with light and -bright chintz, reminding one of an English room, and which contained -comfortable and at the same time costly furniture, the Empress -transacted only her private correspondence. All her official writing -was done in a small library opening out of her sitting-room, where -stood a large, ugly and practical writing table with innumerable -pigeonholes, at which she used to sit when her private secretary -presented to her his daily reports. It was at this table she made up -her accounts and attended to all her business, and it was also here -that she made out the programme for her public work, receptions, visits -to charitable institutions, and so forth. She was most orderly and -neat in her habits, and could tell at once where she had put such or -such a paper. I do not think that she could have tolerated disorder in -any shape or form around her, and she used to go through her numerous -drawers and wardrobes every month, when she expected to find every -single thing in the place where she had ordered it to be put. All -her laces, of which she had a wonderful collection, were kept in -a separate cupboard, of which I was the only person to have a key. -The Empress herself possessed a duplicate one, as she did of all her -trunks, wardrobes, and cupboards, and she clung to them like a real -German housewife, and sometimes would unexpectedly open one or the -other of these receptacles to assure herself that they were kept in -order. I remember an amusing instance of this mania. When the Empress -married, she received among her wedding presents a beautiful writing -table set in crystal and gold with her monogram and the Russian Eagle -on the top of the inkstand. For some years she always used it, until at -last one day the Emperor noticed that there was some inaccuracy in the -coat of arms of the Romanoffs which was ornamenting the blotting book, -and he instantly presented his wife with another and far handsomer -writing table set, a masterpiece of the skill of Faberge, the great -Court jeweller in St. Petersburg, which was made out of platinum and -crystal, with big turquoises as ornaments. The pen was of solid gold -and had a turquoise as a finish to the handle. Of course the Empress -hastened to put away the old set which had displeased her spouse, -and we stored it up in one of the cupboards in which were kept the -innumerable possessions of the Czarina. One day she opened the said -cupboard when no one else was present and was highly displeased to find -that some parts of this writing table set were put on a different shelf -from the others. This had been done because we had thought that it -would suit better the amount of room which we had at our disposal, but -the Empress would not enter into considerations of that kind, and gave -us a good scolding for keeping her things “in such disorder,” as she -expressed it. - -Twice a year she went over her whole wardrobe, at the time when she -ordered the new dresses which she required for each season. She then -looked over the different articles in it with care, and either made a -present of the things which she thought she would not want any longer, -or sent them to her sister the Grand Duchess Elizabeth in Moscow, where -the latter disposed of them among the poor girls of the Moscow nobility -about to be married. She would be very careful to have every bit of -real lace unpicked from these dresses, and then this lace was consigned -to the cupboard set apart for that purpose, and entered in a catalogue, -which was entirely written in the Empress’s own hand. - -As may be imagined, all this kept my mistress busy; and indeed there -was hardly one hour in the day when she was not occupied with one -thing or another. Her children’s wardrobes were looked after by her -with the same care that she applied to her own things. And at Czarskoi -Selo and Livadia she herself used to look over the housekeeping books -of the Imperial household, much to the dismay of the head of it, who -often complained that the Empress did not in the least understand the -intricacies of the management which she sometimes so freely criticised. -But though she frankly owned that she did not know how much an egg or a -potato cost, yet, as she declared, she liked to be aware of the price -of the potatoes which she consumed. It was an innocent mania, and would -have been considered as such if there had not existed malicious people -ready to make fun of it, and to laugh at the “German Housekeeper,” as -they derisively called my poor mistress, who in view of this fact would -have done much better not to have meddled in matters in which after all -she had no need to enter, and which so many people would have been but -too happy not to have to think about. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII - -THE JAPANESE WAR AND THE BIRTH OF THE CZAREVITSCH - - -The first really great sorrow and anxiety which fell on my beloved -mistress was the Japanese war. I am not writing here a political book, -and indeed understand nothing about politics, but what I do know is -that no one could have been more affected by the disasters which -destroyed the Russian army and fleet than was the Empress. She used to -spend hours weeping in her room, where she allowed no one, not even her -children, to enter, and it was from that time that dated the terrible -headaches which later on were to prostrate her so utterly. She was -then in a delicate state of health, and the Emperor wanted to spare -her as much as possible the news which was brought of one sad event -after another concerning all that went on in this distant Manchuria, -where Russian soldiers were fighting such a hard battle. The whole -country was exasperated at the lamentable organisation, or rather -want of organisation, which was revealed so unexpectedly, and it was -dating from Mukden and Tsushima that the Revolutionary elements in -the country raised their heads and began to threaten the throne which -they were to destroy twelve years later. The whole of Russia was in -the throes of an insurrectional movement, and perhaps the only persons -who were not aware of its strength and magnitude were the sovereigns -themselves. Nicholas II. had not realised the possibility of the fall -of his dynasty and seriously believed that he could stop the torrent -that was flooding the country. The Empress was ignorant of the details -of the convulsions which were fast destroying the old legends and -traditions which had presided at the government of the Empire for such -a long time. She had a few illusions left still, and one of them was in -regard to the strength and the spirit of devotion of the army. It was -therefore a terrible shock to her to find that this army which she had -believed to be invincible had allowed itself to be beaten by the troops -of the Mikado whom she had regarded as savages. She felt cruelly the -loss of prestige which this disastrous campaign entailed, and she also -felt humiliated in her pride as a Sovereign and as a woman. Added to -this weight of anxieties was another—the dread that the child whose -birth she was expecting would prove another daughter, whose advent into -the world would add to the unpopularity of its mother. Sometimes my -heart used to ache for her, when I saw her dragging herself through the -park of Peterhof, looking so ill that one wondered whether she would be -able to stand the trial which was awaiting her. In her cruel anxiety -she found no one to encourage her or to whisper words of encouragement -in her ear. Her husband was himself absorbed by the saddest of -preoccupations and she did not care to add to them by speaking to him -of her own personal griefs and sorrows. So the time went on, bringing -every day new subjects for alarm, and new causes for discouragement. At -last one morning I was called to the bedside of the Empress, together -with all her other attendants, and with trembling hearts we awaited -the verdict of the doctors as to her safety and the sex of the infant -for whose advent we were watching with such intense interest. It was -noon, and the great clock of the castle of Peterhof had just been heard -striking the twelve strokes announcing it, when a child’s cry broke -the silence of the room where the Empress was lying, and then Doctor -Ott, her physician, turned towards the Czar, standing pale and worried -beside his Consort, with the word: “I congratulate Your Majesty on the -birth of a Czarevitsch.” - -Nicholas II. did not reply. He stood as if dazed by the unexpected -news. No one spoke or interrupted his meditation, but all devoted -themselves to the Empress, who was still under the effects of the -chloroform that had been administered to her. When she opened her eyes -she looked so weak that no one dared to tell her the good news, but -she seemed to read it in the face of her husband, because she suddenly -exclaimed: “Oh, it cannot be true; it cannot be true. Is it really a -boy?” - -Nicholas II. fell on his knees beside her and burst into tears, the -first and only ones I had ever seen him shed. - -[Illustration: _International Film Service_ - -THE EX-CZAREVITCH] - -The birth of an heir to the throne was an event of such magnitude -that it absorbed for some time the whole attention of the public, and -diverted it from all that was taking place in the Far East. For his -parents it came as a consolation after long years of waiting, and -seemed to have been destined to comfort them for the disasters which -were taking place at the front. The Czar could not restrain his joy, -and at every moment he used to speak of “his son,” and to look out -for occasions to pronounce the magic words, “My Boy.” The Empress’s -happiness was less buoyant but just as intense, perhaps even more so, -for this opportune arrival of the little man whom one had already left -off expecting improved considerably her own position, and gave her an -importance which had been denied to her before. She became passionately -attached to this child of promise, and almost painfully and morbidly -devoted to him. Unfortunately he proved a most delicate little mortal, -and for the first years that followed upon his birth the doctors who -attended him hardly hoped they would be able to save his life. He was -born with an organic disease, or rather defect, a weakness of the -blood vessels which ruptured on the slightest provocation, causing -hemorrhages that sometimes could not be stopped for hours. For a long -time his condition was hidden from the public, but at last concealment -became impossible, especially after an attack which occurred about two -years before the great war, which was of so serious a nature that the -child’s life was absolutely despaired of. A few months before this -he had been obliged to undergo an operation for hernia and had hardly -recovered from the effects of it when an accident brought about the -hemhorrhage which for weeks resisted every remedy employed to stop -it. These were anxious times for the parents, and the Empress’s hair -changed colour and showed streaks of grey before her son was at last -pronounced out of danger. - -I have spoken at length of this serious illness of the little Alexis -because so many ridiculous tales were put into circulation concerning -it, tales which were as malicious as they were foundationless. The -small heir of Nicholas II. was never the object of any attack of -nihilists, and all the detailed circumstances which some newspapers -related concerning him were all of them pure invention. It is -sufficient to say that when he became ill the Imperial family were not -on their yacht, but were staying at one of the Czar’s shooting boxes at -Spala in Poland. I have often wondered who could have had an interest -in giving publicity to the ridiculous and distressing tale which is to -this day firmly believed by many people outside of Russia. - -When the Grand Duke was able to be moved his parents returned to -Czarskoi Selo, whence they went for many months to the Crimea, the mild -climate of which was considered to be necessary for his convalescence. -But for more than two years after this attack the boy was not allowed -to walk, and was constantly carried about in the arms of a sailor from -the Imperial yacht whom he had taken into his affection, and who to -this day is with him, having chosen to accompany him to Siberia. This -necessity of having to exhibit, so to say, a sick child, was most -painful to the feelings of the Empress, whose maternal pride was hurt -by the knowledge that the whole of Russia was commenting on it and -pitying the Emperor for having an heir in such a sad state of health. -She was also continually subjected to the railleries of her husband’s -family that reproached her for having, as one of the Grand Duchesses -once expressed it, “contaminated the Romanoffs with the diseases of -her own race.” There was some truth in the accusation, because the -illness from which the boy suffered was hereditary in the Saxe-Coburg -family, and had been brought into the House of Hesse by the Princess -Alice, the mother of the Empress, whose own brother, the Duke of -Albany, had died from the effects of it at Cannes. The worst thing -about it was that one could never know when it was going to break out -afresh. The slightest knock was sufficient to bring on an attack, and -one can imagine how far from easy it was to watch over every movement -of a lively boy full of fun and high spirited, such as Alexis proved -to be. On the other hand this physical infirmity (for it could hardly -be called anything else) had this result that the child got to be -inordinately spoiled. The mother was afraid to contradict him or to -refuse to submit to any of his caprices, because she had been told that -it was dangerous for him even to cry, as any exertion of his lungs or -throat might bring about the rupture of some blood vessel. One may -therefore form an idea of the system of education to which Alexis was -subjected, and perhaps one will feel indulgent in regard to the Empress -when thinking of the perpetual dread and anxiety in which her days and -nights were spent, and forgive her for the weakness which made her -yield to every whim or caprice of the boy who seemed to have been born -to add to her cup of sorrow, and not for the purpose of bringing joy -into her life. - -I will now relate an incident which deeply impressed the Czarina at -the time when it occurred. It was a few days before the birth of her -son. We were at Peterhof and she was dressing for dinner. Suddenly we -heard a crash behind us, and were dismayed to see that a heavy looking -glass which hung upon the wall behind Alexandra Feodorovna had fallen -to the floor, where it had been shattered into a thousand fragments. -The Empress cried aloud in her emotion, and for one moment I believed -that she was about to faint, so white did her features become. I -applied myself to reassure her, but she would not be comforted, and -declared that it was an ill omen and that probably she would die in -childbirth. When everything was over, and on the day of the christening -of the Grand Duke Alexis, I ventured to remind his mother of her fright -of a few weeks before, and added that it was a clear proof how wrong it -was to be superstitious, because certainly nothing happier could have -occurred than the event which had just taken place, notwithstanding the -bad omen of the broken looking glass. The Empress smiled sadly, and -replied: “My good Marfa, we do not know yet what is going to befall my -baby, and whether his will be a happy life or not. Perhaps the bad -omen was for him and not for me.” - -A curious thing is that exactly ten years later, in July, 1914, just -before the war, we were again at Peterhof, and the Czarina was dressing -for dinner in the same room, when that identical looking glass, which -had been rehung, fell with the same noise and just as unexpectedly, -terrifying her as it had done before. Alas, alas, we could afford then -to laugh at omens, but now that so many tragic things have occurred -I wonder sometimes whether these accidents (for one can hardly call -them anything else) were a kind of warning of the calamities about -to follow. Certainly they could not fail to impress a woman as -superstitious as the Empress grew in time to be. - -When I say “grew,” it is not quite exact. She had always believed in -good and bad omens, and she had brought with her from her German home -a quantity of beliefs in all kinds of uncanny things. She would not -have sat down thirteen at dinner for anything, and the sight of three -candles on a table made her frantic. She would not have put on a green -dress for fear it would bring her bad luck, and she was always careful -to look at a new moon from the right side. She never began anything -on a Friday, and she was firmly convinced that one could, if only one -were strong enough as a medium, summon people from another world into -one’s presence. She believed also in miracles, and would worship any -dirty relic which hundreds of unwashed peasants had kissed, without -feeling the least disgust, which was the more strange in that generally -she was almost meticulously careful not to touch anything that had not -been thoroughly cleansed. The influence which Rasputin grew to acquire -over her mind proceeded only from this weakness of hers, which was -continually fomented and encouraged by her sister, the Grand Duchess -Elizabeth, herself a most devout person who combined bigotry with an -utter unscrupulousness as to the means with which she could realise the -many ambitions that she entertained. - -If the Emperor had been a man of strong character he might have -prevented his young wife from falling under the influence of the many -people who merely used her as a pawn in their game. But in his way -he was just as superstitious as she, and they both were so absorbed -by their love and anxiety for their only son, that they clung to all -those whom they thought could be of use to him. Thus when they saw -Rasputin, whom they considered to be a saint, prostrate himself on -the ground and implore the Almighty to cure the boy, and when after -this they noticed that the boy was getting stronger, they felt more -and more tempted to think that it was not the doctors (who had told -them that the child could never be permanently cured) who had made him -better, but the will of the Almighty, and that it was to the Almighty -alone they had to look for the conservation of the life of that much -cherished son. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV - -THE CZARINA, HER CHILDREN AND HER CHARITIES - - -It would be difficult to find a better mother than the Empress -Alexandra. She entered into the smallest details of the training of -her daughters and her son, and she tried before everything else to -imbue them with the same serious points of view with which she looked -upon life and its numerous duties. She insisted on her children always -speaking the truth, and the only time I ever saw her really angry -with the little Alexis was one morning when he was caught by her -telling a falsehood. She had suffered so much through the insincerity -which continually dogged her footsteps that she made up her mind to -save her children from this misery, and she applied herself to make -out of them sincere people. She had been very lucky in the choice of -the lady who was appointed to superintend the education of the young -Grand Duchesses. Mademoiselle Toutscheff was a person of the highest -moral character, who gave herself up to her duties of governess to the -daughters of Nicholas II. with a complete devotion. People said that -she had been the whole time in variance with the Empress, and that she -had left at last because her advice had been disregarded. But this was -not quite correct. It is true that she objected to the introduction of -Rasputin to her pupils, but that was principally because she feared the -influence which this illiterate peasant might come to exercise over the -impressionable minds of the young girls entrusted to her care, whom -she did not wish to see afflicted with the superstitious religious -exaggerations to which their mother unfortunately succumbed. This led -to friction between her and Alexandra Feodorovna, and she preferred to -resign her functions rather than to remain at her post after having -lost the confidence of the mother of her pupils. There may also have -been another reason for her going. The Grand Duchess Olga was already -twenty years of age, and she had developed an independent character -which had made the position of Mademoiselle Toutscheff extremely -difficult. She thought that it would be to the advantage of everybody -if she severed her connection with the Imperial family before she had -spoilt it by unseemly quarrels. - -In a certain sense she was right, because it was unfortunately an -undoubted fact that the Empress had become quite fanatical in her -allegiance to the Greek Orthodox Church, and that she tried to induce -her daughters to follow her example. Happily for them the girls had a -great deal of common sense, and they managed to keep themselves free -from the religious excesses into which their mother had fallen. They -loved her tenderly, and would have given their life for her, and she -on her side doted on these girls. When they were babies she spent most -of her spare time with them in their nursery or schoolroom, and later -on she shared with them all her occupations and associated them with -her life as much as she could. She never parted from them or from their -brother, and there was not a thing which concerned their well-being, -down to the smallest details, into which she did not enter. When the -war broke out she with her two eldest daughters followed a course of -training as sisters of charity, and in the hospital which she opened in -Czarskoi Selo she nursed the wounded soldiers with them. - -In regard to the little boy whose advent had been such a source of -joy to his parents, the Empress was also full of solicitude. She had -taken upon herself his religious training, and every morning had him -brought to her room for an hour, when she would read to him the gospel -and teach him the catechism. She was a fond, but by no means a foolish -mother, and what she aspired after was to make out of her children -honest men and women and worthy members of society. But at the same -time she had very determined opinions in the matter of education, and -there were things which she could not understand, as, for instance, -the necessity for her girls to have some amusements in their lives. -She imagined that it was quite enough for them to live with their -parents, in possession of all that their hearts could desire in the -matter of material satisfactions, and would not hear of the necessity -of marriage for them. She could not bring herself to look upon them as -upon grown-up women, and considered them always in the light of babies -in need of her care. She is not the only mother who may be reproached -for this failing, and she was more reproached for it than she deserved -to be. - -[Illustration: _International Film Service_ - -THE EX-CZARINA AND HER SON] - -The little Grand Duke Alexis had a tutor, an Englishman, whom he liked -very much, and also a French master. His mother wanted him to have -a complete command of foreign languages, knowing by experience how -difficult it is for people placed in high positions to get on without -it. The boy was a bright and intelligent child, and if he had only had -good health, he might have made greater progress in his studies. But -half of his time was spent in bed, and naturally this interfered with -the course of his lessons. His sisters also were not in possession -of the best of health, and this extreme delicacy of her children was -a source of perpetual anxiety to the Czarina. She also objected to -what she declared was a tendency towards frivolity on the part of -her girls. Tatiana especially was extremely fond of nice clothes and -of jewellery, and her mother was continually trying to subdue her -extravagances in that direction, notwithstanding the fact that she -very well knew the like reproach might be applied to her own self. She -was continually drawing the attention of her daughters towards the -sufferings of others, and her instructions bore fruit, because when -the war broke out the Grand Duchesses displayed wonderful qualities -of self-abnegation and devotion to the cause of suffering humanity. -Tatiana in particular was quite marvellous, and worked indefatigably -in the relief committee at the head of which she stood, which proved -the only one that did any good, and where malversations did not take -place. She renounced any pleasures she might have obtained in the way -of buying this or that thing that attracted her fancy, and at last -when money became scarce she sold a beautiful pearl necklace which her -father had given to her on her eighteenth birthday, to relieve some of -the distress which was being constantly brought before her notice. The -lessons of her mother had borne fruit. - -The Czarina was naturally extremely charitable, and moreover she had -very sane ideas in regard to the relief of suffering and misery. She -had especially at heart the fate of small children, and the society -which she and the Emperor founded, which was destined to encourage poor -women in their aspirations after maternity by teaching them how to take -care of their offspring, was an elaborate and most intelligent affair. -She would certainly have brought it to an excellent result if the -Revolution had not interfered and destroyed her plans in that respect, -as it destroyed so many other things. - -My mistress has been reproached at different times for having shown -herself indifferent to the cause of national education, and for not -having considered that problem with the attention it deserved. But -this was also an unreasonable reproach. The Empress could not, even if -she had so wished, have interfered with the conduct of the different -educational establishments for women in the Empire. These were all of -them placed under the patronage of the Empress Dowager, who was far too -jealous of her privileges in that respect to have consented to share -them with her daughter-in-law. The same thing might have been said in -regard to the work of the Red Cross, which was entirely controlled by -Marie Feodorovna, who brought to it great knowledge and considerable -ability. But at the same time she would not allow the young Czarina -to interfere with it, and when the latter tried in her various visits -to the Front to suggest this or that improvement in the management of -the different hospitals she inspected, her mother-in-law instantly -protested and declared herself affronted by what she considered to be -a criticism on her management. The young Empress had to devote herself -to the care of the wounded in the different hospitals which she had -organised at Czarskoi Selo, and her work remained confined to the -great committee for relief of the refugees from the invaded countries -and other victims of the war, which the Emperor had founded at the -beginning of the campaign, and the care and patronage of which he had -placed under the management of his wife. It was an interesting but at -the same time a most disheartening work, because it was impossible to -follow its execution, and one had perforce to depend on people more or -less reliable. My mistress often regretted that she was debarred from -putting her experience and her great love for her neighbour at the -service of the army. This, however, was denied her, perhaps not without -reason, because by that time she had already become most unpopular -among the troops, who had taken to calling her “the German.” One day -when she was inspecting a field ambulance, she heard the expression -in reference to herself and was so overcome by it that she could not -restrain her tears. The poor woman, though she knew that she was -regarded with anything but affection by her husband’s subjects, yet had -believed that the army at least appreciated her care and her desire for -its welfare. The discovery that such was far from being the case was -a great blow to her. As time went on, carrying away with it all her -hopes of winning the love of the Russian nation, she became hardened -and ceased to conceal the contempt which she felt for a world that had -failed to realise and to believe in her good intentions. But through -it all she applied herself to hide from her children the intensity -of her disillusions, and she went on instilling into them those high -principles to which she had tried to remain faithful herself. Her -great misfortune was that she lived in great times, and that she had -no greatness in her to meet them. This was a calamity, but by no means -caused by her own fault. - -Sometimes she was touching in the attention she gave to the smallest -detail connected with the training and the welfare of her children. One -may say that even before the great catastrophe which fell upon her, her -attention had been entirely concentrated on her babes. She liked to be -present at all the daily routine of their existences, and whenever her -daughters were to be produced before some of their relatives, she made -it a point to superintend their toilet, and to brush their long hair. -The girls were generally dressed in white, winter and summer, and it -was only when they had reached their twelfth year that she consented -to dress them in dark colours during their school hours. But even then -they had to change for dinner and to appear before their parents in the -light gowns their mother was so fond of. Their clothes were always made -in the best houses, and their linen just as dainty and magnificent as -their mother’s. In summer and on board the Imperial yacht, they were -generally attired in sailor hats and blouses, and were allowed to run -about as much as they liked, and to talk to the officers and sailors. -They shared their mother’s love for the sea, and the six weeks or so -that these annual excursions in the Finnish waters lasted were the real -holidays of the children as well as of the Empress. - -The latter has also been accused of not showing any amiability in -regard to the foreign guests who from time to time visited the Court -of Czarskoi Selo. In this there may have been a certain amount of -truth, but the apparent coldness of the young Czarina proceeded from -the everlasting fear which haunted her that she might be compromised -by showing herself too effusive towards strangers. She knew that -any attention she showed to her visitors would be widely commented -upon, and as these with few exceptions were German princes, this -circumstance added to her embarrassment, because she was very well -aware that she was supposed to harbour strong Teuton sympathies. In -regard to her English relatives she was handicapped, because the Queen -of Great Britain was the sister of the Empress Dowager, and when she -came to Rewal with King Edward, she was naturally more with Marie -Feodorovna than with the niece with whom she had so very little in -common, and who had done nothing whatever to win her sympathies. - -From time to time the sister of the Czarina, Princess Henry of Prussia, -put in an appearance at Czarskoi Selo, and her brother, the Grand Duke -of Hesse, was also a frequent visitor there. But these visits were -never official ones, and mostly passed unnoticed by the general public -that had left off troubling about what went on in the home of the -Sovereign. The members of the Imperial family were also rare visitors -at Czarskoi Selo, and avoided putting in an appearance there unless -absolutely compelled to do so. Alexandra Feodorovna knew so perfectly -well how to convey to her guests the knowledge that they bored her -that it was no wonder they did not care to court this knowledge and -that they preferred not to annoy her with their presence. The Empress -Dowager used to appear on the family anniversaries, such as birthdays, -name days, and others of the kind to offer her congratulations to her -son and daughter-in-law, and every winter the young Czarina used to -come to St. Petersburg from Czarskoi Selo to pay her mother-in-law one -solemn visit of ceremony; after which the two ladies did not see each -other for a long time. All this was abnormal, but once these relations -had been established it was next to impossible to change them, and -so the breach which separated my mistress from the world as well as -from her husband’s family widened and widened, until at last she found -herself alone in presence of danger, of sorrow, and of one of the -greatest catastrophes which history will ever record. Whether the fault -was wholly hers or was shared by others, is a point upon which I shall -not attempt to give an opinion. - - - - -CHAPTER XV - -THE FIRST REVOLUTION - - -I often wondered whether the Empress had quite appreciated the -magnitude of the first revolutionary movement which took place in -Russia during and after the Japanese war. She had been repeatedly -told that it was a mutiny of no importance, bound to be crushed by -the government. The Czar as well as his ministers had purposely left -her in the dark, the former because he did not wish to alarm her, and -the latter because they feared that she might try, in presence of the -danger which threatened the dynasty, to persuade her husband to adopt -a more liberal form of administration, and to grant to Russia this -Constitution for which everybody was clamouring, especially after the -war had plainly proved that the autocratic régime was at an end. She -could, however, sometimes hear echoes of the general dissatisfaction, -and indeed the first person who pointed out to her its extent was the -Empress Dowager, who knew very well all that was going on, and who had -made it a point to become as well-informed as possible of all that was -taking place in the Empire. For once Marie Feodorovna appealed to her -daughter-in-law to open the eyes of Nicholas II as to the perils of -the political situation, but she refused to do so, thinking that the -request covered an intrigue of which she was to become the victim. And -so time went on until Count Witte, who still enjoyed some popularity, -spoke to the Emperor, and persuaded him to promulgate the famous -Manifesto of the 17th October, and to call together a Representative -Assembly. In a certain sense this was a victory for the Empress, for -she had at that period more than once expressed her conviction that -it would be to the advantage of the Russian nation to establish a -constitutional form of government, as near as possible to the one which -had proved so successful in England. But strange as it may appear to -say so, she was at that very moment changing her opinions and rallying -to those of the people who thought that every concession to the demands -of the populace would bring about the ruin of the monarchy, just as the -calling together of the States General in France in 1789 had brought -about the fall of the Bourbons and sent Louis XVI. finally to the -scaffold. She had always compared her fate to that of Marie Antoinette, -and had more than once expressed to her friends her conviction that -she also was destined for some horrible fate. On the day when the -first Duma was opened by the Emperor in the big ballroom of the Winter -Palace, she cried the whole time that she was dressing, and it was -almost with a feeling of horror that she allowed her maids to place -on her head the big diadem of diamonds which formed part of the Crown -jewels, and to hang about her neck the many rows of pearls and precious -stones which lay in readiness for her. She was dreading the future and -wondering what it would bring with it. - -[Illustration: _International Film Service_ - -THE GRAND STAIRCASE, WINTER PALACE, PETROGRAD] - -There is one incident concerning these momentous days which I must -relate. When the population of St. Petersburg, headed by the notorious -Gapone, repaired to the Winter Palace and asked to see the Sovereign, -in order to lay their grievances before him, the Czarina was of the -opinion that he ought to have received them and spoken with them. Her -mother-in-law thought the same thing. But the ministers, and especially -Count, then still Baron, Fredericks opposed it, and it was their -advice which prevailed, instead of that of the two Empresses. To -tell the truth, Nicholas was not of a courageous nature, and but too -ready to listen to those who told him that he ought not to expose his -person to any danger. - -But in presence of this new load of calamity that threatened her -and her children my mistress more than ever put her trust in God, -and prayed, prayed with more fervour than she had ever done before. -Several times she interceded in favour of revolutionaries who had been -sentenced to death for some political crime or other. This happened -particularly in the case of a woman, Sophy Konoplianinova, who had -murdered General Minn, the commander of the Semenovsky regiment, who -had repressed with ruthless cruelty the Moscow Rebellion. The Empress -wished to have her pardoned, but the Czar would not listen to her, and -all her pleadings for mercy were in vain. - -Is it to be wondered that racked as she was with cruel anxieties, and -bred in an atmosphere of superstition, she set her belief more than -ever in spiritism and consulted fortunetellers, and monks and priests -who predicted to her a future devoid of cares, and one where worries -would be unknown to her? She listened to them, and with a blind faith -in their many and varied predictions she proceeded to absorb herself -more and more in practices of a religious devotion which finally -mastered all her thoughts and left no room in them for anything else. -She had fitted up in her bedroom an oratory full of sacred images, to -which every day was added another icon. No Russian was ever a firmer -believer in the different dogmas of the Orthodox Church than was this -daughter of a German house, whose mother had been an intimate friend of -the famous Strauss, and had allowed the latter to dedicate to her his -life of Jesus which had caused such a profound sensation in literary, -religious and philosophical circles all over the world. - -The Revolution was finally mastered, and though the Duma always -continued to show itself criticising and even rebellious, things -began to settle down. Russia prepared to celebrate the anniversary -of the Three Hundredth Year of the accession of the Romanoff dynasty -to the throne, and great rejoicings were planned for the occasion. -The Imperial family came to St. Petersburg for the first time since -the Japanese war, and remained in the capital for four days. A solemn -service of thanksgiving was celebrated in the Kazan Cathedral, to -which representatives of all the classes of the Empire were invited, -and the nobility of St. Petersburg gave a big ball at which the whole -Imperial family was present. I remember it so well, because it was the -last occasion on which the Empress appeared in full state and wore the -Crown Jewels. She had chosen a white satin dress all embroidered in -silver, and had consented to put on what she did but rarely—the famous -necklace of diamonds together with the tiara that had belonged to the -Empress Catherine. She was still beautiful, but the slight figure that -had been so conspicuous in her young days, and the beautiful complexion -which had been unrivalled, had disappeared. She looked a middle -aged, haggard woman, racked with cares and anxieties, and though the -splendid, sharp profile could never change, the mouth had altered, and -its expression was almost tragic. She only remained for an hour at the -ball, and retired before supper, leaving her daughters to the care of -the Dowager Empress, who declared herself delighted at the thought of -chaperoning them. - -It was the girls’ first appearance in society, and those who saw -them then will never forget how they looked. They were both dressed -in pink, soft clouds of tulle, which suited them to perfection. Not -regularly pretty, they had sweet faces, and such charming manners -that one could not help being attracted by them. Rumours of their -approaching marriages with the Crown Prince of Servia and the future -heir to the Roumanian throne were afloat at the time, and added to -the interest which they excited. Alas, alas, all these hopes were to -prove fallacious, and St. Petersburg society, which had been so much -attracted by these two Princesses, was never to see them again, at -least as the daughters of a reigning Sovereign. - -Dark rumours were already coursing at the time concerning the Empress -and her affection for the terrible Rasputin who was to do her so much -harm. In general she was unfortunate in her friendships, because the -one which she formed for Madame Wyroubieva caused also much scandal. -The Czarina with all her cleverness (and she was clever) had no -judgment and did not possess the slightest knowledge of the world or -of humanity. She believed all that she was told, and, if the truth be -said, she was so anxious to please and to be liked that she accepted -with joy and an amazing credulity the protestations of affection she -met with. If she had only had a really good friend, so many of the -mistakes which she made might have been avoided. - -One of the people who did her the most harm was her own sister, the -Grand Duchess Elizabeth. The latter was an ambitious person who -conceived the plan to rule Russia through the Empress. She had entered -a convent not at all out of any vocation for the religious life, but -because she thought that it would give her prestige in the country, -and that she might acquire there a position which it would have been -impossible for her to obtain as the widow of a Grand Duke who had been -murdered on account of his unpopularity and the hatred with which he -was looked upon in the whole of Russia. She posed as a victim and she -absolutely abused the privileges which this attitude conferred upon -her. She used to worry the Czarina greatly, and whenever the latter -objected to anything that she told her, or refused to comply with any -of the continual requests she put forth, she threatened her with the -punishment of Heaven, and told her that God would chastise her and -take away from her her idolised son. She spent her time going about -from one convent to another, and in that way contrived to travel all -over Russia and to win for herself a considerable number of adherents -everywhere. Her plan was to force the Czar to rescind the Constitution -which he had granted to his subjects and to return to the old forms -of autocracy. It was she who had recommended Mr. Protopopoff and Mr. -Sturmer to the Emperor, and she had managed to secure for herself, as -well as for all the people who had sworn their allegiance to her, a -prominent place in the administration of the State. - -The Empress feared her and knew beforehand that she would in the long -run be compelled to do whatever her sister required of her. Sometimes, -however, she showed some impatience at the manner in which the latter -“bossed” her, to use a vulgar expression, and then she would sulk -and lock herself up in her room, refusing to see any one, upon which -Elizabeth would sigh and make discreet allusions to the sad mental -condition of the unfortunate Czarina. She certainly was the one who -contributed the most to the popular belief that the Consort of Nicholas -II. was not quite right in her mind. - -The only person who would fight the Grand Duchess, and not give in to -her caprices, was Madame Wyroubieva, and perhaps this was one of the -reasons why Alexandra Feodorovna grew so fond of her. The poor Empress -wanted some one to fight her battles for her and felt grateful to any -person capable of doing so. She had encountered so few willing to do it. - -The Emperor Nicholas was very fond of his sister-in-law. She -represented to him what he called the only real Russian element in the -Imperial family, in the sense that he thought her so infeodated to -the old Muscovite traditions which his uncles and cousins, and even -his own brother and sisters, had renounced, and he fancied she would -be better able than any one else to understand the wants as well as -the idiosyncrasies of the Russian nation. He always listened to her -with deference, and, bigoted as he was himself, felt ready to believe -her when she assured him that the Almighty would always protect him, -provided he kept faithful to the principles of that Orthodox Church -which required from him the destruction of everything and every one -that showed any antagonism to this autocracy of which he was the chosen -representative. The Czar belonged to that class of people who only -listen to those who agree with them, and he had never learned anything, -or profited by the lessons that one had tried to teach to him, no -matter in what direction. He was a tyrant by character and by temper, -whilst weak and irresolute, and this is a combination which is more -often to be found than one would imagine. - -At the time I am talking about my mistress was very unhappy. For one -thing, she had very little hope left of the recovery of her son, and -apart from the exaggerated love which she bore him, she felt that the -difficulty of her own position would increase should the boy die. -She had an almost morbid wish to hear people assure her that such a -misfortune was not going to overtake her, and she eagerly caught at the -assurances which Rasputin used to give her that so long as he remained -at her side no harm could happen to little Alexis. She sincerely -thought that this common peasant, by reason of his ignorance, would -be better able than a more cultured person to come into touch with -the Almighty, founding her belief on the words of the Gospel, that He -“revealed himself to simple and ignorant people.” The fact was that she -had grown tired of all the false protestations with which her ears -were saturated, and she thought that perhaps a humble Russian mougik -would at least show himself faithful to her as well as to her dynasty. -How terrible was her mistake the future was to prove. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI - -THE CZARINA’S FRIENDS - - -Alexandra Feodorovna did not make any real friends during the first -years that followed upon her marriage. Indeed it was only after the -Japanese war that she started the intimacies for which she was so -much reproached by her subjects. The most notorious was that for -Rasputin, but there were two others just as nefarious—that with Madame -Wyroubieva and with the Princess Dondoukoff. - -[Illustration: _International Film Service_ - -GRAND DUCHESS ELIZABETH] - -The latter was a lady of considerable intelligence and a physician -of no mean skill whom the Empress had put at the head of the private -hospital she had organised at Czarskoi Selo long before the war broke -out. Later on when other lazarets and ambulances, the number of which -increased every day as the terrific struggle went on, were organised in -the Imperial residence, the Princess Dondoukoff was appointed general -superintendent of all these establishments, and it was she who coached -the Czarina as well as her daughters in the duties of a Red Cross -nurse. She was of a pushing temperament, had the reputation of being -loose in her morals, though personally I saw nothing that could have -justified it, and was also gifted with a remarkable propensity for -intrigue. No one liked her, but everybody feared her. She insinuated -herself thoroughly into the confidence of the Empress, who referred to -her in everything, and willingly listened to her. She was of course -among the followers of Rasputin, and with him and Madame Wyroubieva -formed a trio which it would have been difficult not only for the -general public but also for the immediate attendants of the Russian -Sovereign to fight against. - -The Princess Dondoukoff used to give drugs to Alexandra Feodorovna -which the latter used to take unknown to her medical attendants and -which were declared by them, when they discovered the fact, to have -had a good deal to do with her shattered nerves. This may or may not -have been true,—I shall not venture an opinion upon the subject,—but -certainly my mistress was far too fond of the Princess, and would have -done better to have seen less of her, if only from the point of view -that the weight which she laid on her opinions considerably incensed -the doctors who were in regular attendance upon her, who objected to -the manner in which their own prescriptions were neglected. - -The Princess introduced at Court a quack medical man from Thibet -called Bachmanoff, who, she pretended, had brought with him from his -country all kinds of secret remedies which she advised the Czarina to -try on the little Grand Duke Alexis. The fond mother believed her, -and Bachmanoff became one of her favourites. It is impossible to say -whether he would have cured the child, because the latter’s nurse, a -sailor called Derewenko, of whom he was inordinately fond, and whom I -have already had occasion to mention, threw out of the windows all the -powders and potions which Alexandra Feodorovna asked him to give to -her son, and took great care the boy should not get anything but what -his own doctor had ordered him to take. Ultimately the Grand Duke got -better and stronger, and last year he might have been pronounced cured, -at least in so far as the chronic ailment from which he was suffering -could be cured. But the Empress in her joy at this unexpected recovery -was persuaded that it had taken place, thanks to the Thibetan, in whom -she believed more than ever. - -The friendship for Madame Wyroubieva was perhaps even worse than the -attachment of the foolish Sovereign to the Princess Dondoukoff. Madame -Wyroubieva was the daughter not of the Emperor’s private secretary, -as she represented herself to be, but of a State Secretary (which is -quite a different thing, being a purely honorific position) called -Tanieieff. She had been married to a navy officer with whom she could -not agree, and they were divorced, not because he had grown mad, as -she declared (divorce for insanity is not allowed in Russia), but -because he had found reason to object to her conduct. The Empress, -for reasons no one ever understood, took her part and invited her -once or twice to the Palace of Czarskoi Selo. Madame Wyroubieva made -the most of her opportunities and soon became quite indispensable to -Alexandra Feodorovna. She it was who, with the Grand Duchess Elizabeth, -introduced Rasputin into the Imperial household, and with him she -established such control of the Czarina’s actions that soon the latter -became simply a tool in their hands. - -Madame Wyroubieva was, above everything else, a grabbing woman. She -fully meant to make a fortune out of the position of trust she was -supposed to occupy. Both she and Rasputin were in their turn in the -hands of a gang of adventurers who used them for their own ends, and -they set up a shameful exploitation of the public exchequer for which -unfortunately the Empress was made responsible. The latter only looked -upon Rasputin as a saintly personage, a kind of orthodox yogi whose -prayers were sure to be taken into account by the Almighty. Terrible -things have been hinted at in regard to her relations with him, but all -that I can say is that to my knowledge, at least, she was never alone -with him for one single moment, and that except in regard to the health -of the heir to the throne, my mistress never spoke with him of anything -else but religious subjects. The public said that he was all powerful -at Court, but I feel convinced that these rumours arose from certain -unscrupulous persons who had an interest in spreading them because -they managed (thanks to the intimacy of which they boasted with a -personage who, as they related, could turn and twist the sovereigns at -his will and pleasure) to obtain army contracts and other things they -desired. Among them were Protopopoff and Sturmer, and the notorious -Manassevitsch Maniuloff, whose blackmailing propensities caused him to -be arrested and sentenced to several years’ hard labour from which he -was released by order of the present Russian government. Rasputin in -reality was treated in the Palace as a kind of jester who was allowed -to do as he wished—a sort of fool, after the pattern of Chicot in -Dumas’ novels, and neither Nicholas II., who liked him even better than -did the Empress, nor the latter ever thought of him as of anything -else than a holy pilgrim (for that was what he proclaimed himself to -be) whose vocation was to go about preaching the gospel to the world. -One must not forget that there have been many such in Russia, and that -the natural tendency to mysticism, which is one of the characteristics -of the Russian character, has always welcomed them with effusion. The -Empress, who, though a German, was more superstitious than any Russian, -fully believed that the presence of Rasputin at her side was a shield -against all possible dangers. She therefore refused to be parted from -him, and whenever anything happened of a nature to cause her worry she -used to send for him, when he would prostrate himself on the ground -and invoke the powers of Heaven to deliver him and his friends from -evil. He was a thorough fanatic, or at least professed to affect -the ways of a fanatic, and he used to force the Empress to prostrate -herself before holy images beside him, and to remain with her face -pressed to the floor for hours in earnest supplication to a God whom, -he averred, he was the only one to honour as he ought to be honoured. -It is difficult to realise that an Empress of Russia, and one of the -haughty temperament of Alexandra Feodorovna, could lend herself to -such ridiculous practices, but so it was, and I can only say what I -have seen without attempting to explain it. But it was not surprising -that when the Imperial family came to hear of all this, it should have -been indignant and tried to oust from the Palace a man whose presence -in it tended to discredit royalty at a time when, on the contrary, -every possible means should have been resorted to in order to raise its -prestige. - -The Empress Dowager, when she heard all that was going on, raised her -voice, and, disliking though she did to meddle in what she considered -did not concern her, she made representations to the Czar when the -latter paid her a visit in Kieff, whither she had transferred her -residence. Nicholas listened to her, but did nothing. Others followed -the example of Marie Feodorovna, and the Grand Dukes individually and -collectively tried to open the eyes of the head of their dynasty to the -evils caused by the presence of Rasputin. Everything proved useless, -because the Emperor just as much as his wife was under the spell of -the clever comedian whose strong will had completely mastered his own -weak intellect. I have often witnessed the prayer meetings which were -organised in the Czarina’s private oratory, at which Rasputin presided. -Few people were admitted to them, and the congregation generally -consisted of Madame Wyroubieva, the Princess Dondoukoff, the Czar and -his Consort. The Imperial children were sometimes told to attend them -but not often. Rasputin used to pray aloud, and then preach, touching -in his sermons on subjects of every kind that had not the remotest -claim to be considered religious. And then he assured his audience -that the Lord had revealed himself to him and ordered him to acquaint -the Czar with such and such a thing, choosing the one he had at heart -at that particular moment. The Empress generally went into hysterics -whilst listening to him, and it was on that account I was asked to -remain in the vicinity of the room, so as to be able to come to her -help. I had often to unlace her or else she would have choked, and -for this purpose I took her into another apartment. The fact that one -or other of her maids saw me carrying away some part of her clothes -gave rise to the most malicious rumours. The most curious thing about -it all was that the Emperor looked on unmoved whilst his wife was -almost writhing in strong convulsions and extended no help whatever -to her, because Rasputin assured him that these convulsions were a -manifestation of the good spirits, and a proof that the prayers of the -Czarina had been accepted by the Almighty. - -I know that all this sounds incredible and yet it is but the truth. -The unfortunate woman whom the world has slandered in the most cruel -manner possible was after all nothing but a miserable being whose -mental balance was unstrung, to say the least. It would have been -more sensible to have put her in an asylum than to have accused her -of immoral practices of which she was incapable. Of course others who -were witnesses of the daily actions of Alexandra Feodorovna in Czarskoi -Selo could not be expected to look at things with the same eyes as I -did and I do not feel any surprise at the disgust which filled all -the good and devoted servants of the dynasty when they heard about -these mysterious meetings during which the Holy Ghost was supposed to -descend in person on the heads of Nicholas II. and his wife. There were -some still in existence, among others the Princess Wassiltschikoff, -one of the most prominent women in St. Petersburg society, who took -it upon herself to write to my mistress to warn her of the manner in -which she was discrediting herself and the dynasty. The Czarina was -terribly offended on receiving this letter, and fell into one of her -rare fits of passion. She complained to the Emperor, and the author -of this epistle that had aroused her anger was forthwith ordered to -leave St. Petersburg and to retire in disgrace to one of her estates in -the country. Alexandra Feodorovna clenched her teeth and could hardly -restrain her tears when speaking about what she called “this infamous -letter.” At that moment of rage I believe she could have killed the -lady who had thus ventured to tell her things which she considered -the most insolent she had ever heard in her whole life. She was -destined to feel still more offended a few days later when the Grand -Duke Nicholas Michaylovitsch, a cousin of the Czar, presented to the -latter a memorandum in which he adjured him not to listen any longer -to the advice he received from his wife, and to dismiss the gang of -adventurers whose presence at his side was discrediting him. He also -was repaid by being sent into exile for the audacity with which he had -dared to criticise the conduct of Alexandra Feodorovna. - -There is, therefore, nothing surprising if those who had come to look -upon Rasputin as upon a national danger should at last have made up -their minds to remove him by fair means or foul. Of course what lay -behind his assassination was the desire to put an end to the influence -of the Empress over her Consort, and to pave the way towards her -internment in a private asylum or in a convent where it was felt -that she would be happier than anywhere else. So long as Rasputin -existed such a thing was not to be thought of, but it was secretly -hoped that if he were finally put out of the way the mind of the -Czarina would snap altogether and it would then become a relatively -easy matter to persuade Nicholas II. to separate himself from her, -when it was hoped that the dynasty would recover some of the prestige -which it had lost. This, so far as I know, is the real key to the -murder of the adventurer whose career constitutes a unique episode -even in the annals of Russian history that has recorded so many queer -things. In describing it I have anticipated events, and must now -return a few years back and speak of the outbreak of the great war, -even if superficially, because its declaration sounded the knell of -the Romanoff dynasty and, in a certain way, sealed the fate of the -illustrious lady at whose side I spent so many years before misfortune -overwhelmed her. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII - -THE GREAT WAR - - -It is useless to repeat that when the great war broke out no one in -Russia expected it, the Czar least of all. I shall not touch upon the -serious part of this awful drama; I only mention it in so far as it -has to do with the unhappy Empress. She was quite overpowered by it, -and thought it the culminating point of her misfortunes. Apart from -her apprehensions for that Russia whose Sovereign she was, she felt -deeply the fact that she was going to be at war with her own kith and -kin, and with her beloved brother of whom she was so fond. No one -doubted among her surroundings that France and Russia united together -would surely and quickly beat the Germans, but the Czarina knew very -well that whatever the outcome of the struggle she would become one of -its principal victims. She was perfectly aware that the nation which -disliked her so intensely called her the “German” quite openly, and -that she would probably be suspected of favouring the land of her -birth in preference to that of her adoption; she chafed beforehand at -the injustice of the accusation. Everybody noticed her intense emotion -on the day which followed the declaration of hostilities, when, during -the religious ceremony which took place in the Winter Palace, she -stood beside the Czar, and listened to the reading of the manifesto -announcing to the nation that Germany had challenged it to mortal -combat. Before she left Peterhof (where the Court was spending the -summer) for St. Petersburg, I ventured to express to her my hope that -she would have sufficient strength to bear the fatigue and emotions -of the trying day. “I can bear anything now,” she replied. “Since I -did not die yesterday, it seems to me that nothing will ever kill me.” -Momentous words which I was to remember more than once as time went on -and one disaster followed upon another. - -When the war broke out the Empress Dowager was in England. She -telegraphed to her daughter-in-law to take her place at the head of the -Red Cross until her return to Russia, and to take the first measures -necessary to ensure its activity. The Czarina was but too willing to -do so, but she encountered unusual opposition and even hostility on -the part of the officials interested in the society, who criticised -all the improvements which she suggested, and even refused to follow -the instructions which she gave them. This, of course, was a source -of bitter mortification to her, and she was but too glad to retire -altogether from the management of the whole affair as soon as her -mother-in-law returned. But this was wrongly interpreted by the public -that said the Sovereign was not interested in the cause of the wounded, -because she disapproved altogether of the war, and would have liked to -see Russia come to an agreement with Germany. - -The position of my unfortunate mistress grew more and more difficult -as time went on. At first the triumphant (for so it was called) march -of the Russian troops into Galicia and the capture of Lemberg seemed -to point to a successful campaign, but then came the first reverses, -followed by the great retreat which meant abandoning to the enemy some -of the most fertile provinces of the Russian Empire and the whole of -Poland. The loss of the whole line of fortresses which defended the -Vistula was also an awful blow dealt both to Russia’s might and to -Russia’s welfare as well as prestige. Of course the whole country -waxed indignant at this unexpected series of disasters, and of course -the government was made responsible for them. - -The want of foresight on the part of the War Office was attributed to -the general corruption which existed in all Russian administrative -spheres, and also to the partiality of the Czar for certain favourites, -against whom he would never listen to any criticisms and whom he -continued to employ though the whole country had recognised their utter -incapacity. - -The Empress knew all these things: she had even been asked more than -once to interfere and to bring them to the notice of the Czar, but -she had always refused to meddle in questions which she felt were -so important that any false step might be accompanied by terrible -consequences. Once during one of the flying visits which the Commander -in Chief, the Grand Duke Nicholas, paid to St. Petersburg from the -front, he had tried to enlist her sympathies in favour of a vast plan -of reform he wanted to bring through, but she was so mistrustful of -him that she had thought it better to do nothing but to declare to -him that she did not think herself competent to offer advice in view -of the general difficulties presented by the situation. She felt -frightened at the persistence with which certain people who were not -over well disposed in her favour wanted to get her mixed up in matters -where the smallest blunder might bring upon her head the wrath of the -whole nation. But at the same time she attempted to do what she had -never tried before, that is, to discuss with her husband the events -of the day and give him the benefit of her opinions, which, though -always moderate, were distinctly in favour of the continuance of the -autocratic system. She once told me that she thought it would be far -more advantageous to the nation if the Duma were permanently prorogued, -at least for as long as hostilities lasted, because she feared for one -thing that its criticisms would destroy the faith of the nation in its -government, and for another, that it would prevent by the discussions -it would be sure to raise the conclusion of a peace favorable to -Russian interests. This peace the Czarina called for with all her -heart, and she would have sacrificed much to see it concluded. This got -to be known, the more so that she never even tried to hide it, and the -rumour arose that she was negotiating the conditions of such a peace -with her German relations. This I do not believe for one moment she -had ever done or wanted to do, but those intent on her destruction -naturally accused her of intriguing in a sense favourable to German -interests. She had unfortunately antagonised every single party in -the country, the aristocracy to begin with, and also the extreme -radicals and socialists who made her responsible for all the measures -of repression which the government had begun to take against them. The -poor woman had become the scapegoat of all the sins of Israel. - -Nevertheless she fought bravely against these terrible odds, and she -applied herself to give to the Czar some of the energy which he lacked, -and of which perhaps she possessed too much. It was then that she -paid different visits to the Front, a thing which she had never been -allowed to do whilst the Grand Duke Nicholas was commander in chief, -and she tried to cheer up her husband, and to encourage him in the -new responsibilities which he had assumed when he had dismissed his -uncle and taken upon himself the functions of Commander in Chief of -the Army. He had been forced into his decision by the general wish of -the public, who were dissatisfied with the Grand Duke Nicholas, and -hoped that the presence of the Sovereign at the head of his troops -would infuse courage into the hearts of the latter and induce them to -make every effort against the foe. But the troops were not to blame -for the reverses which had overtaken them; the lack of ammunitions was -the cause of the evil, and this could not be remedied by any commander -in chief, but would have required a thorough and radical reform in the -whole administration of the War Office. - -There existed no one in Russia powerful enough to enforce this reform. -In the circumstances in which the country found itself placed, it would -have required the energy and the iron will of a Peter the Great to -overcome the obstacles standing in the way of any reforms of a sweeping -nature, and Russia had for sovereign Nicholas II., the weakest that had -ever carried the sceptre of the Romanoffs. - -During these anxious days the Empress took to confiding in me and -sometimes called me to her side, generally during the night when she -could not sleep and was haunted by all kinds of fears in regard to the -future. She told me then that she felt persuaded a revolution would -follow upon the war, and that this time it would be a serious one -which would require considerable energy before it would be suppressed. -The idea that it might eventually prove successful never entered her -mind, and I have often wondered at her utter blindness in this matter. -But she felt so convinced that the greater part of Russia was still -attached to the principles embodied in an all-powerful autocracy that -no one was taken more unawares than herself by the promptitude with -which the Russian nation accepted the overthrow of the dynasty. And -yet she had been told often enough that this dynasty was in danger if -it did not decide to make concession to public opinion that clamoured -for a change. She still nursed illusions, and she honestly believed -that her personal efforts in favour of wounded and disabled soldiers -had made her popular with the army, that it felt grateful to her and to -the Czar, and that it would not allow them to be harmed. She liked to -relate anecdotes tending to prove this, and whenever she returned to -Czarskoi Selo from one of the frequent visits she made to the Front, -after the Emperor had assumed the supreme command, she liked to call -me to her side and relate to me all that she had seen whilst there, -and how the wounded whom she had visited had thanked her for her -kindness towards them, not knowing that their thanks had been uttered -in obedience of a command and had never proceeded from the heart of -those who had uttered them. There had come, however, one fatal day -when, instead of the cheers to which she had been used, the Empress -was received with a dead silence by the troops when she accompanied -her husband to a review of regiments about to be sent to the fighting -Front. This was the first time that such a thing had happened to her, -and the poor Czarina was so upset by this proof that she had lost the -affection of her soldiers that she declared she would no longer show -herself among them. Of course her friends tried to cheer her up, and to -explain to her that this had been a pure accident, but the impression -had been produced, and its effects were to be lasting ones. The first -two years of the war dragged on, and sometimes I wondered whether my -beloved mistress would ever live to see the end of this awful conflict. -She was getting weaker and weaker and her nerves were so entirely -destroyed that all those who still cared for her were getting quite -alarmed on her account. The Emperor alone seemed quite unconcerned and -failed to notice the great change that had come over his wife. He -imagined that she was anxious about the war, but did not dream that her -health was getting worse every day and that she had lost the energy -she had been endowed with before, in the hopeless struggle she was -fighting against forces which were bound to overcome her in the long -run. All her former vivacity had left her. She had become sweeter than -she had ever been, even during her first years of married life, and -she accepted with gratitude every small service one rendered her. The -haughty pride with which she had in former times met any unpleasantness -that occurred to her had disappeared. She had become resigned to -everything that might befall her, but her great anxiety was for her -husband and children, especially the former, against whom she dreaded -an attempt at assassination whenever he was at the Front. During the -sleepless nights which had become her portion she fancied all kinds of -evils, and then she would proceed to the telephone which put her in -direct communication with head-quarters and speak with the aide-de-camp -on duty, asking for news of the Emperor. I do not think that she ever -obtained more than an hour or two of repose in the twenty-four, and -sometimes, when considering this, I did not, as I had previously, -blame the Princess Dondoukoff for administering to her opiates destined -to give her some rest. All this constituted a terrible state of things, -but still it was nothing in comparison with what was to follow, and -the unfortunate Czarina was soon to drink to the very dregs the cup of -sorrow that had been destined for her. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII - -DISASTERS AND THE SECOND REVOLUTION - - -The last days of the year 1916 were sad ones for my poor Empress. First -came the assassination of Rasputin, which was a terrible source of -grief for her, because she firmly believed that so long as he was at -her side no harm could befall her, and certainly as events turned out -she had not been so far wrong in her superstitious fears. During the -first days which followed upon the murder of her favourite she would -sit motionless for hours in her boudoir, doing nothing, absorbed in -thoughts which must have been most painful. Christmas—the last to be -passed by the Imperial family in their beloved Czarskoi Selo—was a sad -one, and the Czarina did not even attempt to shake off the melancholy -forebodings with which she was troubled. She was preoccupied with the -idea of avenging the destruction of the man whose existence she had -considered in the light of a fetich. It is a well-known fact that -she caused the young Grand Duke Dmitry to be exiled in Persia, as a -punishment for his share in the conspiracy that had deprived her of her -favourite. She who had always been so kind turned cruel and merciless, -and I once heard her exclaim that henceforward she would no longer -listen to her heart, but follow only the dictates of her reason. - -There was one man who had obtained her favour on account of the ardour -with which he had espoused all her views; this was the Minister of -the Interior, Mr. Protopopoff. He had been one of the most intimate -friends of Rasputin, and he was continually urging upon the Czarina the -necessity of being firm, and of refusing mercy to those who had shown -themselves so entirely merciless in regard to a man who had been a holy -creature. Alexandra Feodorovna found some consolation in her grief by -talking it over with Protopopoff, who finally won her adhesion to the -plans which he had formed to establish once more in Russia an absolute -government. - -Christmas had come and gone and a New Year had begun. The difficulties -of the military and economical condition of the country had increased -to an alarming degree. We did not perceive it at Czarskoi Selo, but in -Petrograd, as St. Petersburg now was called, everybody was complaining -of the high cost of living and the impossibility of procuring for -oneself the indispensable necessities of existence. The population was -getting impatient, and dissatisfaction was spreading. Those who could -see the signs of the approaching storm tried to persuade the Czar that -he had better remain in the vicinity of the capital, and not go to the -Front where, after all, his presence was not absolutely needed. But -Nicholas II. would not listen, perhaps because both his wife and Mr. -Protopopoff persuaded him that there existed no reason for alarm. The -Empress had implicit confidence in the Minister and was convinced that -a small display of energy on the part of the government would very -quickly do away with the impatience of the population. She wished to -get her husband out of the way, not at all, as has been said, because -she wanted to make a coup d’état, but because she did not wish the Czar -to be worried by his family, who were making frantic efforts to get -the Grand Duke Dmitry recalled from exile. At first her intention had -been to accompany Nicholas II. to head-quarters, but then her children -had fallen ill with what had been considered at first an attack of -influenza, but subsequently turned out to be measles, and she would not -leave them. The Emperor departed, promising to return immediately if -any serious trouble occurred, and keeping meanwhile in close touch with -his wife and the commander of the garrison of Czarskoi Selo. During his -absence the Revolution took place, brought about by a revolt of the -troops entrusted with the defence of Petrograd. They went over to the -Duma as soon as they heard that it had taken upon itself to institute a -new government. - -The Czar had been surrounded by traitors, therefore he had not even -been apprised of all that was taking place in Petrograd. Two urgent -telegrams which were despatched to him by the President of the Duma, -Mr. Rodzianko, never reached him, as we heard later on. Had he received -them it is likely he would have hastened back, and perhaps his presence -in the capital might have averted the catastrophe. But his attendants -were mostly won over to the cause of the Revolution and purposely -left him in ignorance of the gravity of the events which were taking -place, until it was too late. The Empress also was not informed of the -extent of the revolt, and it was through an indiscretion of one of her -servants that she got at last an inkling of the truth. She sent for -Count Benckendorff, the head of the household, and asked him to get her -all the information possible concerning the extent of the rebellion. -The Count, who throughout this sad story behaved with the greatest -loyalty to the cause of the sovereigns whose confidence he had won by -his long and faithful services, tried to go to Petrograd, where he -hoped to learn some details as to what had taken place during the two -preceding days, but found it impossible because the railway line was -already in the hands of the revolutionaries, and no train from Czarskoi -Selo was allowed to proceed. He had perforce to content himself with -the news which he could obtain by telephone, and soon this means of -communicating with the people likely to keep him informed as to what -was going on was stopped. - -The Empress, almost mad with anxiety, walked to and fro in her -apartments, wringing her hands, and saying the whole time that she -knew the Czar had been killed and the news was being kept from her. -It was with the greatest difficulty that she could be prevailed upon -to send a telegram to General Roussky, who was then supposed to be -loyal, enquiring after the Emperor. In about two hours she received a -reply saying that Nicholas II. was on his way to Pskoff and expected to -arrive there that same night. - -This somewhat allayed the anxieties of the Empress, and just about then -the condition of the Grand Duchess Olga, who had taken the measles -in a more serious form than her sisters, became suddenly worse, and -she was thought to be in danger, as pneumonia had declared itself -and complicated her condition. And then Alexis, who had been removed -to another wing of the palace in the hopes that he might escape the -contagion, sickened in his turn, so that the unfortunate Czarina had -another anxiety to fight, which after all was perhaps the best thing -that could have happened to her, because the necessity of attending to -her children prevented her from brooding on what was happening to her -husband, which otherwise she would have done the whole of the time. - -The next thing we heard was that the Duma had sent two delegates to -confer with the Czar; we hoped that from this conference something -good might result, and that Nicholas II. would be induced to call -together a responsible ministry. The Empress herself was persuaded he -would do so, and remarked that if Prince Lvoff accepted the position of -Premier, things would not be so bad, because at heart he was a loyal -monarchist and would not lend himself to any aggression against the -person of his Sovereign. She seemed more cheerful than she had been -for the last two or three days, and showed herself pleased that it -was Mr. Gutchkoff, whom she knew personally and had always liked, who -had been despatched to Pskoff. “Perhaps, after all, we shall weather -this storm,” she remarked, and she further observed that in the grave -circumstances which resulted from the unfavourable course the war had -taken, it was perhaps just as well if the sole responsibility for what -was to follow did not rest upon the Sovereign alone. Neither she nor -any of us had the faintest idea of what was actually taking place at -Pskoff. About midnight I left the Empress. She had been persuaded to -retire to bed, the Princess Dondoukoff having promised to watch by the -children and to call her at once should any change take place in their -condition. She was thoroughly exhausted and we were all glad to see -her at last take some rest, I had lain down also in a room adjoining -the bedchamber of my mistress when at about three o’clock in the -morning I was awakened by a soft knock at my door. Thinking that one of -the children was worse, I got up instantly and went to hear what had -happened before disturbing the Empress. Standing on the threshold I -found the Czarina’s old groom of the chamber with a pale and frightened -countenance. He pulled me aside and in a terrified voice exclaimed: -“Something dreadful has happened: the Emperor has abdicated!” - -“What?” I exclaimed, not believing my ears, and inclined to think that -the man had gone mad. - -“The Emperor has abdicated,” he repeated, and forthwith began to sob. - -I dropped down in a chair, and thought that the end of the world had -come, and so indeed it had—of a certain world at least. - -“Who told you?” I enquired. “How did you come to hear it?” - -The man replied that the new ministry had advised the commander of -the town of Czarskoi Selo by telephone that the Czar had abdicated in -favour of his brother, and that the troops had to be advised of the -fact immediately. - -“How shall we tell the Empress?” was my first thought. - -Of course neither my informer nor myself could undertake the painful -task of apprising her of the new misfortune which had overtaken her. -We decided that the only thing to do was to inform Count Benckendorff -and to ask him to perform the sad mission. But as we were proceeding to -his apartments we met him coming to those of the Empress. He had also -been informed of what had taken place at Pskoff a few hours before, and -he was about to communicate them to my unfortunate mistress. I went -back and aroused her. She was not sleeping, and got up immediately. -She had been bracing herself all the time for some new calamity, and -when told that Count Benckendorff wished to speak with her had felt -convinced that he wanted to apprise her that her husband had been -murdered. In comparison with such a catastrophe, the loss of her throne -seemed a small thing, and perhaps her first feeling was one of relief -at finding that her apprehensions had been groundless. But what she -could not bring herself to understand was the fact that it had not -been in favour of his son that the Czar had abdicated. “There must be a -mistake. It is impossible that Niky has sacrificed our boy’s claims!” -she kept repeating. But when at last compelled to believe that such had -been the case, she gave vent to an expression of rage which showed how -thoroughly she despised the weak-minded man to whom she was bound, and -exclaimed: “He might at least in his fright have remembered his son!” - -I think that these words are the most cruel condemnation that the -cowardice of Nicholas II. ever obtained, and deserved. - -[Illustration: _International Film Service_ - -GRAND DUCHESS ANASTASIA] - -As may be imagined, there was no sleep for any of us after this. When -dawn appeared at last it found the Empress entirely dressed, already -calm and resigned, kneeling before the sacred icons in her oratory, and -invoking the protection of God for her children. Then she went up to -her daughters’ room and acquainted the two younger ones, who had not -yet been attacked by measles, of the change which had taken place in -their destinies. The girls were stunned, as may easily be imagined, and -Anastasia, the youngest, began to cry. The Empress watched her tears -and then in a hard voice remarked, “It is too early to cry yet; keep -your sorrow for another occasion,” and she went out of the room without -adding another word. - -But though she was told that her son’s condition was serious, she did -not approach his sick-bed that whole day. It seemed as if she could not -bring herself to look upon the child whose advent into the world had -been such a source of joy to her, and who had been despoiled of the -great heritage to which he had been born. It was evident to all those -who knew her well that some time would have to elapse before she could -bring herself to forgive her husband for the injury he had done their -only son, and perhaps she would never have forgiven it had it not been -for all the other misfortunes which were to follow upon this hasty -abdication. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX - -HOW THE CZARINA WAS ARRESTED - - -A few dreadful days followed upon the one which had brought us the -news of the abdication of the Czar. The Empress tried to get into -communication with him, but though she contrived to speak with him over -the wire, it was from the first evident that every word was listened -to, and she gave up any attempt at confidential conversation. What -worried her was that instead of returning to Czarskoi Selo, Nicholas -II. had elected to go to Mohilew. My mistress, who had had absolute -confidence in General Roussky, did not trust General Alexieieff, whom -she considered as quite capable of betraying the Czar out of ambition. -Events proved that she had not been wrong in her appreciation as to the -General, and what she did not know, but was to learn much later, was -that he had practically made it impossible for the Emperor to return -to Czarskoi Selo, and almost compelled him to go to Headquarters, -where he intended to keep him until the Provisional Government at -Petrograd had made up its mind whether it ought or ought not to arrest -the former Sovereign. We all of us remained in utter ignorance of what -was happening at the Front, or in Petrograd itself. The Czarina on -the evening of the day following the abdication, when it had become -already known that the Grand Duke Michael had refused to accept the -throne relinquished to him by his brother, and when no one knew what -was going to happen further, the Czarina called me to her room, and -asked me to try to go to Petrograd and find out what people there were -thinking about the whole situation. She gave orders for a carriage to -be put at my disposal, as the railway trains did not run regularly, -but I declined it, thinking that it would only attract attention and -invite the rebels to stop me if any among them met me. I repaired -alone and on foot to the railway station, where I boarded the first -train that was leaving for the capital. No one noticed me, and I made -my way undisturbed to the house of a friend, who, I knew, was likely -to be well informed as to what was going on. Great was my surprise to -find that she did not care at all to receive me, and almost ordered -me out of her apartment, saying that it was as much as her life was -worth to talk with a personal attendant of the Empress. She absolutely -refused to answer any of my questions, and I had perforce to beat a -hasty retreat. Other people whom I sought did exactly the same thing, -and I found all my acquaintances echoing the general opinion which, -I discovered, was prevalent in the capital, that it was the Czarina -who, by her betrayal of Russia to the Germans, had been the cause of a -Revolution which all the sane and reasonable members of society were -deploring. The one subject of lamentation was the want of character, -as they called it, of the Grand Duke Michael, who, according to the -general opinion, ought not to have played into the hands of the -Revolutionaries and refused his brother’s succession. At that time the -idea of a Republic, which now has become a familiar one, had not yet -taken hold of the public mind, and people were only desirous of seeing -established a constitutional monarchy. What made me quite aghast was -to find that the rumour had been spread that this refusal of the Grand -Duke was due to an intrigue of the Empress, who had, so it was related -to me, caused to be conveyed to him a message to the effect that -should he dare to accept the throne she would put herself at the head -of a movement against him. The very thought that my poor mistress could -have done such a thing was ridiculous, but in times of crisis like the -one we were going through, the wildest tales are believed, and in the -case of Alexandra Feodorovna it was but too easy to make Petrograd -accept the idea that she was planning to bring forward the rights of -her son, even against the desire of her husband. As I proceeded along -the Nevsky Prospect I met sandwich men carrying large placards with -seditious inscriptions concerning the Czarina, and on one of them her -immediate imprisonment, trial for high treason and execution were put -forward and claimed. Cries of “Down with Alexandra Feodorovna!” were -heard everywhere, and my heart sank within me at the thought that -perhaps my beloved mistress would fall a victim to the fury of the mob. -The remembrance of the French Revolution and of Marie Antoinette, to -whom the Empress was so fond of comparing herself, came back to me, -and without waiting for further news (which I did not know where to -obtain, because no one in Petrograd seemed to know anything) I made -my way back to Czarskoi Selo, and before presenting myself to the -Czarina, I sought Count Benckendorff, to whom I related my experiences -in the capital. The Count listened to me, and looked very grave when -I mentioned to him the exasperation, for it could hardly be called -otherwise, of the rough elements of the population of Petrograd against -Alexandra Feodorovna. We discussed for a few minutes the possibility of -removing her from the Palace to some other place where she would be in -comparative safety, but gave up the idea as impracticable, because, for -one thing, the Empress would never have consented to abandon her sick -children, and then, there was already such a close watch established -around the Palace of Czarskoi Selo and its inmates, that it would -have been next to impossible for any one to get out without the fact -being at once reported to the Revolutionary Government. Besides, it -was necessary to learn what the Emperor himself meant to do, and what -were his plans for the future. The situation was therefore extremely -serious, but all that one could do in the present circumstances was -to wait. The Count enquired of me the names of the servants among the -personal attendants of the Czarina whom I thought quite trustworthy, -and I mentioned a few. He considered it necessary to establish a kind -of secret guard around her for fear that an assassin might find his way -to her apartments, and indeed for three days and nights he remained -himself outside her door, not caring to trust her safety to any one -else. If ever there was one faithful man in the world it was Count -Benckendorff. - -When, after my conversation with him, I entered the presence of my -mistress I found her in a violent state of agitation. The news had -reached her that the Empress Dowager had gone to Mohilev to see her -son, and Alexandra Feodorovna felt persuaded that the journey had been -undertaken for the purpose of persuading Nicholas II. to separate -himself from his wife. It was quite useless to point out to the -distressed Princess that such a thing would not have had any motive at -the present time, when the Czar had resigned the throne. She would not -listen to me, but cried and sobbed, declaring that nothing in the world -would ever part her from her children and that she would rather kill -herself than give them up. She could not understand how it was that -her husband, of whose affection she had felt so sure, had not already -returned to her, especially in view of the fact that all her children -were so dangerously ill. The idea that Nicholas was no longer a free -agent, or able to do what he liked, had not occurred to her, and when -I pointed out to her that such might be the case, she would not listen -to me, exclaiming, “Who could dare to stop him? After all, he is always -the Czar.” The magnitude of the catastrophe which had just taken place -she had not yet appreciated. - -But the same night rumours that the Revolutionary Government had -decided to arrest the former Sovereign reached Czarskoi Selo. None -among us would credit them in the beginning, so utterly impossible -did the whole thing seem. But Count Benckendorff, who perhaps had at -his disposal sources of information others did not possess, told us -that unfortunately the news was but too true and that delegates had -been sent to Mohilev with instructions to take captive Nicholas II. -What they meant to do with him he could not tell, and for the matter -of that no one knew. The question arose as to how the Empress was to -be made acquainted with this new misfortune, and it had not yet been -decided by the Count, who wished to wait for an official confirmation -of the rumour, when he was called to the telephone and told that the -new commander of the military district of Petrograd, General Korniloff, -wanted to speak with him. - -The General told Count Benckendorff that he had been commissioned by -the new government to deliver a certain message to the Empress, whom he -affected to call Alexandra Feodorovna, and that he wished to see her -immediately about it. To the reply that Her Majesty was sitting beside -the bed of her sick children and could not be disturbed, Korniloff -declared that it was imperative he should execute his commission, and -that unless the Empress complied with his request he should use force -to obtain admittance. - -There remained nothing to do but to ask him to wait for a few minutes -until the Czarina had been communicated with. Count Benckendorff -repaired to her apartments, and communicated to her the curt request of -the Commander in Chief. She said at once that she would be ready for -him in half an hour, and declared that she was sure he had some bad -news for her concerning the Emperor. - -“Perhaps they have killed him!” she exclaimed, “and then they will -kill me, and what will become of these poor children?” - -Korniloff arrived at the Palace accompanied by all of the officers -of his staff. He was escorted also by an infantry battalion, which -he caused to be stationed in the big square in front of the Palace. -Received by Count Benckendorff, he was conducted to the large -drawing-room in which the Empress used to give her audiences in the -days gone by, and in a few minutes the Sovereign entered the apartment, -dressed all in black, with no other ornaments but one row of pearls -round her neck. She bowed stiffly and, having sat down, motioned to -the General to do the same, asking him at the same time to what she -was indebted for the honour of his visit. There was a ring of irony in -her voice which, as I was told afterwards, struck all the listeners -painfully and must have offended the General. He rose and in rude -accents said: “I must request you, Madam, to stand up, and to listen -with attention to the commands I am about to impose upon you.” - -Alexandra Feodorovna raised her eyes in mute surprise, but without -protesting rose up from her seat, a thing which, by the way, I never -understood how she could have done. Korniloff then proceeded to read -to her an order signed by all the ministers, which declared that she -was to consider herself under arrest, that she was forbidden to receive -or to send any letters without the permission of the officer in charge -of the Palace of Czarskoi Selo, that she was not to walk out alone in -the park or grounds, and that she was to consider herself obliged to -execute any further orders that might be given to her. He announced -to her at the same time that he was about to change the guard at the -Palace and that she would be strictly watched. - -A dead silence reigned in the room after these words of the old -soldier. Count Benckendorff, who was present, felt as if the earth -had opened under his feet, but he deemed it inadvisable to say -anything. The Empress simply bowed her head, then asked Korniloff not -to remove her children’s attendants until they were recovered from -their illness, and especially to allow the sailor who for years had -taken care of little Alexis to remain with him. The General said that -he had no objection to this; then she simply turned her back upon him -and without saying anything further left the room. Korniloff then gave -his instructions to Count Benckendorff, who, when he was left alone -with him, entreated not to be dismissed, declaring that he meant to -share the fate of his masters in any case. The Commander made him -then responsible for all the interior arrangements of the Palace, and -advised him that for the future he should have to apply to the State -Treasury and not to the administration of the former Sovereign’s -private fortune for the money necessary for current expenses, and he -requested him to be as economical as possible in the matter of these -expenses. - -The Empress, as if dazed, went to her bedroom. There I was waiting -for her. One look at her face was sufficient to make me realise that -something absolutely dreadful had taken place. Alexandra Feodorovna -threw herself face downwards on a sofa placed at the foot of her bed, -and exclaimed between the most heartrending sobs: “We are lost, we are -lost! What will become now of these unfortunate children; what will -become of them?” And for a long time she sobbed on, and would not be -comforted by anything that I could say. - -News of the arrest of the unfortunate Sovereign spread like lightning -through the whole Palace, and, as if she had been stricken with the -plague, nearly all her attendants left her in the space of a few -hours. Out of her six maids, only one remained “true to her salt,” as -they say in the East, and even the women who had waited on the Grand -Duchesses hastened to pack their things and to run away, in spite of -the fact that the young Princesses were known to be desperately ill. -The Princess Dondoukoff was removed by order of Korniloff, and for two -days the sick children were attended only by their mother and myself. -The Empress was experiencing in the most cruel way imaginable the -ingratitude of mankind. If Count Benckendorff had not had his own cook -prepare her meals, she would have been exposed to death from hunger -amidst all the splendours of her magnificent Palace. At last the Count -had to apply to the Revolutionary Government, and servants were sent to -replace those who had abandoned us, and to ensure the regular service -of the prisoners. All through these dreadful days none of us knew what -had happened to the Czar, and this incertitude was, as can easily be -imagined, adding to the misery and anguish of his wife. At last Count -Benckendorff received a wire from Prince Dolgoroukoff (not Dolgorouky, -as the foreign papers have printed; they are two distinct families), -one of the attendants of Nicholas II., that the deposed Sovereign was -being brought back to Czarskoi Selo, where the Revolutionary Government -had decided he was for the present to be interned. - -The news was immediately communicated to the Empress and proved a -consolation to her in her sorrows. We all of us, the few who were -left of the splendid retinue of servants of former days, wondered how -our master would look, and braced ourselves for the painful task of -receiving him, a prisoner of state, in the Palace where he had ruled -as an all-powerful autocrat. It was on a dark and dreary March morning -that he returned to us. Strict orders had been given to the soldiers -composing the guard in charge of the Palace gates not to treat him -otherwise than they would a colonel, (he had persisted all through his -reign in wearing a Colonel’s epaulettes), because he was henceforward -to be known as plain Nicholas Alexandrovitsch Romanoff, and though we -had been apprised of the fact, yet we were not prepared for what was -to follow, and we were horrified to see, from the window at which we -watched, the officer on duty give orders to salute Prince Dolgoroukoff, -who sat beside the Emperor in the automobile that brought them home, -with the honours due to his rank as general, whilst the deposed -Sovereign was treated as his inferior. The meaning of the Revolution -had never been made so plain to us as by this significant incident. - -At the top of the staircase of the Palace, Count Benckendorff, dressed -in full uniform, was awaiting Nicholas II., whom he received with the -same ceremonial as in the time when he was still on the throne. The -noble-hearted gentleman showed in those days of adversity of what stuff -he was made, and did all that lay within the limits of his power to -atone for the neglect and ingratitude of others. - -The Emperor hardly greeted him. He rushed up the stairs, taking two -steps at a time, towards the apartments of the Empress. Alexandra -Feodorovna was standing on the threshold, pale and lovely, with a -hectic bloom on her cheeks which reminded one of the glory of her past -beauty and youth. Neither husband nor wife could speak as they fell -into each other’s arms. - - - - -CHAPTER XX - -LIFE IN PRISON - - -It was only on the first day which followed upon the return of Nicholas -II. at Czarskoi Selo that he was allowed to see his wife without -witnesses. The very next morning Korniloff again appeared at the Palace -and delivered the following instructions to the gaolers (one can hardly -call them otherwise) who were to watch over the deposed monarch and his -family: - -I. The Emperor was not to be allowed to communicate with his Consort, -except during mealtimes, when of course conversation could touch only -upon indifferent subjects. When he wanted to visit his children, with -whom he was allowed to remain as long as he liked, the Empress was to -leave the room immediately he had entered it. - -II. Neither the Sovereign nor his Consort were allowed to walk out -alone and unattended in the park and grounds, but were always to be -escorted by a non-commissioned officer and three soldiers with armed -rifles. - -III. When they went to church they were to be brought to the private -chapel of the Palace by the same escort, and not permitted to converse -with each other. - -IV. Every time one of their attendants had to see them he or she had -to be thoroughly searched by the officer on duty and a woman specially -appointed for the purpose. - -The young Grand Duchesses, when they had recovered, were not put under -the severe control to which their parents were subjected; they could -stay with their parents, and especially with the Emperor, as much and -as long as they liked. Olga made use of this permission more than her -sisters, and she used to spend hours with her father, to whom she was -particularly attached. But at the same time a strict though not so -apparent watch was kept over their actions, and they were not permitted -to leave the Palace grounds for the town of Czarskoi Selo, not even to -visit the numerous hospitals where they had hitherto worked as sisters -of charity. - -None of the numerous members of the Imperial family, who were nearly -all in Petrograd, manifested a desire to see the chief of their race; -on the contrary, in many cases they went over to the cause of the -Revolution, as, for instance, the Grand Duke Cyrill, who was the first -to lead the troops of which he had the command to the Duma, to swear -allegiance to the new government. But several members of the former -household of the unfortunate sovereigns came to put themselves at -their disposal, among others old Madame Narischkine, the Mistress of -the Robes of the Empress, who, though she had never been liked by the -latter, remained faithful to her to the end, and even petitioned to be -allowed to go to Siberia with her, a request which was refused her by -the government. - -The Czar accepted all these irksome regulations with complete -indifference. He used to take long walks with Count Benckendorff and -Prince Dolgoroukoff, with whom he chatted the whole of the time with -the most complete unconcern. He did not seem to mind in the very least -the presence of the men deputed to escort him during these walks, but -on the contrary made it a point to thank them when they had brought -him home, and to exchange a few words with them. He used to read the -papers very regularly, and seemed always anxious to learn what was -going on at the Front. The Empress, on the contrary, refused absolutely -to submit to the irritating restrictions imposed upon her, and during -the whole time that she was kept at Czarskoi Selo never once went out -of the Palace, not caring to take her walks under the watchful eyes -of an escort. She treated everybody with complete disdain. When the -Czar entered the room where she generally sat with her children, she -made him a deep and respectful curtsey, and immediately quitted the -apartment, before the officer on duty had an opportunity to request -her to do so. She had never got over the fact of Korniloff having -ordered her to stand up whilst he had read to her the orders of the -new government, and more than once in her conversations with me had -referred to this cruel humiliation, repeating, “Can you imagine! He -made me stand up, me, the Empress of Russia,” and she did not care to -incur a similar humiliation a second time. Though she was repeatedly -told that her health required her to be in the open air, especially -when spring arrived, she would not listen to any remonstrances on the -subject, but kept strictly indoors, snatching only breaths of fresh -air from her window which she used to keep wide open, and beside which -she sat working at garments and bandages for soldiers, which she asked -me to forward to the Red Cross. She never opened a book or glanced at a -paper, and except needlework her only occupations consisted in going to -church and giving lessons to her youngest children. She refused every -kind of sympathy and remained silent and forlorn in her misery until -the day when she was told that she was about to exchange her present -prison for another, far worse in every respect. - -A few days after the one which had seen her confined in captivity a -commission sent by the Government had arrived at Czarskoi Selo to ask -the Empress to deliver to its keeping the crown jewels, as well as -her private ones. She had consented to receive the members of this -commission and told them that so far as the crown jewels were concerned -they had never been in her charge and could be found in the Winter -Palace; but her own diamonds and pearls belonged to her personally and -she was not going to give them up unless compelled by force to do so, -when she would solemnly protest against an act which she considered in -the light of a robbery pure and simple. Her attitude was so firm that -the commissioners withdrew without having achieved their mission, and -afterwards Kerensky, to whom the matter was referred, gave up the point -and allowed my mistress to retain possession of the ornaments she had -clung to with such determination and energy. - -But the silver which adorned the Imperial dining table was all seized -by the Government, under the pretext that it was State property, until -eventually Nicholas II. found himself without one fork or knife with -which to eat. At last Count Benckendorff made an arrangement wherewith -part of this confiscated silver was bought back by him and the money -handed over to the treasury. But as the private fortune of the Czar had -been confiscated, it was the young Grand Duchesses, Olga and Tatiana, -who out of their own funds redeemed these things. - -In general it became extremely difficult to meet the expenses of the -Imperial household, because the government refused to supply the means -to do so, and the treasury grumbled at every request made by Count -Benckendorff for funds. Every day saw something disappear of the -former luxury which had presided at the daily existence of the Czar -and of his family, until at last life at Czarskoi Selo became almost -ascetic in its simplicity. Meals consisted only of three courses, and -the favourite, Zakuska, or relishes with which every Russian dinner or -lunch begins, were suppressed. Wine disappeared altogether from the -table, and several automobiles were sold, whilst the chauffeurs were -dismissed. I even had to beg the Empress not to use as much linen as -she had been in the habit of doing formerly, because we lacked the -means to wash it, and these were but small miseries among the more -important ones which assailed us. - -Among the many annoyances and indignities put upon the Emperor and -Empress was the order given by the Revolutionary Government not to -address them any more as Your Majesty, but to call them Colonel -and Mrs. Romanoff. The Czar took it good-humouredly, or, rather, -contemptuously, but the Empress was extremely affected by this -insolence. “We have been crowned in Moscow,” she used to say, “and -nothing can change this now. The Czar is always the Czar. No one -can rob him of this dignity, even if he has renounced it of his own -accord.” - -Of course when we were alone with her we addressed her in the old -style. Beginning with Count Benckendorff, and ending with the last -of the few servants who had voluntarily elected to remain in the -service of the former sovereigns, we were very careful not to make -them feel more than could be helped the change that had taken place in -their destinies. But when one of the officers on guard was present it -was more difficult, because he used to reprove us quite aloud if we -ventured to speak with our master and mistress in the old respectful -way to which we had been used. The government was so particular in the -matter of the title allowed to Nicholas II., that all the newspapers -which were addressed to him bore the superscription of “Colonel -Nicholas Alexandrovitsch Romanoff.” And on the letters which the -Empress received, the appellation of “Her Majesty the Empress” was -scratched out, and replaced by “Alexandra Feodorovna Romanoff.” It was -the repetition of what had taken place with Louis XVI. when he was -designated by the name of Capet by his gaolers, and, strange as it may -appear, it was among all her misfortunes the one which, outwardly at -least, seemed most to affect the unhappy Empress. - -Of course correspondence was a forbidden thing for all of us. Letters -were strictly censored and even the smallest parcel brought to the -Palace was examined two or three times before being handed over to the -person to whom it belonged. Books were equally the object of suspicion, -and at last the Empress and Emperor gave orders that new ones were no -longer to be forwarded to them, as had been done previously. - -Of course all these vexatious measures depended a good deal on the -personality of the officer in charge of the interior arrangements and -guard of the Palace. If he were a humane man things would not be so -bad, but if he happened to belong to the ranks of the rabid republicans -or anarchists there was not an obstacle that he did not put in our way -or an unpleasantness that he spared us. I remember one of the latter -who, one morning when I was expecting a parcel containing a new blouse -from the Empress’s dressmaker, absolutely refused to let it pass until -I had unpicked the lining to prove to him that no letter or message -had been concealed between it and the stuff itself. It was the young -Grand Duchesses who were most to be pitied among the prisoners of -Czarskoi Selo. The girls were the sweetest things imaginable, and their -beautiful characters came out in a splendid light during that trying -time when, at an age where girls generally know only the sunny side -of life, they had to become acquainted and to be actors in one of the -greatest tragedies history has ever had to chronicle. And yet they -realised perhaps even better than did their father and mother, the -full extent of the drama which was being played around them. Olga, in -particular, seemed to have a forewarning that it was only beginning and -that it might end in blood just as it had begun in tears. She was a -clever, thoughtful woman, with a considerable amount of common sense, -and sometimes she used to confide to me her apprehensions in regard -to the future. “If the Germans get near to Petrograd, or if a new -revolution breaks out there,” she often said, “we shall be its first -victims, and either the mob or the Government will put us to death.” - -Tatiana was not so resigned as her sister. She revolted against the -terrible injustice of which she was the victim, and she could not -understand how after all the care she had taken of wounded soldiers -and miserable refugees whom her committee had helped, her good -intentions had been misunderstood, and how she could have been put -aside at a moment’s notice and deprived of the possibility of going on -further with the work to which she had given all her energy, and with -which she had been so successful. She had an impetuous nature, more -like her mother’s than like the placid temperament of her father, and -she would have liked to be able to express aloud the contempt which she -felt for all those whose victim and prisoner she was. The two youngest -daughters of the Czar and Czarina were still too much in the schoolroom -to be able to do aught else but be astonished at the change which had -taken place in their existence. They looked at all that was occurring -with big, surprised eyes, and were more ready to weep than to attempt -to fight against a fate which had proved too strong for them. They -clung to their mother more than did Olga or Tatiana, and hardly left -her protection. The Empress, who had never been a fond mother in the -sense of caresses, had changed in that respect since the misfortunes -that had fallen upon her, and she now hugged her girls and drew them -to her breast with a passionate earnestness which made the children -exclaim that now they were happier than they had ever been before, -because their mother embraced them just as much as if they had been -poor little waifs, with a mamma ignorant of what etiquette meant. The -remark had something touching about it, and I think that the Empress -realised this as well as did others, because she showed herself more -affectionate towards her daughters than she had been used to do, and -was no longer absorbed by her exclusive tenderness for her son. She -seemed indeed to have lost her interest in the latter since the day -she had realised that he was no longer the heir to one of the greatest -thrones in the world. - -The child himself understood it, and he was perhaps the one who -suffered most from the consequences of the change which had transformed -him into an ordinary little boy, after he had been the most important -personage in his family. He fretted over this change, and I fancy that -at times he felt resentful against his father and mother for having so -easily acquiesced in their own degradation. He would have liked to see -his father make a stand against the Revolution, and at least refuse -to surrender the rights of his son and heir. One day he betrayed -something of his feelings when he told Count Benckendorff that if he -had not been ill but with the Czar at Headquarters, as he generally -was, he would never have allowed him to abdicate. The Count did not -reply, but I imagine that he regretted such had not been the case. -Indeed to this day it is incomprehensible to me how Nicholas II. could -have been induced to sacrifice the rights of his son, and not to have -insisted on the latter being proclaimed Emperor in his stead. - -In the meantime the days dragged on, and we were all wondering whither -all this was to lead. The feeling that a change of some kind was bound -to take place floated in the air, but no one could guess of what nature -this change was to be. At times the fear would seize us that the -Government would remove the Czar and his Consort to the fortress, which -would have meant that they would be tried, and perhaps condemned to -terrible penalties for their imaginary crimes, but hard as we all tried -to penetrate the secret of the future, we did not succeed in doing so, -and when this future was revealed to us, it surpassed in horror all -that we had ever imagined or dreaded. - - - - -CHAPTER XXI - -EXILE—I AM DISMISSED - - -Towards the middle of the summer vague rumours reached us that in -consequence of the agitation which was already shaking the country to -a considerable degree, the Government had decided to remove Nicholas -II. to another and safer residence than Czarskoi Selo. It was feared -that if an insurrectionary movement took place at Petrograd, the mob -might proceed to the Imperial Borough and murder the former Czar. At -least this was the pretext put forward by the ministers, to explain the -reasons which had induced them to put out of the way the unfortunate -Emperor and his family. Of course no one believed them, because it -would have been relatively easy to have controlled the populace in case -it had tried to attack the Palace where the prisoners were confined. -And if this had been thought impossible, surely there were other places -than Siberia where they could have been sent. - -I am not here, however, to blame or to excuse anybody. I wish merely to -relate facts such as I have known them, and nothing else. So I shall -proceed with my story, which is now drawing to an end. - -It was in the course of a July afternoon that we were summoned before -the military commander of Czarskoi Selo. By we I mean the household, or -what was left of it, of the deposed sovereigns. We were informed that -the latter were about to leave their present residence and that only a -few persons would be allowed to accompany them. I was told that I would -not be permitted to do so, as my presence was not considered necessary -to the Empress, who, it was ironically remarked, would not require any -longer two maids, especially one who like myself had purely academic -functions. I pleaded hard to be exempted from this ordeal of being -removed with others from the service of the gracious lady at whose side -and in whose service I had remained twenty-five years, but my request -and protestations were not taken into account. I was told to prepare -myself to leave the Palace at a moment’s notice and to have both my own -things and those belonging to the Empress packed and ready to be taken -away. - -Count Benckendorff and Prince Dolgoroukoff, who declared that nothing -but sheer force would part them from their former Sovereign, and -two ladies in waiting on the Empress, the Princess Obolensky, and -Mademoiselle von Butzov, who was specially attached to the service of -the young Grand Duchesses, were allowed to travel with the prisoners, -as well as some servants who had found favour in the eyes of the -Government probably because they had consented to take upon themselves -the duty of spying upon their master and mistress. But the suite was to -be very limited, and to the last minute we were left in ignorance as to -the real destination of Nicholas II. Count Benckendorff was the only -exception to this measure and he was sworn to secrecy. - -When I returned to the Palace, I could not help seeking the Empress -and relating to her all that I had heard. She raised her hands to -Heaven with the exclamation, “They will put us in the fortress, and -then murder us like they did Louis XVI.” But she showed no fear, and -remained as calm and composed as ever, not caring to let her children -be troubled sooner than was necessary with the news of what was -awaiting them in the near future. - -Three days later an officer sent by the government asked to see the -young Grand Duchesses. He communicated to them the news that their -parents were to be transported to Tobolsk in Siberia and that they were -left entirely free to accompany them there or to remain at Czarskoi -Selo, in which case they would be permitted to remain in the Palace -and to occupy their present apartments. The girls did not hesitate -one single moment and replied that they would not think of abandoning -their father and mother, but would go with them wherever it pleased -the government to send them. It is a curious thing that no one thought -for one moment of suggesting that the little Alexis should be left in -Europe, and the delicate child was not given a thought, but on the -contrary despatched with alacrity to an exile which might easily kill -him, as he was hardly strong enough to be able to withstand the rigour -of the terrible climate to which he was being consigned. It was only -after the Grand Duchesses had been called upon to make their decision -that the Czar and his Consort were officially informed that they were -about to be removed to Tobolsk. The place is about one of the worst in -the whole of Siberia, both as regards temperature and resources. Half -village and half town, its population consists of political exiles and -prisoners, and of Yakoutes, a savage, nomad folk, that spends its time -in the unexplored forests which surround the town, whence they emerge -from time to time to sell the furs which they have gathered together in -the winter. The thermometer falls below freezing point for months at a -stretch, and altogether it is one of the dreariest spots in the whole -world. It is to this living death and to this awful solitude that were -to be consigned the man and the woman whom the world had known as the -Emperor and Empress of All the Russias, together with their innocent -children. The Tour du Temple, where Louis XVI. was confined, was not -half so awful as this. - -And yet the Empress accepted the news if not with resignation at least -with composure. To tell the truth she was weary of Czarskoi Selo, -where everything reminded her of former and happier times, and perhaps -she was not sorry to have at last a complete change of surroundings. -She declared herself ready to start as soon as ordered to do so and -busied herself with the preparations for her approaching departure -just as if it had been a holiday excursion. The only thing which she -asked for was to see her sister, the Grand Duchess Elizabeth, but -though the latter was informed that she could if she wished proceed -to Czarskoi Selo, she refused to do so, and contented herself with -writing a very short and formal note to the Empress, who felt this want -of heart far more than she admitted. These were indeed sad days that -preceded the sad departure. None among us had the faintest hope of ever -again seeing the kind masters we were parting from, and the prisoners -themselves thought that they would never come back to this Russia that -was behaving so harshly towards them. On the last evening the Emperor -called us to his presence and thanked us for our faithful services. He -was pale but otherwise unmoved. The whole thing seemed, to judge from -his appearance, to constitute an episode that did not concern him. -The Empress was agitated, but also resigned, and she tried to put on -a gaiety which she did not feel. She had since the Revolution always -worn black dresses, but on that evening she ordered me to prepare her -for the morrow a dark blue costume. She did not wish strangers to think -that she wore mourning for her misfortunes. No one slept that night -in the Palace, and when the hour for departure sounded there was not -one dry eye amongst us. I obtained permission to accompany my mistress -to the railway station and part of the way. My heart was bursting with -despair. - -They started—that unfortunate family—with an air of cheerful courage, -on this momentous and awful journey. Without a sigh the Czarina bade -good-bye to that Palace which had seen her greatness and her downfall. -Probably she had, as Queen Elizabeth of Austria had once said, “died -inwardly” long before that day, and nothing more could hurt her now. -Without a tear she entered the train, such a shabby one when compared -with the sumptuous cars in which she had been used to travel, and she -did not even turn her head to look back on the theatre of her former -splendour and misery. The whistle sounded, the engine began to move, -and with it disappeared into space the haughty autocracy which had -ruled over Russia—Holy Russia—since Peter the Great had organised it -as an Empire, and which though no longer great, yet had remained an -immense thing until the Revolution, with the mistakes and faults of its -representatives, had finally destroyed it.... - -I have nothing more to say. This is not a political work and I have -purposely avoided any mention of my personal opinions in regard to -the catastrophe which has sent my former masters into that Siberia -which has witnessed already so many tragedies. Personally they have -always been kind to me. I would be an ungrateful person if I did not -acknowledge it, and if I forgot to shed tears over their fate. - - -Transcriber’s Notes - - Page 38 — o’colck changed to o’clock. - Page 181 — conspicious changed to conspicuous - Page 222 — communciation changed to communication. - Have left the spellings of Mohilev and Mohilew as printed. - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MY EMPRESS; TWENTY-THREE YEARS OF -INTIMATE LIFE WITH THE EMPRESS OF ALL THE RUSSIAS FROM HER MARRIAGE TO THE -DAY OF HER EXILE *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online -at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you -are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this eBook. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: My empress; twenty-three years of intimate life with the empress of all the Russias from her marriage to the day of her exile</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Marfa Mouchanow</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: February 02, 2021 [eBook #64444]</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Character set encoding: UTF-8</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Produced by: Fay Dunn, Fiona Holmes and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)</div> - -<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MY EMPRESS; TWENTY-THREE YEARS OF INTIMATE LIFE WITH THE EMPRESS OF ALL THE RUSSIAS FROM HER MARRIAGE TO THE DAY OF HER EXILE ***</div> - - -<div class="transnote"> -<h2 class="nopagebreak" title="">Transcriber’s Notes</h2> - -<p>Hyphenation has been standardised.</p> - -<p>Other changes made are noted at the <a href="#end_note" title="Go to the End Note">end of the book.</a></p> -</div> - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/i_cover.jpg" alt="" width="639" height="1000" /> -</div> - - -<div class="figcenter"> -<a id="images_frontis" name="images_frontis"><img src="images/i_frontis.jpg" alt="" width="366" height="520" /></a> -<p class="caption1"><em>International Film Service</em></p> -<p class="caption center"><span class="smcap">The ex-Czarina Alexandra of Russia</span></p> -</div> - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h1> MY EMPRESS</h1> - -<p class="space-above2"></p> - - <p class="center p100">TWENTY-THREE YEARS OF INTIMATE LIFE</p> - <p class="center p100">WITH THE EMPRESS OF ALL THE RUSSIAS</p> - <p class="center p100">FROM HER MARRIAGE TO THE DAY OF HER EXILE</p> - -<p class="space-above2"></p> - - <p class="center p60">BY</p> - - <p class="center p90">MADAME MARFA MOUCHANOW</p> - - <p class="center p80">FIRST MAID IN WAITING</p> - <p class="center p80">TO</p> - <p class="center p80">HER FORMER MAJESTY</p> - <p class="center p80">THE CZARINA ALEXANDRA OF RUSSIA</p> - -<p class="space-above2"></p> - - <p class="center p60"> WITH</p> - <p class="center p60">ILLUSTRATIONS FROM PHOTOGRAPHS</p> - -<p class="space-above4"></p> - - <p class="center p80"> NEW YORK: JOHN LANE COMPANY</p> - <p class="center p80"> LONDON: JOHN LANE, THE BODLEY HEAD</p> - <p class="center p80">MCMXVIII</p> -</div> - -<p class="space-above4"></p> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="center p80"><span class="smcap">Copyright, 1918,</span></p> -<p class="center p80"><span class="smcap"> By Curtis Publishing Company</span></p> - -<p class="center p80"><span class="smcap">Copyright, 1918,</span></p> -<p class="center p80"><span class="smcap">By John Lane Company</span></p> - -<p class="space-above4"></p> - -<p class="center p70"> Press of</p> -<p class="center p70">J. J. Little & Ives Co.</p> -<p class="center p70">New York</p> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span></p> -<h2>CONTENTS</h2> - -<hr class="small" /> - -<table class="toc" summary="Contents"> -<tr> - <td><small>CHAPTER</small></td> - <td> </td> - <td><small>PAGE</small></td> -</tr> - <tr> - <td class="chapnum"><abbr title="1">I</abbr></td> - <td><span class="smcap">My Appointment</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#Page_11">11</a></td> - </tr><tr> - <td class="chapnum"><abbr title="2">II</abbr></td> - <td><span class="smcap">The First Months of the Czarina’s Married Life</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#Page_20">20</a></td> - </tr><tr> - <td class="chapnum"><abbr title="3">III</abbr></td> - <td><span class="smcap">Birth of Grand Duchess Olga</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#Page_33">33</a></td> - </tr><tr> - <td class="chapnum"><abbr title="4">IV</abbr></td> - <td><span class="smcap">The Coronation</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#Page_46">46</a></td> - </tr><tr> - <td class="chapnum"><abbr title="5">V</abbr></td> - <td><span class="smcap">Visits Abroad</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#Page_59">59</a></td> - </tr><tr> - <td class="chapnum"><abbr title="6">VI</abbr></td> - <td><span class="smcap">The Grand Duchess Elizabeth</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#Page_72">72</a></td> - </tr><tr> - <td class="chapnum"><abbr title="7">VII</abbr></td> - <td><span class="smcap">The Czarina’s Family Relations</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#Page_82">82</a></td> - </tr><tr> - <td class="chapnum"><abbr title="8">VIII</abbr></td> - <td><span class="smcap">Life at Czarskoi Selo</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#Page_94">94</a></td> - </tr><tr> - <td class="chapnum"><abbr title="9">IX</abbr></td> - <td><span class="smcap">The Court and Attendants of the - Czarina</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#Page_105">105</a></td> - </tr><tr> - <td class="chapnum"><abbr title="10">X</abbr></td> - <td><span class="smcap">The Czarina and <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg Society</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#Page_117">117</a></td> - </tr><tr> - <td class="chapnum"><abbr title="11">XI</abbr></td> - <td><span class="smcap">The Czarina and Her Mother-in-Law</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#Page_129">129</a></td> - </tr><tr> - <td class="chapnum"><abbr title="12">XII</abbr></td> - <td><span class="smcap">The Czarina’s Daily Occupations</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#Page_141">141</a></td> - </tr><tr> - <td class="chapnum"><abbr title="13">XIII</abbr></td> - <td><span class="smcap">The Japanese War and the Birth of - the Czarevitsch</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#Page_152">152</a></td> - </tr><tr> - <td class="chapnum"><abbr title="14">XIV</abbr></td> - <td><span class="smcap">The Czarina, Her Children and Her - Charities</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#Page_164">164</a></td> - </tr><tr> -<td><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span></td> -</tr><tr> - <td class="chapnum"><abbr title="15">XV</abbr></td> - <td><span class="smcap">The First Revolution</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#Page_176">176</a></td> - </tr><tr> - <td class="chapnum"><abbr title="16">XVI</abbr></td> - <td><span class="smcap">The Czarina’s Friends</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#Page_188">188</a></td> - </tr><tr> - <td class="chapnum"><abbr title="17">XVII</abbr></td> - <td><span class="smcap">The Great War</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#Page_200">200</a></td> - </tr><tr> - <td class="chapnum"><abbr title="18">XVIII</abbr></td> - <td><span class="smcap">Disasters and the Second Revolution</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#Page_211">211</a></td> - </tr><tr> - <td class="chapnum"><abbr title="19">XIX</abbr></td> - <td><span class="smcap">How the Czarina Was Arrested</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#Page_222">222</a></td> - </tr><tr> - <td class="chapnum"><abbr title="20">XX</abbr></td> - <td><span class="smcap">Life in Prison</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#Page_236">236</a></td> - </tr> <tr> - <td class="chapnum"><abbr title="21">XXI</abbr></td> - <td><span class="smcap">Exile—I Am Dismissed</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#Page_249">249</a></td> - </tr> - </table> -</div> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span></p> -<h2>ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> -<table summary="Illustrations" class="toi"> -<tr> - <td class="cht">The ex-Czarina Alexandra of Russia</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#images_frontis" title=""><em>Frontispiece</em></a></td> -</tr><tr> - <td> </td> - <td class="smcap right"><small><small>FACING PAGE</small></small></td> -</tr><tr> - <td class="cht">The ex-Czar Nicholas II of Russia</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_20">20</a></td> - </tr><tr> - <td class="cht">Winter Palace, Petrograd</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#illo_34">34</a></td> - </tr> -<tr> - <td class="cht">Alexander Hall in the Kremlin at Moscow</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_44">44</a></td> - </tr><tr> - <td class="cht">Throne Room in the Kremlin at Moscow</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_52">52</a></td> - </tr> -<tr> - <td class="cht">Old Banquet Hall of the Czars</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_70">70</a></td> - </tr> -<tr> - <td class="cht">Rasputin</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_80">80</a></td> - </tr> -<tr> - <td class="cht">The ex-Czarina of Russia and her Four Daughters</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_102">102</a></td> - </tr> -<tr> - <td class="cht">Grounds of the Imperial Palace at Tzarskoié Sélo</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_122">122</a></td> - </tr> -<tr> - <td class="cht">Grand Duke Michael</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_132">132</a></td> - </tr> -<tr> - <td class="cht">Grand Duchess Olga</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_144">144</a></td> - </tr> -<tr> - <td class="cht">The ex-Czarevitch</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#illo_156">156</a></td> - </tr> -<tr> - <td class="cht">The ex-Czarina and her Son</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#illo_168">168</a></td> - </tr> -<tr> - <td class="cht">The Grand Staircase, Winter Palace, Petrograd</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_178">178</a></td> - </tr> -<tr> - <td class="cht">Grand Duchess Elizabeth</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_188">188</a></td> - </tr> -<tr> - <td class="cht">Grand Duchess Anastasia</td> - <td class="pag"><a href="#Page_220">220</a></td> - </tr> -</table> -</div> - - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<h2><a name="MY_EMPRESS" id="MY_EMPRESS"></a>MY EMPRESS</h2> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span></p> - - - -<h2>CHAPTER I</h2> - -<p class="center">MY APPOINTMENT</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">It</span> is the custom, or rather it was the custom, at the Russian Court, -not to allow any Princess marrying into the Imperial family to bring -with her maids from her own country. I believe that this custom was -also observed at Foreign Courts, at least in former times. Therefore, -when it became known that the heir to the Russian Throne, as Nicholas -II. still was when he became the affianced husband of the lovely -Princess Alix of Hesse, was about to bring a bride to his parents’ -home, speculations became rife, and much heart burning resulted among -people who considered themselves entitled to the honour of becoming -attendants on the future Empress of All the Russias.</p> - -<p>Of course the choice of the maids destined to wait upon her was to -a certain measure dependent <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" -id="Page_12">[12]</a></span>on the will of the Reigning Empress, and -the latter felt that it would not do to surround her daughter-in-law -with women unable to talk any other language than Russian. A list was -submitted to her of ladies who were supposed to be eligible for the -position, and, unknown to myself, my name was placed upon it.</p> - -<p>The functions of first maid to a Czarina were far from being purely -honorific. Of course she was not supposed to do any menial work, -but, on the other hand, she had to show herself most discreet, to -avoid gossip of any kind, to have no intimate friends or relatives in -whom she might feel tempted to confide, and, moreover, considerable -responsibility rested on her shoulders, as she had under her care not -only the personal jewels of her Imperial mistress, but also those -belonging to the Crown (when these happened to be used), the control of -everything that was connected with the toilet and personal adornment -of the Princess in whose service she stood, the paying of her private -bills, and so forth. She had under her eight other maids, whose duties -consisted in attending to the wants of the Princess, but these took -no initiative, and were entirely dependent upon her, having to <span -class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span>obey -her and to listen to all her instructions. One had to have a certain -rank or Tschin, as it is called in Russian, to be able to obtain -such an appointment, and probably the fact that my husband, who had -died a short time before the marriage of Nicholas II. and Alexandra -Feodorovna, had been a Colonel, had something to do with the fact that -my name figured on the list of the women considered eligible for the -position which I was to obtain.</p> - -<p>As is well known, the arrival of the Princess Alix in Russia was -hurried on account of the illness of the Czar Alexander III., who knew -himself to be dying, and who wished to see his future daughter-in-law -before he breathed his last. The Grand Duchess Elizabeth of Russia, -the wife of the Grand Duke Sergius, who was the eldest sister of the -Princess, went to meet her at Warsaw, and brought her to Livadia, -in the Crimea, which she reached about three days before the demise -of the Emperor. She was met on her arrival with all the honours -pertaining to the bride of the heir apparent, but the circumstances -which accompanied her journey were such sad ones, that they could not -help painfully impressing her and adding to the natural melancholy of -her character, which was already<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" -id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> at that time sufficiently pronounced -to cause anxiety to the people who surrounded her.</p> - -<p>The mortal remains of Alexander III. were -brought back with much pomp to <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg, -where instead of making the solemn entry which -Russian Imperial brides generally do in the capital, -in golden coaches surrounded with elaborate -ceremonies, the Princess Alix arrived in a mourning -carriage, smothered in the folds of her crêpe -veil. No one noticed her, and the general interest -of the public was concentrated on the Empress -Dowager, whose grief was pitiable to witness. -The young girl about to take the latter’s place on -the throne of Russia felt quite lost and lonely -amidst her new surroundings, and no one seemed -to care for her, or to trouble as to what was going -to befall her. At that time many people believed -that her marriage would be postponed until after -the mourning for Alexander III. was over, and -hoped that something might yet occur to prevent -its ever taking place. The alliance was not popular, -and neither Court society nor the nation felt -pleased at the idea of a German Princess coming -to share the throne of their new Sovereign. He -was known already to be absolutely lacking in -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span>character, and many persons feared that through -the influence which his wife might come to acquire -over his mind, the Grand Duke Sergius, who was -married, as I have already related, to the sister of -the Princess Alix, would become paramount at -the Russian Court. And the Grand Duke was the -most hated and the most unpopular personage in -the whole country.</p> - -<p>Family intervention, however, decided otherwise, and, partly thanks -to the efforts of the Prince and Princess of Wales, who had arrived in -<abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg to be with the Empress Marie in her hour of sorrow, it -was decided to solemnise the nuptials of the new Czar as quickly as -possible; therefore the twenty-sixth of November, 1894, the birthday -anniversary of the widow of Alexander III., was chosen for it.</p> - -<p>All this time I had not seen my new mistress. -She was supposed to be too busy to have leisure to -become acquainted with her future household, and -it was only some three days before the one selected -for the wedding that I was at last presented to her -in the Palace of the Grand Duke Sergius, where -she had resided since her arrival in <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg.</p> - -<p>My first impression was that of a tall, slight girl,<span -class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> with -straight long features, a classical profile, and a lovely figure, which -gave no indications of the tendency to stoutness that was to spoil it -later on. She had fair hair that shone like gold in the sun, whilst -at times it appeared quite dark, according to the light which played -upon it. The mouth was the most defective feature in an otherwise -almost perfectly beautiful face. It had a determined expression, which -even then could be unpleasant, and the chin was decidedly heavy. But -the general impression she produced was that of a superb woman. The -deep mourning which she wore suited her, and heightened the natural -whiteness of her lovely complexion, and I remember thinking that I had -never yet seen any one more beautiful than this girl about to become my -Empress.</p> - -<p>She said very little to me, and what she did say -was uttered in a low, constrained voice. She -seemed to have a nervous dread at the idea of being -compelled to have strangers about her, and she -asked me to ascertain from the maid from whom -she was about to part her customs and habits, so as -to be able to direct the women who were to attend -on her in the future. But when I asked her to allow -me to begin my duties at once, she objected,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> -saying that it would be time enough on her wedding -day.</p> - -<p>This proved inconvenient in many respects, because -it was most difficult to attend to the many details -connected with a complicated toilet, such as a -bridal one invariably is, let alone an Imperial one, -and to make decisions for an utter stranger. According -to etiquette the Grand Duchess (the Princess -Alix had been given this title on the day she -had entered the Greek Church) had to dress in the -Winter Palace, where not only her eight maids, but -all the ladies in waiting on the Empress Dowager, -those of her own future household, and the jewels -she was to wear, were awaiting her. To a room -set aside for the purpose by etiquette had been -brought the gold toilet service of the Empress -Anne, which is always taken out for such occasions -and for such only, and it was spread on a table before -which the Princess was asked to sit. The diamond -Crown used for Imperial weddings was then -brought to the Empress Dowager, who, according -to the rules of the ceremony, had to put it on the -head of the bride. But an unforeseen incident occurred. -The hairdresser, who was to adjust the -crown and the bridal veil, could not be found; no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> -one knew where he was, nor could any one take his -place. At last it was discovered that an over-zealous -police official, believing his ticket of admission -invalid, had refused to let him enter the Winter -Palace. A whole hour went by before this was -discovered, and the marriage was delayed for that -length of time, to the wonder of the thousands of -people assembled to witness it, in the various rooms -and halls of the Imperial residence.</p> - -<p>During this weary hour the Princess sat motionless -before her looking glass, hardly saying a word, -but with tears in her eyes which, however, she -bravely tried to conceal. People buzzed around -her, trying to attract her attention, but she did not -seem to heed them, and merely waited and waited, -with that patience which, as I discovered later on, -was a distinctive feature in her character. At last -the hairdresser was brought in, hot and excited, and -he quickly fastened the diamond diadem on the -head of the young bride, whom we proceeded to -array in the long mantle of cloth of gold, lined with -ermine, which she was to wear over her white gown. -When she was ready and stood before us, previous -to the starting of the procession for the chapel, we -all uttered an exclamation. None among us had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> -ever gazed at anything more lovely than she appeared -to our eyes, and indeed I have never, in the -years that followed, seen Alexandra Feodorovna -look so splendid as on that grey November morning -which saw her married to the Czar of All the -Russias.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span></p> -<h2>CHAPTER II</h2> - -<p class="center">THE FIRST MONTHS OF THE CZARINA’S MARRIED LIFE</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/i_020p.jpg" alt="" width="393" height="550" /> -<p class="caption1"><em>International Film Service</em></p> -<p class="caption center"><span class="smcap">The ex-Czar Nicholas II of Russia</span></p> -</div> - -<p><span class="smcap">Owing</span> to the haste with which the royal wedding was celebrated there -was no time to prepare in advance suitable apartments for the Czar and -his bride in any of the Imperial palaces either in <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg or -in Czarskoi Selo. The latter residence had from the very first been -spoken of as the future abode of the young couple, being a favourite -one with the new Sovereign. But the Alexander Palace, the only one -which was more or less adapted to the exigencies of modern life, had -not been inhabited since the death of the Empress Marie Alexandrovna, -the Consort of Alexander II., and required to be entirely overhauled. -The Winter Palace, too, was in want of renovation, and particularly -unsuitable, as the young Empress had expressed a wish to have the -apartments which she was to occupy newly furnished, according to her -own tastes and ideas. The result of this state of -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span>things was that the newly married couple spent the -first months of their wedded life in the Anitschkoff Palace, the -residence of the Dowager Empress, in the small rooms which had been -occupied by Nicholas II. as a bachelor, rooms that were anything -but comfortable, and where there was not even sufficient place for -the wardrobe of the bride, who, besides, found herself without a -sitting-room of her own, and had to borrow that of her mother-in-law -whenever she wished to receive any one.</p> - -<p>Of course this was not pleasant for her, and I -will add that it put her from the very outset in a -false position which she felt acutely. She was being -treated like a child, and she would not have -been human had she been pleased with the situation. -During the first weeks of her marriage, -when the whole court was still in deep mourning -for the late Czar, it did not perhaps matter as -much as it would have done later on, or under different -circumstances, but still it was disagreeable. -The Dowager Empress was, in her way, just such -an authoritative character as was her daughter-in-law, -therefore the two ladies soon found themselves -in strong opposition, and, though they did not own -to it, became heartily tired of each other. Six<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> -weeks after the wedding Alexandra Feodorovna -persuaded her husband to go for one week to -Czarskoi Selo, and when she returned to <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> -Petersburg I found that a considerable change had -taken place in her manners and bearing, much of -her former diffidence and shyness having disappeared. -She began to decide for herself certain -things she would not have dreamt of doing before -without having consulted her mother-in-law, and -she organised her personal existence after her own -heart. The first changes which she introduced -concerned her maids’ attendance upon her, and she -called me into her presence one morning to discuss -them at length, refusing to listen to some observations -which I thought it my duty to make to her. -In my opinion it would have been better to have -waited until we had moved out of the Anitschkoff -Palace before altering the rules which presided -over the dressing-room and wardrobe paraphernalia -of the young Empress, but my observations -were not kindly received, and I was told most peremptorily -to obey the instructions given to me, -which of course I did, but not without misgivings -as to the opportuneness of the changes introduced -in the routine of my Imperial mistress’ existence.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span></p> - -<p>Amongst others was the disposal of the cast-off -dresses of the young Empress. These were legion, -as she had been presented with a trousseau -of unusual abundance. But they were all of them, -or nearly all, mourning or half-mourning gowns, -and Alexandra seemed in haste to get rid of them. -She had her own ideas in the matter of her toilets, -and generally sketched, herself, the clothes which -she ordered. She had not good taste, this much -must be admitted, but she cared for dresses, and -liked to see hers renewed as often as possible. -Sometimes she had three or four garments laid out -and displayed before her eyes before she finally -made a choice. She had the idea that as a Sovereign -she ought to dress with great magnificence -from the very first hours of the morning, and she -disdained the simple tailor costumes which, on the -contrary, were so much liked by her mother-in-law. -The latter had been the best dressed woman in her -empire, but she had never fussed about her clothes, -and had affected a great simplicity in her every day -attire, reserving for state occasions the many Paris -creations that were being constantly sent over to -her. In a small house like the Anitschkoff Palace -the servants knew, of course, everything that was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> -going on, and much gossip passed between the -maids of the two Empresses, those of the young -one complaining to the attendants of the Dowager -of the fussiness of their mistress in regard to her -toilet. This gossip reached higher than the housekeeper’s -room, and contributed to the reputation -for caprice that Alexandra Feodorovna acquired -almost immediately after her marriage, a reputation -that was to cling to her and to harm her so -much in public opinion later on.</p> - -<p>Now I feel persuaded that if the Emperor and Empress had had from -the very first days of their married life a home of their own, this -would have been avoided, because there would have been no opportunity -for gossip between servants. As it was, the Dowager once or twice -made remarks to her daughter-in-law concerning the manner in which -she worried her attendants by too much fuss about her clothes, and -these were, of course, very badly received. And Alexandra Feodorovna -bitterly resented an allusion that was made to the fact that when she -was at Darmstadt she would not have dared to display such a capricious -temper. All these things were but trifles, but nevertheless<span -class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> they -were to exercise considerable influence on the afterlife of my -mistress.</p> - -<p>The Empress was inordinately fond of beautiful -furs and used to spend considerable sums in acquiring -continually new and most costly ones. For -this, too, she was reproached, and told that her -trousseau had contained sufficient fur garments, so -that there was no necessity to be always buying new -ones. She was reported to be extravagant, with reason -perhaps, though there was nothing inordinate -about her love for pretty things; certainly the bills -which she ran at Worth’s and Paquin’s, and other -dressmakers of repute, were not half so large as -those which her mother-in-law had incurred formerly. -But then the latter had always been a favourite, -and <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg society had smiled on -everything she had ever done or said.</p> - -<p>One of my duties was to take care of the Empress’s -jewels. She had received some splendid -and costly wedding presents from her relatives -in England and Russia, and especially from the -Emperor, who, among other things, had presented -her with an all round crown of pearls and diamonds -which, together with some wonderful sapphires, he -had bought in London when he had paid her a visit<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> -there during their betrothal. She loved to wear -them, and at first had not given a thought to the -possibility of having to lay them aside for far more -splendid parures and ornaments. But very soon -after her marriage there arose a question concerning -the Crown jewels, which were supposed to be devoted -to the use of the reigning Empress. During the -reign of Alexander III., the Empress Marie had -had them in her own keeping, and by his will the -Emperor had given her the use of them for her lifetime. -Now it seems that he had not the power to -dispose of them, and very naturally the treasury -claimed them after the demise of the Czar. His -widow, however, stoutly refused to give them up, -and painful scenes ensued, which assumed such -proportions that at last Alexandra Feodorovna declared -that, for her part, she would never consent -to wear the ornaments in dispute, that her mother-in-law -was welcome to them, and could keep them -as long as she liked. This, however, could not -be done, and at last the jewels were returned -to the treasury whence they were sometimes -taken and handed over to me, with great ceremony, -for the use of my mistress on state occasions. -But the Empress never liked them, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> -avoided putting them on, preferring her own -jewels. She declared that the big pearl and diamond -tiara, which, since the days of Catherine II., -had graced the head of all the Russian Empresses, -was far too heavy. I do not think I have seen her -wear more than four or five times the famous necklace -valued at twenty millions of roubles, which, -on the contrary, had been one of the favourite ornaments -of the Dowager Empress. The last time -this historical jewel was seen in public was at the -ball given by the nobility of <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg on the -occasion of the three hundredth anniversary of the -accession of the dynasty of Romanoff to the throne -of the Ruriks, in February, 1915, which was also -the last time that the Empress Alexandra ever appeared -at any save a religious festivity.</p> - -<p>Whenever she decided to put on any of those -Crown jewels I had to send a note announcing her -intention to the head treasurer in charge of the -strong room where the diamonds and precious -stones of the Czar were kept. He then summoned -an escort of three soldiers out of the guard on duty -in the Winter Palace, and, surrounded by them, -brought me the articles I had requested him to deliver. -I had to give a receipt for them, and as soon<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> -as the Empress had taken them off I had to advise -that same treasurer of the fact, then he immediately -came with another escort to reclaim them, returning -to me at the same time the receipt I had -signed a few hours previous. The complications -associated with this procedure were one of the reasons -that made the Empress averse to using those -ornaments, about which she did not care. She -much preferred adding constantly to her private -jewel boxes, and soon she became possessed of one -of the most remarkable collections of precious -stones in Europe. Pearls were her special favourites, -and the Emperor, who was aware of the fact, -was constantly presenting her with additions to her -various necklaces, and other pearl ornaments, and -the two Court jewellers, Bolin and Faberge, had a -standing order to bring to Czarskoi Selo every -fine specimen they could get hold of, before showing -it to any one else among their customers.</p> - -<p>This passion of the Empress for constantly acquiring -new ornaments was also a cause of bitter -reproach, and one of her aunts, the Grand Duchess -Marie Pavlovna, who was anything but kind and -charitable, once characterised it as “<i lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">un gout de parvenue</i>.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span></p> - -<p>In those early days of her married life there -arose another cause of friction between the Empress -and her mother-in-law. It was connected -with the manner of praying in church for the two -ladies. The Dowager insisted that her name ought -to come first, immediately after that of her son, the -Sovereign. But the ministers, and even the Holy -Synod, objected and declared that, according to -custom, the mother ought to rank after the wife. -Finally it was the opinion of the Synod that prevailed. -But Alexandra Feodorovna, who had interested -herself deeply in the matter, was not wise -enough to hide her joy at the turn things had taken, -and this of course contributed to the strained relations -that soon established themselves between her -and the widow of Alexander III.</p> - -<p>No harmony reigned at the Anitschkoff Palace -during those early days of my mistress’ married -life, and it is no wonder that the latter became more -and more embittered as time went on. She felt -herself neglected, and did nothing to please those -whom she suspected of wilfully slighting her. She -had a morbid desire to please, combined with a natural -haughtiness, which made her not only sensible -to a rebuff, but also desirous of avenging it. She<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> -did not care to be brushed aside by her relatives, -and yet she was herself contributing to the cause of -their actions, by her aloofness from all those who -might have been of use to her. She did not understand -<abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg society; she considered it immoral -and fast, and she made no secret of the fact, -snubbing unnecessarily people strong enough to do -her serious harm by their judgments and appreciations -of her conduct and personality. The misunderstandings -which caused her future unpopularity -began from the very first hours of her arrival in -Russia.</p> - -<p>With her attendants, however, she was always -kind and gracious, though distant in her manner. -It was only after many years that she grew to have -confidence in me, but then it was a complete one, -and sometimes she would allow herself to give way -in my presence to fits of despondency such as over-took -her from time to time, during which I feel -perfectly convinced she was not entirely responsible -for her actions. Her mind, always prone to -melancholy, made her look at things on their blackest -side, and this partly accounts for the tendency -towards mysticism which she was to develop later -on, and which contributed, more than anything else,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> -to the catastrophe that was to send her an exile to -the solitudes of Siberia. She was never well balanced, -and, when judging her, one must not forget -that insanity was hereditary in the House of Hesse, -a fact of which many people in Russia were aware, -but of which it seems that the Imperial family were -left in ignorance. Sensitive to a degree, she could -not get rid of prejudices which she was inclined to -adopt without any reason other than caprice, and -prejudices are among the things which sovereigns -ought never to entertain in regard to those whom -they may happen to meet, or with whom they are -surrounded. But with it all she was sweet and -gentle, and good, and conscientious; a perfect -mother, a most devoted wife, a staunch friend, incapable -of meanness or of treachery, but destined -by her very qualities to be always misunderstood, -and never appreciated as she ought to have been. -Amidst the pomp and splendour that surrounded -her she was lonely; she felt isolated, and though -she had found on her arrival in her new country -hosts of relatives and courtiers, she had not met one -single disinterested friend whom she could trust, -or towards whom she could turn for advice and -protection. The grandeur of her position put her,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> -as it were, outside of the world, and, unfortunately, -she was so overpowered by this grandeur that she -did not even attempt to break through the barriers -it had erected around her, and which divided -her from the rest of mankind.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER III</h2> - -<p class="center">BIRTH OF GRAND DUCHESS OLGA</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">The</span> uncomfortable winter which followed upon -the marriage of the Czar came at last to an end -without his young bride having been much seen in -public. The ladies prominent in <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg -society were presented to her during a great reception -which she held in the Winter Palace, but this -presentation consisted simply in their passing before -her with a curtsey, whilst her Mistress of the -Robes, the Princess Galitzyne, whispered their -names into her ear. She spoke to no one, and of -course no one spoke to her, and for the influence -that this reception had upon her relations with that -society over which she had to preside, it might just -as well never have taken place. There were, it is -true, a few old ladies whose husbands either had -been, or still were, in high official positions, who -were received by the Empress in private audience, -but these interviews were generally of short duration, -and consisted in the exchange of a few banalities<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> -in the way of conversation. The Empress did -not speak French well, and English at that time -was not the fashionable language of the upper -class, as is the case at present. Ill-natured people -commented on the mistakes made by the young -Sovereign in her use of the French idiom, and ridiculed -them. She became aware of the fact, and it -hurt her deeply, and added to the natural diffidence -of her character. In those early days of her -married life, Alexandra Feodorovna was striving -still for popularity, but doing it in a clumsy, mistaken -manner. She felt afraid of being called pro-German, -and exaggerated in consequence her manifestations -of amiability in regard to everybody and -everything that was connected with France, to -such an extent that she was accused of want of -frankness, not to use a more emphatic word. It -was the same thing with her sympathies for the -autocratic régime. At the time of her marriage, -people hoped that her influence over her husband -would result in his granting to Russia that constitution -which everybody had been sighing for, for -years. But the Imperial family, from the very -first hour of her arrival in the country, had repeated -to her that it was her duty to uphold the principles -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span>of that autocracy which Alexander III. had so successfully -maintained during the whole time of his -reign. She accepted this bad advice, and, in her -dread of being thought adverse to it, she applied -herself to persuade the Czar that he ought to make -some public declaration of his intentions to govern -according to the principles that had inspired his -deceased father. She partly succeeded, but the attempt -was not a happy one, because the famous -speech of Nicholas II. to the zemstvos, where he -affirmed his resolve to govern despotically, and -characterised as senseless dreams the aspirations -of his people, contributed more than anything else -to make him, together with his consort, the most -hated and unpopular Sovereign Russia had ever -known.</p> - -<div id="illo_34" class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/i_034p.jpg" alt="" width="550" height="416" /> -<p class="caption1"><em>International Film Service</em></p> -<p class="caption center"><span class="smcap">Winter Palace, Petrograd</span></p> -</div> - -<p>The first winter which saw the Princess Alix -transformed into the Empress of All the Russias -was, therefore, not precisely what can be called a -happy one. In summer the Court went as usual -to Peterhof, and the alterations which by this time -had begun to be made in the Czarskoi Selo Palace -were hastened, because the first accouchement of -the young Empress was expected in November, -and it had been decided that the expected family<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> -event, so anxiously looked forward to, should take -place there.</p> - -<p>Alexander Feodorovna herself superintended -these alterations. Under her care the old building -which had been the favourite residence of Alexander -II. and of his consort, that other Hessian -Princess who, however, had been both liked and respected -by her subjects, was completely transformed. -Splendour was banished from it, but the -whole place was furnished and arranged in the -style of an English cottage, with chintz hangings, -plenty of flowers of which the Empress was inordinately -fond, and a lot of nick-nacks and photographs -that gave it quite a homelike look. Alexandra -had admirable taste in all that concerned the -inner arrangements of her apartments, and she -transformed the old residence of the Russian Czars -into a lovely country house, such as one finds in old -England or in France. But her ideas in regard to -furniture and curtains and general interior ornamentation -of the rooms destined for her private use -differed so entirely from the accepted Russian notions -on the subject that they came to be discussed, -not only ill-naturedly, but also disagreeably. She -had consulted no one, and had made no secret of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> -her disapproval of certain things that had been -done without her consent, speaking about them with -an acrimony she would have done better, for her -future peace, to have avoided.</p> - -<p>The Emperor, however, was charmed with all -that she had done, and delighted at the way in -which she had arranged their new residence, to -which they moved early in the month of October, -1895. The Empress at once organised her existence -upon lines to which she remained more or less -faithful all through her reign. She used to rise -early, and never failed to breakfast with the Emperor -and to accompany him in the walk which he -liked to take every morning before settling down -to the business of the day. They used to go, in all -kinds of weather, for long rambles in the park -which surrounded the Palace of Czarskoi Selo, Alexandra -Feodorovna dressed in a short sable jacket -and a velvet skirt, which she changed for a more -elaborate garment when she returned home. She -disliked dressing gowns, and the first one I ever -saw her wear was during an illness which attacked -the Grand Duchess Olga, in the latter’s early childhood, -when her mother sat up with her at night,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> -and was persuaded to exchange her tight garments -for more comfortable ones.</p> - -<p>At eleven o’clock, the Empress’ private secretary -made his appearance, and brought to her the -numerous correspondence that had to be handled. -They worked together for an hour or so, and Alexandra -more than once tried to interest herself in -public charities and to gather knowledge in regard -to the various educational establishments in the -Empire. These, however, were under the special -patronage of the Empress Dowager, who did not -brook any interference in the matter, and who applied -herself to keep her daughter-in-law quite outside -of it. This was a great misfortune because it -deprived the latter of considerable interest in her -existence, and almost compelled her to spend her -time in frivolous occupations for which she did not -care. Lunch was served at two o’clock, and was -generally a simple meal, though an abundant one, -to which guests were seldom invited. After it was -over the Emperor remained for an hour with his -wife, chatting about the various news of the day, -and then they both went out for another walk. Tea -was brought to the Empress at five o’clock on a -tray in her own room, and she generally swallowed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> -it in a gulp, without even looking at the cup in -which it was contained. She was fond of needlework, -and amused herself by making lovely little -lace garments for her expected baby. She did not -care for the society of her ladies in waiting, whom -sometimes she did not see for weeks at a time, during -those early days of her marriage. Later on, -however, on account of the reproaches that were -showered upon her for this neglect of her personal -attendants, she had them dine with her and the Emperor -on Sundays, and this custom lasted until the -Revolution, when it fell into disuse, together with -so many other things.</p> - -<p>After dinner the Empress used to ensconce herself -in a large armchair by the open fire, and again -take up her needlework, whilst the Emperor read -aloud to her. He was very fond of reading, and -read extremely well. He liked historical books -better than any others, and followed with considerable -interest the different English and French reviews -which were regularly sent to him. This -lasted until eleven o’clock or thereabouts, when -Nicholas II. repaired to his study for a couple of -hours’ work, whilst the Empress began to undress. -I was generally present at this operation,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> -which was performed by the two maids on duty, -who were changed every day. Alexandra had a -profusion of beautiful, silky hair, and though she -was not so capricious about its treatment as the -poor Empress Elizabeth of Austria, yet she liked -to have it brushed for half an hour or so, after -which it was tightly plaited, and bound with silk -ribbon matching the one which trimmed her nightgowns. -These were of the finest linen or batiste, -profusely ornamented with Valenciennes or Mechlin -lace. The dressing jackets and peignoirs of -the Empress were generally made out of muslin -over silk, with insertions of Brussels net. She was -excessively fond of beautiful lingerie, and owned -to me one day that one of her greatest pleasures -after her marriage had been the possibility of being -at last able to indulge in her weakness for it. -Her bed sheets were absolutely magnificent, and -changed every day, the lace which trimmed them -being carefully selected to match that on her night -dresses. Madame Barrauld, the great French -lingère, who had made the trousseaux of all the -smart young girls of <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg society, was -summoned about once a week to Czarskoi Selo, to -receive the orders of the Empress in regard to her<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> -lingerie, and that of her daughters when these were -born.</p> - -<p>In regard to dresses, Alexandra Feodorovna had -about fifty for each season, without counting the extras. -She was very fond of white gowns, notwithstanding -the fact that these did not suit her. But -she had been told that it was a Russian custom to -wear white garments for every great festival, and -she had exaggerated it to such an extent that <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> -Petersburg society, always on the alert to criticise -its new Sovereign, had made fun of it, and its smart -leaders of fashion had affected to put on coloured, -and even dark dresses, on occasions when previously -they would never have thought of so doing. -She was supposed to have no taste in her manner -of attiring herself, and consequently it was considered -the thing to do exactly the contrary of what -she was doing, in that matter at least.</p> - -<p>The Imperial family did not often come to -Czarskoi Selo. At first, the Grand Duchesses, -aunts of the Empress, had attempted to see her, -without being summoned to her presence; but they -had soon found out that between them and her -there existed a barrier which it was out of their -power to remove. Alexandra Feodorovna was always<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> -civil to them, always received them with a -smile, but she nevertheless contrived to make them -feel that they bored her, and that she did not care -for their visits. The Empress Dowager also had -tried to break through her daughter-in-law’s reserve, -but though the latter had avoided hurting her -by showing too openly her dislike to having her -solitude intruded upon, yet her stiffness had not -encouraged Marie Feodorovna to repeat the attempt -of considering her son’s home as her own, -and of coming and going in and out of it at her will -and pleasure.</p> - -<p>All this caused the conduct of the young wife of -Nicholas II. to be severely criticised from almost -the first days of her arrival in Russia. Unfortunately -for her the choice that had been made of the -members of her household had not been a happy -one. Her Mistress of the Robes, the Princess -Galitzyne, was an intriguing woman, who thought -only of her own advantages and the possibility of -turning to her use and benefit the high position in -which she found herself placed. Her maids of honour -were very nice girls, but mostly nonentities, -and, if the truth need be told, her husband was not -the man capable of being for her the guide she required<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> -during those first days of her married life. -The only person whom she saw intimately, and who -came in time to acquire a considerable influence -over her, was her sister, the Grand Duchess Elizabeth, -of whom she had stood more or less in awe -during her girlish days, and who abused the privileges -due to her as the Empress’ senior. And the -Grand Duchess was not a wise mentor for the impressionable, -impulsive woman who had been -raised by destiny to the throne of All the Russias.</p> - -<p>With her servants Alexandra Feodorovna never -spoke, except in reference to questions concerning -their duties. She used to have half an hour’s conversation -with me in the morning and evening, in -regard to matters concerning her dresses or jewels, -and gave me her instructions as to what she required -to be done in regard to them. But it was -only after a number of years, and after I had -helped her nurse the young Princesses during an -attack of scarlet fever, that the Empress began to -talk with me of domestic matters, and of different -other things which worried her. She hated familiarity, -and firmly believed that it was part of her -duties to keep people at a distance. And yet what -a kind heart she had! It was sufficient for her to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> -know that any misfortune had befallen one of her -attendants or servants, to show them all the sympathy -with which her soul was full. But in normal -times she maintained an attitude of reserve -that was always misunderstood, and for which she -was more than once bitterly reproached.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/i_044p.jpg" alt="" width="550" height="423" /> -<p class="caption1"><em>Paul Thompson</em></p> -<p class="caption center"><span class="smcap">Alexander Hall in the Kremlin at Moscow</span></p> -</div> - -<p>During that month of November which saw the -first anniversary of the Czar’s marriage the Court -was expecting the birth of the first child of the Imperial -pair. All had made up their minds that it -was going to be a son, an heir to the vast estates -and to the throne of the Romanoffs. The thought -that it might be a girl had never crossed the mind -either of the nation or of the sovereigns themselves. -Preparations without number had been made for -the arrival into the world of that much-longed-for -boy, and for some days no one had slept in the -Palace of Czarskoi Selo. At last the doctors, who -for weeks had not left the Imperial residence, -were summoned to the bedside of Alexandra Feodorovna. -The poor woman had a very hard time, -and for long hours her life trembled in the balance, -whilst every hope of seeing the child born alive -had almost disappeared. Great was the joy, therefore, -when its cry was heard for the first time, a joy, -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span>however, that was turned into an intense disappointment -when it was announced that the baby -was nothing but a poor little girl, tiny and delicate; -a little girl whom no one wanted, and whom no one -was prepared to like, except the mother, who took -it to her heart with all the tenderness which, though -restrained, formed one of the bases of her strange, -perhaps not lovable, but altogether admirable character.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER IV</h2> - -<p class="center">THE CORONATION</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">The</span> christening of the Grand Duchess Olga -Nicolaievna was solemnised with great pomp at -Czarskoi Selo, after which the Court moved to <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> -Petersburg, and the young Empress took possession -of her new apartments in the Winter Palace. -These had been gorgeously fitted up with magnificent -silk hangings manufactured in Lyons, and -copied from those which adorn the rooms occupied -by Marie Antoinette in the Royal Palace of Fontainebleau -in France. This had been a surprise of -the Czar to his wife, but the latter, instead of being -pleased, was superstitiously affected by this remembrance -of the unfortunate Queen of France. -It has never yet been told that when the Empress -was quite a child in London an old gipsy woman -whom she had met when walking with her sisters in -Richmond Park, had prophesied misfortune to her -and to her sister Elizabeth, saying that they would -both marry in a distant country, where nothing but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> -tears and sorrow awaited them. This fact, which -she had never forgotten, had more to do than one -imagined with that weight of sadness which seemed -to be always pressing on Alexandra Feodorovna, -though of course she avoided mentioning it.</p> - -<p>Nevertheless she tried to shake off the premonitions -with which her soul became filled, when she -saw the rooms which had been prepared for her, -and she applied herself to give them that touch of -intimacy which she invariably communicated to all -the places where she lived. Big palms were -brought in, and put in different corners, and a few -valuable pictures were hung on the walls. But the -Empress did not care for paintings, and when she -was asked whether she would not have a few of -those in the Ermitage collection brought to her, as -was done in the case of her husband’s grandmother, -the Empress Marie Alexandrovna, she refused, -saying that she did not care to deprive the public -of the sight of them. In general, art did not appeal -to her, but she read a good deal, and played on -the piano with considerable pleasure, without, however, -having the talent for music which distinguished -her eldest daughter, the Grand Duchess -Olga, who became quite an artist later on. It was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> -the Empress’ custom before she began to play to -take off her rings, of which she possessed some -beautiful specimens, and to throw them on the piece -of furniture nearest at hand, forgetting afterwards -where she had put them. This sometimes -caused considerable annoyance, as they could not -always be found immediately, and a frantic search -was made all over the Palace, until at last they -turned up in some impossible place or other. -Among these rings was one containing a beautiful -pink diamond, the Empress’ engagement ring, -which she preferred to all others, and which she -constantly wore. Nevertheless she could not, even -in the case of this favourite jewel, divest herself of -the curious habit of taking it off her finger now -and then, and playing with it, as a child might have -done, sometimes quite unconscious that she was -so doing.</p> - -<p>The Empress’ piano was a splendid instrument -by Erard, and had been a wedding present from -her mother-in-law. She preferred it to all the -others that she possessed, and when the Court settled -at Czarskoi Selo definitely, not returning to -the Winter Palace more than for a few hours, she -had it removed there, and played on it up to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> -time she was sent into that Siberian exile whence -perhaps she will never return.</p> - -<p>The baptism of the Grand Duchess Olga was -the signal for Court festivities to be resumed after -the period of mourning for Alexander III. was -over. Balls were again given in the Winter Palace, -though its young mistress did not much care -for dancing, but they were of shorter duration, and -not half so lively as those of past times. For one -thing the Empress was herself nursing her little -daughter, much to the indignation of her relatives, -who considered that it was not a befitting thing to -do in her position, and she liked to retire early. At -all these receptions she was lovely in appearance, -and was gorgeously dressed, perhaps too gorgeously, -and she certainly made a splendid apparition -when she entered a ballroom. But people thought -her dull, and found her devoid of that kind of conversation -which goes by the name of “small talk.” -She was far too frank to hide her feelings, and -could not bring herself to show herself amused -whilst in reality she felt bored. This was noticed, -and of course resented. People expect one to be -interested in their doings and sayings, and an Empress -who hardly ever smiled did not tally with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> -their estimate of what she ought to have been, so -that with one thing and another, the winter season, -generally so brilliant in <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg, and to -which one had looked forward eagerly after the -sad one which had preceded it, did not prove the -success that was expected. Alexandra Feodorovna -was fast becoming unpopular, simply because -she would not lower herself to the level of those -who criticised her so openly and so persistently.</p> - -<p>Already in those early days there existed a party -against her, which never missed an opportunity to -compare her with her mother-in-law, and this not -to her advantage. The Dowager had been immensely -liked, partly because she had always made -it a point to appear to like every one she knew or -met. She had not perhaps been more talkative -than her daughter-in-law, but she had smiled sweetly -and nodded kindly to all her acquaintances, and -she had never noticed the shortcomings of her -neighbour. Alexandra Feodorovna, on the contrary, -was inclined to be satirical, and had a keen -sense of humour, that was not destined to add to the -pleasures of her existence. She drew most clever -caricatures, and was fond of showing them. One -day she produced a wonderfully clever sketch of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> -the Czar, sitting in a baby chair, whilst his mother -was scolding him for refusing to take a plate of -soup she was handing to him. The drawing passed -from hand to hand, and did not contribute towards -establishing harmonious relations between the two -Empresses, whilst the public was scandalised to see -the Czar made fun of by his own wife, who ought -to have been the first person to show him respect -and deference. All these were but small things, -but they constituted the drop of water which ends -by wearing away the hardest rock. Many times I -wished to warn my mistress of the criticisms to -which she willingly lent herself by her manners and -conduct, but I never dared; and those who could -have done so, like her Mistress of the Robes and -her ladies in waiting, did not sufficiently consider -her interests to bring to her observation these small -matters, which in reality were important ones, in -regard to her future comfort and happiness.</p> - -<p>What with one thing and another, the unpopularity -of the young Sovereign was already an established -fact when the Coronation took place at -Moscow. It appeared quite plainly on the day -she made her public entry into the ancient city, -when the crowds greeted her with absolute silence,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> -whilst they vociferously cheered the Dowager Empress. -Alexandra felt this deeply, and when she -was alone in her rooms she wept profusely over this -manifestation of the displeasure of the nation in -regard to her person. It was the first time that I -had seen her giving way to grief of any kind, and it -affected me very much, especially in view of what -was to follow. I had already learnt to love this -sweet, gentle lady, who seemed to be pursued with -such persistent bad luck, and whose actions were -misunderstood by the very people who ought to -have appreciated the real motives which guided her. -The Empress had a high sense of duty, but a mistaken -idea of what it consisted. She was far too -desirous of winning the approval of her subjects -to set herself to do it in the right way, and besides, -she had no one to point out to her the various idiosyncrasies -of the Russian nation and of Russian -society. She did not wish to go against what she -considered to be the national feelings of the people -over whom she reigned, and yet she contrived to -wound these feelings at almost every step she took.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/i_052p.jpg" alt="" width="366" height="550" /> -<p class="caption1"><em>Paul Thompson</em></p> -<p class="caption center"><span class="smcap">Throne Room in the Kremlin at Moscow</span></p> -</div> - -<p>A terrible example of this occurred during this -same Coronation I am talking about. Every one -knows the sad accident which was to mar it, and -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span>which offered an analogy with the one that occurred -in Paris during the wedding festivities of -Louis XVI. and Marie Antoinette. Thanks to -the negligence and carelessness of those who ought -to have known better, a popular festival which was -one of the distinctive features of the whole pageant -of the Coronation, ended in dire disaster, and something -like twenty thousand people were crushed to -death on the Khodinka Field near Moscow. That -same night a ball was to take place at the French -Embassy. The Ambassador, the Count de Montebello, -sent one of his attachés to the Master of the -Ceremonies, asking whether he was to postpone it -in view of the catastrophe which had taken place in -the morning. This official who, with others, had -applied himself to keep the Czar in ignorance of -the magnitude of the disaster, took it upon himself -to reply that there was no reason for this -change in the programme, and the Court accordingly -repaired to the French Embassy. The -young Empress, who had heard from one of her -ladies the truth as to what had taken place, was -most unhappy at the necessity of appearing in public -on the day when such a terrible calamity had -overtaken so many people, but she felt afraid to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> -say what she thought, out of dread that one might -think she had seized hold of the first pretext she -could find in order to avoid showing herself at the -Montebellos. It was already at that time suspected -that her sympathies were with the Germans, and -she was quite aware of the opinion concerning them -and herself. She did not wish to give any further -ground for this belief and thus did not follow the -instincts of her heart, which would have carried her -to the different hospitals where the victims of the -morning had been taken. So with sorrow in her -soul, and anxiety in her mind, she went to that fatal -ball and danced the whole night, though her -thoughts were absent from the gay scene of which -she was such an unwilling participator.</p> - -<p>On her return to the Kremlin she dropped into -an easy-chair beside her bed and burst into loud -sobs, not heeding my presence or that of her other -maids. Not caring for them to witness this explosion -of sorrow, I sent them away, and tried to -comfort my mistress to the best of my ability, entreating -her to control herself, and not to distress -the Emperor with the sight of her grief. But Alexandra -Feodorovna kept weeping until at last I -induced her to repair to the nursery, where the sight<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> -of her little girl sleeping in her cot brought back her -composure.</p> - -<p>And this was the woman who was represented to -be cold and unfeeling, and who was reproached for -her utter indifference in presence of a catastrophe -of unusual magnitude! Had she but listened to -the cry of her own heart, and not always lived in -dread of making mistakes and of going against the -sympathies of her surroundings, she would certainly -have fared much better, and most probably -would have been far more liked.</p> - -<p>The Coronation was far from the success that -had been expected, and the Court returned to Peterhof -with a feeling of relief that it was over. A -few quiet weeks followed, perhaps the happiest in -the whole life of Alexandra Feodorovna, who -started then to organise what afterwards turned -out to be quite an institution—sewing classes at -which she presided, where ladies of society made -garments for the poor which were distributed to -the latter at Christmas, something like Queen -Mary of England’s Needlework Guild. This was -her first venture in the charitable line, and for -some time it proved a successful one, because many -ladies entered into the spirit of it, unfortunately<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span> -out of interested motives, and because they expected -that it would bring them to the Sovereign’s -notice and thus contribute to the success of their -worldly career. But here again the Empress did -not realise what lay at the bottom of the willingness -with which her appeal was responded to, and -she did not show any special favour to the women -who had entered into its spirit. These were very -soon disgusted at what they called Imperial ingratitude, -and at last the sewing classes of Czarskoi -Selo came to an end, at least so far as the -fashionable world was concerned, because they continued -to be frequented by the wives and daughters -of the small tradesmen of the Imperial borough, -eager to be brought into personal contact -with their Czar’s wife, and with this new element -they prospered and contrived to do a great -deal of good. Later on, during the Japanese war, -they were transported to the Winter Palace in <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> -Petersburg, where they remained installed until -the Revolution, the present war having given them -a new stimulant.</p> - -<p>It was during the weeks which immediately followed -upon the Coronation that the plans for a -series of visits abroad to the different capitals of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> -Europe were at last settled. It was also then that -it was finally decided these visits should include -one to the President of the French Republic, an -event which, as can be imagined, gave rise to many -an animated discussion, and which caused much ink -to be spilt in the chanceries and newspaper offices -of the whole world, particularly of Europe. The -Empress looked forward with apprehension to -this journey, but nevertheless prepared herself for -it with unusual care. I had never before seen her -so interested in regard to the clothes she was to -wear, and she sent minute directions to Worth of -rue de la Paix fame, who was to be entrusted with -the task of making the gowns required for this momentous -occasion. Much against her will, however, -it was decided that some of the Crown jewels -were to be taken along, as it was deemed necessary -to display unusual splendour during this trip. -This did not please the Empress, in view of the disputes -which had arisen between her and her mother-in-law -in regard to these same jewels, but she was -not allowed to interfere, and both the historic necklace -and the tiara of Catherine II. were duly packed -and taken. Events proved that the instinct of -Alexandra Feodorovna had been a true one, because<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> -<abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg society bitterly reproached -her for this infraction of the old Romanoff traditions, -which required that the Crown diamonds -should not be taken out of Russia, and even the -Imperial family criticised this innovation in ancient -customs, and made her responsible for it. In -reality it was the then Foreign Minister, Prince -Lobanoff, who had insisted on the Empress appearing -in London, Paris and Vienna, in the full -pomp of her Imperial position, and who had raised -this question with which Alexandra Feodorovna -herself had had nothing to do, beyond submitting -to the arrangements which others had made on -her behalf. It is thus that history is written.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER V</h2> - -<p class="center">VISITS ABROAD</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">The</span> beginning of the visits of the young Emperor -and Empress to foreign courts was marked -by one of those misfortunes which seemed to dog -their footsteps wherever they went. The Minister -for Foreign Affairs, Prince Lobanoff, died suddenly -at a railway station where the Imperial train -had stopped for a few minutes. He was a man of -great ability and wide diplomatic experience, and, -moreover, was a staunch friend of the young Empress, -who mourned him with all her heart. He -would undoubtedly have given her good advice -later on, which she often needed, and might have -put her on her guard against the insidious counsel -which she so often received from people interested -in seeing her commit blunder after blunder. His -successor, Count Mouravieff, was a protégé as -well as a favourite of the Empress’s mother, who -was responsible for his appointment. He was also -a man of unusual ability, but one who knew very<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> -well on which side his bread was buttered, and who -was far too worldly wise to attach himself to a -woman who, he knew but too well, would never -succeed in making herself popular in the country -on whose throne she sat.</p> - -<p>One of the first visits paid by Nicholas II. and -his Consort abroad was to the German Emperor -and Empress in the town of Breslau, which had -been chosen in order to give a more intimate look -to the interview, and to divest it from the more official -character it would have had, had it taken place -in Berlin. They were received with great pomp. -William II. assumed his best manners and tried -by all means in his power to make his guests feel -comfortable. He was the first cousin of Alexandra -Feodorovna and at one time had imagined that he -would find in her a staunch ally in his various -schemes. But during those first months of her married -life the Czarina had learnt another lesson, and -that was that she had better avoid meddling with -politics. She therefore confined herself to the -exchange of banalities with her German cousins, -so that the Empress Augusta Victoria afterwards -remarked that she had never expected to find -“Alix” so very frivolous. The fact is that the young<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> -Czarina had taken great care to be splendidly -dressed for the occasion. Worth had sent a special -messenger to <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg to confer with her as -to the clothes she would require for this great event: -her first appearance as the Empress of All the -Russias at Foreign Courts. For the great State -dinner which took place in Breslau my mistress -wore a gown the tissue of which had been specially -woven in Lyons for her, a lustrous white satin brocaded -with golden lilies and feathers, the low bodice -profusely trimmed with gold lace. In her hair -was a diadem of sapphires and brilliants, and on -her neck reposed priceless sapphires and pearls, -the longest row of which fell down to the bottom of -her skirt. She looked truly magnificent, but this -splendour was bitterly criticised by the German -people, who declared she wanted to impress them -with her riches. Another thing which also displeased -her hosts was the fact that she had brought -her gold toilet service, and caused to be put aside -the silver one that had been prepared for her, which -out of compliment for her had been specially -brought from the Royal Treasury in Berlin. This -silver toilet set had belonged to the famous Queen -Louise, the mother of William I., and the Kaiser<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> -had imagined that by allowing it to be used by his -Russian guest he was paying her a great compliment. -When he heard it had been discarded by -her he was mortally offended, and even made a -cutting remark to that effect, which in her turn she -bitterly resented, saying that it seemed to her that -her cousin William still thought her the little Hessian -Princess of as little importance as she had been -before her marriage. All these things might have -been avoided with a little tact, and often did I deplore -this habit the Czarina had, of impulsively saying -things that hurt. I had tried to dissuade her -from dragging along with her this heavy toilet set, -which, in fact, got her into trouble wherever she -went, but she would not listen, and told me that it -did not concern me what she had decided, and that -I had only to execute the commands given to me, so -perforce I had to remain silent. Another whim of -the Empress was to carry with her the beautiful -lace trimmings of her dressing table. Wherever we -went they had to be taken out and adjusted to the -table before which she sat to have her hair dressed, -and sometimes this caused unnecessary work which -exasperated her maids, because all tables were not -of the same size, and the lace had to be adjusted under<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> -difficulties, as of course it could not be cut. It -was point d’Angleterre and Brussels lace, and one -of the sets was composed of old Argenton, valued -at twenty thousand francs. The set had to be -changed every day, and was further ornamented -with satin ribbons of different colours, that added -to its impression of richness.</p> - -<p>Strange to say, the Czarina enjoyed far more her -visit to the Vienna Court than the one she had paid -to her Berlin cousins. She had always felt curious -to know the Empress Elizabeth, and the fact that -the latter had consented to come out of her retirement, -and to be present at her reception in Vienna, -could not but flatter her. Moreover, she felt attracted -by the personality of the beautiful Bavarian -Princess, whom a sad fate had transformed into a -Mater Dolorosa, and the two ladies were from the -first sympathetic to each other. By a delicate attention, -which I fear no one appreciated, the Czarina -had selected a white dress for the State dinner -which was given in the Hofburg, and during the -whole time she stayed in Vienna, she made it a point -not to appear in colours, out of respect for the feelings -of the Empress Elizabeth, who never, as long<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> -as she lived, left off her mourning for the Archduke -Rudolph.</p> - -<p>We also, during this tour, went to Balmoral, -where the Empress met her grandmother, Queen -Victoria. The old Sovereign had been very kind -to this grandchild of hers, ever since the untimely -death of her mother, the Princess Alice, and had -had her often with her. But this stay at Balmoral -was not a success. Perhaps it was hardly possible -it could be one, because my mistress’ disposition was -not one which brooked interference, and Queen Victoria, -who had heard, as she generally did all that -concerned her immediate family, of the growing unpopularity -of the young Czarina, took her to task -for it and began advising her as to what she ought -to do. The Empress, however, did not accept any -advice, thinking that no one outside of Russia could -appreciate the growing difficulties of her situation, -and, besides, not caring to initiate her grandmother -into the various intrigues rampant in the Russian -Imperial family. So she received coolly the exhortations -of the Queen, and when the two ladies -parted it was not as warmly as might have been expected.</p> - -<p>Of course the culminating point of the foreign<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> -visits of the Emperor and Empress was Paris. It -awaited them with an enthusiasm the like of which -the French capital had probably never before seen. -From every side one heard cries of “Vive l’Impératrice!” -resounding in the air, and the appreciations -of the newspapers and of the public were all of -them warm and full of sincere admiration. But -the Empress, who was in a delicate state of health, -did not seem to care for the elaborate programme -of festivities which had been planned in her honour, -and showed herself more than usually listless -and indifferent. She was tired, and besides felt -embarrassed at what she considered to be exaggerated -expressions of admiration with which she was -greeted. She showed it so plainly that somehow the -Parisians felt that she did not quite appreciate their -efforts to please her, and they began in their turn -to criticise her, together with her manners and her -dresses. Though Worth had surpassed himself, -yet the clothes which he had made for this occasion -lacked the true Parisian chic which is required by -the gay city. And it began to be whispered that -the Czarina did not know how to dress herself, a -grave reproach in French eyes. There occurred -also another incident which illustrates the want of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> -tact which so often interfered with the conduct of -my Imperial mistress, and which characterised all -her entourage and court. The Russian Ambassador, -Baron Mohrenheim, gave a luncheon party at -the Embassy to which he invited the leaders of that -part of French society called the Faubourg <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> -Germain. Among those who responded to his appeal -were the Duchesses de Luynes and d’Uzes, the -Countess Aimery de la Rochefoucauld, and the -Duchesse de Doudeauville. The Czarina had been -told that these ladies were not in favour in Republican -circles, and she felt afraid to show them any -attention which might be interpreted as a desire to -please the enemies of the Régime which was welcoming -her. She consequently allowed them to be -presented to her, but spoke but a few words to -them, and showed herself so cool in regard to them -that of course she gave grave offence, and Baron -Mohrenheim was told that his “<i lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">Impératrice n’était -pas aimable</i>.”</p> - -<p>Of course a woman with a little experience of the -world might have known how to conciliate the different -elements with which she was brought in contact. -But Alexandra Feodorovna was not a diplomat, -and, moreover, never could hide her feelings.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> -She thus contrived to wound those whom, perhaps, -in her secret heart she was most anxious to please.</p> - -<p>The little Grand Duchess Olga had accompanied -her parents during these visits, and notwithstanding -the many things she had to do, and the numerous -calls upon her time, my mistress never forgot -to be present at her child’s undressing in the evening, -and had her brought to her room the first -thing in the morning. I generally wakened the -Czarina at eight o’clock, when I would hand her a -lace and silk morning jacket, which was brought to -me by the maid on duty, and then she would ask -for her daughter, with whom she played for half an -hour or so before glancing at the morning’s papers -and taking the cup of tea which she liked in the -morning. It had to be very strong and bitter, and -she never took sugar or cream with it. When she -was dressed she used to partake, with the Emperor, -of an English breakfast, which, after having been -fixed for half-past nine o’clock, was, later on, partaken -of much earlier, so as not to interfere with -the children’s lessons. The Empress was fond of -eggs, and of a certain crisp kind of bacon, such as -was generally found at Windsor or Balmoral, or -any of the residences of Queen Victoria. She was,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> -in general, very English in her tastes, and English -was the only language used in the Russian Imperial -family circle. This attention of Alexandra Feodorovna -to her daughter was of course praised in -Paris as well as in London, but not appreciated as -it ought to have been in <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg, where it -was said that she would have done better to have -been less of a good mother, and more of an Empress. -The Imperial family especially criticised -it freely, and called her a Mere Gigogne in derision. -When one daughter after another was born -to her, these criticisms became even more acute, and -it was said that she wasted all her time looking after -little girls whose existence was of no interest at all -to the Russian Empire.</p> - -<p>I must here relate a fact that, so far as I know, -has never been made public. After the Coronation -the Empress, owing to over-fatigue, had an accident -which destroyed some hopes of maternity she -was nursing. She had not spoken of her condition -in her family, and she told me that she felt very -glad she had not done so, because most probably she -would have been accused of some imprudence or -other, the more so that her doctor said that the expected -child would, in all probability, have been a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span> -boy. Nevertheless the thing somehow came to the -knowledge of the public in the sense that it was suspected, -though no one knew for a certainty whether -it was true or not, that such an accident had taken -place, and with the usual wickedness of humanity, -it was rumoured that the Sovereign had had reasons -to hide the condition she found herself in, and that -the accident in itself had been brought on more -voluntarily than accidentally. I was one day asked -whether these sayings which circulated freely in <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> -Petersburg were true or not. Imagine my indignation -and anger on hearing my beloved mistress accused -of so terrible a thing, the accusation having -not the slightest foundation to justify it. When -later on my Imperial mistress began to honour me -with her confidence, I implored her whenever she -thought she had reasons to suppose that she was -about to become again a mother, to mention the -fact at once, and give it as much publicity as possible. -But she was so persistently pursued by bad -luck that this also proved later on a source of much -trouble to her, when she happened to be attacked by -an illness which was at first attributed to a condition -that in reality did not exist.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/i_070p.jpg" alt="" width="550" height="423" /> -<p class="caption1"><em>Paul Thompson</em></p> -<p class="caption center"><span class="smcap">Old Banquet Hall of the Czars</span></p> -</div> - -<p>When we returned to <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg after this -triumphant (for such it was considered to have -been) journey abroad, we were welcomed there -with more effusion than had been even expected. -The French alliance was becoming very popular, -and the Russian nation moreover felt flattered at -the idea that its Sovereigns had been made so much -of wherever they had been. We went at first to -Czarskoi Selo and then moved for the winter season -to the capital, where the Empress, as usual, received -the ladies of society after mass on New -Year’s day, after which began the usual round of -gaieties that made <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg such an attractive -town at the time I am writing about. But instead -of the seven or eight balls generally given -during the winter, the Empress arranged to give -only four, varied with four theatrical performances -in the little theatre of the Ermitage Palace, which -had been built by the Empress Catherine. These -performances, which were always composed of classical -pieces, were declared to be dull, and people -found one excuse or another to absent themselves -from them, thus beginning the system of boycotting -which, later on, was extended to all the Empress’ -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span>entertainments. She was voted a bore and no criticism -could have been worse, considering the existing -state, together with the habits and customs, of the -society of the Russian capital.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER VI</h2> - -<p class="center">THE GRAND DUCHESS ELIZABETH</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">At</span> the risk of rousing a storm of indignation -against me, I must say that one of the misfortunes -of the Czarina was to have in Russia an elder sister -already married to a Russian Grand Duke. I -know that it is an established legend that the Grand -Duchess Elizabeth is a saint, who ought to have -been canonised in her lifetime. But, in reality, -things were not as represented. The Grand Duchess -was a very ambitious woman, and moreover one -who cared for nothing and for nobody in the world -with the exception of her own self. In spite of the -report that her marriage was a very miserable one, -she was on the contrary perfectly happy with her -husband, who was quite content to let her live her -own life, and who never interfered with anything it -might please her to do. When he was appointed -Governor General of Moscow, she hastened to go -over to the Greek Church, in order to win for herself -popularity in the ancient capital of the Russian<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> -Czars, and to a certain extent she succeeded in -doing so. She took advantage of her position as -eldest sister of the young Czarina to try to influence -her, and to prejudice her against those people -of whom she thought she had personally reason to -complain. The weakness of the character of Nicholas -II. was well known to his family, long before he -ever ascended the throne, and both the Grand Duke -Sergius, who, let it be said by the way, was an exceedingly -clever man, and his wife made up their -minds to rule Russia through the influence of its -new Empress, and to become the only really important -personages in the State. They partly succeeded, -and this was the cause of most of the misfortunes -which were later on to assail the unfortunate -Czarina.</p> - -<p>The latter, in spite of her impetuous and, if the -truth need be said, haughty disposition, stood in -awe of her eldest sister, a feeling out of which the -Grand Duchess Elizabeth knew very well how to -make capital. She set herself to persuade her sister -that it was indispensable she should affect a far -stronger attachment to the orthodox faith than she -really professed, and that if only the orthodox clergy -should think they had found in her an energetic<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> -support, she would rapidly become popular. It -must not be forgotten that at that time the influence -of priests in general was fast waning, and -that they were aware of the fact. It is not surprising, -therefore, that they tried to find a ally among -the Imperial family, and that the Grand Duchess -Elizabeth, who made a profession of being absorbed -in the practices of a narrow devotion, became the -object of their pet affection. She was quite conscious -of this fact, and being a far cleverer woman -than she looked, she used it to her own advantage -and to the detriment of her sister.</p> - -<p>Elizabeth Feodorovna had the reputation of being -a semi-saint. In reality she was nothing of the -kind, for she liked the bad as well as the good things -of this world to an inordinate degree. Fond of admiration, -she had not been insensible to the one -which she inspired, and her admirers had been -many, to begin with her own husband’s brother, the -Grand Duke Paul. But she had carried all her intrigues -in a grand manner, and had never allowed -them to interfere with the general comfort of her -existence. Worldly to her finger tips, she yet affected -the manners of an unworldly woman, and -she “took in” most of those with whom she came<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span> -into contact by her hypocrisy, for it could hardly be -called anything else.</p> - -<p>At heart she was jealous of her sister, just as she -had been jealous of the Empress Marie Feodorovna, -during the latter’s reign. It was for this reason -principally that she had been so glad to go to -Moscow, where she knew she would be the first lady -in the town, and would enjoy a semi-Imperial position. -She did not care to see any one put before -her, and she applied herself to render the young -Czarina unpopular by every means in her power.</p> - -<p>Of course the unfortunate Alexandra Feodorovna, -who knew nothing about Russia and still less -about Russian society when she married, believed -all that her sister told her, and the latter gave her a -totally false opinion as to most of the people whom -she saw, or with whom she was thrown into contact—the -Empress Dowager to begin with, and all -the other members of the Imperial family. -Among the latter the young Czarina might have -found friends but too happy to guide her, such for -instance as her own sister-in-law, the Grand Duchess -Xenia, who was about her own age, and who -would have been only too glad to be of use to her. -But the latter’s husband, the Grand Duke Alexander<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> -Michaylovitsch, was credited with ambitious -designs, and was moreover one of the most intelligent -men of his day. This was more than sufficient -to eliminate him from the number of the people -whom it was deemed expedient for Alexandra Feodorovna -to see much of.</p> - -<p>I shall quote one instance of the kind of influence -which the Grand Duchess Elizabeth exercised -over her sister. One day the Empress came to me -and told me (this happened during the war) that -her sister had sent her some relics of a famous saint -in the Orthodox Church, who was buried in the cathedral -of Rostoff on the Don, telling her at the -same time that she ought to have them dissolved in -water and then drink this water early in the morning -before she had partaken of any other food. -Should she do so, success would come to the Russian -arms without fail. The poor Empress was -torn asunder between her conviction that her duty -required her to obey her sister and her distaste for -the abominable beverage she was expected to swallow. -I tried my best to persuade her that the -whole thing was nonsense, but then Rasputin, who -was one of the instruments of the Grand Duchess -Elizabeth, interfered, and, after much hesitation,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> -the unfortunate Czarina at last made up her mind -to drink the dirty relics as she had been ordered, -and, as a consequence, was abominably sick.</p> - -<p>It was also Elizabeth Feodorovna who was responsible -for the introduction of Rasputin into the -immediate circle of the Imperial family. Before -that she had presented to her sister a Frenchman, -called Philippe, who was supposed to be one of the -first mediums in Europe, and for a short time this -Philippe was quite an important personage at -Court. It was about the time the Japanese war -broke out, and the intriguing Frenchman did his -best to consolidate his influence and power, by making -all kinds of prophecies as to the course the struggle -was about to take. Events, however, gave the -lie to his predictions, because instead of the brilliant -successes which he had prophesied, defeat attended -the course of the campaign, and the Russian -armies were routed. This shook the reputation -of the medium, and, finally, after another failure of -a private nature (he had promised the Empress -she would give birth to a son in the course of the -next six months, which did not happen) he was dismissed, -principally at the request of the Grand -Duke Nicholas, who called upon the Czar and revealed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> -to the latter the many intrigues of which -Philippe had been guilty. When he was gone the -Empress spent her time turning tables alone or -with a few chosen friends, and she at last got her -nervous system into such a condition that it is no -wonder she fell an easy prey to Rasputin when the -latter was presented to her by her sister, with the -assurance that he was one of the greatest saints the -Russian Orthodox Church had ever known.</p> - -<p>This influence of the Grand Duchess Elizabeth -was exercised not only in religious and political -matters, but also in purely frivolous ones. For instance, -she introduced into the Imperial Palace a -dressmaker from Moscow who used to make her -own gowns, and to whom she had promised she -would procure the Empress as a client. This dressmaker, -who, I have always felt convinced was a -German spy, became quite an important personage -at Court, and soon my mistress did not dare to -order a gown from any one else but this woman. -This of course caused great dissatisfaction among -her former modistes, both in Petrograd and in -Paris, who, after having enjoyed her patronage for -a number of years, found it hard to be set aside for -a newcomer. I tried more than once to remonstrate<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> -and to urge the expediency of not offending -former friends, if such an expression can be used in -the like case, but I was immediately silenced, with -the result that the Empress spent twice as much -on her clothes as she had done during the first years -of her marriage and was dressed with much less -taste. Under the pretext that she ought to wear -Russian silks, gowns of inferior materials were -made for her, and made abominably into the bargain. -This was the more shameful that Moscow -possesses silk manufactories, the produce of which -is not a bit inferior to the loveliest French silks, but -my poor mistress never got the chance to have them, -and the cheapest and most vile satin and velvets -were those which her famous Moscow dressmaker -selected for her. Worth, who for years had had -the privilege of making the dresses of the Russian -Empresses, became very angry at the neglect with -which his offers were treated, and soon the Empress -came to be called stingy, not only in <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg -but also in Paris, where proprietors of the many establishments -where she had formerly got her clothes -became her enemies, and took to calling her German, -for the only reason that she did not any longer -buy her dresses and other things from them. It<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> -would have been easy to avoid all this had one been -possessed of a strong and independent will and not -set trembling, as my poor mistress was, whenever -her sister swept down upon her with a complaint or -in an excitement of some kind or another. When the -little Grand Duchesses grew up, their aunt also interfered -with their education. She believed herself -to be an excellent pedagogue, and was convinced -that she had brought up admirably the two motherless -children of her brother-in-law, the Grand Duke -Paul, Dmitry and Marie, who was later on to become -the wife of a Swedish Prince from whom she -was divorced a short time afterwards. In reality -she had done nothing of the kind, and neither the -nephew nor the niece over whose childhood she was -supposed to have watched with such care, did her -any honour, nor proved in any way the excellence -of the training which she was supposed to have -given them. In regard to the children of the Czar -and of the Czarina, her influence proved quite mischievous, -and might have become even dangerous -if the strong common sense of the two eldest girls -had not saved them from the danger of the superstitious -atmosphere with which their aunt wanted -to surround them.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/i_080p.jpg" alt="" width="328" height="500" /> -<p class="caption1"><em>International Film Service</em></p> -<p class="caption center"><span class="smcap">Rasputin</span></p> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span></p> -<p>The Empress was the best and most tender of -mothers. Indeed her affection for her children was -almost too fervent, for she was always anxious on -their account and would hardly ever allow them to -mix with other people for fear of anything evil befalling -them. She thought, quite naturally, that -she could trust her sister and share with her the -responsibilities of the education of her family. In -reality she could not have made a worse choice, because -between ambition and superstition the Grand -Duchess Elizabeth was about the last person who -ought to have been permitted free access to girls -of the impressionable temperament of the young -daughters of Nicholas II.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER VII</h2> - -<p class="center">THE CZARINA’S FAMILY RELATIONS</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">The</span> Empress, like all German Princesses, had -been brought up in a family atmosphere which had -a great deal of the bourgeois about it. Her father -had been comparatively a poor man, and his household -had been conducted on most modest lines, as -can be seen from the letters of the Czarina’s mother, -the Grand Duchess Alice of Hesse, addressed to -her own mother, Queen Victoria. Neither pomp -nor magnificence had presided over the rearing of -the young Princesses left motherless so soon, and -it was only at Windsor and at Balmoral that Princess -Alix had seen what a Sovereign’s existence -meant. But on the other hand she had been very -happy with her sisters and with her brother to -whom she was particularly attached. For some -years after their father’s death she had been practically -the mistress of his household, and she had -felt bitterly his marriage with their cousin, the Princess -Victoria Melita of Saxe-Coburg. The latter,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> -whose mother was a Russian Grand Duchess, had, -in her own way, just as imperious a character as her -sister-in-law, and soon relations between the two -girls became more than strained. As is well known, -the marriage of the Grand Duke of Hesse turned -out a most unhappy one and ended with a divorce -in which the Princess Alix sided with her brother, -and allowed the latter’s wife to see that such was -the case. This brought about a family quarrel, -which was further accentuated by the re-marriage -of Victoria Melita with her other cousin, the Grand -Duke Cyril of Russia, which incensed the Empress -to such a degree that she used all her influence over -the Czar to persuade the latter to exile Cyril and -his bride, and to deprive them of their fortune and -rank at the Russian Court. This was a most unfortunate -action, because it roused against the Czarina -the wrath of all her relatives, who already did not -like her, and who in consequence went over to swell -the ranks of her enemies, alas, already too numerous.</p> - -<p>I have always regretted that my Imperial mistress -was not able to make for herself friends among -her own relatives. This partiality which she always -exhibited in regard to her Hessian connections was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> -a very unfortunate one, and added certainly to her -unpopularity. Had she been wise, she might easily -have found a warm support in the Czar’s sister, the -Grand Duchess Xenia, and the latter’s husband, -whose kind feelings in regard to her would have secured -for her the allegiance of all the sons of the -Grand Duke Michael, the great uncle of the Czar, -and the most respected member of the Romanoff -family, as well as the oldest. Unfortunately she -did not see the necessity for doing so, and she feared -the influence undoubtedly exercised at one time over -the Czar’s mind by Xenia, his favourite sister. Consequently -she kept her at arm’s length, and avoided -inviting her to Czarskoi Selo. The Imperial family, -finding itself snubbed at every step, boycotted -in its turn their Empress, with the result that the -latter drifted every day a little farther from those -who ought to have been her natural friends and -supporters.</p> - -<p>The Grand Duchess Vladimir, herself a German -Princess and by birth a Duchess of Mecklenburg, -had at one time been the one to whom Alexandra -Feodorovna had been the most attracted, and a certain -intimacy had even established itself between -them. Then one day the Princess, when calling on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> -her niece, had found established in her room one of -the numerous nuns with whom the latter liked to -surround herself and who had been presented to -her by her sister Elizabeth. She had made a few -remarks as to inadvisability of an Empress of Russia -admitting into such close intimacy an uneducated -woman, who, moreover, was probably like -all Russian nuns, devoted to gossip. These remarks -were very badly received and put an end to -a friendship that, in spite of the many inconveniences -it presented (the Grand Duchess Vladimir -being an active supporter of the Kaiser and of the -German party at Court), would still have been preferable -to the one which continued to persist between -Alexandra Feodorovna and any amount of -ignorant monks and nuns whose society she grew at -last to prefer to that of everybody else. This, however, -was not saying much, because as time went on -my mistress developed more and more this unfortunate -love for solitude for which she was so often, -and not unjustly, reproached. She had a great defect -for a woman in her high position—that of taking -life too seriously, in the sense that she would -never admit that any one had the right to seek -amusement or relaxation from the duties of one’s<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> -daily existence. Indeed she looked out for duties, -and found some where none existed. She hated -balls, and society she thoroughly despised, believing -that it was composed of frivolous and ill-natured -people. She did not care for innocent pleasures, -not because she had any preference for others, but -because she was convinced that every single hour -of any man’s or woman’s existence ought to be consecrated -to duty or occupation of some kind. -When she was compelled to appear at a ball or -State function, she did so with such a bored look -that it could not fail to be noticed and of course -was resented. Her greatest happiness would have -been to lead an out-of-doors life, to take long walks, -and to play tennis or golf as a relaxation. Even -her readings were always serious ones, and such a -thing as a novel was never seen in her apartments. -Sometimes her sisters-in-law would urge upon her -the necessity of reading such or such a book, whose -publication had created some kind of stir in the -world. But she invariably refused, or if she consented -did so under protest, and would later on -make scathing remarks as to her aversion for such -kind of literature. The Czar, on the other hand, -liked to peruse a good novel, and sometimes attempted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> -to read the contents of one aloud to his -wife, when she would listen with a bored look on -her face, but would not, however, express in any -other way her disapproval. She was very considerate -for her husband, though in the early days of -their marriage she had been inclined to show too -much her influence and power over his mind, which -was also one of the things Russian society had not -forgiven her. One incident in particular had -aroused the ire of the Empress Dowager, who had -made no secret of her indignation against her young -daughter-in-law on the subject. The Czar and his -wife had accepted an invitation to dine and spend -the evening at the barracks of the Hussar regiment, -of which the Emperor, when heir to the throne, -had been in command. Nicholas II. was enjoying -himself, as he invariably did when amidst his old -comrades of former times, but the Empress was -far from doing so, therefore, when eleven o’clock -struck, she determined she had had quite enough -of it, and, calling to her husband, said loudly and -distinctly in English: “Now come, my boy, it is -time to go to bed!” One may imagine the horror -of the assistants on hearing the autocrat of All the -Russias addressed in public as “my boy” by his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> -imprudent wife. The incident was widely commented -upon and discussed, and Marie Feodorovna -thought it her duty to remonstrate with her daughter-in-law -on the subject, saying that she had never -ventured to address Alexander III. in presence of -others, let alone in an official occasion such as this -one had been, otherwise than as “Sir” or “Your -Majesty.” My mistress took these remonstrances -in very bad part, and the relations between the two -ladies did not improve after this affair.</p> - -<p>Had Alexandra Feodorovna been surrounded by -people who wished her well, they would have tried -to educate her mind, and to bring to her notice the -necessity of observing certain details pertaining to -etiquette of which she had never been taught the -necessity in her small Darmstadt, but which she -could not neglect in her position as Empress of -Russia. Kindness would have done wonders with -her, and no one would have appreciated it more -than herself, but opposition of any kind had the -effect of exasperating her and of driving her to do -precisely what she ought not to have done. She had -the idea that as the wife of an autocratic ruler she -was placed above every kind of criticism, and that -no one dared to make any remark concerning her<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span> -conduct or manners. Of course this was a mistaken -idea, but it had so thoroughly taken hold of her -mind that nothing could ever drive it away, and it -has certainly contributed to the misfortunes which -have assailed her later on. Alas! alas! how often -have I not regretted that this sweet Princess, so -attractive in many ways, could not be brought to -look upon the world with other eyes than those of -an enemy. If only she had believed those who sincerely -loved her, how different her life might have -been!</p> - -<p>During the summer of 1898, the Grand Duchess -Olga caught the scarlet fever. The English -nurse who was in charge of the Imperial nursery -was left with the second little girl who had -been born to the Czar and Czarina, the Grand -Duchess Tatiana, and the Empress took it upon -herself to nurse the sick child unaided. I begged -permission to share with her the care of the invalid, -and it was after this that my mistress began -to confide in me to a certain degree, and to -speak to me about some of her many anxieties and -sorrows. I can remember her so well during these -days and nights sitting by the cot in which her -small daughter slept, clad in a dressing gown of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> -white flannel which I had almost compelled her to -buy for the occasion, her fair head resting on her -hand, absorbed in her thoughts, and with that sweet -but anxious expression on her beautiful face, which -already at that time had begun to settle on her features. -She complained to me once that she had -been reproached by her relatives for exposing herself -to the danger of contagion. “As if that mattered,” -she said, “even if I died, for the Emperor -would always find another wife who perhaps would -be luckier than I have been, and able to give him -an heir. No one would miss me, with the exception -perhaps of these children,” and she started weeping -bitter tears. I tried to comfort her, saying that -she must not talk in that way, because no woman -had ever been more loved by her husband than she -was by the Emperor. “Ah, my dear,” retorted the -Empress, “what good does it do me to be loved -by my husband when all the world is against me? -It is the nation’s love I would wish to win, and how -can I hope to do so, so long as I have not given an -heir to Russia!” Poor woman, she really imagined -that the cause of her unpopularity was the fact that -she had no son!</p> - -<p>This reminds me of the state of mind into which<span -class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> my poor -mistress was thrown at the birth of her second daughter, Tatiana. -She had been worrying the whole time of her pregnancy at the idea -that she might have another girl, until at last the thought of it had -become quite an obsession, and her nervous system had been absolutely -shattered as a consequence. When the child came into the world there -was a profound silence in the room, and the doctor informed the Czar, -by a previously arranged sign, of the sex of the infant, which it was -deemed necessary to conceal from the mother at first. But the Empress -saw the anxious and troubled faces around her when she had recovered -from the effects of the chloroform which had been administered to her, -and her first words were: “My God, it is again a daughter. What will -the nation say, what will the nation say?” and she burst into loud -hysterics.</p> - -<p>Nevertheless, the wee, wee maidens who came -one after the other to enliven the family circle of -the Czar and Czarina, though they were very badly -received, became in time the objects of their parents’ -most affectionate love, and were cared for just -as much as if their births had not constituted a severe -disappointment for their father and mother.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> -But the fact that for something like ten years Russia -had no direct heir, shook the position of Alexandra -Feodorovna, who began to be considered as -a person of no consequence. People looked up to -the Grand Duke Michael, in whom every one saw -the future Czar, and who not only was immensely -popular, but whose features and character reminded -one more than those of any of his other children of -the late Alexander III. The Empress was quite -aware of this fact, and it did not contribute to her -liking for her brother-in-law. In general, she was -not upon good terms with any members of the Russian -Imperial family, with the exception of her sister -of course, and of the latter’s husband, the Grand -Duke Sergius, and she clung more than ever to her -German relations, and to her brother in particular. -She was always looking forward to the short sojourns -which from time to time she was allowed to -make in Darmstadt, where she felt more at her ease -than anywhere else, with the exception of Livadia, -in the Crimea, where she built for herself a kind of -fairy palace, in place of the small cottage which had -been found sufficient for the Empress Marie Alexandrovna, -and where Alexander III. had breathed -his last. The construction of this palace was also<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> -one of the things for which my mistress was reproached. -People said that it was not seemly to -have pulled down the house where the late Czar had -died, and they had criticised the large amount of -money which had been wasted, as was said, on the -erection of this new residence. When this was repeated -to the Empress, she became quite furious, -and swore that not one of those who had thus allowed -themselves to be dissatisfied with what she -had done would ever enter the gates of her Crimean -home. She kept her promise, and not even her -mother-in-law was ever invited to look upon the -new castle which Alexandra Feodorovna had built -for herself on the shores of the Black Sea, and -which she had made so beautiful.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER VIII</h2> - -<p class="center">LIFE AT CZARSKOI SELO</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">I</span> have often been asked details about the kind -of existence by the Imperial family in the interior -of their home. So long as I was in their service -I never spoke of what I saw, and in general -avoided mentioning anything connected with the -family life of my masters. It seems to me now that -I am not committing an indiscretion if I do so, because -I have nothing to say but good of the unfortunate -Czar and Czarina.</p> - -<p>They were a most affectionate couple, and to look -at them and to hear them converse with one another -one could almost have believed them to be little -“bourgeois” of the type dear to French authors, -rather than powerful sovereigns. They used often -to jest together, and to tease each other in a quiet -way, and both were full of fun when left to themselves. -Later on, of course, things changed, and -as the political horizon became darker and darker, -the old merry laugh with which the Emperor and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> -his wife used to make the halls and corridors of the -Czarskoi Selo Palace echo was hushed and could -be heard very seldom. But the sense of humour of -Nicholas II. and of his Consort never deserted -them, and they were inclined to look at the joyful -side of things rather than to indulge in pessimism, -in all matters that did not pertain to the administration -of their vast Empire. This was the tragic part -of their life, and, being both highly conscientious -people, they suffered cruelly to find that all their -efforts to ameliorate the condition of their people -were misunderstood. Of course it is idle to deny -that the weakness of character of the Emperor was -greatly to blame in the series of disasters which -finally overpowered him and his family, but it must -also be acknowledged that he never met with any -sincere and disinterested help in the responsibilities -of his arduous task. During the first years of her -marriage the Empress kept, or rather was kept, -aloof from everything connected with politics, -which was a great pity, because at that time she -might have made herself useful in many ways. But -all the ministers and the advisers of Nicholas II. -were of opinion that his wife had to be relegated to -a subordinate position, and he himself had no desire<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> -to initiate her into the complicated details connected -with the government of Russia. It was only after -she had given birth to an heir that the position of -Alexandra Feodorovna became an important one, -and that she was consulted by her husband. By -that time the reputation for weakness of character -of the Emperor had become an established fact, and -those who hitherto had ruled him, furious at finding -themselves evicted, started the report that the Empress -was abusing her influence over the Czar, and -obliging him to conform himself to her own political -views, which were supposed to be entirely German.</p> - -<p>So far as I have been able to judge, this was an -error, at least in some details. The Czarina was -very fond of the land of her birth, this cannot be -denied, but she was too affectionate a mother not -to see that it would have been impossible to carry -on a purely German policy in Russia, and the thing -to which she clung the most was her throne and the -possibility of seeing her own son occupy it in time. -She was ambitious for him as well as for herself, -and though this may be deplored, yet there is nothing -astonishing in the fact.</p> - -<p>She did not care for <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg and the luxury<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> -of her apartments in the Winter Palace, and -after the Japanese war and the Revolution she persuaded -the Czar to give up residing there and to -make his permanent home at Czarskoi Selo, or in -Livadia in the Crimea. They used to come sometimes -to the capital for some military festivity or -other, but their sojourn there was always of short -duration, and never extended beyond a few hours. -The only time they resided in it again, and this only -for three days, was on the occasion of the celebration -of the jubilee of three hundred years of the accession -of the Romanoff dynasty to the throne of -Russia. After they left it then, they were -never more to sleep under its roof, though their -rooms were always kept ready for them. Sometimes -the Empress stopped there for a cup of tea, -when on one of her rare visits to <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg, to -inspect some charitable institution, but she never -liked them, though she had furnished them with -such care and she never felt at home in those immense -halls which could not be made homely or -comfortable, in the sense generally attached to this -word.</p> - -<p>At Czarskoi Selo existence ran very smoothly. -The Empress rose early and, after partaking of a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> -cup of tea in bed, threw a dressing gown over her -shoulders, and repaired to her children’s rooms. -She was always present when they said their prayers, -and she used to read to them a chapter of the -Bible, or the Gospel for the day. It was only after -the performance of this duty that she began her -own toilet, which was always an elaborate affair, -and this to the last day of my stay with her, even -after she had discarded most of her ornaments and -fine gowns and assumed the garb of the sister of -charity she declared she had become. But she was -particular in the care she used to take of her own -person and would spend a longer time than any one -else would have done in her bath and in the general -occupation of her dressing and undressing. After -her hair had been arranged and she had assumed the -gown she chose out of the three or four which were -brought for her inspection, she would go to the -small apartment where breakfast was served, and -where her children were generally already awaiting -her. A servant would then inform the Emperor -that his wife was in the dining room, and he would -join her there almost immediately. The meal never -began without him, and was a simple though an -abundant one. Eggs, cold meat, and a variety of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span> -cakes and biscuits with hot rolls, generally composed -it. Nicholas II. was a gourmet, and though -he cared most for Russian cooking, yet he insisted -on everything that was served him being of the -very best. Lunch was the meal of which he partook -most freely, and it consisted always of some -five or six courses, beginning with caviar and other -relishes, and ending with fresh fruit, no matter what -the season of the year might be, and very strong coffee. -The Czar was a most sober man in his family -circle, contrary to what has been said of him, and his -only drink was Crimean wine from his own vintages, -which was very good indeed. Sometimes, -when he went to supper at the mess of his former -regiment of Hussars, of which he had remained very -fond, he partook freely of champagne, which started -the legend that he was an inordinate drunkard, -but these occasions were rare, and certainly never -gave rise to any outward manifestation on his part -which might have accredited this malicious report. -Strong drinks never appeared on the Imperial table. -Nicholas II. drank a small glass of vodka before -his meals, as every Russian does, but this was all. -As for the Empress, she seldom touched anything -but mineral water, and the children were brought<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> -up on strictly abstemious lines. During dinner, -which was served at eight o’clock, Madeira and -sherry appeared, also red and white wine, but -this was for the benefit of the guests invited. -There were always some at this meal, but these comprised -the ladies in waiting on the Empress, and -the personal attendants on the Emperor, rarely any -one else. Sometimes a military band played some -of the Czarina’s favourite airs, when she would -listen with attention, but this seldom occurred except -on Sundays. The dinner was an elaborate affair, -composed principally of Russian dishes, for -Nicholas II. disliked French sauces and French -menus, and used to say that what he preferred was -plain and excellent Russian fare. The kind of fish -called Sterlet was a favourite of his, also a pudding -which went by the name of Gourieswkaya Kacha, -or gruel, and which was really very good. The Empress -was absolutely indifferent to what she ate or -drank, and would have been perfectly satisfied to -exist on oatmeal and eggs. The only thing she was -particular about was her tea, which she wanted to -be made very strong, and the brand she preferred -was one in which green tea was mixed with black;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> -she utterly repudiated Indian or Ceylon tea, giving -her preference to Chinese caravan.</p> - -<p>As the Imperial children grew up, their mother -adopted the custom of spending most of her time -with them when the state of her health so allowed. -She had always been very delicate, and developed -violent nervous headaches which totally prostrated -her and confined her to her bed in a dark room, -sometimes for two or three days at a time. These -attacks left her terribly weak, and she would require -care and quiet to get over them. Sometimes -another attack would overpower her before the effects -of the first one had passed away. This was -the origin of the rumour that she was an unnatural -mother who for days did not allow her -daughters to approach her. Nothing of the -kind ever took place, but when my poor mistress -was laid up her sufferings were so intense that -sometimes the sound of a footstep in the next room -would add to the agony which she endured, and of -course she had to be left alone at such periods. But -the world, always cruel and unjust in regard to -her, would have it that she confined herself in her -apartments because she could not bear her children, -and it pitied them in consequence.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span></p> - -<p>But when she was in good health, the Czarina -gave up every minute of her time to her family. -She took upon herself the religious instruction of -her son and daughters, and she tried to rear them -in the strong principles which she herself professed. -Both the Czar and herself observed with extreme -punctuality the rites of the Greek Orthodox Church. -During the whole six weeks of Lent, no meat appeared -on the Imperial table, and at festivals as -well as on Sundays, the whole family attended all -the morning and afternoon services which were celebrated -in the chapel of the Palace. Afterwards the -Empress built a church in Czarskoi Selo, which became -one of the most beautiful shrines in the whole -of Russia, and she regularly went to it, forsaking -the private chapel of her own residence. She had -arranged for herself an oratory in one corner of -the building, from which she could, unseen herself, -follow the religious services. This eccentricity, -which proceeded from the fact that the Czarina did -not care to be the object of the attention of the congregation, -was also made the cause of violent and -unseemly attacks upon her person and character.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/i_102p.jpg" alt="" width="550" height="476" /> -<p class="caption1"><em>International Film Service</em></p> -<p class="caption center"><span class="smcap">The ex-Czarina of Russia and Her Four Daughters</span></p> -</div> - -<p>When the state of her health allowed her to do -so, Alexandra Feodorovna went for long walks in -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span>the park surrounding the Palace, with the Emperor -and her children. She was inordinately fond of the -open air, and was never so happy as in the Crimea, -where she could indulge in her taste for it. There -she spent hours arranging her rose garden and generally -beautifying this lovely place, to which she -hoped she would one day be able to retire. It is not -generally known, but a fact, that both the Emperor -and herself nursed the idea of abdicating in favour -of their son as soon as the latter should be old -enough to assume the government of the country, -and of retiring to Livadia for the rest of their days. -Neither Nicholas II. nor his Consort ever dreamt -that this abdication would be imposed upon them by -events the magnitude of which no one in the whole -of Russia could have been able to foresee.</p> - -<p>Very few visitors ever came to enliven the solitude -of Czarskoi Selo, but at Livadia the Empress -would make a point of inviting to dinner and to -small dances given for her daughters, all the people -living in the neighbourhood, or staying in the various -hotels on the Crimean coast, who had been presented -to her. The officers of the Imperial yacht, -the <em>Standard</em>, were also bidden to these parties, and -they were almost the only persons with whom the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span> -Empress ever conversed freely. She was very fond -of the sea, and during the cruises which she took -every summer in the Finnish waters she grew -to know by name all the crew of the vessel on which -she found herself, and she took pleasure in talking -with the officers and men, the former of whom were -afterwards always welcomed by her wherever she -was.</p> - -<p>But in general she did not care for society. Her -Mistress of the Robes was about the only woman -admitted to her intimacy as long the post was occupied -by the Princess Galitzyne, but after the -death of the latter and the appointment of Madame -Narischkine, the relations of the Empress with the -head of her household became purely formal, and -the only real confidante she possessed during -the last six or seven years which preceded the war -and the Revolution was a woman who was destined -to do her an infinity of harm and whom she would -have done much better to have kept at arm’s length—the -too famous Madame Wyroubieva, about -whom I shall have something to say later on.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER IX</h2> - -<p class="center">THE COURT AND ATTENDANTS OF -THE CZARINA</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">When</span> the Empress married, her household was -formed in a hurry, which was a great pity, because -it was not composed entirely of the best people from -an intellectual point of view. The Empress Dowager -was so absorbed by her grief that she could -not give to the subject the attention she otherwise -would have done. The Emperor, on the other hand, -knew very little about <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg society, and -especially about its gossip. When the name of the -Princess Galitzyne was mentioned to him as that -of the best lady for the difficult position of Mistress -of the Robes, and chief adviser of his young wife, -he accepted it as a matter of course, having only in -mind the great name and the prominent position of -the Princess.</p> - -<p>She was a woman with a past in which had figured -most of the <i lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">jeunesse dorée</i> of <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg. -She had been married when quite a girl to a man<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> -much older than herself, and had very rapidly found -a number of people willing to console her for the -great difference of age which existed between her -and her spouse. He had made her an indulgent husband, -and by reason of his great standing, riches, -and other worldly advantages, had constantly sheltered -her from the evil effects of the gossip which -was but too often busy with her name. When she -had become a widow, she had mourned him quite sincerely, -but had pretended a grief greater than she -had really experienced. It was discovered that he -had left his business affairs in an entangled condition, -and the Princess had retired to her country estates, -to try to bring some kind of order into their -management. She had an only daughter, already -married, who became the object of her greatest care -and affection. When the post of chief adviser to -the young bride of Nicholas II. was offered to her -by one of her former admirers, Baron Fredericks, -then already Minister of the Imperial Household, -she had snatched at the chance with alacrity, seeing -in it a possibility of re-establishing, quicker than by -a strict economy, her shattered finances.</p> - -<p>She was a haughty, selfish, self-centred woman -who soon made for herself numerous enemies,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span> -thanks to the offhand manner with which she -treated all those with whom she found herself -thrown in contact. She never applied herself to -the task of teaching her young mistress the difficult -lesson of trying to make herself popular, but on -the contrary tried to inspire within her the same -prejudices in regard to the people she disliked that -she herself entertained. She was about the worst -adviser a newly married Sovereign could have had, -and one can only wonder why this fact was not -recognised earlier than it was; for it ultimately -became a question as to who was the more disliked, the -Empress or her Mistress of the Robes.</p> - -<p>The Princess Galitzyne, nevertheless, soon became -a power at Court. She contrived to obtain -large grants of money which the successive ministers -of finance who took over the succession of -Count Witte, were but too happy to arrange for -her, in return for her protection. She was greedy -and avaricious, cruel and cold hearted, and utterly -devoid of scruples. In the Palace she was heartily -disliked, yet no one dared to say a word against -her, because it was well known that eventually she -could become a terrible enemy of those of whom -she thought she had reason to complain.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span></p> - -<p>The Princess died a year or two before the great -war, and for some time her place remained empty, -until at last it was offered to Madame Narischkine, -an intimate friend of the Empress Dowager, and -one of the most respected women in <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg -society.</p> - -<p>Madame Narischkine was quite a different woman -from her predecessor. She was kind, polite, -amiable, and highly principled, as well as conscientious. -She would never have hurt a fly, and she had -always applied herself to smooth the path in life -of all the people in whom she had happened to be interested.</p> - -<p>Unfortunately she was not sympathetic with the -Empress Alexandra, and the latter could never -bring herself to treat her with the same familiarity -as she had done the Princess Galitzyne. Then -Madame Narischkine objected to Rasputin, and of -course this was sufficient to prevent her being a -persona grata. The Grand Duchess Elizabeth also -did not care for her; perhaps because she felt that -the new Mistress of the Robes had never quite approved -of her. Madame Narischkine was a very -discreet woman, but at the same time she could very -well convey to persons whom she did not think fit<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span> -to be upon terms of intimacy with her what she -thought of them. The Empress never took to her, -which was a great pity, and sometimes treated her -with great rudeness and with an astonishing lack -of consideration. But in spite of these difficulties -with which her path was beset, Madame Narischkine -behaved magnificently when the hour of danger -sounded. When the Revolution broke out, she -immediately repaired to Czarskoi Selo and never -left the Empress through those days of sorrow and -anxiety which saw the latter taken prisoner in her -own palace. She volunteered, in spite of her advanced -age (she is over seventy) to accompany her -mistress into exile, but the request was declined by -the provisional government, and Madame Narischkine -had perforce to submit, but she was the -last one to bid good-bye to the Empress and to the -young Grand Duchesses before they entered the -train which was to carry them away to the solitudes -of Siberia. It is likely that if Madame Narischkine -had, from the outset, been with the Czarina, -many of the mistakes committed by the latter would -have been avoided. As it was she followed the advice -given her by the Princess Galitzyne, and this -was never wise advice, because the Princess, who<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span> -was a born flatterer, was most careful never to say -to Alexandra Feodorovna anything which she knew -or feared might displease her. Under her guidance -the unfortunate Empress had not a chance to -succeed in winning the affections of her subjects. -Besides the Princess, there were four maids of honour -attached to the person of the young Czarina. -The first was the Countess Lamsdorff, with whom -the Sovereign could not get on and to whom she -took a violent dislike. Then came the Princess -Bariatinsky, who also resigned her functions with -a certain amount of “fracas,” and who made no -mystery of the fact that she could not stand the -lack of consideration with which she was being -treated. A Caucasian lady, the Princess Orbeliani, -took her place, and succeeded in retaining her -difficult position until her death. Then there was -a Princess Obolensky, who had much unpleasantness -to bear, but who accepted everything with wonderful -patience, thanks, it was said, to her attachment -to the young Grand Duchesses, the daughters -of Nicholas II. She is still with the Imperial family, -and has accompanied them to Tobolsk, in spite -of the opposition of her family, who would have -liked her to leave the Empress. There was also<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> -another personage in the household who held there -quite a privileged situation; this was Mademoiselle -Schneider, whose duties consisted in reading to the -Czarina, and who was the only attendant she had -brought over with her from Darmstadt. Mademoiselle -Schneider could enter the apartments of -her mistress whenever she liked. She was the medium -through whom Alexandra Feodorovna communicated -with her relatives in Germany, to whom -she always felt afraid to write by post, and she was -also the one and only person with whom the Empress -spoke German. We all liked her, because -she was a quiet, unassuming person; but I shall not -take it upon myself to say whether or not she gave -to the German government information it would -have been better to have withheld. Then again -there was a private secretary, whose business it was -to attend to the correspondence of the Empress, -and who used to make reports to her every morning. -The post was first filled by Count Lamsdorff, -then by Count Rostavtsoff, and neither of these -gentlemen was quite up to the task. They did not -know how to interest the Czarina in their work, -which they accomplished in a methodical manner -devoid of any initiative. Among their duties was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> -the administration of Alexandra’s private purse -and the control of her charities until the time when -she assumed it herself at the period of the Japanese -war. It was part of the privileges of the private -secretary to pay out the bills of the Empress or at -least to give out their amount to the head maid, that -is, to myself. Count Lamsdorff paid whatever I -asked, without the slightest demur, but his successor -used to ask for explanations, and to make his -comments, which sometimes was most annoying. -The private accounts of the Czarina were settled -on the 22nd day of every month, when the expenses -of the thirty preceding days had to be balanced and -adjusted. She was most particular about this, and -hated being in debt to any one. But at the same -time she absolutely ignored the meaning of the word -economy, bought and ordered whatever she liked -without a thought as to how her expenses were to -be met, and more than once I have had to appeal, -unknown to her, to the Czar, and to ask him to give -orders to settle his wife’s bills without her being -worried about the matter.</p> - -<p>Every spring and autumn the coming fashions -were brought to the Empress, so that she might -make her choice. She usually had about fifty<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> -dresses for each season, as I have had already occasion -to explain, but whenever any unlooked -for event occurred she would order special gowns -to meet it. Her hats were generally made by Bertrand, -a French firm in <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg; she ordered -about twenty-five or thirty for the summer -season and several fur toques for the winter. She -liked white hats, which she often wore, and for a -long time remained faithful to the small bonnets affected -by Queen Alexandra of England in her -youth. Later on she took to large hats, which were -generally trimmed profusely with ostrich feathers. -About these feathers the Empress was most fussy. -The <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg climate is so very damp that it -is almost next to impossible to keep feathers curled -in summer, especially in Peterhof, on the Baltic -shore, where the Court, as a rule, spent July and -August. We had, therefore, to have the trimmings -of the Empress’s hats seen to every day, and messengers -used to go daily to <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg to carry -to Madame Bertrand the different millinery as well -as the feather boas of Alexandra Feodorovna to -be freshened and rearranged.</p> - -<p>As a rule, the Czarina used to spend something -like ten thousand roubles a month on her toilet, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> -sometimes even more than that. She was extravagant,—there -is no doubt about it,—but then she was -the Empress of Russia, and considered it part of -her duties to appear magnificently attired. The -Emperor, too, liked to see her well dressed, and especially -richly dressed. The latter was easy, but -the former more difficult, because of the peculiar -ideas of my Imperial mistress in regard to her -clothes.</p> - -<p>When her household was organised she was given -eight maids to attend upon her, of whom there -were to be always two on duty during the day, and -two during the night, when they had to sit in a -room in the near vicinity of the Imperial bedchamber, -ready to be called in case of emergency. In -the usual order of things they would have had to -dress the Czarina’s hair morning and evening, but -the latter hated to have different hands perform -this task, so she arranged to have a hairdresser come -each day to arrange her coiffure, which was never -very elaborate except upon official occasions, when -a diadem had to be fixed in her hair. I was always -present when she dressed and undressed. It -was part of my business to see that everything connected -with her toilet was in order and that nothing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> -she required was missing. She never twice wore -the same pair of gloves, but liked old shoes and -slippers. As for her stockings they were of the -finest silk, and manufactured specially for her by -the firm of Swears and Wells in London.</p> - -<p>This system of having eight maids was continued -for about ten years or so, then one of them died, -and another one asked to be relieved from her duties, -and they were never replaced. The Czarina -thought that it was quite sufficient for her to have -six attendants, and she abolished the night waiting, -which had always been so irksome to the people -concerned in it. She used to dismiss her maids at -eleven o’clock and then retire to her bedroom, where -she read or worked alone, but did not require any -more attendance, except in case she felt ill or one -of her children was indisposed. She was exacting, -but never unjust or cruel, and she hated to be -the cause of inconvenience to other people. At -first she had never dared to alter anything in the -customs of the Russian Court, but later on she asserted -herself and made many changes in the interior -arrangements of the Palace, all of which were -practical and tended to the amelioration of the condition -of her numerous servants, who nevertheless<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span> -did not show themselves grateful to her for her -anxiety about their welfare, and who in the hour -of her misfortune mostly abandoned her, or turned -with alacrity against her.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER X</h2> - -<p class="center">THE CZARINA AND ST. PETERSBURG -SOCIETY</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">At</span> the time of her marriage <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg society -was well disposed toward my unfortunate mistress, -and it would have been easy for her to have -made herself popular. Unfortunately she had, as -I have said, a sarcastic tongue, and made no secret -of her likes and dislikes; nor did she hesitate to -ridicule certain customs to which old and important -dowagers clung with persistency. She always -feared to be thought too familiar, owing to the fact -that the Imperial family, from the very first day -of her arrival in Russia, had drilled into her ears -the caution that <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg was not Darmstadt, -and that the free and easy manners of a little -German town would be out of place at the -Court of the mighty Czar of All the Russias. She -had therefore fallen into the other extreme, and -disciplined herself to be as stiff as possible. The -Empress Marie had been in the habit of receiving<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> -in her own private boudoir the ladies who craved -an audience from her, and of asking them to sit beside -her. Her daughter-in-law made it a point to -give her audience standing, and to converse for a -few minutes without ever offering a chair to the -old women who had applied for the honour of an -introduction to her. She coldly extended to them -her hand to kiss, which further incensed them, and -her natural shyness, added to this stiff reception, of -course made her many enemies. She began to be -criticized, and that in no friendly spirit. Unfortunately -she became aware of this, and it set her from -the very first against the people she ought to have -tried to make her friends. Then gossip, and that -mostly ill natured, too, did its work, and all kinds -of anecdotes were put into circulation concerning -the want of kindness of the young Empress. She -was accused of being sarcastic and of making fun -of old people whom age and past service ought to -have preserved from the ridicule she was supposed -to shower upon them. Then, again, the Czarina -had the imprudence to express in public her disgust -at what she called the loose manners of <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg -society. She tried to become acquainted with -all the gossip going about town, and declared that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span> -she was going to reform the morals of her empire, -proceeding by striking off the list of invitations for -a Court ball the names of all the women supposed -rightly or wrongly to have had a flirtation of some -kind. The result was that hardly any ladies appeared -at this particular ball, with the exception of -mothers with girls to bring out, and the whole of -<abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg rose up in arms against its Empress. -It was decided to boycott her, which was -done, and the Empress Mother was asked to interfere -and to explain to her daughter-in-law that -it was not her business to brand with any kind of -stigma the names of ladies in regard to whom no -open scandal had ever taken place. The incident -assumed such proportions that the Czar was asked -to interfere, and he decided that in future the list -of invitations for Court festivities was to be submitted -to his mother and not to his wife, who was -still too great a stranger in Russia to know who -ought or ought not to be invited to the Winter Palace.</p> - -<p>As may be imagined, the little incident I have -just narrated did not tend to improve the relations -between the young Czarina and the Dowager, and -the former’s popularity suffered from it to a considerable<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span> -extent. On the New Year following -upon this memorable tempest in a tea-cup, <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> -Petersburg ladies made up their minds not to put in -an appearance at the great reception which followed -upon divine service in the Winter Palace, a -reception during which Court society offered its -New Year’s wishes to the sovereigns. So about -four of them, who by virtue of the official position -of their husbands could not absent themselves, were -the only ones who attended the function. This absence, -<i lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">en masse</i>, could not but be noticed, and of -course the Czarina was offended. But she was -powerless to retort otherwise than passively, which -she did by avoiding in the future showing herself -in public, also by discontinuing her audiences and -even the ball which had been considered as an indispensable -feature of every winter season in the -Russian capital. This manner of manifesting her -displeasure only added to the bitterness of the feelings -which she had inspired, as was to be expected, -and soon fashionable ladies deserted <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg -for the Riviera or Paris, where they felt happier and -more at their ease than in their own country. One -after another the big houses, which used to rival -the Court itself by the splendour of their entertainments,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span> -closed their doors, and the “Palmyra of the -North,” as the capital of the Czars used to be -called, became one of the dullest cities in the whole -world.</p> - -<p>There were people who attempted to remonstrate -with my mistress for this retirement in which -she persisted in living. She was told that it would -be relatively easy for her to regain some of her lost -popularity if she would only allow people to eat, -drink, and be merry in her presence. Alexander -III., too, had hated society, and preferred his beloved -Gatschina to all his other residences, but he -had fulfilled the social duties he was expected to -fulfill, and during his reign there had not existed -in the whole of Europe a more brilliant Court than -that of Russia. His daughter-in-law was advised -to follow his example in this respect. But she -would not do so.</p> - -<p>I remember that one day whilst we were discussing -the question of what kind of new clothes she -would want for the coming winter, I remarked that -she ought to order more evening dresses than she -had done. The Empress interrupted me with the -remark that she did not mean to have any more, -because there would be no necessity for her to have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> -them. I then observed that it would be a great disappointment -to the many young girls about to make their appearance -in society for the first time if no Court balls were -given. Alexandra Feodorovna got quite angry, and, -getting up with impatience, exclaimed, “I cannot understand -why it is expected of me to amuse all the silly children -their parents are bringing out.”</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/i_122p.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="443" /> -<p class="caption1"><em>International Film Service</em></p> -<p class="caption center"><span class="smcap">Grounds of the Imperial Palace at Tzarskoié Sélo</span></p> -</div> - -<p>Happily for her no one was present when she -gave way to this fit of temper, but one may imagine -how it would have been commented upon by any -of her numerous enemies had they chanced to overhear -it. This state of antagonism (for it can -hardly be called by any other name) which existed -between Alexandra Feodorovna and the -smart set of her capital was not extended to other -places. In the Crimea she liked to have people -about her, as I have already related, and she even -gave dances for her daughters. But though the -Grand Duchess Olga had attained her eighteenth -year during the winter which preceded the outbreak -of the great war, her mother did not attempt to -invite any one to the Palace of Czarskoi Selo to -amuse her. The Empress Dowager had to arrange -some entertainments in her own Anitschkoff -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span>Palace for her granddaughter’s benefit, but each -time they were invited to attend them there was an -explosion of grief on the part of their mother which -completely spoilt their pleasure. The Czarina had -a morbid fear of the sharp tongues of the ladies -of the capital, and she was always expecting that -her daughters would be subjected to the same kind -of criticism which had been applied so liberally to -her own self. This she wished to guard them -against. The idea was a mistaken one, because -everybody admired and liked the graceful girls, -who had always an amiable word for those they -met, and who seemed so happy and so delighted -whenever they had an opportunity of enjoying -themselves like all other girls of their age.</p> - -<p>The only person who at one time was in possession -of the confidence of the Czarina to a limited degree, -the Grand Duchess Anastasia, wife of the -Grand Duke Nicholas, tried, without success, to -get her to look upon people with more indulgence, -and not in such a morbid way. My mistress would -not hear reason, and at last declared that it was -useless to be an Empress of Russia if one could not -do what one liked, and that all she craved was the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> -privilege to be left alone and allowed to enjoy, unrestrained, -her taste for solitude.</p> - -<p>In that respect the Empress was certainly not -quite normal, and at times she most undoubtedly -suffered from what is called the mania of persecution. -People abroad have attributed this abnormal -condition of hers to the dread of revolution, -the spectre of which was supposed to haunt her constantly. -This, however, was not at all the case, because -long before any one had an idea that revolution -might break out, my mistress was already -affected by that strange fear of seeing strangers -approach her. The fact is that she had become -morbid, thanks to the latent dislike which she knew -but too well was felt in regard to her, and which -worried her to the extent that she felt disgusted -with the world in general and had come to the conclusion -that it was not worth while to try to conciliate -it, but that the best thing to do was to avoid -seeing too much of it.</p> - -<p>People have spoken at length of her tastes for -occultism and spiritism, and said that she looked for -consolation for imaginary woes to the practices of -turning tables and other rubbish of the same kind. -Unfortunately this was true to a certain extent, because<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span> -it is a sad fact that the Empress liked to sit -at tables for hours in the hope that they would -begin turning, and she firmly believed that people -could come back from the other world and -manifest themselves to their friends. But what is -not so generally known is that it was the Grand -Duke Nicholas, the future generalissimo of the -Russian armies, who first set her to do so. He it -was who brought to the Palace of Czarskoi Selo a -man called Philippe, who professed to be a powerful -medium, and who certainly inspired the Czarina -with great confidence. For a year or two he remained -in favour, then was dismissed quite suddenly -because he had been found out by accident, -but so completely that even Alexandra Feodorovna -could not defend him.</p> - -<p>Some people have said that it was not without -malicious intention that the Grand Duke Nicholas -introduced this dangerous person to Czarskoi Selo. -It has been reported that he wanted to bring about -a scandal to the effect that the Empress should be -declared, if not quite insane, at least afflicted with -melancholia, and put under restraint. She was already -at that time suspected of German leanings -and sympathies, and supposed to influence her husband<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> -in favour of Germany and a German alliance. -The Grand Duke Nicholas was a strong partisan -of a close union with France, and of course he considered -that my poor mistress was an obstacle to -his views, so he would have been delighted had any -circumstance arisen which would have put her -aside. Certainly he was the means through which -the Empress acquired her strange tastes for all -things connected with occultism, and he was also -the first person to draw the attention of the public -and of the Imperial family to this peculiarity, and -to insist on the dangers which it presented. The -fact was that the Czarina was the only obstacle -which the Grand Dukes and their party encountered -in the realisation of their plans to take under -their protection and to keep in their power the -weak-minded Nicholas II., who, it was known but -too well, always adopted the opinion of the last -person who spoke with him, and was incapable of -making any decision of his own accord. The Empress, -thanks to the fact that she was always with -him, had the best chance to make herself heard and -listened to, and consequently she represented a formidable -danger to the ambitions of those haughty -Romanoffs who aspired, if not to dethrone, at least<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span> -to keep in their own hands this feeble nephew, so -devoid of initiative.</p> - -<p>During the last two or three years which preceded -the war, these different intrigues had assumed -quite a dangerous character, and when the -Rasputin incident occurred, they only grew in intensity. -The Empress became the one great -enemy, to the destruction of whom many applied -themselves with the more energy that she began to -do what she had carefully avoided before—to interest -herself in politics, and to study them carefully, -in view to being able to advise her husband amidst -the growing difficulties of the international political -position in general. The Grand Duke Nicholas, -who headed the faction having for aim the removal -of Alexandra Feodorovna, spared no means to destroy -her influence, and to ruin her reputation as a -Sovereign and as a woman. He partly succeeded, -as we have seen, but at the same time he contributed -to the fall of his own dynasty, and to the ruin of -his country. It is a sad but certain fact that the -Russian Imperial family never understood the -meaning of the word “solidarity,” and perhaps it -is thanks to this defect of theirs that the head of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> -the House of Romanoff has been sent into exile -and his race deprived of the throne which Peter -the Great and Catherine II. had so gloriously occupied.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER XI</h2> - -<p class="center">THE CZARINA AND HER MOTHER-IN-LAW</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">I</span> have heard that many different tales have -been circulated concerning the relations of my mistress -with the Dowager Empress. It is useless to -pretend that they were pleasant, but, on the other -hand, neither of the two ladies gave vent to open -manifestations of hostility, whatever they may have -thought in the interior of their hearts. During the -first months following the marriage of the Czar -things went smoothly, because it was impossible -to show more deference to any one than Alexandra -Feodorovna displayed in regard to her mother-in-law. -But the latter was still too young to care to -be suddenly called upon to play second fiddle, and -she missed the power which she had exercised over -Alexander III., who used to consult her in regard -to everything he did. She had had enormous influence -over him, and, if the truth be told, over the -whole course of affairs in Russia, but she had exercised<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span> -it with such tact, and so secretly, that it -had never been suspected; on the contrary, the Empress -had been described as a frivolous woman who -cared only for dress, dances and parties. In regard -to the Consort of Nicholas II. things were very -different. She arrived in Russia with the reputation -of being a clever woman, with strong opinions, -and of course found the public prepared either to -accept them or else to start up opposition against -her. German princesses were not liked, and it had -been hoped that the heir to the throne would avoid -choosing a wife in a German court. The Dowager -Empress was Danish by birth, a fact that had -contributed most certainly to the great popularity -she had immediately acquired. There was a powerful -party behind her, quite ready to back her up -against her daughter-in-law, and, unfortunately, -the latter was apprised of it, which had the effect -of setting her against any advice she received from -quarters which she suspected of intriguing against -her. As I have said before, if the Emperor and his -young bride had been able from the beginning to set -up an establishment of their own, perhaps things -would not have fared so badly, and I have often -wondered why this was not done. With the immense<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span> -Winter Palace standing empty, or almost so, it -would not have been difficult to arrange some apartments -for the newly married pair, until those they -were to occupy definitely had been got ready. There -were the rooms which had been occupied by the Empress -Marie Alexandrovna, which, with small expense, -might have been made habitable in a few -days. They at least would have made a fitting establishment -for a Sovereign, whilst the two small -closets (for they can hardly be called anything else) -which were assigned to Nicholas II. and his wife in -the ground floor of the Anitschkoff Palace, were so -inappropriate, so ugly and so uncomfortable that -it is no wonder the latter felt depressed the whole -time she was compelled to occupy them. Then, as I -have said, the servants gossiped, and repeated to the -Dowager Empress everything that her daughter-in-law -was doing, a fact of which the latter became -aware through remarks made to her by the elder -lady, and the result was most disastrous. The arrival -of the children, whose advent obliged Alexandra -Feodorovna to set up a nursery, which she tried to -model after those she had seen in England, did not -improve conditions that already had become -strained, because, as one daughter after another appeared,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span> -Marie Feodorovna grew to think that her -daughter-in-law would never give an heir to the -throne and to look up towards her second son -Michael as the future Emperor. This was gall and -wormwood to my mistress, who often lamented the -fact, and, when she had taken me into her confidence, -complained of the want of consideration with -which her mother-in-law made her feel that she was -a nobody and had not fulfilled the duty which was -expected of her, that of providing future Emperors -for Russia. Other reasons also contrived to -add to this state of latent irritation which had established -itself in the bosom of the Imperial family. -There was the question of the crown jewels; -of the order in which the names of the two Empresses -were to be introduced into the church liturgy; -and many others, small and great. The -Dowager was far too tactful to complain about the -domestic relations of her son, but she contrived to -let people guess her sentiments on the subject, and -took to spending more and more of her time in -Denmark, which after all was perhaps the best -thing she could have done.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/i_132p.jpg" alt="" width="399" height="550" /> -<p class="caption1"><em>International Film Service</em></p> -<p class="caption center"><span class="smcap">Grand Duke Michael</span></p> -</div> - -<p>The Japanese war, however, brought her back -to Russia, and it was during its course that there -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span>happened the one great event in the life of Alexandra -Feodorovna—the birth of her only son.</p> - -<p>Great were the rejoicings when this small boy -made his appearance in a world which was not to -prove too kind to him, as we all know. His advent, -however, disturbed the equanimity of several -people, whilst it raised the hopes of others. For -one thing, the Grand Duke Michael, the only -brother of the Czar, lost all the importance with -which he had been endowed in the eyes of the public -as the eventual heir to the Russian throne. It -also took away some of that of his mother, who was -supposed to exercise considerable control over him, -and of course the feelings of the latter on the subject -were very much mixed, because though on the -one hand she could not but rejoice at seeing the succession -secured in the direct line, yet, on the other -hand, she had accustomed herself, as had many -others, to the idea that her eldest son would never -become father to a boy, and it required a certain -time before she could get accustomed to the changes -which the birth of the little Alexis had brought -about.</p> - -<p>Furthermore, the young Empress, feeling at last -secure of her own position, began to assert herself<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span> -far more than she had ever done before, and she -tried to win for herself partisans. Unfortunately -she looked for them among people who turned out -afterwards to be her worst foes, and the liberty -which she imagined she had acquired to live her -own life without any regard to the trammels of -etiquette or other consideration, transformed the -dislike she had hitherto inspired into something -very much akin to hatred.</p> - -<p>Her boy proved a delicate child, and when the -fact became known it awakened the hopes of the -party antagonistic to Alexandra and raised those -of the people attached to the fortunes of the Grand -Duke Michael. His sister-in-law, when she found -this out (and there were but too many people eager -to inform her of it), grew in her turn to dislike the -Grand Duke, and to think how she could get rid -of him. According to the family statute of the -Romanoffs, he would have been Regent of the -Empire in case the Czar had died before his heir -had reached his majority, and the Empress, in that -case, would have been more or less subjected to him -and to any commands he would have deemed it -necessary to issue to her. Most likely the first -thing he would have done would have been to deprive<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span> -her of the custody of her son and to surround -the latter with men of his own choice. The very -thought of such a contingency made Alexandra -Feodorovna wild, so when the Grand Duke contracted -the morganatic marriage which brought -upon him the wrath of his brother she seized upon -the occasion to try to get rid once and forever of -a personage whom she considered her worst enemy.</p> - -<p>If the truth be told, poor Michael had never been -her enemy, however much he may have disapproved -of some of her actions. The only thing he -asked was to be left alone with the wife whom he -had chosen and married against the opposition of -the whole world and of his entire family, beginning -with his mother. She was a lady by birth, the wife -of one of his brother officers in a Cuirassier regiment -quartered at Gatchina. The Grand Duke -had become attracted by her principally on account -of her sympathetic appearance and the patience -with which she had listened to the tale of his affection -for one of his sister Olga’s maids of honour -with whom he had been passionately in love and -whom he had wished to marry. The romance was -quickly nipped in the bud by the interference of -the Dowager Empress and the young lady packed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span> -away abroad with strict injunctions not to return -to Russia until further notice. The Grand Duke -had been very unhappy, but had submitted, and -poured the story of his wrongs into the ears of -Madame Wulfert. The latter was a charming -woman, but she had had a first husband, from whom -she had been divorced before marrying her present -one. This alone would have made her undesirable -as a wife for the only brother of the Czar, -and when her union with Captain Wulfert was also -dissolved, thanks to the relations which had established -themselves between her and the young -Grand Duke, this undesirableness was still further -accentuated. But she had given birth to a son, and -was moreover a person of considerable attraction -and of unusual cleverness. Michael found out that -he could not live without her, and married her in -Vienna, without asking any one’s permission to do -so, thereby bringing upon his head the wrath of -all his relatives.</p> - -<p>The Emperor, however, would have felt inclined -to let the whole matter pass, or at least to make as -if he ignored it. But neither his mother nor his -wife would hear of it. The former wished some -kind of punishment to be inflicted on her rebellious<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span> -son, and the latter decided that this punishment -should be a most rigorous one. She prevailed upon -the weak-minded Czar to put his brother under restraint -and to make him what is called in England -a ward in chancery, assuming himself his guardianship -and depriving him of the management of the -large fortune he had inherited from the Czar Alexander -III. This made him of course ineligible as -a Regent should the Emperor die, and that was -what the Czarina was aiming at. Of course she -was wrong, and respectful as I was towards her, I -could not help one evening, when she had broached -the subject of her own accord, telling her that I -thought she had made a great mistake in taking -such a decided part in the chastisement of her -brother-in-law, and that it would have been more -politic on her part to keep outside the matter and -to allow it to be settled between the Czar and the -Dowager Empress, who, after all, were the only -persons concerned in it. My mistress listened in -silence to my words, then suddenly exclaimed with -unusual violence: “I had to do it; I had to do it; -he wanted to part me from my son; he had to be -put out of the way!” There was nothing to reply -to this outburst, but I could not help regretting<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> -that the Empress had allowed herself to be influenced -by false reports, and that her common sense -had not prevailed and stopped her from compromising -herself so openly in this matter. My forebodings, -alas, turned out to have been true ones, -because the first person who was furious with the -Czarina for the part she had played in this whole -story was the Empress Dowager, who had not -wished things to go so far, and who guessed at -once the real reasons which had actuated her daughter-in-law. -The breach between the two ladies was -in consequence considerably widened, and as my -mistress grew more and more addicted to those -superstitious practices which proved her bane, -Marie Feodorovna found real grounds for criticising -her, so that it became at last a recognised fact -that the worst adversary of the Empress was her -own mother-in-law.</p> - -<p>I am sure that the latter would have felt sorry -had she known to what extent the strained relations -which existed between her and her son’s wife were -talked of in public. She possessed far more sense -of dignity than Alexandra Feodorovna, and had -moreover been reared in old Imperial traditions unknown -to her daughter-in-law. But she did not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span> -like her, and on the other hand, this sense of dignity -to which I have just alluded suffered in seeing -the domestic life of her child, a child who was -also her Sovereign, turned into ridicule by everybody, -and causing him to be despised even more -than disliked. Finding that the war did not allow -her to go to her beloved Denmark, she finally retired -to Kieff, where the Revolution found her, and -whence she went to Livadia in the Crimea, where -she still is to-day. When I think over these things, -it seems to me that all these frictions, which turned -out ultimately to have been far more important -than they appeared at first, might have been avoided, -at least in part, if the young Empress had restrained -herself in the expression of her feelings. -But she was too frank, too honest, too true, to be -able to play a comedy, and diplomacy was an art -utterly unknown to her. She had not been trained -in dissimulation, and she despised this atmosphere -of the Court where a curb on one’s thoughts and -words was indispensable. In certain respects she -was a child, with all a child’s impulsiveness and -beautiful indifference to the judgments and appreciations -of the world, and this innocence of her -mind and heart made her no match against the intrigues<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> -that surrounded her. She had no one to -love her except her children, and a husband who -was not strong enough to protect her against attack, -and whom in the bottom of her heart she must -have secretly despised, as indeed he deserved to be, -because, whilst an amiable and kind man, he was -not suited for a Sovereign, and could no more control -his own conduct than he could the destiny of -the nation over which fate had set him to rule. He -had absolutely no initiative and no strength of -character. No efforts of his parents or of his tutors -in his young days had been able to change his -natural indolence and readiness to accept and to -endorse as his own the ideas and opinions of every -one he talked to, even if they differed diametrically -from those he had himself expressed previously.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER XII</h2> - -<p class="center">THE CZARINA’S DAILY OCCUPATIONS</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">I</span> have often been asked what the Czarina used -to do with her days and whether it was true that -she spent them in absolute idleness. And just as -often I have wondered what could have given rise -to such an opinion. The Empress was, on the contrary, -one of those industrious women whose hands -are never at rest, and who require to be always -occupied in some way or another, either mentally -or with some manual work which keeps their attention -concentrated on its intricacies. At Darmstadt -the Princesses were trained to make their -own clothes and to wait upon themselves, and one -of the great pleasures of my mistress was to embroider, -cut, and make the different objects composing -the layette and the wardrobe of her children. -As I have already related, she had tried to arrange -in Czarskoi Selo a Needlework Guild, but she did -not meet with any enthusiastic response to her efforts -in that direction. Nevertheless, until she left<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span> -it, there was in the Palace where she had made her -home a room set apart for the use of the ladies -who used to come and work on certain days and -hours on clothes for the poor which were distributed -to the indigent of Czarskoi Selo and <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg -at Christmas time. When the Japanese war occurred, -a regular working room was established in -the Winter Palace and never closed, because it became -the centre of the Empress’s activity in the -way of making garments for the poor. No Sovereign -had ever thought of anything of the kind in -Russia, and of course the action of Alexandra Feodorovna -in that respect was discussed far and wide, -and whilst many people applauded her for the initiative -she had taken, others thought it was not dignified -for a Russian Empress to cut flannels and -knit stockings, even for the poor. They would have -liked her to depend for her charities on other -people, as her predecessors had done. In fact, in -this as in so many other things, she was ignoring -the traditions which governed all that went on in -the Palaces of the Czars, and of course this was -resented. But the poor population of the capital -learnt to bless the Empress’s name, and for a time -was grateful to her, until the days of the first Revolution,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span> -when everything that was connected with -her became tinged with that unpopularity which -had become attached to her name.</p> - -<p>The Empress was a great reader, but only of serious -books, and scientific ones were her favourites. -She did not care for history, which she frankly -owned bored her, because she could not interest -herself in the sayings and doings of people long -dead. But science held her enthralled, and every -work which was published in English, French and -German on astronomy, mathematics, and natural -history was perused by her with avidity. She admired -immensely Darwin’s “Origin of Species,” -and had one day a furious battle with her Father -Confessor, who remonstrated with her for keeping -such a dangerous work in her rooms. Astronomy -was also one of her hobbies, and she expounded it to -her children whenever she found an occasion or -opportunity to do so.</p> - -<p>She embroidered wonderfully, and made some -church ornaments which would easily have won a -prize at any exhibition. But her great amusement -was the drawing of caricatures which she executed -with an incredible talent, having the knack of -seizing the funny side of each thing or person<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span> -she tried her pencil upon. This talent, however, -caused her much annoyance, because the -people whose ridiculous points she seized upon became -aware of it and were deeply offended, as a -matter of course, especially the members of the -Imperial family, who, more than any others, had -the misfortune to fall under her satirical pencil.</p> - -<div id="illo_144" class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/i_144p.jpg" alt="" width="406" height="550" /> -<p class="caption1"><em>International Film Service</em></p> -<p class="caption center"><span class="smcap">Grand Duchess Olga</span></p> -</div> - -<p>Had she been prudent enough not to show her -sketches to friends it would not have been so bad, -but she was, on the contrary, fond of exhibiting -them, and did so without the least discrimination, -with the result that she gained for herself the reputation -of being an unkind and malicious woman, -which was far from the case. The Empress tried to -develop a love for music in her children, and greatly -succeeded with her eldest daughter, the Grand -Duchess Olga, who had a really wonderful talent -for the piano. She could compose wild, melodious -airs, imbued with that Russian and Slav sadness -which is latent in all Northern characters. I remember -one day last May when, entering unexpectedly -the apartment where the young Grand -Duchesses were sitting, I was entranced by the -playing of Olga, who seemed to put into her music -all the agony and anxiety of her soul. Things were -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span>dark then. The possibility of seeing exchanged the -prison of Czarskoi Selo for another was already -looming on the horizon, and the young and blooming -girl who was to be sent to the horrors and solitude -of a terrible exile was giving vent to her feelings in -the weird accents which she gave to the music with -which she tried to ease her troubled feelings.</p> - -<p>In spite of her taste for music, the Empress -rarely went to the Opera. She hated showing herself -in the big box where etiquette compelled her -to sit, and she disliked the one that was common to -all the members of the Imperial family. So that -even during the early years of her marriage, when -she used to spend a few weeks each winter in <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> -Petersburg, she rarely showed herself in any theatre, -not even at the French play, which it had been -almost a matter of obligation, from times immemorial, -for the sovereigns to visit every Saturday.</p> - -<p>She had made it a point to study the Russian -language, but had never really learned to speak it, -and had never divested herself of a very strong -German accent that had a harsh sound, which -added to its general unpleasantness. The Empress -had not a pleasant nor a harmonious voice, and as -she was aware of the fact she tried to overcome this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span> -disadvantage by talking in very low tones, so low -indeed that sometimes it was difficult to hear her. -She would then get impatient and break off the -conversation, to the dismay of her interlocutors. -During the last years she had grown slightly deaf, -which added to the difficulty.</p> - -<p>Her inability to talk Russian naturally displeased -people, but I have always wondered why -she was so sharply taken to account for it, considering -the fact that her mother-in-law had never -learnt it either, which had not prevented her from -becoming popular. It was again a case of “give -a dog a bad name and hang him.”</p> - -<p>The Empress kept up a vast correspondence -with her relatives all over Europe. In England, -where she had been brought up, she had also friends -with whom she liked to exchange her impressions -and thoughts, and to her brother she wrote daily. -She had a very distinct handwriting, plain and legible, -and her signature was exceptionally large. -Except in official documents she always used the -name “Alix,” instead of Alexandra, and the Emperor -in the privacy of their family life called her -“Alice.” She generally occupied herself with her -correspondence in the afternoon after her daily<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span> -walk with the Emperor, and as soon as her cup of -tea was brought to her at five o’clock she stopped -writing, even if she was in the midst of a letter. -In that respect she was quite extraordinary. -Things had to be done at a certain hour, and if not, -had to be put off until the next day. She would not -for anything in the world have sacrificed five minutes -of the time appointed for something else to -finish what she was doing at the moment.</p> - -<p>In Czarskoi Selo she had a lovely room full of -flowers where she had her writing table, a wonderful -specimen of French art of the time of Louis -XV. Next to it stood a smaller table, where she -used to throw the sheets she had just finished writing -upon, until all her letters were finished, when -she would pick them up and put them in their envelopes. -This led her sometimes to mix up one -letter with another, and brought her into trouble -through people getting missives which were not -meant for them. While Queen Victoria was alive -the Empress wrote to her regularly every week, -but she did not much care for so doing, and used -to say that it was a duty she would rather not have -had imposed upon her. At Christmas and the New -Year, she regularly sent her best wishes to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span> -other European sovereigns whom she knew personally.</p> - -<p>In this room I have just described, which was -hung up with light and bright chintz, reminding -one of an English room, and which contained comfortable -and at the same time costly furniture, the -Empress transacted only her private correspondence. -All her official writing was done in a small -library opening out of her sitting-room, where stood -a large, ugly and practical writing table with innumerable -pigeonholes, at which she used to sit -when her private secretary presented to her his -daily reports. It was at this table she made up -her accounts and attended to all her business, and -it was also here that she made out the programme -for her public work, receptions, visits to charitable -institutions, and so forth. She was most orderly -and neat in her habits, and could tell at once where -she had put such or such a paper. I do not think -that she could have tolerated disorder in any shape -or form around her, and she used to go through -her numerous drawers and wardrobes every month, -when she expected to find every single thing in the -place where she had ordered it to be put. All her -laces, of which she had a wonderful collection, were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span> -kept in a separate cupboard, of which I was the -only person to have a key. The Empress herself -possessed a duplicate one, as she did of all her -trunks, wardrobes, and cupboards, and she clung -to them like a real German housewife, and sometimes -would unexpectedly open one or the other of -these receptacles to assure herself that they were -kept in order. I remember an amusing instance of -this mania. When the Empress married, she received -among her wedding presents a beautiful -writing table set in crystal and gold with her monogram -and the Russian Eagle on the top of the -inkstand. For some years she always used it, until -at last one day the Emperor noticed that there was -some inaccuracy in the coat of arms of the Romanoffs -which was ornamenting the blotting book, and -he instantly presented his wife with another and -far handsomer writing table set, a masterpiece of -the skill of Faberge, the great Court jeweller in -<abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg, which was made out of platinum -and crystal, with big turquoises as ornaments. The -pen was of solid gold and had a turquoise as a finish -to the handle. Of course the Empress hastened to -put away the old set which had displeased her -spouse, and we stored it up in one of the cupboards<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span> -in which were kept the innumerable possessions of -the Czarina. One day she opened the said cupboard -when no one else was present and was highly -displeased to find that some parts of this writing -table set were put on a different shelf from the -others. This had been done because we had thought -that it would suit better the amount of room which -we had at our disposal, but the Empress would not -enter into considerations of that kind, and gave -us a good scolding for keeping her things “in such -disorder,” as she expressed it.</p> - -<p>Twice a year she went over her whole wardrobe, -at the time when she ordered the new dresses which -she required for each season. She then looked over -the different articles in it with care, and either made -a present of the things which she thought she would -not want any longer, or sent them to her sister the -Grand Duchess Elizabeth in Moscow, where the -latter disposed of them among the poor girls of the -Moscow nobility about to be married. She would -be very careful to have every bit of real lace unpicked -from these dresses, and then this lace was -consigned to the cupboard set apart for that purpose, -and entered in a catalogue, which was entirely -written in the Empress’s own hand.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span></p> - -<p>As may be imagined, all this kept my mistress -busy; and indeed there was hardly one hour in the -day when she was not occupied with one thing or -another. Her children’s wardrobes were looked -after by her with the same care that she applied to -her own things. And at Czarskoi Selo and Livadia -she herself used to look over the housekeeping -books of the Imperial household, much to the dismay -of the head of it, who often complained that -the Empress did not in the least understand the -intricacies of the management which she sometimes -so freely criticised. But though she frankly owned -that she did not know how much an egg or a potato -cost, yet, as she declared, she liked to be aware of -the price of the potatoes which she consumed. It -was an innocent mania, and would have been considered -as such if there had not existed malicious -people ready to make fun of it, and to laugh at the -“German Housekeeper,” as they derisively called -my poor mistress, who in view of this fact would -have done much better not to have meddled in matters -in which after all she had no need to enter, and -which so many people would have been but too -happy not to have to think about.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER XIII</h2> - -<p class="center">THE JAPANESE WAR AND THE BIRTH OF THE CZAREVITSCH</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">The</span> first really great sorrow and anxiety which -fell on my beloved mistress was the Japanese war. -I am not writing here a political book, and indeed -understand nothing about politics, but what I do -know is that no one could have been more affected -by the disasters which destroyed the Russian army -and fleet than was the Empress. She used to -spend hours weeping in her room, where she allowed -no one, not even her children, to enter, and -it was from that time that dated the terrible headaches -which later on were to prostrate her so utterly. -She was then in a delicate state of health, -and the Emperor wanted to spare her as much as -possible the news which was brought of one sad -event after another concerning all that went on in -this distant Manchuria, where Russian soldiers -were fighting such a hard battle. The whole country -was exasperated at the lamentable organisation,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span> -or rather want of organisation, which was revealed -so unexpectedly, and it was dating from -Mukden and Tsushima that the Revolutionary -elements in the country raised their heads and began -to threaten the throne which they were to destroy -twelve years later. The whole of Russia was -in the throes of an insurrectional movement, and -perhaps the only persons who were not aware of -its strength and magnitude were the sovereigns -themselves. Nicholas II. had not realised the -possibility of the fall of his dynasty and seriously -believed that he could stop the torrent that was -flooding the country. The Empress was ignorant -of the details of the convulsions which were fast -destroying the old legends and traditions which had -presided at the government of the Empire for such -a long time. She had a few illusions left still, and -one of them was in regard to the strength and the -spirit of devotion of the army. It was therefore a -terrible shock to her to find that this army which -she had believed to be invincible had allowed itself -to be beaten by the troops of the Mikado whom -she had regarded as savages. She felt cruelly the -loss of prestige which this disastrous campaign entailed, -and she also felt humiliated in her pride<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span> -as a Sovereign and as a woman. Added to this -weight of anxieties was another—the dread that -the child whose birth she was expecting would -prove another daughter, whose advent into the -world would add to the unpopularity of its mother. -Sometimes my heart used to ache for her, when I -saw her dragging herself through the park of Peterhof, -looking so ill that one wondered whether -she would be able to stand the trial which was -awaiting her. In her cruel anxiety she found no -one to encourage her or to whisper words of encouragement -in her ear. Her husband was himself -absorbed by the saddest of preoccupations and -she did not care to add to them by speaking to him -of her own personal griefs and sorrows. So the -time went on, bringing every day new subjects for -alarm, and new causes for discouragement. At -last one morning I was called to the bedside of the -Empress, together with all her other attendants, -and with trembling hearts we awaited the verdict -of the doctors as to her safety and the sex of the -infant for whose advent we were watching with -such intense interest. It was noon, and the great -clock of the castle of Peterhof had just been heard -striking the twelve strokes announcing it, when a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span> -child’s cry broke the silence of the room where the -Empress was lying, and then Doctor Ott, her physician, -turned towards the Czar, standing pale and -worried beside his Consort, with the word: “I congratulate -Your Majesty on the birth of a Czarevitsch.”</p> - -<p>Nicholas II. did not reply. He stood as if dazed -by the unexpected news. No one spoke or interrupted -his meditation, but all devoted themselves -to the Empress, who was still under the effects of -the chloroform that had been administered to her. -When she opened her eyes she looked so weak that -no one dared to tell her the good news, but she -seemed to read it in the face of her husband, because -she suddenly exclaimed: “Oh, it cannot be true; it -cannot be true. Is it really a boy?”</p> - -<p>Nicholas II. fell on his knees beside her and -burst into tears, the first and only ones I had ever -seen him shed.</p> - -<div id="illo_156" class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/i_156p.jpg" alt="" width="412" height="550" /> -<p class="caption1"><em>International Film Service</em></p> -<p class="caption center"><span class="smcap">The ex-Czarevitch</span></p> -</div> - -<p>The birth of an heir to the throne was an event -of such magnitude that it absorbed for some time -the whole attention of the public, and diverted it -from all that was taking place in the Far East. -For his parents it came as a consolation after long -years of waiting, and seemed to have been destined<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> -to comfort them for the disasters which were taking -place at the front. The Czar could not restrain -his joy, and at every moment he used to -speak of “his son,” and to look out for occasions to -pronounce the magic words, “My Boy.” The Empress’s -happiness was less buoyant but just as intense, -perhaps even more so, for this opportune -arrival of the little man whom one had already left -off expecting improved considerably her own position, -and gave her an importance which had been -denied to her before. She became passionately attached -to this child of promise, and almost painfully -and morbidly devoted to him. Unfortunately he -proved a most delicate little mortal, and for the -first years that followed upon his birth the doctors -who attended him hardly hoped they would be able -to save his life. He was born with an organic disease, -or rather defect, a weakness of the blood vessels -which ruptured on the slightest provocation, -causing hemorrhages that sometimes could not -be stopped for hours. For a long time his condition -was hidden from the public, but at last concealment -became impossible, especially after an attack -which occurred about two years before the -great war, which was of so serious a nature that the -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span>child’s life was absolutely despaired of. A few -months before this he had been obliged to undergo -an operation for hernia and had hardly recovered -from the effects of it when an accident brought -about the hemhorrhage which for weeks resisted -every remedy employed to stop it. These were -anxious times for the parents, and the Empress’s -hair changed colour and showed streaks of grey before -her son was at last pronounced out of danger.</p> - -<p>I have spoken at length of this serious illness of -the little Alexis because so many ridiculous tales -were put into circulation concerning it, tales which -were as malicious as they were foundationless. -The small heir of Nicholas II. was never the object -of any attack of nihilists, and all the detailed -circumstances which some newspapers related concerning -him were all of them pure invention. It -is sufficient to say that when he became ill the Imperial -family were not on their yacht, but were -staying at one of the Czar’s shooting boxes at Spala -in Poland. I have often wondered who could have -had an interest in giving publicity to the ridiculous -and distressing tale which is to this day firmly believed -by many people outside of Russia.</p> - -<p>When the Grand Duke was able to be moved his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span> -parents returned to Czarskoi Selo, whence they -went for many months to the Crimea, the mild climate -of which was considered to be necessary for -his convalescence. But for more than two years -after this attack the boy was not allowed to walk, -and was constantly carried about in the arms of -a sailor from the Imperial yacht whom he had taken -into his affection, and who to this day is with him, -having chosen to accompany him to Siberia. This -necessity of having to exhibit, so to say, a sick -child, was most painful to the feelings of the Empress, -whose maternal pride was hurt by the knowledge -that the whole of Russia was commenting on -it and pitying the Emperor for having an heir in -such a sad state of health. She was also continually -subjected to the railleries of her husband’s family -that reproached her for having, as one of the -Grand Duchesses once expressed it, “contaminated -the Romanoffs with the diseases of her own -race.” There was some truth in the accusation, because -the illness from which the boy suffered was -hereditary in the Saxe-Coburg family, and had been -brought into the House of Hesse by the Princess -Alice, the mother of the Empress, whose own -brother, the Duke of Albany, had died from the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span> -effects of it at Cannes. The worst thing about it -was that one could never know when it was going -to break out afresh. The slightest knock was sufficient -to bring on an attack, and one can imagine -how far from easy it was to watch over every movement -of a lively boy full of fun and high spirited, -such as Alexis proved to be. On the other hand -this physical infirmity (for it could hardly be called -anything else) had this result that the child got to -be inordinately spoiled. The mother was afraid to -contradict him or to refuse to submit to any of his -caprices, because she had been told that it was dangerous -for him even to cry, as any exertion of his -lungs or throat might bring about the rupture of -some blood vessel. One may therefore form an -idea of the system of education to which Alexis was -subjected, and perhaps one will feel indulgent in -regard to the Empress when thinking of the perpetual -dread and anxiety in which her days and -nights were spent, and forgive her for the weakness -which made her yield to every whim or caprice -of the boy who seemed to have been born -to add to her cup of sorrow, and not for the purpose -of bringing joy into her life.</p> - -<p>I will now relate an incident which deeply impressed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span> -the Czarina at the time when it occurred. -It was a few days before the birth of her son. We -were at Peterhof and she was dressing for dinner. -Suddenly we heard a crash behind us, and were -dismayed to see that a heavy looking glass which -hung upon the wall behind Alexandra Feodorovna -had fallen to the floor, where it had been shattered -into a thousand fragments. The Empress cried -aloud in her emotion, and for one moment I believed -that she was about to faint, so white did her -features become. I applied myself to reassure her, -but she would not be comforted, and declared that -it was an ill omen and that probably she would die -in childbirth. When everything was over, and on -the day of the christening of the Grand Duke -Alexis, I ventured to remind his mother of her -fright of a few weeks before, and added that it was -a clear proof how wrong it was to be superstitious, -because certainly nothing happier could have occurred -than the event which had just taken place, -notwithstanding the bad omen of the broken looking -glass. The Empress smiled sadly, and replied: -“My good Marfa, we do not know yet what is going -to befall my baby, and whether his will be a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span> -happy life or not. Perhaps the bad omen was for -him and not for me.”</p> - -<p>A curious thing is that exactly ten years later, -in July, 1914, just before the war, we were again -at Peterhof, and the Czarina was dressing for dinner -in the same room, when that identical looking -glass, which had been rehung, fell with the same -noise and just as unexpectedly, terrifying her as it -had done before. Alas, alas, we could afford then -to laugh at omens, but now that so many tragic -things have occurred I wonder sometimes whether -these accidents (for one can hardly call them anything -else) were a kind of warning of the calamities -about to follow. Certainly they could not fail -to impress a woman as superstitious as the Empress -grew in time to be.</p> - -<p>When I say “grew,” it is not quite exact. She -had always believed in good and bad omens, and -she had brought with her from her German home a -quantity of beliefs in all kinds of uncanny things. -She would not have sat down thirteen at dinner for -anything, and the sight of three candles on a table -made her frantic. She would not have put on a -green dress for fear it would bring her bad luck, -and she was always careful to look at a new moon<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span> -from the right side. She never began anything on -a Friday, and she was firmly convinced that one -could, if only one were strong enough as a medium, -summon people from another world into one’s presence. -She believed also in miracles, and would -worship any dirty relic which hundreds of unwashed -peasants had kissed, without feeling the -least disgust, which was the more strange in that -generally she was almost meticulously careful not -to touch anything that had not been thoroughly -cleansed. The influence which Rasputin grew to acquire -over her mind proceeded only from this weakness -of hers, which was continually fomented and -encouraged by her sister, the Grand Duchess Elizabeth, -herself a most devout person who combined -bigotry with an utter unscrupulousness as to the -means with which she could realise the many ambitions -that she entertained.</p> - -<p>If the Emperor had been a man of strong character -he might have prevented his young wife from -falling under the influence of the many people who -merely used her as a pawn in their game. But in -his way he was just as superstitious as she, and -they both were so absorbed by their love and anxiety -for their only son, that they clung to all those<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span> -whom they thought could be of use to him. Thus -when they saw Rasputin, whom they considered -to be a saint, prostrate himself on the ground and -implore the Almighty to cure the boy, and when -after this they noticed that the boy was getting -stronger, they felt more and more tempted to think -that it was not the doctors (who had told them that -the child could never be permanently cured) who -had made him better, but the will of the Almighty, -and that it was to the Almighty alone they had to -look for the conservation of the life of that much -cherished son.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER XIV</h2> - -<p class="center">THE CZARINA, HER CHILDREN AND HER CHARITIES</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">It</span> would be difficult to find a better mother than -the Empress Alexandra. She entered into the -smallest details of the training of her daughters -and her son, and she tried before everything else -to imbue them with the same serious points of -view with which she looked upon life and its numerous -duties. She insisted on her children always -speaking the truth, and the only time I ever saw -her really angry with the little Alexis was one -morning when he was caught by her telling a -falsehood. She had suffered so much through the -insincerity which continually dogged her footsteps -that she made up her mind to save her children -from this misery, and she applied herself to -make out of them sincere people. She had been -very lucky in the choice of the lady who was appointed -to superintend the education of the young -Grand Duchesses. Mademoiselle Toutscheff was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span> -a person of the highest moral character, who gave -herself up to her duties of governess to the daughters -of Nicholas II. with a complete devotion. -People said that she had been the whole time in -variance with the Empress, and that she had left -at last because her advice had been disregarded. -But this was not quite correct. It is true that she -objected to the introduction of Rasputin to her pupils, -but that was principally because she feared the -influence which this illiterate peasant might come -to exercise over the impressionable minds of the -young girls entrusted to her care, whom she did not -wish to see afflicted with the superstitious religious -exaggerations to which their mother unfortunately -succumbed. This led to friction between her and -Alexandra Feodorovna, and she preferred to resign -her functions rather than to remain at her post -after having lost the confidence of the mother of -her pupils. There may also have been another reason -for her going. The Grand Duchess Olga was -already twenty years of age, and she had developed -an independent character which had made the position -of Mademoiselle Toutscheff extremely difficult. -She thought that it would be to the advantage -of everybody if she severed her connection with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span> -the Imperial family before she had spoilt it by unseemly -quarrels.</p> - -<p>In a certain sense she was right, because it was -unfortunately an undoubted fact that the Empress -had become quite fanatical in her allegiance to the -Greek Orthodox Church, and that she tried to induce -her daughters to follow her example. Happily -for them the girls had a great deal of common -sense, and they managed to keep themselves free -from the religious excesses into which their mother -had fallen. They loved her tenderly, and would -have given their life for her, and she on her side -doted on these girls. When they were babies she -spent most of her spare time with them in their -nursery or schoolroom, and later on she shared -with them all her occupations and associated them -with her life as much as she could. She never -parted from them or from their brother, and there -was not a thing which concerned their well-being, -down to the smallest details, into which she did not -enter. When the war broke out she with her two -eldest daughters followed a course of training as -sisters of charity, and in the hospital which she -opened in Czarskoi Selo she nursed the wounded -soldiers with them.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span></p> - -<p>In regard to the little boy whose advent had been -such a source of joy to his parents, the Empress -was also full of solicitude. She had taken upon -herself his religious training, and every morning -had him brought to her room for an hour, when she -would read to him the gospel and teach him the -catechism. She was a fond, but by no means a -foolish mother, and what she aspired after was to -make out of her children honest men and women -and worthy members of society. But at the same -time she had very determined opinions in the matter -of education, and there were things which she -could not understand, as, for instance, the necessity -for her girls to have some amusements in their lives. -She imagined that it was quite enough for them to -live with their parents, in possession of all that -their hearts could desire in the matter of material -satisfactions, and would not hear of the necessity -of marriage for them. She could not bring herself -to look upon them as upon grown-up women, and -considered them always in the light of babies in -need of her care. She is not the only mother who -may be reproached for this failing, and she was -more reproached for it than she deserved to be.</p> - -<div id="illo_168" class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/i_168p.jpg" alt="" width="520" height="494" /> -<p class="caption1"><em>International Film Service</em></p> -<p class="caption center"><span class="smcap">The ex-Czarina and Her Son</span></p> -</div> - -<p>The little Grand Duke Alexis had a tutor, an<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span> -Englishman, whom he liked very much, and also a -French master. His mother wanted him to have a -complete command of foreign languages, knowing -by experience how difficult it is for people placed -in high positions to get on without it. The boy was -a bright and intelligent child, and if he had only -had good health, he might have made greater progress -in his studies. But half of his time was spent -in bed, and naturally this interfered with the course -of his lessons. His sisters also were not in possession -of the best of health, and this extreme delicacy -of her children was a source of perpetual anxiety -to the Czarina. She also objected to what she declared -was a tendency towards frivolity on the part -of her girls. Tatiana especially was extremely fond -of nice clothes and of jewellery, and her mother -was continually trying to subdue her extravagances -in that direction, notwithstanding the fact that she -very well knew the like reproach might be applied -to her own self. She was continually drawing the -attention of her daughters towards the sufferings -of others, and her instructions bore fruit, because -when the war broke out the Grand Duchesses displayed -wonderful qualities of self-abnegation and -devotion to the cause of suffering humanity. Tatiana -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span>in particular was quite marvellous, and -worked indefatigably in the relief committee at -the head of which she stood, which proved the only -one that did any good, and where malversations did -not take place. She renounced any pleasures she -might have obtained in the way of buying this or -that thing that attracted her fancy, and at last -when money became scarce she sold a beautiful pearl -necklace which her father had given to her on her -eighteenth birthday, to relieve some of the distress -which was being constantly brought before her notice. -The lessons of her mother had borne fruit.</p> - -<p>The Czarina was naturally extremely charitable, -and moreover she had very sane ideas in regard to -the relief of suffering and misery. She had especially -at heart the fate of small children, and the -society which she and the Emperor founded, which -was destined to encourage poor women in their -aspirations after maternity by teaching them how -to take care of their offspring, was an elaborate -and most intelligent affair. She would certainly -have brought it to an excellent result if the Revolution -had not interfered and destroyed her plans -in that respect, as it destroyed so many other things.</p> - -<p>My mistress has been reproached at different<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span> -times for having shown herself indifferent to the -cause of national education, and for not having considered -that problem with the attention it deserved. -But this was also an unreasonable reproach. The -Empress could not, even if she had so wished, have -interfered with the conduct of the different educational -establishments for women in the Empire. -These were all of them placed under the patronage -of the Empress Dowager, who was far too jealous -of her privileges in that respect to have consented -to share them with her daughter-in-law. The same -thing might have been said in regard to the work -of the Red Cross, which was entirely controlled -by Marie Feodorovna, who brought to it great -knowledge and considerable ability. But at the -same time she would not allow the young Czarina -to interfere with it, and when the latter tried -in her various visits to the Front to suggest this or -that improvement in the management of the different -hospitals she inspected, her mother-in-law -instantly protested and declared herself affronted -by what she considered to be a criticism on her management. -The young Empress had to devote herself -to the care of the wounded in the different hospitals -which she had organised at Czarskoi Selo,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span> -and her work remained confined to the great committee -for relief of the refugees from the invaded -countries and other victims of the war, which the -Emperor had founded at the beginning of the -campaign, and the care and patronage of which he -had placed under the management of his wife. It -was an interesting but at the same time a most -disheartening work, because it was impossible to -follow its execution, and one had perforce to depend -on people more or less reliable. My mistress -often regretted that she was debarred from putting -her experience and her great love for her neighbour -at the service of the army. This, however, was -denied her, perhaps not without reason, because by -that time she had already become most unpopular -among the troops, who had taken to calling her “the -German.” One day when she was inspecting a -field ambulance, she heard the expression in reference -to herself and was so overcome by it that -she could not restrain her tears. The poor woman, -though she knew that she was regarded with anything -but affection by her husband’s subjects, yet -had believed that the army at least appreciated her -care and her desire for its welfare. The discovery -that such was far from being the case was a great<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span> -blow to her. As time went on, carrying away with it -all her hopes of winning the love of the Russian -nation, she became hardened and ceased to conceal -the contempt which she felt for a world that had -failed to realise and to believe in her good intentions. -But through it all she applied herself to -hide from her children the intensity of her disillusions, -and she went on instilling into them those -high principles to which she had tried to remain -faithful herself. Her great misfortune was that -she lived in great times, and that she had no greatness -in her to meet them. This was a calamity, but -by no means caused by her own fault.</p> - -<p>Sometimes she was touching in the attention she -gave to the smallest detail connected with the training -and the welfare of her children. One may say -that even before the great catastrophe which fell -upon her, her attention had been entirely concentrated -on her babes. She liked to be present at all -the daily routine of their existences, and whenever -her daughters were to be produced before some of -their relatives, she made it a point to superintend -their toilet, and to brush their long hair. The girls -were generally dressed in white, winter and summer, -and it was only when they had reached their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span> -twelfth year that she consented to dress them in -dark colours during their school hours. But even -then they had to change for dinner and to appear -before their parents in the light gowns their mother -was so fond of. Their clothes were always made in -the best houses, and their linen just as dainty and -magnificent as their mother’s. In summer and on -board the Imperial yacht, they were generally attired -in sailor hats and blouses, and were allowed -to run about as much as they liked, and to talk to -the officers and sailors. They shared their mother’s -love for the sea, and the six weeks or so that -these annual excursions in the Finnish waters lasted -were the real holidays of the children as well as of -the Empress.</p> - -<p>The latter has also been accused of not showing -any amiability in regard to the foreign guests who -from time to time visited the Court of Czarskoi -Selo. In this there may have been a certain amount -of truth, but the apparent coldness of the young -Czarina proceeded from the everlasting fear which -haunted her that she might be compromised by -showing herself too effusive towards strangers. -She knew that any attention she showed to her -visitors would be widely commented upon, and as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span> -these with few exceptions were German princes, -this circumstance added to her embarrassment, because -she was very well aware that she was supposed -to harbour strong Teuton sympathies. In -regard to her English relatives she was handicapped, -because the Queen of Great Britain was -the sister of the Empress Dowager, and when she -came to Rewal with King Edward, she was naturally -more with Marie Feodorovna than with the -niece with whom she had so very little in common, -and who had done nothing whatever to win her sympathies.</p> - -<p>From time to time the sister of the Czarina, -Princess Henry of Prussia, put in an appearance -at Czarskoi Selo, and her brother, the Grand Duke -of Hesse, was also a frequent visitor there. But -these visits were never official ones, and mostly -passed unnoticed by the general public that had -left off troubling about what went on in the home -of the Sovereign. The members of the Imperial -family were also rare visitors at Czarskoi Selo, and -avoided putting in an appearance there unless -absolutely compelled to do so. Alexandra Feodorovna -knew so perfectly well how to convey to her -guests the knowledge that they bored her that it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span> -was no wonder they did not care to court this knowledge -and that they preferred not to annoy her with -their presence. The Empress Dowager used to appear -on the family anniversaries, such as birthdays, -name days, and others of the kind to offer her congratulations -to her son and daughter-in-law, and -every winter the young Czarina used to come to -<abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg from Czarskoi Selo to pay her -mother-in-law one solemn visit of ceremony; after -which the two ladies did not see each other for a -long time. All this was abnormal, but once these -relations had been established it was next to impossible -to change them, and so the breach which -separated my mistress from the world as well as -from her husband’s family widened and widened, -until at last she found herself alone in presence of -danger, of sorrow, and of one of the greatest catastrophes -which history will ever record. Whether -the fault was wholly hers or was shared by others, -is a point upon which I shall not attempt to give an -opinion.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER XV</h2> - -<p class="center">THE FIRST REVOLUTION</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">I</span> often wondered whether the Empress had -quite appreciated the magnitude of the first revolutionary -movement which took place in Russia during -and after the Japanese war. She had been repeatedly -told that it was a mutiny of no importance, -bound to be crushed by the government. The -Czar as well as his ministers had purposely left -her in the dark, the former because he did not wish -to alarm her, and the latter because they feared -that she might try, in presence of the danger which -threatened the dynasty, to persuade her husband to -adopt a more liberal form of administration, and to -grant to Russia this Constitution for which everybody -was clamouring, especially after the war had -plainly proved that the autocratic régime was at -an end. She could, however, sometimes hear echoes -of the general dissatisfaction, and indeed the first -person who pointed out to her its extent was the -Empress Dowager, who knew very well all that was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[177]</a></span> -going on, and who had made it a point to become -as well-informed as possible of all that was taking -place in the Empire. For once Marie Feodorovna -appealed to her daughter-in-law to open the eyes -of Nicholas II as to the perils of the political situation, -but she refused to do so, thinking that the -request covered an intrigue of which she was to -become the victim. And so time went on until -Count Witte, who still enjoyed some popularity, -spoke to the Emperor, and persuaded him to promulgate -the famous Manifesto of the 17th October, -and to call together a Representative Assembly. -In a certain sense this was a victory for -the Empress, for she had at that period more than -once expressed her conviction that it would be to -the advantage of the Russian nation to establish -a constitutional form of government, as near as -possible to the one which had proved so successful -in England. But strange as it may appear to say -so, she was at that very moment changing her opinions -and rallying to those of the people who thought -that every concession to the demands of the populace -would bring about the ruin of the monarchy, -just as the calling together of the States General in -France in 1789 had brought about the fall of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[178]</a></span> -Bourbons and sent Louis XVI. finally to the scaffold. -She had always compared her fate to that -of Marie Antoinette, and had more than once expressed -to her friends her conviction that she also -was destined for some horrible fate. On the day -when the first Duma was opened by the Emperor -in the big ballroom of the Winter Palace, she cried -the whole time that she was dressing, and it was -almost with a feeling of horror that she allowed her -maids to place on her head the big diadem of diamonds -which formed part of the Crown jewels, -and to hang about her neck the many rows of -pearls and precious stones which lay in readiness -for her. She was dreading the future and wondering -what it would bring with it.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/i_178p.jpg" alt="" width="520" height="411" /> -<p class="caption1"><em>International Film Service</em></p> -<p class="caption center"><span class="smcap">The Grand Staircase, Winter Palace, Petrograd</span></p> -</div> - -<p>There is one incident concerning these momentous -days which I must relate. When the population -of <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg, headed by the notorious -Gapone, repaired to the Winter Palace and asked -to see the Sovereign, in order to lay their grievances -before him, the Czarina was of the opinion that he -ought to have received them and spoken with them. -Her mother-in-law thought the same thing. But -the ministers, and especially Count, then still Baron, -Fredericks opposed it, and it was their advice -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span>which prevailed, instead of that of the two Empresses. -To tell the truth, Nicholas was not of a -courageous nature, and but too ready to listen to -those who told him that he ought not to expose his -person to any danger.</p> - -<p>But in presence of this new load of calamity that -threatened her and her children my mistress more -than ever put her trust in God, and prayed, prayed -with more fervour than she had ever done before. -Several times she interceded in favour of revolutionaries -who had been sentenced to death for some -political crime or other. This happened particularly -in the case of a woman, Sophy Konoplianinova, -who had murdered General Minn, the commander -of the Semenovsky regiment, who had repressed -with ruthless cruelty the Moscow Rebellion. -The Empress wished to have her pardoned, -but the Czar would not listen to her, and all her -pleadings for mercy were in vain.</p> - -<p>Is it to be wondered that racked as she was with -cruel anxieties, and bred in an atmosphere of superstition, -she set her belief more than ever in -spiritism and consulted fortunetellers, and monks -and priests who predicted to her a future devoid -of cares, and one where worries would be unknown<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span> -to her? She listened to them, and with a blind faith -in their many and varied predictions she proceeded -to absorb herself more and more in practices of a -religious devotion which finally mastered all her -thoughts and left no room in them for anything -else. She had fitted up in her bedroom an oratory -full of sacred images, to which every day was added -another icon. No Russian was ever a firmer believer -in the different dogmas of the Orthodox -Church than was this daughter of a German house, -whose mother had been an intimate friend of the -famous Strauss, and had allowed the latter to dedicate -to her his life of Jesus which had caused such -a profound sensation in literary, religious and philosophical -circles all over the world.</p> - -<p>The Revolution was finally mastered, and though -the Duma always continued to show itself criticising -and even rebellious, things began to settle -down. Russia prepared to celebrate the anniversary -of the Three Hundredth Year of the accession -of the Romanoff dynasty to the throne, and -great rejoicings were planned for the occasion. -The Imperial family came to <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg for -the first time since the Japanese war, and remained -in the capital for four days. A solemn service of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span> -thanksgiving was celebrated in the Kazan Cathedral, -to which representatives of all the classes of the -Empire were invited, and the nobility of <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg -gave a big ball at which the whole Imperial -family was present. I remember it so well, because -it was the last occasion on which the Empress -appeared in full state and wore the Crown Jewels. -She had chosen a white satin dress all embroidered -in silver, and had consented to put on what she did -but rarely—the famous necklace of diamonds together -with the tiara that had belonged to the Empress -Catherine. She was still beautiful, but the -slight figure that had been so conspicuous in her -young days, and the beautiful complexion which -had been unrivalled, had disappeared. She looked -a middle aged, haggard woman, racked with cares -and anxieties, and though the splendid, sharp profile -could never change, the mouth had altered, and -its expression was almost tragic. She only remained -for an hour at the ball, and retired before -supper, leaving her daughters to the care of the -Dowager Empress, who declared herself delighted -at the thought of chaperoning them.</p> - -<p>It was the girls’ first appearance in society, and -those who saw them then will never forget how<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span> -they looked. They were both dressed in pink, soft -clouds of tulle, which suited them to perfection. -Not regularly pretty, they had sweet faces, and -such charming manners that one could not help -being attracted by them. Rumours of their approaching -marriages with the Crown Prince of -Servia and the future heir to the Roumanian -throne were afloat at the time, and added to the -interest which they excited. Alas, alas, all these -hopes were to prove fallacious, and <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg -society, which had been so much attracted by these -two Princesses, was never to see them again, at -least as the daughters of a reigning Sovereign.</p> - -<p>Dark rumours were already coursing at the time -concerning the Empress and her affection for the -terrible Rasputin who was to do her so much harm. -In general she was unfortunate in her friendships, -because the one which she formed for Madame -Wyroubieva caused also much scandal. The Czarina -with all her cleverness (and she was clever) -had no judgment and did not possess the slightest -knowledge of the world or of humanity. She believed -all that she was told, and, if the truth be -said, she was so anxious to please and to be liked -that she accepted with joy and an amazing credulity<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span> -the protestations of affection she met with. -If she had only had a really good friend, so many -of the mistakes which she made might have been -avoided.</p> - -<p>One of the people who did her the most harm was -her own sister, the Grand Duchess Elizabeth. The -latter was an ambitious person who conceived the -plan to rule Russia through the Empress. She -had entered a convent not at all out of any vocation -for the religious life, but because she thought that -it would give her prestige in the country, and that -she might acquire there a position which it would -have been impossible for her to obtain as the widow -of a Grand Duke who had been murdered on account -of his unpopularity and the hatred with which -he was looked upon in the whole of Russia. She -posed as a victim and she absolutely abused the -privileges which this attitude conferred upon her. -She used to worry the Czarina greatly, and whenever -the latter objected to anything that she told -her, or refused to comply with any of the continual -requests she put forth, she threatened her with the -punishment of Heaven, and told her that God -would chastise her and take away from her her -idolised son. She spent her time going about from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span> -one convent to another, and in that way contrived -to travel all over Russia and to win for herself a -considerable number of adherents everywhere. -Her plan was to force the Czar to rescind the Constitution -which he had granted to his subjects and -to return to the old forms of autocracy. It was she -who had recommended Mr. Protopopoff and Mr. -Sturmer to the Emperor, and she had managed to -secure for herself, as well as for all the people who -had sworn their allegiance to her, a prominent -place in the administration of the State.</p> - -<p>The Empress feared her and knew beforehand -that she would in the long run be compelled to do -whatever her sister required of her. Sometimes, -however, she showed some impatience at the manner -in which the latter “bossed” her, to use a vulgar -expression, and then she would sulk and lock -herself up in her room, refusing to see any one, -upon which Elizabeth would sigh and make discreet -allusions to the sad mental condition of the -unfortunate Czarina. She certainly was the one -who contributed the most to the popular belief that -the Consort of Nicholas II. was not quite right in -her mind.</p> - -<p>The only person who would fight the Grand<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span> -Duchess, and not give in to her caprices, was Madame -Wyroubieva, and perhaps this was one of the -reasons why Alexandra Feodorovna grew so fond -of her. The poor Empress wanted some one to -fight her battles for her and felt grateful to any -person capable of doing so. She had encountered -so few willing to do it.</p> - -<p>The Emperor Nicholas was very fond of his sister-in-law. -She represented to him what he called -the only real Russian element in the Imperial family, -in the sense that he thought her so infeodated -to the old Muscovite traditions which his uncles and -cousins, and even his own brother and sisters, had -renounced, and he fancied she would be better able -than any one else to understand the wants as well as -the idiosyncrasies of the Russian nation. He always -listened to her with deference, and, bigoted -as he was himself, felt ready to believe her when -she assured him that the Almighty would always -protect him, provided he kept faithful to the principles -of that Orthodox Church which required from -him the destruction of everything and every one -that showed any antagonism to this autocracy of -which he was the chosen representative. The -Czar belonged to that class of people who only<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span> -listen to those who agree with them, and he had -never learned anything, or profited by the lessons -that one had tried to teach to him, no matter in -what direction. He was a tyrant by character and -by temper, whilst weak and irresolute, and this is -a combination which is more often to be found than -one would imagine.</p> - -<p>At the time I am talking about my mistress was -very unhappy. For one thing, she had very little -hope left of the recovery of her son, and apart -from the exaggerated love which she bore him, she -felt that the difficulty of her own position would increase -should the boy die. She had an almost morbid -wish to hear people assure her that such a misfortune -was not going to overtake her, and she -eagerly caught at the assurances which Rasputin -used to give her that so long as he remained at her -side no harm could happen to little Alexis. She -sincerely thought that this common peasant, by -reason of his ignorance, would be better able than -a more cultured person to come into touch with -the Almighty, founding her belief on the words -of the Gospel, that He “revealed himself to simple -and ignorant people.” The fact was that she had -grown tired of all the false protestations with which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span> -her ears were saturated, and she thought that perhaps -a humble Russian mougik would at least show -himself faithful to her as well as to her dynasty. -How terrible was her mistake the future was to -prove.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER XVI</h2> - -<p class="center">THE CZARINA’S FRIENDS</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">Alexandra</span> Feodorovna did not make any real -friends during the first years that followed upon -her marriage. Indeed it was only after the Japanese -war that she started the intimacies for which she -was so much reproached by her subjects. The most -notorious was that for Rasputin, but there were two -others just as nefarious—that with Madame -Wyroubieva and with the Princess Dondoukoff.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/i_188p.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="500" /> -<p class="caption1"><em>International Film Service</em></p> -<p class="caption center"><span class="smcap">Grand Duchess Elizabeth</span></p> -</div> - -<p>The latter was a lady of considerable intelligence -and a physician of no mean skill whom the Empress -had put at the head of the private hospital -she had organised at Czarskoi Selo long before the -war broke out. Later on when other lazarets and -ambulances, the number of which increased every -day as the terrific struggle went on, were organised -in the Imperial residence, the Princess Dondoukoff -was appointed general superintendent of all -these establishments, and it was she who coached -the Czarina as well as her daughters in the duties -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[189]</a></span>of a Red Cross nurse. She was of a pushing temperament, -had the reputation of being loose -in her morals, though personally I saw nothing that -could have justified it, and was also gifted with a -remarkable propensity for intrigue. No one liked -her, but everybody feared her. She insinuated herself -thoroughly into the confidence of the Empress, -who referred to her in everything, and willingly -listened to her. She was of course among the followers -of Rasputin, and with him and Madame -Wyroubieva formed a trio which it would have been -difficult not only for the general public but also -for the immediate attendants of the Russian Sovereign -to fight against.</p> - -<p>The Princess Dondoukoff used to give drugs to -Alexandra Feodorovna which the latter used to -take unknown to her medical attendants and which -were declared by them, when they discovered the -fact, to have had a good deal to do with her shattered -nerves. This may or may not have been true,—I -shall not venture an opinion upon the subject,—but -certainly my mistress was far too fond of the -Princess, and would have done better to have seen -less of her, if only from the point of view that -the weight which she laid on her opinions considerably<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[190]</a></span> -incensed the doctors who were in regular attendance -upon her, who objected to the manner in -which their own prescriptions were neglected.</p> - -<p>The Princess introduced at Court a quack medical -man from Thibet called Bachmanoff, who, she -pretended, had brought with him from his country -all kinds of secret remedies which she advised the -Czarina to try on the little Grand Duke Alexis. -The fond mother believed her, and Bachmanoff -became one of her favourites. It is impossible to -say whether he would have cured the child, because -the latter’s nurse, a sailor called Derewenko, of -whom he was inordinately fond, and whom I have -already had occasion to mention, threw out of the -windows all the powders and potions which Alexandra -Feodorovna asked him to give to her son, and -took great care the boy should not get anything but -what his own doctor had ordered him to take. Ultimately -the Grand Duke got better and stronger, -and last year he might have been pronounced cured, -at least in so far as the chronic ailment from which -he was suffering could be cured. But the Empress -in her joy at this unexpected recovery was persuaded -that it had taken place, thanks to the Thibetan, -in whom she believed more than ever.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span></p> - -<p>The friendship for Madame Wyroubieva was -perhaps even worse than the attachment of the -foolish Sovereign to the Princess Dondoukoff. -Madame Wyroubieva was the daughter not of the -Emperor’s private secretary, as she represented -herself to be, but of a State Secretary (which is -quite a different thing, being a purely honorific position) -called Tanieieff. She had been married to -a navy officer with whom she could not agree, and -they were divorced, not because he had grown mad, -as she declared (divorce for insanity is not allowed -in Russia), but because he had found reason to object -to her conduct. The Empress, for reasons no -one ever understood, took her part and invited her -once or twice to the Palace of Czarskoi Selo. Madame -Wyroubieva made the most of her opportunities -and soon became quite indispensable to Alexandra -Feodorovna. She it was who, with the -Grand Duchess Elizabeth, introduced Rasputin into -the Imperial household, and with him she established -such control of the Czarina’s actions that -soon the latter became simply a tool in their hands.</p> - -<p>Madame Wyroubieva was, above everything else, -a grabbing woman. She fully meant to make a -fortune out of the position of trust she was supposed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[192]</a></span> -to occupy. Both she and Rasputin were in -their turn in the hands of a gang of adventurers -who used them for their own ends, and they set up -a shameful exploitation of the public exchequer for -which unfortunately the Empress was made responsible. -The latter only looked upon Rasputin -as a saintly personage, a kind of orthodox yogi -whose prayers were sure to be taken into account -by the Almighty. Terrible things have been hinted -at in regard to her relations with him, but all that -I can say is that to my knowledge, at least, she was -never alone with him for one single moment, and -that except in regard to the health of the heir to -the throne, my mistress never spoke with him of -anything else but religious subjects. The public -said that he was all powerful at Court, but I feel -convinced that these rumours arose from certain -unscrupulous persons who had an interest in -spreading them because they managed (thanks to -the intimacy of which they boasted with a personage -who, as they related, could turn and twist the -sovereigns at his will and pleasure) to obtain army -contracts and other things they desired. Among -them were Protopopoff and Sturmer, and the notorious -Manassevitsch Maniuloff, whose blackmailing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[193]</a></span> -propensities caused him to be arrested and sentenced -to several years’ hard labour from which he -was released by order of the present Russian government. -Rasputin in reality was treated in the -Palace as a kind of jester who was allowed to do -as he wished—a sort of fool, after the pattern of -Chicot in Dumas’ novels, and neither Nicholas II., -who liked him even better than did the Empress, -nor the latter ever thought of him as of anything -else than a holy pilgrim (for that was what he proclaimed -himself to be) whose vocation was to go -about preaching the gospel to the world. One -must not forget that there have been many such in -Russia, and that the natural tendency to mysticism, -which is one of the characteristics of the Russian -character, has always welcomed them with effusion. -The Empress, who, though a German, was more -superstitious than any Russian, fully believed that -the presence of Rasputin at her side was a shield -against all possible dangers. She therefore refused -to be parted from him, and whenever anything -happened of a nature to cause her worry she used -to send for him, when he would prostrate himself -on the ground and invoke the powers of Heaven -to deliver him and his friends from evil. He was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[194]</a></span> -a thorough fanatic, or at least professed to affect -the ways of a fanatic, and he used to force the Empress -to prostrate herself before holy images beside -him, and to remain with her face pressed to -the floor for hours in earnest supplication to a God -whom, he averred, he was the only one to honour -as he ought to be honoured. It is difficult to realise -that an Empress of Russia, and one of the -haughty temperament of Alexandra Feodorovna, -could lend herself to such ridiculous practices, but -so it was, and I can only say what I have seen -without attempting to explain it. But it was not -surprising that when the Imperial family came -to hear of all this, it should have been indignant -and tried to oust from the Palace a man whose -presence in it tended to discredit royalty at a time -when, on the contrary, every possible means should -have been resorted to in order to raise its prestige.</p> - -<p>The Empress Dowager, when she heard all that -was going on, raised her voice, and, disliking -though she did to meddle in what she considered did -not concern her, she made representations to the -Czar when the latter paid her a visit in Kieff, -whither she had transferred her residence. Nicholas -listened to her, but did nothing. Others followed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[195]</a></span> -the example of Marie Feodorovna, and the -Grand Dukes individually and collectively tried to -open the eyes of the head of their dynasty to the -evils caused by the presence of Rasputin. Everything -proved useless, because the Emperor just as -much as his wife was under the spell of the clever -comedian whose strong will had completely mastered -his own weak intellect. I have often witnessed -the prayer meetings which were organised -in the Czarina’s private oratory, at which Rasputin -presided. Few people were admitted to them, and -the congregation generally consisted of Madame -Wyroubieva, the Princess Dondoukoff, the Czar -and his Consort. The Imperial children were sometimes -told to attend them but not often. Rasputin -used to pray aloud, and then preach, touching in -his sermons on subjects of every kind that had -not the remotest claim to be considered religious. -And then he assured his audience that the Lord -had revealed himself to him and ordered him to acquaint -the Czar with such and such a thing, choosing -the one he had at heart at that particular moment. -The Empress generally went into hysterics -whilst listening to him, and it was on that account -I was asked to remain in the vicinity of the room,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[196]</a></span> -so as to be able to come to her help. I had often to -unlace her or else she would have choked, and for -this purpose I took her into another apartment. -The fact that one or other of her maids saw me -carrying away some part of her clothes gave rise -to the most malicious rumours. The most curious -thing about it all was that the Emperor looked on -unmoved whilst his wife was almost writhing in -strong convulsions and extended no help whatever -to her, because Rasputin assured him that these -convulsions were a manifestation of the good spirits, -and a proof that the prayers of the Czarina had -been accepted by the Almighty.</p> - -<p>I know that all this sounds incredible and yet it -is but the truth. The unfortunate woman whom -the world has slandered in the most cruel manner -possible was after all nothing but a miserable being -whose mental balance was unstrung, to say the -least. It would have been more sensible to have -put her in an asylum than to have accused her of -immoral practices of which she was incapable. Of -course others who were witnesses of the daily actions -of Alexandra Feodorovna in Czarskoi Selo -could not be expected to look at things with the -same eyes as I did and I do not feel any surprise at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[197]</a></span> -the disgust which filled all the good and devoted -servants of the dynasty when they heard about -these mysterious meetings during which the Holy -Ghost was supposed to descend in person on the -heads of Nicholas II. and his wife. There were -some still in existence, among others the Princess -Wassiltschikoff, one of the most prominent women -in <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg society, who took it upon herself -to write to my mistress to warn her of the manner -in which she was discrediting herself and the dynasty. -The Czarina was terribly offended on receiving -this letter, and fell into one of her rare fits -of passion. She complained to the Emperor, and -the author of this epistle that had aroused her anger -was forthwith ordered to leave <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg -and to retire in disgrace to one of her estates in the -country. Alexandra Feodorovna clenched her -teeth and could hardly restrain her tears when -speaking about what she called “this infamous letter.” -At that moment of rage I believe she could -have killed the lady who had thus ventured to tell -her things which she considered the most insolent -she had ever heard in her whole life. She was destined -to feel still more offended a few days later -when the Grand Duke Nicholas Michaylovitsch,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[198]</a></span> -a cousin of the Czar, presented to the latter a -memorandum in which he adjured him not to listen -any longer to the advice he received from his -wife, and to dismiss the gang of adventurers whose -presence at his side was discrediting him. He also -was repaid by being sent into exile for the audacity -with which he had dared to criticise the conduct of -Alexandra Feodorovna.</p> - -<p>There is, therefore, nothing surprising if those -who had come to look upon Rasputin as upon a national -danger should at last have made up their -minds to remove him by fair means or foul. Of -course what lay behind his assassination was the desire -to put an end to the influence of the Empress -over her Consort, and to pave the way towards her -internment in a private asylum or in a convent -where it was felt that she would be happier than anywhere -else. So long as Rasputin existed such a thing -was not to be thought of, but it was secretly hoped -that if he were finally put out of the way the mind -of the Czarina would snap altogether and it would -then become a relatively easy matter to persuade -Nicholas II. to separate himself from her, when it -was hoped that the dynasty would recover some of -the prestige which it had lost. This, so far as I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[199]</a></span> -know, is the real key to the murder of the adventurer -whose career constitutes a unique episode -even in the annals of Russian history that has recorded -so many queer things. In describing it I -have anticipated events, and must now return a few -years back and speak of the outbreak of the great -war, even if superficially, because its declaration -sounded the knell of the Romanoff dynasty and, -in a certain way, sealed the fate of the illustrious -lady at whose side I spent so many years before -misfortune overwhelmed her.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[200]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER XVII</h2> - -<p class="center">THE GREAT WAR</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">It</span> is useless to repeat that when the great war -broke out no one in Russia expected it, the Czar -least of all. I shall not touch upon the serious part -of this awful drama; I only mention it in so far as -it has to do with the unhappy Empress. She was -quite overpowered by it, and thought it the culminating -point of her misfortunes. Apart from -her apprehensions for that Russia whose Sovereign -she was, she felt deeply the fact that she was going -to be at war with her own kith and kin, and with -her beloved brother of whom she was so fond. No -one doubted among her surroundings that France -and Russia united together would surely and -quickly beat the Germans, but the Czarina knew -very well that whatever the outcome of the struggle -she would become one of its principal victims. -She was perfectly aware that the nation which disliked -her so intensely called her the “German” -quite openly, and that she would probably be suspected<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[201]</a></span> -of favouring the land of her birth in preference -to that of her adoption; she chafed beforehand -at the injustice of the accusation. Everybody -noticed her intense emotion on the day which -followed the declaration of hostilities, when, during -the religious ceremony which took place in the -Winter Palace, she stood beside the Czar, and listened -to the reading of the manifesto announcing -to the nation that Germany had challenged it to -mortal combat. Before she left Peterhof (where -the Court was spending the summer) for <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> -Petersburg, I ventured to express to her my hope -that she would have sufficient strength to bear the -fatigue and emotions of the trying day. “I can -bear anything now,” she replied. “Since I did not -die yesterday, it seems to me that nothing will ever -kill me.” Momentous words which I was to remember -more than once as time went on and one -disaster followed upon another.</p> - -<p>When the war broke out the Empress Dowager -was in England. She telegraphed to her daughter-in-law -to take her place at the head of the Red -Cross until her return to Russia, and to take the -first measures necessary to ensure its activity. The -Czarina was but too willing to do so, but she encountered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[202]</a></span> -unusual opposition and even hostility on -the part of the officials interested in the society, who -criticised all the improvements which she suggested, -and even refused to follow the instructions which -she gave them. This, of course, was a source of -bitter mortification to her, and she was but too glad -to retire altogether from the management of the -whole affair as soon as her mother-in-law returned. -But this was wrongly interpreted by the public -that said the Sovereign was not interested in the -cause of the wounded, because she disapproved altogether -of the war, and would have liked to see -Russia come to an agreement with Germany.</p> - -<p>The position of my unfortunate mistress grew -more and more difficult as time went on. At first -the triumphant (for so it was called) march of the -Russian troops into Galicia and the capture of -Lemberg seemed to point to a successful campaign, -but then came the first reverses, followed by the -great retreat which meant abandoning to the enemy -some of the most fertile provinces of the Russian -Empire and the whole of Poland. The loss of the -whole line of fortresses which defended the Vistula -was also an awful blow dealt both to Russia’s might -and to Russia’s welfare as well as prestige. Of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[203]</a></span> -course the whole country waxed indignant at this -unexpected series of disasters, and of course the -government was made responsible for them.</p> - -<p>The want of foresight on the part of the War -Office was attributed to the general corruption -which existed in all Russian administrative -spheres, and also to the partiality of the Czar for -certain favourites, against whom he would never -listen to any criticisms and whom he continued to -employ though the whole country had recognised -their utter incapacity.</p> - -<p>The Empress knew all these things: she had even -been asked more than once to interfere and to -bring them to the notice of the Czar, but she had -always refused to meddle in questions which she -felt were so important that any false step might -be accompanied by terrible consequences. Once -during one of the flying visits which the Commander -in Chief, the Grand Duke Nicholas, paid -to <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg from the front, he had tried to -enlist her sympathies in favour of a vast plan of -reform he wanted to bring through, but she was so -mistrustful of him that she had thought it better -to do nothing but to declare to him that she did not -think herself competent to offer advice in view of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[204]</a></span> -general difficulties presented by the situation. She -felt frightened at the persistence with which certain -people who were not over well disposed in her -favour wanted to get her mixed up in matters -where the smallest blunder might bring upon her -head the wrath of the whole nation. But at the -same time she attempted to do what she had never -tried before, that is, to discuss with her husband -the events of the day and give him the benefit of -her opinions, which, though always moderate, were -distinctly in favour of the continuance of the autocratic -system. She once told me that she thought -it would be far more advantageous to the nation if -the Duma were permanently prorogued, at least -for as long as hostilities lasted, because she feared -for one thing that its criticisms would destroy the -faith of the nation in its government, and for another, -that it would prevent by the discussions it -would be sure to raise the conclusion of a peace favorable -to Russian interests. This peace the -Czarina called for with all her heart, and she would -have sacrificed much to see it concluded. This got -to be known, the more so that she never even tried -to hide it, and the rumour arose that she was negotiating -the conditions of such a peace with her German<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[205]</a></span> -relations. This I do not believe for one moment -she had ever done or wanted to do, but those -intent on her destruction naturally accused her of -intriguing in a sense favourable to German interests. -She had unfortunately antagonised every -single party in the country, the aristocracy to begin -with, and also the extreme radicals and socialists -who made her responsible for all the measures -of repression which the government had begun to -take against them. The poor woman had become -the scapegoat of all the sins of Israel.</p> - -<p>Nevertheless she fought bravely against these -terrible odds, and she applied herself to give to the -Czar some of the energy which he lacked, and of -which perhaps she possessed too much. It was -then that she paid different visits to the Front, a -thing which she had never been allowed to do whilst -the Grand Duke Nicholas was commander in chief, -and she tried to cheer up her husband, and to encourage -him in the new responsibilities which he -had assumed when he had dismissed his uncle and -taken upon himself the functions of Commander in -Chief of the Army. He had been forced into his -decision by the general wish of the public, who were -dissatisfied with the Grand Duke Nicholas, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[206]</a></span> -hoped that the presence of the Sovereign at the -head of his troops would infuse courage into the -hearts of the latter and induce them to make every -effort against the foe. But the troops were not to -blame for the reverses which had overtaken them; -the lack of ammunitions was the cause of the evil, -and this could not be remedied by any commander -in chief, but would have required a thorough and -radical reform in the whole administration of the -War Office.</p> - -<p>There existed no one in Russia powerful enough -to enforce this reform. In the circumstances in -which the country found itself placed, it would have -required the energy and the iron will of a Peter the -Great to overcome the obstacles standing in the -way of any reforms of a sweeping nature, and Russia -had for sovereign Nicholas II., the weakest that -had ever carried the sceptre of the Romanoffs.</p> - -<p>During these anxious days the Empress took to -confiding in me and sometimes called me to her -side, generally during the night when she could not -sleep and was haunted by all kinds of fears in regard -to the future. She told me then that she felt -persuaded a revolution would follow upon the war, -and that this time it would be a serious one which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[207]</a></span> -would require considerable energy before it would -be suppressed. The idea that it might eventually -prove successful never entered her mind, and I have -often wondered at her utter blindness in this matter. -But she felt so convinced that the greater -part of Russia was still attached to the principles -embodied in an all-powerful autocracy that no one -was taken more unawares than herself by the -promptitude with which the Russian nation accepted -the overthrow of the dynasty. And yet she -had been told often enough that this dynasty was -in danger if it did not decide to make concession to -public opinion that clamoured for a change. She -still nursed illusions, and she honestly believed that -her personal efforts in favour of wounded and disabled -soldiers had made her popular with the army, -that it felt grateful to her and to the Czar, and that -it would not allow them to be harmed. She liked -to relate anecdotes tending to prove this, and whenever -she returned to Czarskoi Selo from one of the -frequent visits she made to the Front, after the -Emperor had assumed the supreme command, she -liked to call me to her side and relate to me all that -she had seen whilst there, and how the wounded -whom she had visited had thanked her for her kindness<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[208]</a></span> -towards them, not knowing that their thanks -had been uttered in obedience of a command and -had never proceeded from the heart of those who -had uttered them. There had come, however, one -fatal day when, instead of the cheers to which she -had been used, the Empress was received with a -dead silence by the troops when she accompanied -her husband to a review of regiments about to be -sent to the fighting Front. This was the first -time that such a thing had happened to her, and -the poor Czarina was so upset by this proof that -she had lost the affection of her soldiers that she -declared she would no longer show herself among -them. Of course her friends tried to cheer her up, -and to explain to her that this had been a pure accident, -but the impression had been produced, and -its effects were to be lasting ones. The first two -years of the war dragged on, and sometimes I wondered -whether my beloved mistress would ever live -to see the end of this awful conflict. She was getting -weaker and weaker and her nerves were so entirely -destroyed that all those who still cared for her were -getting quite alarmed on her account. The Emperor -alone seemed quite unconcerned and failed to notice -the great change that had come over his wife. He<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[209]</a></span> -imagined that she was anxious about the war, but -did not dream that her health was getting worse -every day and that she had lost the energy she had -been endowed with before, in the hopeless struggle -she was fighting against forces which were bound -to overcome her in the long run. All her former -vivacity had left her. She had become sweeter -than she had ever been, even during her first years -of married life, and she accepted with gratitude -every small service one rendered her. The -haughty pride with which she had in former times -met any unpleasantness that occurred to her had -disappeared. She had become resigned to everything -that might befall her, but her great anxiety -was for her husband and children, especially the -former, against whom she dreaded an attempt at -assassination whenever he was at the Front. During -the sleepless nights which had become her portion -she fancied all kinds of evils, and then she -would proceed to the telephone which put her in -direct communication with head-quarters and speak -with the aide-de-camp on duty, asking for news of -the Emperor. I do not think that she ever obtained -more than an hour or two of repose in the -twenty-four, and sometimes, when considering this,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[210]</a></span> -I did not, as I had previously, blame the Princess -Dondoukoff for administering to her opiates destined -to give her some rest. All this constituted a -terrible state of things, but still it was nothing in -comparison with what was to follow, and the unfortunate -Czarina was soon to drink to the very -dregs the cup of sorrow that had been destined for -her.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[211]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER XVIII</h2> - -<p class="center">DISASTERS AND THE SECOND REVOLUTION</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">The</span> last days of the year 1916 were sad ones -for my poor Empress. First came the assassination -of Rasputin, which was a terrible source of -grief for her, because she firmly believed that so -long as he was at her side no harm could befall her, -and certainly as events turned out she had not -been so far wrong in her superstitious fears. During -the first days which followed upon the murder -of her favourite she would sit motionless for hours -in her boudoir, doing nothing, absorbed in thoughts -which must have been most painful. Christmas—the -last to be passed by the Imperial family in -their beloved Czarskoi Selo—was a sad one, and -the Czarina did not even attempt to shake off the -melancholy forebodings with which she was troubled. -She was preoccupied with the idea of avenging -the destruction of the man whose existence -she had considered in the light of a fetich. It<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[212]</a></span> -is a well-known fact that she caused the young -Grand Duke Dmitry to be exiled in Persia, as a -punishment for his share in the conspiracy that had -deprived her of her favourite. She who had always -been so kind turned cruel and merciless, and -I once heard her exclaim that henceforward she -would no longer listen to her heart, but follow only -the dictates of her reason.</p> - -<p>There was one man who had obtained her favour -on account of the ardour with which he had -espoused all her views; this was the Minister of the -Interior, Mr. Protopopoff. He had been one of -the most intimate friends of Rasputin, and he was -continually urging upon the Czarina the necessity -of being firm, and of refusing mercy to those who -had shown themselves so entirely merciless in regard -to a man who had been a holy creature. Alexandra -Feodorovna found some consolation in her -grief by talking it over with Protopopoff, who finally -won her adhesion to the plans which he had -formed to establish once more in Russia an absolute -government.</p> - -<p>Christmas had come and gone and a New Year -had begun. The difficulties of the military and -economical condition of the country had increased<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[213]</a></span> -to an alarming degree. We did not perceive it at -Czarskoi Selo, but in Petrograd, as <abbr title="Saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg -now was called, everybody was complaining of the -high cost of living and the impossibility of procuring -for oneself the indispensable necessities of existence. -The population was getting impatient, -and dissatisfaction was spreading. Those who -could see the signs of the approaching storm tried -to persuade the Czar that he had better remain in -the vicinity of the capital, and not go to the Front -where, after all, his presence was not absolutely -needed. But Nicholas II. would not listen, perhaps -because both his wife and Mr. Protopopoff -persuaded him that there existed no reason for -alarm. The Empress had implicit confidence in -the Minister and was convinced that a small display -of energy on the part of the government would -very quickly do away with the impatience of the -population. She wished to get her husband out of -the way, not at all, as has been said, because she -wanted to make a coup d’état, but because she did -not wish the Czar to be worried by his family, who -were making frantic efforts to get the Grand Duke -Dmitry recalled from exile. At first her intention -had been to accompany Nicholas II. to head-quarters,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[214]</a></span> -but then her children had fallen ill with -what had been considered at first an attack of influenza, -but subsequently turned out to be measles, -and she would not leave them. The Emperor departed, -promising to return immediately if any serious -trouble occurred, and keeping meanwhile in -close touch with his wife and the commander of the -garrison of Czarskoi Selo. During his absence -the Revolution took place, brought about by a revolt -of the troops entrusted with the defence of -Petrograd. They went over to the Duma as soon -as they heard that it had taken upon itself to institute -a new government.</p> - -<p>The Czar had been surrounded by traitors, therefore -he had not even been apprised of all that was -taking place in Petrograd. Two urgent telegrams -which were despatched to him by the President -of the Duma, Mr. Rodzianko, never reached -him, as we heard later on. Had he received them -it is likely he would have hastened back, and perhaps -his presence in the capital might have averted -the catastrophe. But his attendants were mostly -won over to the cause of the Revolution and purposely -left him in ignorance of the gravity of the -events which were taking place, until it was too late.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[215]</a></span> -The Empress also was not informed of the extent -of the revolt, and it was through an indiscretion of -one of her servants that she got at last an inkling -of the truth. She sent for Count Benckendorff, -the head of the household, and asked him to get her -all the information possible concerning the extent -of the rebellion. The Count, who throughout this -sad story behaved with the greatest loyalty to the -cause of the sovereigns whose confidence he had -won by his long and faithful services, tried to go -to Petrograd, where he hoped to learn some details -as to what had taken place during the two preceding -days, but found it impossible because the -railway line was already in the hands of the revolutionaries, -and no train from Czarskoi Selo was -allowed to proceed. He had perforce to content -himself with the news which he could obtain by -telephone, and soon this means of communicating -with the people likely to keep him informed as to -what was going on was stopped.</p> - -<p>The Empress, almost mad with anxiety, walked -to and fro in her apartments, wringing her hands, -and saying the whole time that she knew the Czar -had been killed and the news was being kept from -her. It was with the greatest difficulty that she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[216]</a></span> -could be prevailed upon to send a telegram to General -Roussky, who was then supposed to be loyal, -enquiring after the Emperor. In about two hours -she received a reply saying that Nicholas II. was -on his way to Pskoff and expected to arrive there -that same night.</p> - -<p>This somewhat allayed the anxieties of the Empress, -and just about then the condition of the -Grand Duchess Olga, who had taken the measles -in a more serious form than her sisters, became suddenly -worse, and she was thought to be in danger, -as pneumonia had declared itself and complicated -her condition. And then Alexis, who had been removed -to another wing of the palace in the hopes -that he might escape the contagion, sickened in his -turn, so that the unfortunate Czarina had another -anxiety to fight, which after all was perhaps the -best thing that could have happened to her, because -the necessity of attending to her children prevented -her from brooding on what was happening -to her husband, which otherwise she would have -done the whole of the time.</p> - -<p>The next thing we heard was that the Duma had -sent two delegates to confer with the Czar; we -hoped that from this conference something good<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[217]</a></span> -might result, and that Nicholas II. would be -induced to call together a responsible ministry. -The Empress herself was persuaded he would do -so, and remarked that if Prince Lvoff accepted -the position of Premier, things would not be so bad, -because at heart he was a loyal monarchist and -would not lend himself to any aggression against -the person of his Sovereign. She seemed more -cheerful than she had been for the last two or three -days, and showed herself pleased that it was Mr. -Gutchkoff, whom she knew personally and had -always liked, who had been despatched to Pskoff. -“Perhaps, after all, we shall weather this storm,” -she remarked, and she further observed that in the -grave circumstances which resulted from the unfavourable -course the war had taken, it was perhaps -just as well if the sole responsibility for what -was to follow did not rest upon the Sovereign -alone. Neither she nor any of us had the faintest -idea of what was actually taking place at -Pskoff. About midnight I left the Empress. She -had been persuaded to retire to bed, the Princess -Dondoukoff having promised to watch by the children -and to call her at once should any change take -place in their condition. She was thoroughly exhausted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[218]</a></span> -and we were all glad to see her at last take -some rest, I had lain down also in a room adjoining -the bedchamber of my mistress when at about -three o’clock in the morning I was awakened by a -soft knock at my door. Thinking that one of the -children was worse, I got up instantly and went to -hear what had happened before disturbing the Empress. -Standing on the threshold I found the -Czarina’s old groom of the chamber with a pale and -frightened countenance. He pulled me aside and -in a terrified voice exclaimed: “Something dreadful -has happened: the Emperor has abdicated!”</p> - -<p>“What?” I exclaimed, not believing my ears, -and inclined to think that the man had gone mad.</p> - -<p>“The Emperor has abdicated,” he repeated, and -forthwith began to sob.</p> - -<p>I dropped down in a chair, and thought that the -end of the world had come, and so indeed it had—of -a certain world at least.</p> - -<p>“Who told you?” I enquired. “How did you come -to hear it?”</p> - -<p>The man replied that the new ministry had advised -the commander of the town of Czarskoi Selo -by telephone that the Czar had abdicated in favour<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[219]</a></span> -of his brother, and that the troops had to be advised -of the fact immediately.</p> - -<p>“How shall we tell the Empress?” was my first -thought.</p> - -<p>Of course neither my informer nor myself could -undertake the painful task of apprising her of the -new misfortune which had overtaken her. We decided -that the only thing to do was to inform Count -Benckendorff and to ask him to perform the sad -mission. But as we were proceeding to his apartments -we met him coming to those of the Empress. -He had also been informed of what had taken -place at Pskoff a few hours before, and he was -about to communicate them to my unfortunate -mistress. I went back and aroused her. She was -not sleeping, and got up immediately. She had -been bracing herself all the time for some new -calamity, and when told that Count Benckendorff -wished to speak with her had felt convinced that -he wanted to apprise her that her husband had been -murdered. In comparison with such a catastrophe, -the loss of her throne seemed a small thing, -and perhaps her first feeling was one of relief at -finding that her apprehensions had been groundless. -But what she could not bring herself to understand<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[220]</a></span> -was the fact that it had not been in favour -of his son that the Czar had abdicated. -“There must be a mistake. It is impossible that -Niky has sacrificed our boy’s claims!” she kept repeating. -But when at last compelled to believe -that such had been the case, she gave vent to an expression -of rage which showed how thoroughly she -despised the weak-minded man to whom she was -bound, and exclaimed: “He might at least in his -fright have remembered his son!”</p> - -<p>I think that these words are the most cruel condemnation -that the cowardice of Nicholas II. ever -obtained, and deserved.</p> - -<div class="figcenter"> -<img src="images/i_220p.jpg" alt="" width="356" height="550" /> -<p class="caption1"><em>International Film Service</em></p> -<p class="caption center"><span class="smcap">Grand Duchess Anastasia</span></p> -</div> - -<p>As may be imagined, there was no sleep for any -of us after this. When dawn appeared at last it -found the Empress entirely dressed, already calm -and resigned, kneeling before the sacred icons in -her oratory, and invoking the protection of God -for her children. Then she went up to her daughters’ -room and acquainted the two younger ones, -who had not yet been attacked by measles, of the -change which had taken place in their destinies. -The girls were stunned, as may easily be imagined, -and Anastasia, the youngest, began to cry. The -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[221]</a></span>Empress watched her tears and then in a hard voice -remarked, “It is too early to cry yet; keep your -sorrow for another occasion,” and she went out of -the room without adding another word.</p> - -<p>But though she was told that her son’s condition -was serious, she did not approach his sick-bed that -whole day. It seemed as if she could not bring -herself to look upon the child whose advent into -the world had been such a source of joy to her, and -who had been despoiled of the great heritage to -which he had been born. It was evident to all -those who knew her well that some time would -have to elapse before she could bring herself to forgive -her husband for the injury he had done their -only son, and perhaps she would never have forgiven -it had it not been for all the other misfortunes -which were to follow upon this hasty abdication.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[222]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER XIX</h2> - -<p class="center">HOW THE CZARINA WAS ARRESTED</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">A</span> few dreadful days followed upon the one -which had brought us the news of the abdication of -the Czar. The Empress tried to get into communication -with him, but though she contrived to -speak with him over the wire, it was from the first -evident that every word was listened to, and she -gave up any attempt at confidential conversation. -What worried her was that instead of returning to -Czarskoi Selo, Nicholas II. had elected to go to -Mohilew. My mistress, who had had absolute confidence -in General Roussky, did not trust General -Alexieieff, whom she considered as quite capable of -betraying the Czar out of ambition. Events -proved that she had not been wrong in her appreciation -as to the General, and what she did not -know, but was to learn much later, was that he had -practically made it impossible for the Emperor to -return to Czarskoi Selo, and almost compelled him -to go to Headquarters, where he intended to keep<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[223]</a></span> -him until the Provisional Government at Petrograd -had made up its mind whether it ought or -ought not to arrest the former Sovereign. We all of -us remained in utter ignorance of what was happening -at the Front, or in Petrograd itself. The -Czarina on the evening of the day following the abdication, -when it had become already known that -the Grand Duke Michael had refused to accept the -throne relinquished to him by his brother, and when -no one knew what was going to happen further, the -Czarina called me to her room, and asked me to -try to go to Petrograd and find out what people -there were thinking about the whole situation. She -gave orders for a carriage to be put at my disposal, -as the railway trains did not run regularly, -but I declined it, thinking that it would only attract -attention and invite the rebels to stop me if -any among them met me. I repaired alone and on -foot to the railway station, where I boarded the -first train that was leaving for the capital. No -one noticed me, and I made my way undisturbed -to the house of a friend, who, I knew, was likely to -be well informed as to what was going on. Great -was my surprise to find that she did not care at all -to receive me, and almost ordered me out of her<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[224]</a></span> -apartment, saying that it was as much as her life -was worth to talk with a personal attendant of the -Empress. She absolutely refused to answer any -of my questions, and I had perforce to beat a hasty -retreat. Other people whom I sought did exactly -the same thing, and I found all my acquaintances -echoing the general opinion which, I discovered, -was prevalent in the capital, that it was the Czarina -who, by her betrayal of Russia to the Germans, had -been the cause of a Revolution which all the sane -and reasonable members of society were deploring. -The one subject of lamentation was the want of -character, as they called it, of the Grand Duke -Michael, who, according to the general opinion, -ought not to have played into the hands of the -Revolutionaries and refused his brother’s succession. -At that time the idea of a Republic, which -now has become a familiar one, had not yet taken -hold of the public mind, and people were only desirous -of seeing established a constitutional monarchy. -What made me quite aghast was to find -that the rumour had been spread that this refusal -of the Grand Duke was due to an intrigue of the -Empress, who had, so it was related to me, caused -to be conveyed to him a message to the effect that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[225]</a></span> -should he dare to accept the throne she would put -herself at the head of a movement against him. The -very thought that my poor mistress could have -done such a thing was ridiculous, but in times of -crisis like the one we were going through, the wildest -tales are believed, and in the case of Alexandra -Feodorovna it was but too easy to make Petrograd -accept the idea that she was planning to bring forward -the rights of her son, even against the desire -of her husband. As I proceeded along the Nevsky -Prospect I met sandwich men carrying large placards -with seditious inscriptions concerning the -Czarina, and on one of them her immediate imprisonment, -trial for high treason and execution were -put forward and claimed. Cries of “Down with -Alexandra Feodorovna!” were heard everywhere, -and my heart sank within me at the thought that -perhaps my beloved mistress would fall a victim to -the fury of the mob. The remembrance of the -French Revolution and of Marie Antoinette, to -whom the Empress was so fond of comparing herself, -came back to me, and without waiting for further -news (which I did not know where to obtain, -because no one in Petrograd seemed to know anything) -I made my way back to Czarskoi Selo, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[226]</a></span> -before presenting myself to the Czarina, I sought -Count Benckendorff, to whom I related my experiences -in the capital. The Count listened to me, -and looked very grave when I mentioned to him -the exasperation, for it could hardly be called -otherwise, of the rough elements of the population -of Petrograd against Alexandra Feodorovna. -We discussed for a few minutes the possibility of -removing her from the Palace to some other place -where she would be in comparative safety, but gave -up the idea as impracticable, because, for one thing, -the Empress would never have consented to abandon -her sick children, and then, there was already -such a close watch established around the Palace -of Czarskoi Selo and its inmates, that it would have -been next to impossible for any one to get out without -the fact being at once reported to the Revolutionary -Government. Besides, it was necessary to -learn what the Emperor himself meant to do, and -what were his plans for the future. The situation -was therefore extremely serious, but all that one -could do in the present circumstances was to wait. -The Count enquired of me the names of the servants -among the personal attendants of the Czarina -whom I thought quite trustworthy, and I mentioned<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[227]</a></span> -a few. He considered it necessary to establish -a kind of secret guard around her for fear -that an assassin might find his way to her apartments, -and indeed for three days and nights he remained -himself outside her door, not caring to trust -her safety to any one else. If ever there was one -faithful man in the world it was Count Benckendorff.</p> - -<p>When, after my conversation with him, I entered -the presence of my mistress I found her in -a violent state of agitation. The news had reached -her that the Empress Dowager had gone to Mohilev -to see her son, and Alexandra Feodorovna -felt persuaded that the journey had been undertaken -for the purpose of persuading Nicholas II. -to separate himself from his wife. It was quite -useless to point out to the distressed Princess that -such a thing would not have had any motive at the -present time, when the Czar had resigned the -throne. She would not listen to me, but cried and -sobbed, declaring that nothing in the world would -ever part her from her children and that she would -rather kill herself than give them up. She could -not understand how it was that her husband, of -whose affection she had felt so sure, had not already<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[228]</a></span> -returned to her, especially in view of the fact -that all her children were so dangerously ill. The -idea that Nicholas was no longer a free agent, or -able to do what he liked, had not occurred to her, -and when I pointed out to her that such might be -the case, she would not listen to me, exclaiming, -“Who could dare to stop him? After all, he is always -the Czar.” The magnitude of the catastrophe -which had just taken place she had not yet -appreciated.</p> - -<p>But the same night rumours that the Revolutionary -Government had decided to arrest the former -Sovereign reached Czarskoi Selo. None among -us would credit them in the beginning, so utterly -impossible did the whole thing seem. But Count -Benckendorff, who perhaps had at his disposal -sources of information others did not possess, told -us that unfortunately the news was but too true -and that delegates had been sent to Mohilev with -instructions to take captive Nicholas II. What -they meant to do with him he could not tell, and -for the matter of that no one knew. The question -arose as to how the Empress was to be made acquainted -with this new misfortune, and it had not -yet been decided by the Count, who wished to wait<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[229]</a></span> -for an official confirmation of the rumour, when he -was called to the telephone and told that the new -commander of the military district of Petrograd, -General Korniloff, wanted to speak with him.</p> - -<p>The General told Count Benckendorff that he -had been commissioned by the new government to -deliver a certain message to the Empress, whom he -affected to call Alexandra Feodorovna, and that -he wished to see her immediately about it. To the -reply that Her Majesty was sitting beside the bed -of her sick children and could not be disturbed, -Korniloff declared that it was imperative he should -execute his commission, and that unless the Empress -complied with his request he should use force -to obtain admittance.</p> - -<p>There remained nothing to do but to ask him to -wait for a few minutes until the Czarina had been -communicated with. Count Benckendorff repaired -to her apartments, and communicated to her -the curt request of the Commander in Chief. She -said at once that she would be ready for him in half -an hour, and declared that she was sure he had some -bad news for her concerning the Emperor.</p> - -<p>“Perhaps they have killed him!” she exclaimed,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[230]</a></span> -“and then they will kill me, and what will become -of these poor children?”</p> - -<p>Korniloff arrived at the Palace accompanied by -all of the officers of his staff. He was escorted -also by an infantry battalion, which he caused to be -stationed in the big square in front of the Palace. -Received by Count Benckendorff, he was conducted -to the large drawing-room in which the Empress -used to give her audiences in the days gone -by, and in a few minutes the Sovereign entered the -apartment, dressed all in black, with no other ornaments -but one row of pearls round her neck. She -bowed stiffly and, having sat down, motioned to the -General to do the same, asking him at the same -time to what she was indebted for the honour of his -visit. There was a ring of irony in her voice which, -as I was told afterwards, struck all the listeners -painfully and must have offended the General. He -rose and in rude accents said: “I must request -you, Madam, to stand up, and to listen with attention -to the commands I am about to impose -upon you.”</p> - -<p>Alexandra Feodorovna raised her eyes in mute -surprise, but without protesting rose up from her -seat, a thing which, by the way, I never understood<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[231]</a></span> -how she could have done. Korniloff then proceeded -to read to her an order signed by all the -ministers, which declared that she was to consider -herself under arrest, that she was forbidden to receive -or to send any letters without the permission -of the officer in charge of the Palace of Czarskoi -Selo, that she was not to walk out alone in the park -or grounds, and that she was to consider herself -obliged to execute any further orders that might -be given to her. He announced to her at the same -time that he was about to change the guard at the -Palace and that she would be strictly watched.</p> - -<p>A dead silence reigned in the room after these -words of the old soldier. Count Benckendorff, -who was present, felt as if the earth had opened under -his feet, but he deemed it inadvisable to say -anything. The Empress simply bowed her head, -then asked Korniloff not to remove her children’s -attendants until they were recovered from their illness, -and especially to allow the sailor who for -years had taken care of little Alexis to remain with -him. The General said that he had no objection -to this; then she simply turned her back upon him -and without saying anything further left the room. -Korniloff then gave his instructions to Count<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[232]</a></span> -Benckendorff, who, when he was left alone with -him, entreated not to be dismissed, declaring -that he meant to share the fate of his masters in -any case. The Commander made him then responsible -for all the interior arrangements of the -Palace, and advised him that for the future he -should have to apply to the State Treasury and not -to the administration of the former Sovereign’s private -fortune for the money necessary for current -expenses, and he requested him to be as economical -as possible in the matter of these expenses.</p> - -<p>The Empress, as if dazed, went to her bedroom. -There I was waiting for her. One look at her face -was sufficient to make me realise that something -absolutely dreadful had taken place. Alexandra -Feodorovna threw herself face downwards on a -sofa placed at the foot of her bed, and exclaimed -between the most heartrending sobs: “We are -lost, we are lost! What will become now of these -unfortunate children; what will become of them?” -And for a long time she sobbed on, and would not -be comforted by anything that I could say.</p> - -<p>News of the arrest of the unfortunate Sovereign -spread like lightning through the whole Palace, -and, as if she had been stricken with the plague,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[233]</a></span> -nearly all her attendants left her in the space of a -few hours. Out of her six maids, only one remained -“true to her salt,” as they say in the East, -and even the women who had waited on the Grand -Duchesses hastened to pack their things and to run -away, in spite of the fact that the young Princesses -were known to be desperately ill. The Princess -Dondoukoff was removed by order of Korniloff, -and for two days the sick children were attended -only by their mother and myself. The Empress -was experiencing in the most cruel way imaginable -the ingratitude of mankind. If Count Benckendorff -had not had his own cook prepare her meals, -she would have been exposed to death from hunger -amidst all the splendours of her magnificent Palace. -At last the Count had to apply to the Revolutionary -Government, and servants were sent to -replace those who had abandoned us, and to ensure -the regular service of the prisoners. All through -these dreadful days none of us knew what had happened -to the Czar, and this incertitude was, as can -easily be imagined, adding to the misery and anguish -of his wife. At last Count Benckendorff received a -wire from Prince Dolgoroukoff (not Dolgorouky, -as the foreign papers have printed; they are two<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[234]</a></span> -distinct families), one of the attendants of Nicholas -II., that the deposed Sovereign was being -brought back to Czarskoi Selo, where the Revolutionary -Government had decided he was for the -present to be interned.</p> - -<p>The news was immediately communicated to the -Empress and proved a consolation to her in her -sorrows. We all of us, the few who were left of -the splendid retinue of servants of former days, -wondered how our master would look, and braced -ourselves for the painful task of receiving him, a -prisoner of state, in the Palace where he had ruled -as an all-powerful autocrat. It was on a dark and -dreary March morning that he returned to us. -Strict orders had been given to the soldiers composing -the guard in charge of the Palace gates not -to treat him otherwise than they would a colonel, -(he had persisted all through his reign in wearing -a Colonel’s epaulettes), because he was henceforward -to be known as plain Nicholas Alexandrovitsch -Romanoff, and though we had been apprised of -the fact, yet we were not prepared for what was to -follow, and we were horrified to see, from the window -at which we watched, the officer on duty give -orders to salute Prince Dolgoroukoff, who sat beside<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[235]</a></span> -the Emperor in the automobile that brought -them home, with the honours due to his rank as general, -whilst the deposed Sovereign was treated as -his inferior. The meaning of the Revolution had -never been made so plain to us as by this significant -incident.</p> - -<p>At the top of the staircase of the Palace, Count -Benckendorff, dressed in full uniform, was awaiting -Nicholas II., whom he received with the same -ceremonial as in the time when he was still on the -throne. The noble-hearted gentleman showed in -those days of adversity of what stuff he was made, -and did all that lay within the limits of his power -to atone for the neglect and ingratitude of others.</p> - -<p>The Emperor hardly greeted him. He rushed -up the stairs, taking two steps at a time, towards -the apartments of the Empress. Alexandra Feodorovna -was standing on the threshold, pale and -lovely, with a hectic bloom on her cheeks which reminded -one of the glory of her past beauty and -youth. Neither husband nor wife could speak as -they fell into each other’s arms.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[236]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER XX</h2> - -<p class="center">LIFE IN PRISON</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">It</span> was only on the first day which followed upon -the return of Nicholas II. at Czarskoi Selo that he -was allowed to see his wife without witnesses. The -very next morning Korniloff again appeared at the -Palace and delivered the following instructions to -the gaolers (one can hardly call them otherwise) -who were to watch over the deposed monarch and -his family:</p> - -<p>I. The Emperor was not to be allowed to communicate -with his Consort, except during mealtimes, -when of course conversation could touch -only upon indifferent subjects. When he wanted -to visit his children, with whom he was allowed to -remain as long as he liked, the Empress was to -leave the room immediately he had entered it.</p> - -<p>II. Neither the Sovereign nor his Consort were -allowed to walk out alone and unattended in the -park and grounds, but were always to be escorted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[237]</a></span> -by a non-commissioned officer and three soldiers -with armed rifles.</p> - -<p>III. When they went to church they were to -be brought to the private chapel of the Palace by -the same escort, and not permitted to converse with -each other.</p> - -<p>IV. Every time one of their attendants had to -see them he or she had to be thoroughly searched -by the officer on duty and a woman specially appointed -for the purpose.</p> - -<p>The young Grand Duchesses, when they had recovered, -were not put under the severe control to -which their parents were subjected; they could stay -with their parents, and especially with the Emperor, -as much and as long as they liked. Olga made -use of this permission more than her sisters, and -she used to spend hours with her father, to whom -she was particularly attached. But at the same -time a strict though not so apparent watch was -kept over their actions, and they were not permitted -to leave the Palace grounds for the town -of Czarskoi Selo, not even to visit the numerous -hospitals where they had hitherto worked as sisters -of charity.</p> - -<p>None of the numerous members of the Imperial<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[238]</a></span> -family, who were nearly all in Petrograd, manifested -a desire to see the chief of their race; on the -contrary, in many cases they went over to the cause -of the Revolution, as, for instance, the Grand Duke -Cyrill, who was the first to lead the troops of which -he had the command to the Duma, to swear allegiance -to the new government. But several -members of the former household of the unfortunate -sovereigns came to put themselves at their -disposal, among others old Madame Narischkine, -the Mistress of the Robes of the Empress, who, -though she had never been liked by the latter, remained -faithful to her to the end, and even petitioned -to be allowed to go to Siberia with her, a request -which was refused her by the government.</p> - -<p>The Czar accepted all these irksome regulations -with complete indifference. He used to take long -walks with Count Benckendorff and Prince Dolgoroukoff, -with whom he chatted the whole of the -time with the most complete unconcern. He did -not seem to mind in the very least the presence of -the men deputed to escort him during these walks, -but on the contrary made it a point to thank them -when they had brought him home, and to exchange -a few words with them. He used to read the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[239]</a></span> -papers very regularly, and seemed always anxious -to learn what was going on at the Front. The -Empress, on the contrary, refused absolutely to -submit to the irritating restrictions imposed upon -her, and during the whole time that she was kept -at Czarskoi Selo never once went out of the Palace, -not caring to take her walks under the watchful -eyes of an escort. She treated everybody with -complete disdain. When the Czar entered the -room where she generally sat with her children, she -made him a deep and respectful curtsey, and immediately -quitted the apartment, before the officer -on duty had an opportunity to request her to do so. -She had never got over the fact of Korniloff having -ordered her to stand up whilst he had read to her -the orders of the new government, and more than -once in her conversations with me had referred -to this cruel humiliation, repeating, “Can you -imagine! He made me stand up, me, the Empress -of Russia,” and she did not care to incur a similar -humiliation a second time. Though she was repeatedly -told that her health required her to be -in the open air, especially when spring arrived, -she would not listen to any remonstrances on the -subject, but kept strictly indoors, snatching only<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[240]</a></span> -breaths of fresh air from her window which she -used to keep wide open, and beside which she sat -working at garments and bandages for soldiers, -which she asked me to forward to the Red Cross. -She never opened a book or glanced at a paper, and -except needlework her only occupations consisted -in going to church and giving lessons to her youngest -children. She refused every kind of sympathy -and remained silent and forlorn in her misery until -the day when she was told that she was about to -exchange her present prison for another, far worse -in every respect.</p> - -<p>A few days after the one which had seen her confined -in captivity a commission sent by the Government -had arrived at Czarskoi Selo to ask the Empress -to deliver to its keeping the crown jewels, as -well as her private ones. She had consented to receive -the members of this commission and told them -that so far as the crown jewels were concerned -they had never been in her charge and could be -found in the Winter Palace; but her own diamonds -and pearls belonged to her personally and she was -not going to give them up unless compelled by -force to do so, when she would solemnly protest -against an act which she considered in the light of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[241]</a></span> -a robbery pure and simple. Her attitude was so -firm that the commissioners withdrew without having -achieved their mission, and afterwards Kerensky, -to whom the matter was referred, gave up the -point and allowed my mistress to retain possession -of the ornaments she had clung to with such -determination and energy.</p> - -<p>But the silver which adorned the Imperial dining -table was all seized by the Government, under -the pretext that it was State property, until eventually -Nicholas II. found himself without one fork -or knife with which to eat. At last Count Benckendorff -made an arrangement wherewith part of this -confiscated silver was bought back by him and the -money handed over to the treasury. But as the -private fortune of the Czar had been confiscated, -it was the young Grand Duchesses, Olga and -Tatiana, who out of their own funds redeemed -these things.</p> - -<p>In general it became extremely difficult to meet -the expenses of the Imperial household, because -the government refused to supply the means to do -so, and the treasury grumbled at every request -made by Count Benckendorff for funds. Every -day saw something disappear of the former luxury<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[242]</a></span> -which had presided at the daily existence of the -Czar and of his family, until at last life at Czarskoi -Selo became almost ascetic in its simplicity. Meals -consisted only of three courses, and the favourite, -Zakuska, or relishes with which every Russian dinner -or lunch begins, were suppressed. Wine disappeared -altogether from the table, and several -automobiles were sold, whilst the chauffeurs were -dismissed. I even had to beg the Empress not to -use as much linen as she had been in the habit of -doing formerly, because we lacked the means to -wash it, and these were but small miseries among -the more important ones which assailed us.</p> - -<p>Among the many annoyances and indignities put -upon the Emperor and Empress was the order -given by the Revolutionary Government not to address -them any more as Your Majesty, but to call -them Colonel and Mrs. Romanoff. The Czar took -it good-humouredly, or, rather, contemptuously, -but the Empress was extremely affected by this insolence. -“We have been crowned in Moscow,” she -used to say, “and nothing can change this now. -The Czar is always the Czar. No one can rob him -of this dignity, even if he has renounced it of his -own accord.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[243]</a></span></p> - -<p>Of course when we were alone with her we addressed -her in the old style. Beginning with -Count Benckendorff, and ending with the last of -the few servants who had voluntarily elected to remain -in the service of the former sovereigns, we -were very careful not to make them feel more than -could be helped the change that had taken place in -their destinies. But when one of the officers on -guard was present it was more difficult, because he -used to reprove us quite aloud if we ventured to -speak with our master and mistress in the old respectful -way to which we had been used. The government -was so particular in the matter of the title -allowed to Nicholas II., that all the newspapers -which were addressed to him bore the superscription -of “Colonel Nicholas Alexandrovitsch Romanoff.” -And on the letters which the Empress -received, the appellation of “Her Majesty the Empress” -was scratched out, and replaced by “Alexandra -Feodorovna Romanoff.” It was the repetition -of what had taken place with Louis XVI. -when he was designated by the name of Capet by -his gaolers, and, strange as it may appear, it was -among all her misfortunes the one which, outwardly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[244]</a></span> -at least, seemed most to affect the unhappy -Empress.</p> - -<p>Of course correspondence was a forbidden thing -for all of us. Letters were strictly censored and -even the smallest parcel brought to the Palace was -examined two or three times before being handed -over to the person to whom it belonged. Books -were equally the object of suspicion, and at last the -Empress and Emperor gave orders that new ones -were no longer to be forwarded to them, as had been -done previously.</p> - -<p>Of course all these vexatious measures depended -a good deal on the personality of the officer in -charge of the interior arrangements and guard of -the Palace. If he were a humane man things -would not be so bad, but if he happened to belong -to the ranks of the rabid republicans or anarchists -there was not an obstacle that he did not put in our -way or an unpleasantness that he spared us. I remember -one of the latter who, one morning when -I was expecting a parcel containing a new blouse -from the Empress’s dressmaker, absolutely refused -to let it pass until I had unpicked the lining to -prove to him that no letter or message had been -concealed between it and the stuff itself. It was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[245]</a></span> -the young Grand Duchesses who were most to be -pitied among the prisoners of Czarskoi Selo. The -girls were the sweetest things imaginable, and their -beautiful characters came out in a splendid light -during that trying time when, at an age where girls -generally know only the sunny side of life, they -had to become acquainted and to be actors in one -of the greatest tragedies history has ever had to -chronicle. And yet they realised perhaps even -better than did their father and mother, the full extent -of the drama which was being played around -them. Olga, in particular, seemed to have a forewarning -that it was only beginning and that it -might end in blood just as it had begun in tears. -She was a clever, thoughtful woman, with a considerable -amount of common sense, and sometimes -she used to confide to me her apprehensions in regard -to the future. “If the Germans get near to -Petrograd, or if a new revolution breaks out there,” -she often said, “we shall be its first victims, and -either the mob or the Government will put us to -death.”</p> - -<p>Tatiana was not so resigned as her sister. She -revolted against the terrible injustice of which she -was the victim, and she could not understand how<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[246]</a></span> -after all the care she had taken of wounded soldiers -and miserable refugees whom her committee had -helped, her good intentions had been misunderstood, -and how she could have been put aside at a -moment’s notice and deprived of the possibility of -going on further with the work to which she had -given all her energy, and with which she had been -so successful. She had an impetuous nature, more -like her mother’s than like the placid temperament -of her father, and she would have liked to be able -to express aloud the contempt which she felt for -all those whose victim and prisoner she was. The -two youngest daughters of the Czar and Czarina -were still too much in the schoolroom to be able to -do aught else but be astonished at the change which -had taken place in their existence. They looked -at all that was occurring with big, surprised eyes, -and were more ready to weep than to attempt to -fight against a fate which had proved too strong -for them. They clung to their mother more than -did Olga or Tatiana, and hardly left her protection. -The Empress, who had never been a fond -mother in the sense of caresses, had changed in that -respect since the misfortunes that had fallen upon -her, and she now hugged her girls and drew them<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[247]</a></span> -to her breast with a passionate earnestness which -made the children exclaim that now they were happier -than they had ever been before, because their -mother embraced them just as much as if they had -been poor little waifs, with a mamma ignorant of -what etiquette meant. The remark had something -touching about it, and I think that the Empress -realised this as well as did others, because she -showed herself more affectionate towards her -daughters than she had been used to do, and was -no longer absorbed by her exclusive tenderness for -her son. She seemed indeed to have lost her interest -in the latter since the day she had realised -that he was no longer the heir to one of the greatest -thrones in the world.</p> - -<p>The child himself understood it, and he was perhaps -the one who suffered most from the consequences -of the change which had transformed him -into an ordinary little boy, after he had been the -most important personage in his family. He fretted -over this change, and I fancy that at times he felt -resentful against his father and mother for having -so easily acquiesced in their own degradation. He -would have liked to see his father make a stand -against the Revolution, and at least refuse to surrender<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[248]</a></span> -the rights of his son and heir. One day he -betrayed something of his feelings when he told -Count Benckendorff that if he had not been ill but -with the Czar at Headquarters, as he generally was, -he would never have allowed him to abdicate. The -Count did not reply, but I imagine that he regretted -such had not been the case. Indeed to this day -it is incomprehensible to me how Nicholas II. could -have been induced to sacrifice the rights of his son, -and not to have insisted on the latter being proclaimed -Emperor in his stead.</p> - -<p>In the meantime the days dragged on, and we -were all wondering whither all this was to lead. -The feeling that a change of some kind was bound -to take place floated in the air, but no one could -guess of what nature this change was to be. At -times the fear would seize us that the Government -would remove the Czar and his Consort to the fortress, -which would have meant that they would be -tried, and perhaps condemned to terrible penalties -for their imaginary crimes, but hard as we all tried -to penetrate the secret of the future, we did not succeed -in doing so, and when this future was revealed -to us, it surpassed in horror all that we had ever -imagined or dreaded.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[249]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER XXI</h2> - -<p class="center">EXILE—I AM DISMISSED</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">Towards</span> the middle of the summer vague rumours -reached us that in consequence of the agitation -which was already shaking the country to a -considerable degree, the Government had decided -to remove Nicholas II. to another and safer residence -than Czarskoi Selo. It was feared that if -an insurrectionary movement took place at Petrograd, -the mob might proceed to the Imperial Borough -and murder the former Czar. At least this -was the pretext put forward by the ministers, to explain -the reasons which had induced them to put -out of the way the unfortunate Emperor and his -family. Of course no one believed them, because -it would have been relatively easy to have controlled -the populace in case it had tried to attack the Palace -where the prisoners were confined. And if -this had been thought impossible, surely there were -other places than Siberia where they could have -been sent.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[250]</a></span></p> - -<p>I am not here, however, to blame or to excuse -anybody. I wish merely to relate facts such as I -have known them, and nothing else. So I shall proceed -with my story, which is now drawing to an end.</p> - -<p>It was in the course of a July afternoon that we -were summoned before the military commander of -Czarskoi Selo. By we I mean the household, or -what was left of it, of the deposed sovereigns. We -were informed that the latter were about to leave -their present residence and that only a few persons -would be allowed to accompany them. I was told -that I would not be permitted to do so, as my presence -was not considered necessary to the Empress, -who, it was ironically remarked, would not require -any longer two maids, especially one who like myself -had purely academic functions. I pleaded -hard to be exempted from this ordeal of being removed -with others from the service of the gracious -lady at whose side and in whose service I had remained -twenty-five years, but my request and protestations -were not taken into account. I was told -to prepare myself to leave the Palace at a moment’s -notice and to have both my own things and those -belonging to the Empress packed and ready to be -taken away.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[251]</a></span></p> - -<p>Count Benckendorff and Prince Dolgoroukoff, -who declared that nothing but sheer force would -part them from their former Sovereign, and two -ladies in waiting on the Empress, the Princess -Obolensky, and Mademoiselle von Butzov, who -was specially attached to the service of the young -Grand Duchesses, were allowed to travel with the -prisoners, as well as some servants who had found -favour in the eyes of the Government probably because -they had consented to take upon themselves -the duty of spying upon their master and mistress. -But the suite was to be very limited, and to the last -minute we were left in ignorance as to the real destination -of Nicholas II. Count Benckendorff was -the only exception to this measure and he was -sworn to secrecy.</p> - -<p>When I returned to the Palace, I could not help -seeking the Empress and relating to her all that I -had heard. She raised her hands to Heaven with -the exclamation, “They will put us in the fortress, -and then murder us like they did Louis XVI.” But -she showed no fear, and remained as calm and composed -as ever, not caring to let her children be -troubled sooner than was necessary with the news -of what was awaiting them in the near future.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[252]</a></span></p> - -<p>Three days later an officer sent by the government -asked to see the young Grand Duchesses. He -communicated to them the news that their parents -were to be transported to Tobolsk in Siberia and -that they were left entirely free to accompany -them there or to remain at Czarskoi Selo, in which -case they would be permitted to remain in the Palace -and to occupy their present apartments. The -girls did not hesitate one single moment and replied -that they would not think of abandoning their -father and mother, but would go with them wherever -it pleased the government to send them. It -is a curious thing that no one thought for one moment -of suggesting that the little Alexis should be -left in Europe, and the delicate child was not given -a thought, but on the contrary despatched with -alacrity to an exile which might easily kill him, as -he was hardly strong enough to be able to withstand -the rigour of the terrible climate to which he -was being consigned. It was only after the Grand -Duchesses had been called upon to make their decision -that the Czar and his Consort were officially -informed that they were about to be removed to -Tobolsk. The place is about one of the worst in -the whole of Siberia, both as regards temperature<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[253]</a></span> -and resources. Half village and half town, its -population consists of political exiles and prisoners, -and of Yakoutes, a savage, nomad folk, that -spends its time in the unexplored forests which surround -the town, whence they emerge from time to -time to sell the furs which they have gathered together -in the winter. The thermometer falls below -freezing point for months at a stretch, and altogether -it is one of the dreariest spots in the whole -world. It is to this living death and to this awful -solitude that were to be consigned the man and the -woman whom the world had known as the Emperor -and Empress of All the Russias, together with -their innocent children. The Tour du Temple, -where Louis XVI. was confined, was not half so -awful as this.</p> - -<p>And yet the Empress accepted the news if not -with resignation at least with composure. To tell -the truth she was weary of Czarskoi Selo, where -everything reminded her of former and happier -times, and perhaps she was not sorry to have at last -a complete change of surroundings. She declared -herself ready to start as soon as ordered to do so -and busied herself with the preparations for her approaching -departure just as if it had been a holiday<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[254]</a></span> -excursion. The only thing which she asked for -was to see her sister, the Grand Duchess Elizabeth, -but though the latter was informed that she could -if she wished proceed to Czarskoi Selo, she refused -to do so, and contented herself with writing -a very short and formal note to the Empress, who -felt this want of heart far more than she admitted. -These were indeed sad days that preceded the sad -departure. None among us had the faintest hope -of ever again seeing the kind masters we were parting -from, and the prisoners themselves thought -that they would never come back to this Russia -that was behaving so harshly towards them. On -the last evening the Emperor called us to his presence -and thanked us for our faithful services. He -was pale but otherwise unmoved. The whole -thing seemed, to judge from his appearance, to -constitute an episode that did not concern him. -The Empress was agitated, but also resigned, and -she tried to put on a gaiety which she did not feel. -She had since the Revolution always worn black -dresses, but on that evening she ordered me to prepare -her for the morrow a dark blue costume. She -did not wish strangers to think that she wore -mourning for her misfortunes. No one slept that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[255]</a></span> -night in the Palace, and when the hour for departure -sounded there was not one dry eye amongst -us. I obtained permission to accompany my mistress -to the railway station and part of the way. -My heart was bursting with despair.</p> - -<p>They started—that unfortunate family—with -an air of cheerful courage, on this momentous and -awful journey. Without a sigh the Czarina bade -good-bye to that Palace which had seen her greatness -and her downfall. Probably she had, as -Queen Elizabeth of Austria had once said, “died -inwardly” long before that day, and nothing more -could hurt her now. Without a tear she entered -the train, such a shabby one when compared with -the sumptuous cars in which she had been used to -travel, and she did not even turn her head to look -back on the theatre of her former splendour and -misery. The whistle sounded, the engine began -to move, and with it disappeared into space the -haughty autocracy which had ruled over Russia—Holy -Russia—since Peter the Great had organised -it as an Empire, and which though no longer -great, yet had remained an immense thing until the -Revolution, with the mistakes and faults of its representatives, -had finally destroyed it....</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[256]</a></span></p> - -<p>I have nothing more to say. This is not a political -work and I have purposely avoided any mention -of my personal opinions in regard to the catastrophe -which has sent my former masters into -that Siberia which has witnessed already so many -tragedies. Personally they have always been kind -to me. I would be an ungrateful person if I did -not acknowledge it, and if I forgot to shed tears -over their fate.</p> - - - -<p class="space-above2"></p> - - -<div class="transnote"> - <h2 id="end_note" class="nopagebreak" title="">Transcriber’s Notes</h2> - -<p><a href="#Page_38" title="">Page 38</a>— o’colck changed to o’clock.</p> -<p><a href="#Page_181" title="">Page 181</a>— conspicious changed to conspicuous.</p> -<p><a href="#Page_222" title="">Page 222</a>— communciation changed to communication.</p> -<p>Have left the spellings of Mohilev and Mohilew as printed.</p> - -</div> -<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MY EMPRESS; TWENTY-THREE YEARS OF INTIMATE LIFE WITH THE EMPRESS OF ALL THE RUSSIAS FROM HER MARRIAGE TO THE DAY OF HER EXILE ***</div> -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will -be renamed. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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