Alexander II_ The Last Great Tsar - Edvard Radzinsky [79]
“Sept. 7th 1915.… Cold, windy, & rainy.… I have read through the newspapers—nothing written that we left Vilna—again very mixed, success, bad luck….
“Sept. 9th.… only don’t send Dmitri, he is too young & it makes him conceited—wish you could send him off! Only don’t say its I who ask this.”
She either loved or hated. Whichever it was, it was total.
“Sept. 11th 1915. Sad to think summer is over & endless winter awaits us soon.… Is it true that they intend to send Guchkov & some others from Moscou as deputation to you? A railway accident in wh. he alone wld. suffer wld. be a real punishment fr. God.… Show yr. fist … be the master & lord; you are the Autocrat & they dare not forget it, when they do, as now, woe into them.… I fear Misha [Nicholas’s brother] will ask for his wife to get a title—she cant—she left two husbands already….
“Sept. 13th 1915.… The leaves are turning very yellow and red, I see it from the windows of my big room—Sweetheart, you never give me an answer about Dmitri, why you dont send him back to his regiment.… It does not look well, no Granddukes are out, only Boris from time to time, the poor Constantins boys always ill.”
He: “14 September, 1915.… The weather continues to be lovely. I go out every day in a car with Misha, and we spend a great part of my leisure together, as in former years. He is so calm and cheery—he sends you his very heartiest greetings.”
How he wished there were peace in the family.
She: “Sept. 15th 1915.… Remember to keep the Image in yr. hand again & several times to comb yr. hair with this comb before the sitting of the ministers. Oh how I shall think of you & pray for you more than ever then, Beloved One.… I find [Nikolasha] is taking far too big a suite.… its not good coming [to the Caucasus, where the former commander-in-chief had been appointed governor-general] with such a court & clique & I very much dread that they will try to continue making messes,—God grant only that nothing shld. succeed in the Caucasus, & the people show their devotion to you & allow no playing of a grand part.”
Again the tsar left Tsarskoe Selo, but this time she sent their son with him.
She: “Oct. 1st 1915.… Well there we are again separated—but I hope it will be easier for you whilst Sunbeam is near you—he will bring life into your house & cheer you up. How happy he was to go, with what excitement he has been awaiting this great moment to travel with you alone….
“Oct. 2th 1915.… Goodmorning, my precious ones, how did you sleep, I wonder!… Oh, how I miss you both! The hour for his prayers … please ask whether he remembers them daily.—What will it be to you when I fetch him!… It seems to me as tho’ you were already gone ages ago, such yearning after you!”
He: “Mogilev. 6 October, 1915. My warmest thanks for your loving letter; I am in despair at not having written once since we left, but really, I am occupied here every minute from 2.30 to 6. And Little One’s presence takes up part of my time, too, for which, of course, I am not sorry.… It is very cosy to sleep side by side. I say prayers with him every night since the time we were on the train; he says his prayers too fast, and it is difficult to stop him. He was tremendously pleased with the review; he followed me, and stood the whole time while the troops were marching past, which was splendid. Before the evening we go out in a car … either into the wood or on the bank of the river, where we light a fire and I walk about nearby.… He sleeps well, as I do, in spite of the bright light of his [icon lamp]. He wakes up early in the mornings between 7–8, sits up in bed