18 The leaflets: Benckendorff, 16–17.
19 “Abdiqué!”: Dehn, 165. “I saw her in Alexis’s room”: Gilliard, 213. “She was deadly pale”: Buxhoeveden, 261–2.
20 State of siege lifted: Benckendorff, 18.
21 “The Emperor is on the phone”: Dehn, 174. “You know?”: Buxhoeveden, 264.
22 Guchkov’s visit: Benckendorff, 20–2. “Bloodsuckers!” Buxhoeveden, 266.
23 Queen Victoria’s letters: ibid., 91. “A fierce fire”: Dehn, 176.
24 Troops electing officers: Benckendorff, 25. Chevalier Guards: Buxhoeveden, 267–8.
25 Kornilov arrests Alexandra: Benckendorff, 30–5. Sitting together at a table: Bulygin, 190.
26 Kornilov addresses the suite: Benckendorff, 31. “Lackeys!”: Bulygin, 191.
27 “The soldiers of the new guard:” Benckendorff, 38.
28 Gilliard’s explanation to Alexis: Gilliard, 214–15.
29 Killing the deer: Benckendorff, 39.
30 “I went quietly downstairs”: Dehn, 185–7.
31 Nicholas’s arrival at the station: Kobylinsky, 170. “This offensive comedy”: Benckendorff, 43. “Nicholas Romanov”: Buxhoeveden, 271.
32 “His Majesty, the Emperor”: Dehn, 188.
33 Nicholas wept: Vyrubova, 212.
CHAPTER 30 CITIZEN ROMANOV
1 “The Emperor was deathly pale”: Dehn, 189.
2 Arrangements for outdoor exercise: Benckendorff, 33, 48.
3 “You can’t go there, Gospodin Polkovnik”: Vyrubova, 213.
4 “The crushing grip of the Revolution”: Dehn, 190.
5 Three armored cars at Tsarskoe Selo: Kerensky, Murder, 110.
6 “I found the Emperor with his sick children”: Benckendorff, 50.
7 Burning of Rasputin’s body: Paléologue, III, 266; Kerensky, Murder, 105; Kobylinsky, 172.
8 “Like the survivors of a shipwreck”: Vyrubova, 218.
9 “The roads too dirty”: Botkin, 142.
10 Letters, telephone calls, toothpaste tubes and chocolate bars: Benckendorff, 34; Buxhoeveden 285–6.
11 Soldiers at the sickroom door: Benckendorff, 52.
12 “The man only wanted cushions”: Buxhoeveden, 284.
13 “He was dozing”: Dehn, 192.
14 Stealing gold trinkets: Buxhoeveden, 285.
15 “Where is Alexei?”: Vyrubova, 211. “Don’t hang about here”: Gilliard 222.
16 “Derevenko … bawled at the boy”: Vyrubova, 222.
17 The film performances: Benckendorff, 95–6.
18 Lessons resumed: ibid., 78–9.
19 “Good morning, dear colleague”: Gilliard, 228.
20 “The Tsar accepted all these restraints”: ibid., 216.
21 Nicholas followed military and political events: Kobylinsky, 179. “The Soldiers’ Committee refused. What humiliation!”: Gilliard, 229. “Our love of exaggeration”: ibid., 229.
22 Easter service: ibid., 221, 225; Benckendorff, 68; Buxhoeveden, 296–7; Paléologue, III, 319.
23 “Luxuries unnecessary for prisoners”: Buxhoeveden, 286.
24 “I’m only an Ex”: Dehn, 199. Alexandra believes the country still loyal: Buxhoeveden, 275.
25 Prince Lvov’s letter and Grand Duke Nicholas’s reply: Hanbury-Williams, 179, 182.
26 “Citizen Romanov” and “Alexandra the German”; Paléologue, III, 257.
27 The menu: Almedingen, 209. “If Nicky killed a few more”: ibid., 200–10.
28 Kerensky’s speech to the servants: Benckendorff, 54; “He was dressed in a blue shirt”: ibid., 55. “His manner was abrupt and nervous”: ibid., 55–6.
29 Kerensky and Vyrubova: Vyrubova, 223–4.
30 “Everything is going well”: Benckendorff, 59.
31 “A state of feverish agitation”: ibid., 59.
32 Kerensky’s first meeting with the Imperial family: Kerensky, Murder, 122–3.
33 “The white hand of the Empress”: Vyrubova, 225.
34 “By suffering we are purified”: Dehn, 215.
35 “A group of white-clad figures,” Anna Vyrubova and Lili Dehn leave Tsarskoe Selo for the last time: Vyrubova, 226; Dehn, 215.
36 Inhuman to separate a mother from her sick children: Benckendorff, 66.
37 Kerensky’s interview with Alexandra: ibid., 75–6. “Your wife does not lie”: ibid., 76.
38 Kerensky’s interview with Nicholas: ibid., 77.
39 “Kerensky’s attitude toward the Tsar is no longer what it was”: Gilliard, 227. “The confidence which the Emperor felt in Kerensky increased”: Benckendorff, 77. “He is a man who loves Russia”: Pares in the Introduction to Kerensky, Murder, 15.
40 Bayonet in the bicycle spokes: Buxhoeveden, 299. “Not for anything in the world”: Kobylinsky, 177. “What have you got against me?”: Benckendorff, 71.
41 The crowds whistle and jeer: Kerensky, Murder, 114; Bulygin, 192.
42 Alexandra talks to the soldier: Buxhoeveden, 300, Benckendorff, 80.
43 Colonel Kobylinsky: Kobylinsky, 167–8; Benckendorff, 91; Bulygin, 180–90. “My last friend”: Bulygin, 190.
44 The toy-gun episode: Benckendorff, 83; Gilliard, 230–1; Kobylinsky, 177.
45 The kitchen garden and cutting firewood: Benckendorff, 79–80; Gilliard, 220–31.
46 Red and green lights: Benckendorff, 87; Gilliard, 232; Kerensky, Murder, 114–15.
47 “Our Captivity at Tsarskoe Selo”: Gilliard, 217–18.
CHAPTER 31 “HIS MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT DOES NOT INSIST”
1 “Simply human beings”: Kerensky, Murder, 112.
2 “It’s a mistake”: Buchanan, II, 73.
3 “I will not be the Marat of the Russian Revolution”: Kerensky, Crucifixion, 161.
4 “He should lose no time in getting away”: Paléologue, III, 253.
5 “It’s the last chance”: ibid., III, 258.
6 Lloyd George’s speech: quoted by Pares, 260; by Paléologue, II, 43.
7 Lloyd George’s telegram: Lloyd George, 507. The decision to invite the Russian Imperial family: Nicolson, 300.
8 Buchanan’s conversations with Miliukov: Buchanan, II, 104–6.
9 “The Republic must be safeguarded”: Bykov, 33. One scornful Bolshevik writer, ibid., 35.
10 Provisional Government pledges to the Soviet that the sovereigns will remain in Russia: Paléologue, III, 268. Miliukov cannot deliver
11 King George V’s telegram: Buchanan II, 103; Paléologue, III, 278. Text of the telegram: Nicolson, 299.
12 The King and Queen … were asking for news of their Russian relatives: Gilliard, 222.
13 “Nothing has yet been decided”: Lloyd George, 512.
14 “His Majesty’s Government does not insist”: Kerensky, Murder, 117.
15 “An excuse for rousing public opinion against us”: Buchanan’s message quoted by Lloyd George, 512.
16 Bertie’s letter: quoted by Lloyd George, 514.
17 The plan suspended until early summer: Kerensky, Murder, 116–17.
18 “The British Government’s final refusal”: ibid., 118.
19 “Not masters in their own house”: Buchanan, II, 106. Meriel Buchanan’s account of the episode: Meriel Buchanan, 195–7. Lloyd George “probably would have given such advice”: quoted by Meriel Buchanan, viii a.
20 “An unseaworthy Ark”: Lloyd George, 480. “A crown without a head”: ibid., 483. “This country cannot be … held responsible”: ibid., 516.
21 “His Majesty cannot help doubting”: Nicolson, 301. The King suggests that Britain withdraw its offer: ibid., 301.
22 The Duke of Windsor’s recollection: Windsor, 131.
23 “We older ones …”: Payne, 252.
24 “Our tactics”: Fischer, 108. “Ilyich did not sleep”: ibid., 108.
25 “A plague bacillus”: Churchill, World Crisis: The Aftermath, 71.
26 Lenin’s return: Trotsky, I, 295–8; Moorehead, 184–7.
27 Lenin’s initial failure: Trotsky, I, 300–11; Flor
insky, 1401–3; Fischer, 128. “Why, that is raving”: Trotsky, I, 310. “Lenin was a hopeless failure”: Paléologue, III, 302.
28 Trotsky in America: Kennan, 31–2. The Root Mission, ibid., 10–23.
29 The Kerensky offensive: Florinsky, 1400–10. Nicholas’s happiness: Benckendorff, 94. The “July Uprising”: Florinsky, 1431. “More than a demonstration but less than a revolution”: ibid., 1432.
30 “The Bolsheviks are after me”: Pares in Introduction to Kerensky, Murder; Benckendorff, 98.
31 Kerensky’s search for a haven: Kerensky, Murder, 119. “I chose Tobolsk”: ibid., 120.
32 “I have no fear”: ibid., 121.
33 The suite: Benckendorff, 99.
34 “The ceremony was poignant”: ibid., 103.
35 The family’s departure a secret: Kerensky, Murder, 128.
36 “No hitting a man when he is down”: Kobylinsky, 183; Bykov, 40; Kerensky, Murder, 128.
37 “Colonel Kobylinsky’s orders”: Bulygin, 194. The soldiers refuse to work: Benckendorff, 105–6.
38 Grand Duke Michael: Benckendorff, 107. “How is Alix? How is Mother?”: Kerensky, Murder, 129.
39 “Is that Uncle Misha?”: Kobylinsky, 184.
40 “Weeping like any ordinary woman”: Kerensky, Murder, 130.
41 The soldiers cursed and grumbled: Benckendorff, 108. The officers would not sit with Nicholas Romanov: ibid., 110.
42 Nicholas could freely return: ibid., 107.
43 Departure from Tsarskoe Selo: ibid., 111–12; Gilliard, 234–5.
CHAPTER 32 SIBERIA
1 The train to Siberia. Stocked with wines: Benckendorff, 121. Gems worth a million roubles: Wilton, 74. Suite and servants: Bykov, 40, and Kobylinsky, who lists them by name, 187–8.
2 Train routine: Kerensky, Murder, 131. Walks by the track: Benckendorff, 121.
3 Heat, shades drawn: N’s Diary, quoted by Kerensky, Murder, 134.
4 Stopped at Perm: Kobylinsky, 185.
5 The boat trip: Kerensky, Murder, 135. Pokrovskoe and Rasputin’s house: Gilliard, 230–40; Yussoupov, Rasputin, 28–9.
6 Arrival in Tobolsk: Kerensky, Murder, 132–3; Gilliard, 240; Benckendorff, 121; Botkina, 37.
7 Tobolsk and the governor’s house: Botkin, 156; Botkina, 39; Gilliard, 240.
8 Kornilov house: Benckendorff, 122; Bulygin, 194.
9 Enclosed yard: Gilliard, 240. Suite has free access: Gibbs, in Wilton, 244.
10 Attitude toward the Imperial family. Townspeople: Gilliard, 242. Soldiers: Bykov, 60.
11 Pankratov and Nikolsky: Kobylinsky, 190–1; Bulygin, 196; Botkina, 42.
12 “Not wishing to infringe the rules of politeness”: Pankratov, With the Tsar in Tobolsk, quoted by Bykov, 43–4.
13 Pankratov’s tales: Wilton, 61.
14 “We were once ordered by the police”: Kobylinsky, 191.
15 Case of wine: Bykov, 45; Botkina, 43.
16 Political education of the soldiers: Bulygin, 196. “The result of these lectures”: Kobylinsky, 192.
17 The Kornilov affair: Florinsky, 1436–42.
18 “History will not forgive us”: Florinsky, 1445.
19 The October/November Revolution. There are innumerable accounts of the Bolshevik coup d’état. Most draw heavily on John Reed’s vivid eyewitness account, Ten Days That Shook the World. I also consulted Trotsky, III, 200–75; Florinsky, 1447–50; and Kennan, 4–6, 71–3. “The Provisional Government appeals”: Reed, 103;
20 “Kerensky … merely hung around the revolution”: Trotsky, I, 183.
21 “The Tsar regret his abdication”: Gilliard, 243.
22 “Lessons began at nine”: Vyrubova, 311.
23 “One by one all earthly things”: ibid., 313.
24 “It is bright sunshine”: ibid., 314–16.
25 “A real ice house”: Gilliard, 253.
26 “Today there are 29 degrees of frost”: Vyrubova, 325.
27 “You never know when they might be useful”: Gibbs, in Wilton, 256.
28 “We often sit in the windows”: Vyrubova, 309.
29 The plays: Botkina, 49. “I want to talk to you”: ibid., 50.
30 “In this atmosphere of family peace”: Gilliard, 243.
31 Christmas. “The children were filled with delight”: Gilliard, 246. Ribbons and waistcoats: Vyrubova, 302. The church service: Kobylinsky, 194–5; Bykov, 48, 53.
32 “I heard an extraordinary noise”: Bykov, 54. “They have weapons”: Kobylinsky, 196.
33 The epaulets. 100 votes to 85: Gilliard, 251. “After dinner”: ibid., 252. “I felt I could bear it no more”: Kobylinsky, 197–8.
34 “All the old soldiers … are to leave us”: Gilliard, 253.
35 The snow mountain: Gilliard, 252–5. The Soldiers’ Committee disapproves: Kobylinsky, 196. “The soldiers with a hang-dog look”: Gilliard, 255.
36 Obscene words: Kobylinsky, 198; Gilliard, in Wilton, 229.
37 Money. Kobylinsky arrived entrusted with a large sum: Benckendorff, 127. The sums stopped coming: Kobylinsky, 197. An anonymous offer of enough for six months: Benckendorff 129. An advance of 20,000 roubles: Kobylinsky, 197. “Nicholas Romanov … must be put on soldier’s rations”: ibid., 199; Bykov, 57. “Since everyone is appointing committees”: Gilliard, 255. Eggs, sweetmeats and delicacies: Bykov, 44–5.
38 “The strange thing about the Russian character”: Vyrubova, 318.
39 “Today is Carnival Sunday”: Gilliard, 256.
CHAPTER 33 GOOD RUSSIAN MEN
1 “From there … via Japan”: Kerensky, Murder, 118.
2 The family not be separated: Gilliard, 256.
3 Mysterious visitors with fine-combed beards: Botkina, 45; Bykov, 47.
4 Margaret Khitrivo: Kerensky, Murder, 138–9; Bulygin, 195–6.
5 “My lord, you bear the name of St. Hermogen”: Bykov, 48.
6 Benckendorff’s efforts: Pares, 486. Soloviev’s leadership; ibid., 486.
7 Who was Soloviev?: Bulygin, 197; Bykov, 50–1; Pares, 486.
8 “I went to Anya’s house last night”: Bulygin, 198.
9 “Gregory’s family and his friends are active”: Bulygin, 198. “The 489 Brotherhood of St. John of Tobolsk”: ibid., 199. “Three hundred faithful officers”: Bykov, 57.
10 Soloviev in Tyumen: Bulygin, 199–201. Soloviev arrested by the Bolsheviks, ibid., 211. Siberia to Berlin: ibid., 211, 216. Petrograd banker: ibid., 216. Romanova marries a Bolshevik: ibid., 215. A German agent?: ibid., 217. Released: ibid., 207.
11 “The royalists were captained by the traitor Soloviev”: Kerensky, Murder, 27. Agreement that Soloviev was a Bolshevik agent and possibly also a German agent: Wilton, 131–3.
12 Alexandra dreamed of English gardens: Vyrubova, 340. “God will not leave it like this”: ibid., 336.
13 The wooden sled on the stairs: Botkina, 56. Worst since Spala: Gilliard, 258–9. “He is frightfully thin and yellow”: Vyrubova, 338. “Yesterday, for the first time …”: ibid., 339.
14 “The atmosphere is … electrified”: ibid., 341.
15 Loss of territory at Brest-Litovsk: Fischer, 287. One Russian general shot himself: Botkin, 172.
16 “Suicide,” “a disgrace for Russia”: Gilliard, 257. “To think that they called Her Majesty a traitor”: Bulygin, 202. “I should never have thought the Emperor William …”: Gilliard, 257.
17 “After what they have done to the Tsar”: ibid., 257.
18 The Red Urals: Bykov, 61. Bring the family to Ekaterinburg, ibid., 62–3.
19 The Omsk detachment: Bulygin, 203. “Good Russian Men”: ibid., 201, 203, 205; Bykov, 58. “His Majesty tells me”: Gilliard, 258.
20 Zaslavsky: Kobylinsky, 202.
21 Yakovlev: ibid., 202; Bulygin, 206–8. Had tea with the Tsar: Gilliard, 259.
22 “Your Majesty” and “Bonjour, Monsieur”: Bulygin, 208. “Everyone is restless and distraught”: Gilliard, 259.
23 “The first document was addressed to me”: Kobylinsky, 203. Yakovlev visits the Tsarv
ich: ibid., 204; Gilliard, 259. “We feel we are forgotten by everyone”: Gilliard, 260.
24 “I have received an order”: Kobylinsky, 205. “After lunch at two o’clock”: ibid., 205. “I refuse to go”: Bulygin, 208.
25 “They want to force me to sign”: Kobylinsky, 206; Bulygin, 209, 222. “I shall also go”: Kobylinsky, 206. “The commissar says that no harm will come”: Gilliard, 260.
26 “But Mother, if Father has to go”: ibid., 261.
27 “Doctors demand immediate departure”: Bulygin, 221; Bykov, 67. “Unfortunately we have no data”: Bulygin, 221; Bykov, 67; Benckendorff, 135. “Had to submit”: Bulygin, 221.
28 Yakovlev nervous: Koblinsky, 207. “It makes no difference to me”: Bulygin, 209.
29 “Mama, Mama!”: Gibbs, in Wilton, 249. “I am convinced the river will overflow”: Bykov, 68.
30 The last evening in Tobolsk: Gibbs, in Wilton, 250. “This splendid serenity”: Gilliard, 262.
31 The tarantasses: Gilliard, 262; Gilliard’s deposition in Wilton, 234. The Empress sends Gilliard to Alexis: Gilliard, 263. Yakovlev’s courtesy: Kobylinsky, 209; Bulygin, 209.
32 The girls sobbing: Gilliard, 263.
33 The journey to Tyumen: ibid., 263; Bykov, 68–9; Pares, 490. Waving white handkerchiefs: Bykov, 69. The sign of the Cross: Kobylinsky, 209; Bulygin, 212.
34 Red cavalry: Bulygin, 212. “Proceeding safely”: Kobylinsky, 210.
35 Yakovlev leaves in the wrong direction: Pares, 490.
36 “A traitor to the revolution,” “To all, to all, to all”: Bykov, 70.
37 Kulomzino: Gibbs, in Wilton, 235; Pares, 490. Telephone conversation with Sverdlov: Bykov, 71; Bulygin, 225.
38 “I have orders to take you to Ekaterinburg”: Kobylinsky, 210.
39 “Judging from the local papers”: Bykov, 72.
40 Yakovlev a monarchist agent: Bykov, 69. Pares believes that Yakovlev was trying to save the Imperial family from falling into the clutches of the Ekaterinburg Soviet and that he may possibly have been trying to rescue them completely: Pares, 491.
41 German domination of Russia: Bulygin, 223.
42 “Be calm”: ibid., 202, 219. The Kaiser’s personal responsibility: ibid., 220–1. Restoration of the Tsar: ibid., 223.
43 Mirbach’s game: Wilton, 151. Sverdlov’s game: Gilliard, 282–3; Bulygin, 224–5.
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