The Diary of Olga Romanov (7 page)

17 April.

Papa my dear, my darling!

I hope that this is my last letter and you will soon return. It is disgusting what is going on in
Okhta
. Rezin went there today, and Uncle Alek spent the entire day there. Tatiana is playing “
Fibikha
” on the piano for our listening pleasure—which is very boring. Mama and Marie are playing
kolorito
of course. We three rode horses for the second time during the day. Marie on your Gardeman, and I on Regent. I was riding him again in Peterhof at our parade…Nastasia rode around Pavlovsk in a
charabanc
. We ran into cross-eyed Vera who was riding around in a semi-covered landau with her governess. The weather was cold and no less windy. We have not worked on the ice for a while. Everything was cleared until the little bridge, but occasionally a thin layer of ice covers it (not sure if I wrote this word correctly)….

On Wednesday we went to the city as usual. I received more than 2,000 rubles. Nice, right? And before that we went to one of my infirmaries “The Merchants of
Sennaya
Square,” which has 50 beds…. From there we went to see Countess Hendrikova. Poor thing, she looks awful, in every sense of the word…. The sisters wrote to you repeatedly about last Sunday at Anya's. We were there exactly from 5 until 8, it was such fun—Nikolai Dmitrievich was really funny, he was in charge of all the games, and at the end told us 2 jokes…Aleksei just came here. He will be praying with Mama now. He kisses you.

It's time for me to end. I kiss you my angel Papa and love you so much. May the Lord keep you.

Your loyal
Elisavetgradetz
. Regards to Nikolai Pavlovich, Chemodurov,
¹⁸
darling Kotov and Litvinov.

Just spoke with Sergei Mikhailovich on the telephone, and he gave me the details about
Okhta
. 82 critically wounded, 7 of them died, they found 97 corpses and 57 men are missing. 3 workshops burned down completely, no damage to the army, thank God, as all the bullets, grenades etc., are safe in other warehouses. Forgive me that I write of such bad things.

19 April.

Papa, my darling!

In honor of Easter Sunday we visited 2 infirmaries again…. Drenteln came here with a box of medals and we gave them out. Everyone was very grateful. There are some critically [wounded], and the recuperating ones all want to return to the army, and smile charmingly when they are asked about it. The weather is overcast and cool. Mama is still lying down on the balcony.

This morning before
obednya
in the grotto church, Sergeant Kuznetzov was converted from old belief to Orthodoxy. It was rather solemn and nice. When his feet had to be anointed, they brought him a chair and he pulled off his shoes.
Batushka
was rejoicing and gave a short instructional sermon. At the end of it all my godson Panfil kissed my left cheek. Such a darling. During
obednya
he confessed and held a lit candle in his hands the entire time. Mama and Aleksei were in the church too. They came for “
Veruyu
” [“I Believe”] and stayed until the end. Right now we are sitting at Mama's after dinner. After 5 o'clock we headed to Anya's, where Alexander Konstantinovich, Viktor Erastovich, and Nikolai Dmitrievich already were. We had tea together. At 6 o'clock Aleksei came and we started playing. At first
dobchinski-bobchinski
, then charades. It was a lot of fun and funny, especially when Viktor Erastovich played with Nastasia. Nikolai Dmitrievich helped both parties. Aleksei too, as it was not fun for him to guess, but he still played.

Madam Yanova sent us a lot of flowers from Livadia. What joy it was. Lilac, wisteria, golden rain, Judas tree, 1 peony etc. and also lilac irises, which have opened since yesterday.

Right now it's snowing and everything is already white—which is not necessary at all, but at least it's not so cold. Forgive me for such appalling handwriting. Tomorrow we will see the Voronovs, also at Anya's. They came to visit for a few days. Semenov is also here. His older sister, who was at the Grand Palace, reported this to me. During the day yesterday Tatiana Konstantinovna [KR's daughter] was driving the charabanc herself. She hit something, turned over and now is in bed with torn ligaments. Well, I think that's it for Tsarskoe Selo news.

Well, until we meet soon. Papa, my jewel. May the Lord keep you. I kiss you very very affectionately. Your loyal Elisavetgradetz.

—

Thursday. 23rd April.

At 10 1/3
obednya
in honor of Mama's Day of the Angel.
¹⁹
Grandma, Aunt Ksenia, Uncle Pavel and Dmitri had breakfast. Beautiful weather—took a walk with Papa, later he kayaked, and we on
Gatchinka
and on the motor. Mama sat on the balcony. In the evening Papa played billiards with Dmitri. Mama and we [were] nearby. Lord save us.

—

Letter from Olga to Nicholas II:

30 April.

Hello my dear Papa!

Tatiana is sending you these postcards. The weather turned really awful, and it seems like it's already autumn, and
this is really unnecessary. At least today the snow is all gone. I am afraid that all the flowers will freeze, especially the cowslip which started to blossom. Grandma sent me and Tatiana the Red Cross step 1 medal yesterday, so this made us pompous. Yesterday we went to the Silayevs with her and spent our time cozily. All the girls were so lovely. We took them around the entire house, to the attic, the kitchen etc. to their mother's chagrin. She, meaning Silayev's wife, received two letters from 2 former Erivantzy who ended up in different regiments during the mobilization, and they are begging to somehow be transferred back to their own regiment. They were in Your group in Livadia, lovely simple people, they heard that Silayev got a regiment and are eager to return even more, [they] are saying that they are ready to die, but in their own regiment. So she told me about this since she doesn't know what to tell them, and I decided to ask you. They are all terribly happy with their new regiment commander, one of our patients wrote that they could not ask for better…and thank God for that. The other day, after 7 o'clock in the evening, I rode with Aleksei in a carriage, just the two of us. It was very cold and wet, but it was fine, we pleasantly rode by all the usual favorite roads, past the 3rd Shooter regiment barracks, through Zakahrievskaya St, where Irina's house was pointed out [to us], and so forth. There were not many patients left, most of them departed on Anya's train to Yevpatoria. Well, Papa darling, it's time for me to end. May God keep you.
I kiss you affectionately and love you.
Your Elisavetgradetz

—

Monday. 4th May.

Bandaged 3 [wounded] with fractures. Ate all together. At 3
1/2 to a concert at A.'s and M.'s infirmary. In the evening Gr.[igori] Yef.[imovich] came over. At 10 o'cl.
moleben
. [image to be inserted] was there—and at 10 1/2 saw darling Papa off. Raining. 2 deg.

—

Letter from Olga to Nicholas II:

5 May.

Papa, my darling!

I congratulate you from the heart and kiss you affectionately. Right now it is already 5 o'clock, and Mama and Tatiana have not returned from the city. They left me, since I continue to cough intensely and so forth. Mama changed Vodyanoi's dressing this morning at the infirmary. She will send you the paper on which he wrote himself. He has an awfully wonderful face.

The weather is windy, but sunny. I am in a big hurry as I may be late.
May the Lord be with you, my golden Papa.
Your loyal
Elisavetgradetz
.
I kiss you 1000000 times.

—

Friday, 8th May.

At a train station in Vitebsk. Arrived here at 8.30—unloaded the motor cars. At 9 o'clock headed to the cathedral. They performed a short
moleben
and from there [we] went to four infirmaries. The weather is warm, everything is in greenery. At one of the infirmaries we took photos with the wounded in the garden.

Around 12 o'clock came back here. Mama had breakfast in a chaise lounge, as she was tired…At 3 o'clock we went to the warehouse at first, where they produce some sort of
medicines etc., and send them to active army, from there [went] to 2 large infirmaries.

Later we saw a work shop at the governor's house and had something to drink, Artzimovich's [governor] sister gave us a treat. From there we went to one more infirmary and came back here at 6.20, headed to a medical train which just arrived. Walked through it, altogether [there were] 15 cars, did not enter the caboose.

All the wounded were exclusively from the infantry division. Left at exactly 7 o'clock. Marvelous evening and sunset, passing by beautiful areas, lakes. Had supper with everyone. Mama is in her [car], tired and has a backache. Walked at the Ezreshe station. Papa is staying at Stavka for a few more days. Admiral Essen
²⁰
died yesterday—horrible loss. Going to bed now.

—

Letter from Olga to Nicholas II:

9 May.

Papa-sunny!

Until now couldn't get around to writing you. We are sitting after dinner in Mama's lilac room. She and Tatiana are playing some game, Marie is playing
Izhe Kheruvymi
on the piano and hitting a lot of wrong notes. Nastaska is writing something. Ortipo was chasing the little machine and Trupp's shoe buckle and has now calmed down. It was so nice at the
vsenoshnaya
. The entire church was full of greenery. The birches bloomed a little and were everywhere, upstairs and downstairs in the corners. The weather, although sunny, but after Vitebsk is very cool. It was so nice there. Everything covered in greenery, bird-cherry trees are blossoming, the
fruit trees too. I approve of Governor Artzimov. He is very considerate of Mama not getting overtired and so forth. And in the city and everywhere there is always excellent order. But only too many
zhids
. When we departed, the guards stood at attention. Some of them were dressed in hussar uniforms, very similar to mine…It was so cozy to sleep in the train, but only a little too cool, since [we] woke up early…I think that's all. Tell the admiral that Olya returned. She got tan, feels better, but is still very nervous and cries easily. The rest of the ladies-in-waiting are unchanged.

It was so awfully sad, the death of admiral Essen. Remember, when he used to come on the whaleboat with a “Thank God” and a briefcase with a report for you? I am not going to write about the grenade explosion,
²¹
it is such villainy.

I am ending now. May the Lord keep you, my jewel Papa darling. I love you very very much and kiss you.

Your loyal Elisavetgradetz. Regards to Nikolai Pavlovich—and from Nastaska to Viktor Erastovich and from me too.

—

Saturday, 9th May.

Nikolai Pavlovich and Emelianov's name days. At 9 o'clock arrived [at Tsarskoe Selo], around 10 o'clock to
Znamenie
, to the infirmary to Anya…. Vodyanoi of the 150th Tamansk regiment had his tongue cut out and part of his ears…. Drups has a wound in [his] stomach, of the 224th Yukhnovsky regiment [
sic
]. Stood in the hallway with the others.

Fresh, sunny, 3 degrees in the evening. During the day [rode] in the charabanc with Maria. Tatiana [rode] with
Anastasia. Papa is staying a few more days. At 6 o'clock [went] to the graveyard with Mama. Visited Gr.[igori] Efim.[ovich]. Later to
vsenoshnaya
. Nice, everything is in greenery. Around 11 o'clock to bed. Sonia Orbeliani had breakfast.

Sunday. 31st May.

Went to
obednya
. Aunt Ducky had breakfast. Sunny, warm and breezy. Walked with Papa, Mama in a wheelchair (we on bicycles) to Bablovo. At 4 1/2 to Anya's. M., A., darling Sh., Z. and Ivan put on a small play. The first rehearsal was awfully funny. In the evening T., M. and I went with Papa to [illegible], to the village Suzy and then home through Bablovo. Beautiful sunset but cold. In the evening Gr. Yef. came by, [he was] cheerful.

Tuesday. 2nd June.

At 2 1/2 went to the graveyard with Mama…. Picked up T. at 3 o'cl. and went to the Grand Palace, upstairs to Mama's warehouse (surgical department). At 4 hrs 20 min, we 2 with Papa to the city. Darling Sh. met us. Had tea at Grandma's. Came home at 7 o'cl. At 9 o'cl. went to Pavlovsk for the
panikhida
for poor Uncle Kostya, he passed away at 6 1/2. Sat with all of them and for a little while with Elena, who did not feel well and [was] lying down [illegible] on the couch. Around 11 o'cl. to bed. Lord save us.

—

Letters from Olga to Nicholas II:

11th June.

Papa-sunny!

It is so lonesome now that you left. The weather is marvelous today. I am sitting near the tennis court on the grass
under a tree,
pikhta
I think, and enjoying the warmth. The sisters got stuck back there somewhere. Mama and Anya are on the balcony. We were just at the Grand Palace. Almost all the patients are in the garden, and fortunately not that many visitors….

Last evening I had a committee; it lasted about a half hour, Volodya Volkonsky chaired, very short and clear, even funny it was, because he read so quickly. Right now it is 4 o'clock—the bell has tolled. After tea we plan on squeezing the children at the nanny school, since we have not been there for a while. The soldiers are singing from afar, birds are chirping and it's cozy in general.

I hope that you will not miss Stavka too much. Did Savitsky (the Cossack) get handsomer? Mosquitoes are starting to sting and exasperate. Sorry for the silly letter, but somehow hard to write. I kiss you, Papa my darling, a thousand times. May Christ be with you.
Your loyal Elisavetgradetz.
Regards to Nikolai Pavlovich.

16 June.

Darling, my dear Papa!

So how are you? We are all [fine], thank God. The weather is warmer finally, but evenings are still damp—so that after 9 o'clock Mama prays with Aleksei and we go inside, a shame, it's still light out but in here it feels like winter. Today we worked a lot and long in the warehouse. It was quite fun, and we rolled a large amount of bandages. The wife and the very lovely daughter of Count Dmitri Ivanovich Tolstoy and others worked with us. The exhibition is still very successful and rather interesting. The most pretty infirmary department is Marie's and Nastasia's. All our work was sold, so we are working again. Mama and the little one are especially trying
hard. At 6 o'clock Tatiana went horseback riding, and I listened to the rehearsal of the play at Anya's house. Now everything is going really well, and even Anya is happy with the lovely actors who really are trying hard. Aunt Olga wrote that poor Daphne [a pet dog] died and she and Emilia Ivanovna cried a lot, burying him under the flowerbed. Did not get to play tennis. Papa, darling, I want to see you so much. Regards to Nikolai Pavlovich and Lozinsky. Such bore to go to the city tomorrow for charity and to some infirmary. And what an awful incident with poor Kazbek. It's already the third son. Sorry for the silly letter, it all came all confusing and foolish. Farewell, Papa-sunny. May God keep you. I kiss you very very affectionately and love you so.
Your loyal Elisavetgradetz.