Alexander II_ The Last Great Tsar - Edvard Radzinsky [154]
Nicholas’s diary:
“21 April [4 May].… All morning wrote letters to the girls from Alix and Marie. And drew a plan of this house.”
He wanted those in Tobolsk to be able to picture their new quarters. He was preparing them for their encounter with the crowded house. But—
“24 April [7 May].… Avdeyev, the commandant, removed the plan of the house I had done for the children on a letter the day before yesterday and took it away, saying I could not send it.”
In his memoirs Avdeyev would describe this incident quite differently:
“Once while reviewing the letters my attention was drawn to one letter addressed to Nicholas Nikolaevich [!]. Upon examination of the envelope lining, I discovered a thin sheet of paper on which was drawn a plan of the house.”
Avdeyev further described how he called Nicholas into the commandant’s room and how the tsar lied, refused to admit it, and begged for the commandant’s forgiveness. This was not simply a fabrication. The plan of the house, allegedly concealed under the envelope lining, was one more “irrefutable proof.” As was the “frightened and exposed Nicholas.” They were making their case. And waiting.
Waiting for the children to arrive from Tobolsk. And the jewels.
“I BREATHED THE AIR THROUGH AN OPEN PANE”
“17 [30] April.… The sentry has been put in the two rooms by the dining room, so that to go to the washroom and water closet one must pass by the guard and sentry by the doors,” Nicholas wrote in his diary.
On May 3, however, the sentry was moved to quarters downstairs, where that half-cellar room was, and they who had so recently owned the most magnificent palaces in Europe were happy at this new convenience and opened up space.
On the first day of their stay in the Ipatiev house, their “false titles were rescinded” by resolution of the Ural Soviet. Avdeyev made certain the servant did not address Nicholas as “Your Excellency.” He was now to be called Nicholas Alexandrovich Romanov.
“18 April [1 May]. On the occasion of the first of May we heard music from some parade. We were not allowed to go out in the garden today. Felt like washing in an excellent bath, but the water was not running. This is tiresome, since my sense of hygiene has suffered. Marvelous weather, the sun shone brightly, I breathed the air through an open pane.”
A year before, at Tsarskoe Selo, the arrested former emperor had written the following angry words on this day:
“18 April, 1917. Abroad today is May 1, so our blockheads have decided to celebrate this day with parades through the streets with choruses, music, and red flags.”
By now he had learned not to get annoyed. He realized that “breathing the air through an open pane” was itself happiness, and “washing in an excellent bath” could be an unrealized dream.
Gradually things improved. Their captors started letting them out for a walk. For two whole hours. He still believed that Dolgorukov would return and kept worrying about his loyal friend.
“20 April [3 May]. From the vague hints of those around us we are given to understand that poor Valya is not at liberty, and that an inquiry will be carried out against him after which he will be freed: there is no possibility of entering into any contact with him, no matter how Botkin has tried.”
Their daily life at that time was recounted by a certain V. Vorobiev, editor of the Ural Worker. He described it, naturally retaining the revolutionary’s “class” point of view:
“Besides the commandant, for the first while in the Ipatiev mansion members of the Regional Executive Committee took turns standing guard. Among others, it fell on me as well to perform this type of sentry duty.… The prisoners had only just gotten up and greeted us, as they say, unwashed. Nicholas looked at me dully and nodded silently.… Maria Nikolaevna on the contrary looked at me with curiosity, wanted to ask me something, but evidently embarrassed