END OF OUR CAPTIVITY AT TOBOLSK (JANUARY-MAY, 1918)
 
ON January 1st/14th, 1914, I resumed the diary I had given up when we were transferred to Tobolsk. I shall give a few extracts from it as I did when describing our captivity at Tsarsko?e-Selo.
Monday, January 14th (January 1st O.S.).—This morning we went to church, where the new priest officiated for the first time. Father Vassilief (the cause of the incident mentioned in the preceding chapter) has been transferred by Archbishop Hermogenes to the monastery of Abalatsky.
Tuesday, January 15th.—At 2 p.m. there was a meeting of the committee of our garrison. It was decided by 100 votes to 85 to prohibit the wearing of epaulettes by officers and men.
Thursday, January 17th.—Colonel Kobylinsky came this morning. He wore mufti rather than wear his uniform without epaulettes.
Friday, January 18th.—The priest and choir[62] arrived at 3 o’clock. To-day is the Blessing of the Waters and the first time the new priest has officiated in{252} the house. When it was Alexis Nicola?evitch’s turn to kiss the cross held out by the priest the latter bent down and kissed his forehead. After dinner General Tatichtchef and Prince Dolgorouky came to beg the Czar to remove his epaulettes in order to avoid a hostile demonstration by the soldiers. At first it seemed as though the Czar would refuse, but, after exchanging a look and a few words with the Czarina, he recovered his self-control and yielded for the sake of his family.
Saturday, January 19th.—We went to church this morning. The Czar was wearing a Caucasian cloak, which is always worn without epaulettes. Alexis Nicola?evitch had hidden his under his “bachelik” (a sort of Caucasian muffler). To-day the Czarina, on behalf of the Czar and herself, invited me to take evening tea[63] with them in future, when I don’t feel too tired after my lessons. I did not withdraw therefore at 10 o’clock when the Grand-Duchesses retired. (Alexis Nicola?evitch always goes to bed at nine o’clock.)
Monday, January 21st.—A heavy fall of snow last night. We began to build a “snow mountain.”
Friday, January 25th (January 12th O.S,).—Tatiana Nicola?evna’s birthday. Te Deum in the house. Fine winter’s day; sunshine; 15° Réaumur. Went on building the snow mountain as usual. The soldiers of the guard came to help us.
Wednesday, January 30th.—To-day the friendly section of the 4th Regiment was on duty. The Czar
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THE GOVERNOR’S HOUSE AT TOBOLSK WHERE THE IMPERIAL FAMILY WERE INTERNED.
Barracks of the detachment which guarded the Czar.
The guard being changed.
The Grand-Duchesses Marie and Anastasie on the balcony.
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and children spent several hours with the soldiers in the guard-house.
Saturday, February 2nd.—23° R. below zero. Prince Dolgorouky and I watered the snow mountain. We carried thirty buckets of water. It was so cold that the water froze on the way from the kitchen tap to the mountain. Our buckets and the snow mountain “steamed.” To-morrow the children can begin tobogganing.
Monday, February 4th.—The thermometer is said to have dropped last night below 30° Réaumur (37° Centigrade). Terrible wind. The Grand-Duchesses’ bedroom is a real ice-house.
Wednesday, February 6th.—It appears that on the initiative of the 2nd Regiment the soldiers have decided that Commissary Pankratof and his deputy, Nikolsky, must resign.
Friday, February 8th.—The soldiers’ committee has to-day decided to replace Pankratof by a Bolshevik commissary from Moscow. Things are going from bad to worse. It appears that there is no longer a state of war between Soviet Russia and Germany, Austria, and Bulgaria. The army is to be disbanded, but Lenin and Trotsky have not yet signed the peace.
Wednesday, February 13th.—The Czar tells me that the demobilisation of the army has begun, several classes having already been disbanded. All the old soldiers (the most friendly) are to leave us. The Czar seems very depressed at this prospect; the change may have disastrous results for us.
Friday, February 15th.—A certain number of soldiers{254} have already left. They came secretly to take leave of the Czar and his family.
At tea in the evening with Their Majesties, General Tatichtchef, with a frankness justified by the circumstances, expressed his surprise at finding how intimate and affectionate was the family life of the Czar and Czarina and their children. The Czar, smiling at the Czarina, said, “You hear what Tatichtchef says?”
Then, with his usual good-humour tinged with a touch of irony, he added:
“You have been my aide-de-camp, Tatichtchef, and had ever so many opportunities of observing us. If you knew so little about us, how can you expect us to blame the newspapers for what they say about us?”
Wednesday, February 20th.—The Czar tells me the Germans have taken Reval, Rovno, etc., and are still advancing along the whole front. It is obvious that he is deeply affected.
Monday, February 25th.—Colonel Kobylinsky has received a telegram informing him that, from March 1st, “Nicholas Romanoff and his family must be put on soldiers’ rations and that each member of the family will receive 600 roubles per month drawn from the interest of their personal estate.” Hitherto their expenses have been paid by the state. As the family consists of seven persons, the whole household will have to be run on 4,200 roubles a month.[64]
Tuesday, February 26th.—His Majesty asked me to help him to do his accounts and draw up a family budget. He has saved a little from his “toilet allowance.{255}”
Wednesday, February 27th.—The Czar said jokingly that, since everyone is appointing committees, he is going to appoint one to look after the welfare of his own community. It is to consist of General Tatichtchef, Prince Dolgorouky, and myself. We held a “sitting” this afternoon and came to the conclusion that the personnel must be reduced. This is a wrench; we shall have to dismiss ten servants, several of whom have their families with them in Tobolsk. When we informed Their Majesties we could see the grief it caused them. They must part with servants whose very devotion will reduce them to beggary.
Friday, March 1st.—The new régime comes into force. From to-day butter and coffee are excluded from the table as luxuries.
Monday, March 4th.—The soldiers’ committee has decided to abolish the snow mountain we have built (it was such a source of amusement to the children!) because the Czar and Czarina mounted it to watch the departure of the men of the 4th Regiment. Every day now brings fresh vexations to the Czar’s family and their suite. For a long time we have only been allowed to go out when accompanied by a soldier; it is probable that even this last privilege will soon be taken from us.
Tuesday, March 5th.—Yesterday the soldiers, with a hang-dog look (for they felt it was a mean task), began to destroy the snow mountain with picks. The children are disconsolate.
Friday, March 15th.—The townspeople, hearing of our situation, find various ways of sending us eggs, sweetmeats, and delicacies.{256}
Sunday, March 17th.—To-day is Carnival Sunday. Everyone is merry. The sledges pass to and fro under our windows; sound of bells, mouth-organs, and singing.... The children wistfully watch the fun. They have begun to grow bored and find their captivity irksome. They walk round the courtyard, fenced in by its high paling through which they can see nothing. Since the destruction of their snow mountain their only distraction is sawing and cutting wood.
The arrogance of the soldiers is inconceivable; those who have left have been replaced by a pack of blackguardly-looking young men.
In spite of the daily increase of their sufferings, Their Majesties still cherish hope that among their loyal friends some may be found to attempt their release. Never was the situation more favourable for escape, for there is as yet no representative of the Bolshevik Government at Tobolsk. With the complicity of Colonel Kobylinsky, already on our side, it would be easy to trick the insolent but careless vigilance of our guards. All that is required is the organised and resolute efforts of a few bold spirits outside. We have repeatedly urged upon the Czar the necessity of being prepared for any turn of events. He insists on two conditions which greatly complicate matters: he will not hear of the family being separated or leaving Russian territory.
One day the Czarina said to me in this connection: “I wouldn’t leave Russia on any consideration, for it seems to me that to go abroad would be to break our last link with the past, which would then be dead for ever.”
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THE CZAR SAWING WOOD WITH ME. BEHIND, THE LITTLE GREENHOUSE ON THE ROOF OF WHICH WE MADE TWO SEATS AT THE END OF WINTER SO THAT WE COULD ENJOY THE SUN.
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ALEXIS NICOLA?EVITCH SITTING ON THE STEPS OF THE GOVERNOR’S HOUSE. STANDING BY HIM IS THE SON OF DR. DEREVENKO, WHO WAS ALLOWED TO COME AND PLAY WITH HIM WHEN WE FIRST WENT TO TOBOLSK.
[Facing page 256.{257}
Monday, March 18th.—During the first week of Lent the family will perform its devotions as usual. There is a service morning and evening. As their different occupations prevent the attendance of the choir, the Czarina and Grand-Duchesses sing with the deacon.
Tuesday, March 19th.—After lunch the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was discussed. It has just been signed. The Czar was very depressed, saying: “It is such a disgrace for Russia and amounts to suicide. I should never have thought the Emperor William and the German Government could stoop to shake hands with these miserable traitors. But I’m sure they will get no good from it; it won’t save them from ruin!”
A little later, when Prince Dolgorouky remarked that the newspapers were discussing a clause in which the Germans demanded that the Imperial family should be handed over to them unharmed, the Czar cried: “This is either a man?uvre to discredit me or an insult.”
The Czarina added in a low voice: “After what they have done to the Czar, I would rather die in Russia than be saved by the Germans!”
Friday, March 22nd.—At a quarter past nine, after the evening service, everyone went to Confession—children, servants, suite, and finally Their Majesties.
Saturday, March 23rd.—A detachment of over a hundred Red Guards has arrived from Omsk; they are the first Maximalist soldiers to take up garrison duty at Tobolsk. Our last chance of escape has been snatched{258} from us. His Majesty, however, tells me he has reason to believe that there are among these men many officers who have enlisted in the ranks; he also asserts, without telling me definitely the source of his information, that there are three hundred officers at Tioumen.
Tuesday, April 9th.—The Bolshevik commissary, who has come with the detachment from Omsk, has insisted on being allowed to inspect the house. The soldiers of our guard have refused permission. Colonel Kobylinsky is very uneasy and fears a conflict. Precautionary measures; patrols, sentries doubled. A very disturbed night.
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