Alexander II_ The Last Great Tsar - Edvard Radzinsky [73]
The empress was complaining more and more of her sick heart. She spent hours in bed trying to vanquish the dull pain in her heart. The most famous European luminaries were summoned to the palace. They did not find heart disease in the tsaritsa, but they did diagnose nervous ailments and ordered a change of regimen.
Alix could not stand it when anyone disagreed with her. This applied to diagnoses of her illness as well. That is why the easygoing Evgeny Sergeyevich was invited to become her personal physician. On one hand, this continued the tradition of Botkins as personal physicians; on the other, the obliging Evgeny Sergeyevich immediately prescribed for the tsaritsa familiar medicine: lie undisturbed. He did this not because he did not understand her condition. The familiar diagnosis calmed her; contradicting Alix meant increasing what was for her perilous agitation.
“THE OLD COUPLE SELDOM GET A CHANCE OF BEING TOGETHER”
The year 1914 had come to an end. Petrograd’s winter sun was pale—outside the palace windows it sparkled on the blindingly white snow of Tsarskoe Selo. A string of carriages and an auto (the twentieth century!) were waiting at the entrance to the Great Palace. In the mirror gallery, the diplomatic corps had lined up. Nicholas, accompanied by his suite, walked among the diplomats. He had a long conversation with the French ambassador: “The journey I have just completed all the way across Russia has shown me that I am in spiritual accord with my people.” And suddenly, in a completely different voice full of worry, he added: “I know of several attempts … to spread the idea that I am dispirited and no longer believe anymore in the possibility of crushing Germany and that I even intend to conduct peace negotiations. These are rumors spread by no-goods and German agents.”
After ushering in the new year at Tsarskoe Selo, the tsar left for the front at the end of January.
She: “Jan. 22nd 1915. My beloved One, Baby … begins to complain a little of his leg & dreads the night.… Ania begs me to tell you what she forgot giving over to you yesterday from our Friend, that you must be sure not once to mention the name of the commander-in-chief in your manifest—it must solely come from you to the people. [Her war with Nicholas Nikolaevich was heating up.] … Sweet treasure, I am writing in bed, after 6—the room looks big & empty, as the tree has been taken away.”
He: “26 January, 1915.… I visited Nicolasha and inspected his new railway carriage; very comfortable and practical one, but the heat in it is such that one cannot endure it above half an hour. We discussed thoroughly several important questions and, to my joy, came to an entire agreement.… I must say, that when he is alone and in a good humour he is sound … a great change in him since the beginning of the war. Life in this isolated place, which he calls his ‘hermitage,’ and the sense of the crushing responsibility which rests on his shoulders, must have made a deep impression upon his soul; and that, if you will, is a great achievement too.”
He dreamed so of accord. He needed to calm her, so he reported: Nikolasha was alone, that is, without those dreadful “Montenegrin women”—Rasputin’s enemies.
He: “28 February, 1915. My beloved darling!… I was so happy to spend those two days at home—perhaps you noticed it, but I am foolish, and never speak of what I feel. What a nuisance it is to be always so busy and not to have an opportunity for sitting quietly together and having a talk! After dinner I cannot stay indoors, as I long to get out in the fresh air—and so all the free hours pass, and the old couple seldom get a chance of being together.”
She: “March 8th 1915. My own beloved One, I hope you get my letters regularly, I write and number them daily, also in my little lilac book.… Just heard that Irene [Irina, Sandro and Xenia’s daughter, married to Felix Yusupov] had a daughter (thought it would be a girl).”
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