The Last Days of the RomanovsSokolov, N. (Nikolai)
History
The Last Days of the Romanovs
Sokolov, N. (Nikolai)
Nicholas II, Emperor of Russia, 1868-1918; Romanov, House of
I can not tell anything else about the life of the imperial family in
Czarskoe-Selo. I was devoted to the family and I wanted to be near them.
I went to Tobolsk of my own free will. I arrived in Tobolsk in the
beginning of October. From Tumen I travelled with Klavdia Michaelovna
Bitner.
For two days I lived in Korniloff’s house. On the third day, at one p.m.
I was called by the emperor. He received me in his workroom. The
empress and the czarevitch were also present. I was very glad to see
them and they were very glad to see me. At this time the empress began
to realise that not all the people who had been devoted to her were
unfaithful.
Our stay in Tobolsk was altogether very agreeable. I did not see
anything very objectionable in the conditions of our life. Certainly
there were some disadvantages as compared to what it had previously
been; there were lots of trifles that created friction, but one could
get used to them.
We all used to work very hard. The empress was teaching theology to the
children (all the children took lessons except Olga Nicholaevna who had
completed her course of studies in 1914). She also taught a little
German to Tatiana Nicholaevna. The emperor personally gave lessons in
history to the czarevitch. Klavdia Michaelovna Bitner was giving
instruction in mathematics and the Russian language to the Grand
Duchesses Maria, Anastasia and the czarevitch. Hendrikova gave lessons
in history to Tatiana Nicholaevna. I was instructor in English.
The lessons started at nine a. m. and continued up to eleven o’clock.
From eleven till twelve o’clock the children were free to take a walk.
Studies were resumed at twelve and continued for an hour. At one p. m.
lunch was served, and after that coffee was drunk. According to the
doctor’s advice the czarevitch had to rest a little on the sofa after
lunch. During his rest Gilliard or myself used to read to him aloud.
After that Nagorny dressed the czarevitch and we went out for a walk
till about four or five o’clock. After we returned the emperor gave a
lesson in history to the czarevitch. After the lesson the czarevitch
liked very much to play a game called: “The slower you ride the farther
you go.” We divided into two parties: The czarevitch, Gilliard or myself
were one party; Dolgoruky and Schneider the other. The czarevitch used
to be extremely fond of that game. Schneider also used to put her heart
into the game and fussed a little with Dolgoruky over it. This was quite
funny. We played the game nearly every day and Schneider always used to
say that she would never play the game again.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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