CONFESSIONS OF THE CZARINA [Illustration] [Illustration: THE CZARINA From a photograph taken shortly before the Czar’s downfall.] Confessions of the Czarina _by_ COUNT PAUL-VASSILI _Author of_ “BEHIND THE VEIL AT THE RUSSIAN COURT” “LA SOCIÉTÉ DE BERLIN” ILLUSTRATED [Illustration] HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS NEW YORK AND LONDON CONFESSIONS OF THE CZARINA Copyright, 1918, by Harper & Brothers Printed in the United States of America Published April, 1918 D-S CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE PUBLISHERS’ NOTE ix INTRODUCTION xi I. BETROTHAL AND MARRIAGE 1 II. MARRIAGE AND LONELINESS 18 III. MY COUNTRY, MY BELOVED COUNTRY, WHY AM I PARTED FROM THEE? 25 IV. A SAD CORONATION 34 V. DAUGHTERS, DAUGHTERS, AND NO SON 44 VI. THE EMPRESS’S OPINIONS ABOUT RUSSIA 53 VII. WHAT THE IMPERIAL FAMILY THOUGHT ABOUT THE EMPRESS 66 VIII. SORROW AND UNEXPECTED CONSOLATION 76 IX. PHILIPPE AND HIS WORK 88 X. ANNA WYRUBEWA APPEARS ON THE SCENE AND HE SAW HER PASS 99 XI. AND HE SAW HER PASS 112 XII. LOVED AT LAST 127 XIII. HE DIED TO SAVE HER HONOR 137 XIV. A NATION IN REVOLT 147 XV. A PROPHET OF GOD 157 XVI. SHE SAW HIM ONCE MORE 166 XVII. MY SON! I MUST SAVE MY SON! 177 XVIII. ANOTHER WAR 188 XIX. MY FATHERLAND, MUST I FORSAKE THEE? 199 XX. IT IS YOUR HUSBAND WHO IS LOSING THE THRONE OF YOUR SON 208 XXI. PEACE, WE MUST HAVE PEACE 219 XXII. THE REMOVAL OF THE “PROPHET” 229 XXIII. ANNA COMES TO THE RESCUE 240 XXIV. YOU MUST BECOME THE EMPRESS 251 XXV. THE NATION WANTS YOUR HEAD 261 XXVI. A CROWN IS LOST 271 XXVII. A PRISONER AFTER HAVING BEEN A QUEEN 281 XXVIII. THE EXILE 291 PUBLISHERS’ NOTE