Produced by Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images available at The Internet Archive) MEMORIES OF THE RUSSIAN COURT [Illustration: colophon] THE MACMILLAN COMPANY NEW YORK BOSTON CHICAGO DALLAS ATLANTA SAN FRANCISCO MACMILLAN & CO., LIMITED LONDON BOMBAY CALCUTTA MELBOURNE THE MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA, LTD. TORONTO [Illustration: THE EMPRESS OF RUSSIA IN HER HAPPY YEARS.] MEMORIES OF THE RUSSIAN COURT BY ANNA VIROUBOVA MACMILLAN AND CO., LIMITED ST. MARTIN’S STREET, LONDON 1923 PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO MY EMPRESS, WITH LOVE AND FIDELITY ETERNAL “When you are reproached--bless; when persecuted--be patient; when calumniated--comfort yourself; when slandered--rejoice; this is your road and mine.” Words of St. Seraphine. ALEXANDRA FEODOROVNA, from _Tobolsk_, March 20, 1918 _Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I shall not fear. Thy rod and Thy staff shall comfort me._ ILLUSTRATIONS THE EMPRESS OF RUSSIA IN HER HAPPY DAYS _Frontispiece_ Facing Page THE EMPRESS DRIVING HER PONY CHAISE 8 THE EMPRESS WITH GRAND DUCHESS TATIANA IN HER BEDROOM, TSARSKOE SELO 8 ALEXANDER SERGIEVITCH TANIEFF 9 THE WINTER PALACE, PETROGRAD 20 MILITARY REVIEW, TSARSKOE SELO 21 THE EMPEROR AND EMPRESS IN A QUIET HOUR ON BOARD THE IMPERIAL YACHT 32 THE EMPRESS DISTRIBUTING PRESENTS TO SAILORS AT THE END OF A CRUISE 33 LIVADIA, THE NEW PALACE OF THE TSARS IN THE CRIMEA 38 A CORNER OF THE COURT OF THE PALACE OF LIVADIA 39 THE IMPERIAL CHILDREN BATHING IN THE BLACK SEA AT LIVADIA 39 THE IMPERIAL YACHT ARRIVES AT LIVADIA, THE CRIMEA 50 THE TSAR, GRAND DUCHESSES OLGA AND TATIANA AND MME. VIROUBOVA AT HOMBURG 51 THE EMPRESS GIVING ALEXEI A LESSON ON THE TERRACE 74