I will reproduce here some of the notes I made in my diary about this time. _Monday, August 3rd._--The Czar came up to Alexis Nicolaïevitch’s room this morning. He was a changed man. Yesterday’s ceremony resolved itself into an impressive manifestation. When he appeared on the balcony of the Winter Palace the enormous crowd which had collected on the square fell on their knees and sang the Russian National Anthem. The enthusiasm of his people has shown the Czar that this is unquestionably a national war. I hear that at the Winter Palace yesterday the Czar took a solemn oath not to make peace while a single enemy soldier remains on Russian soil. In taking such an oath before the whole world Nicholas II. shows the true character of this war. It is a matter of life and death, a struggle for existence. The Czarina had a long talk with me this afternoon. She was in a state of great indignation, as she had just heard that on orders from the Emperor William II. the Dowager-Empress of Russia had been prevented from continuing her journey to St. Petersburg and had had to go from Berlin to Copenhagen. “Fancy a monarch arresting an Empress! How could he descend to that? He has absolutely changed since the militarist party, who hate Russia, have gained the upper hand with him. But I am sure he has been won over to the war against his will. He’s been dragged into it by the Crown Prince, who openly assumed the leadership of the pan-German militarists and seemed to disapprove of his father’s policy. He has forced his father’s hand. “I have never liked the Emperor William, if only because he is not sincere. He is vain and has always played the comedian. He was always reproaching me with doing nothing for Germany, and has always done his best to separate Russia and France,[32] though I never believed it was for the good of Russia. He will never forgive me this war! “You know that the Czar received a telegram from him the night before last. It arrived several hours after the declaration of war, and demanded ‘an immediate reply, which alone could avert the terrible disaster.’ He thus tried to deceive the Czar once more, unless the telegram was kept back at Berlin by those who were bent on war in any case.” _Tuesday, August 4th._--Germany has declared war on France and I hear that Switzerland also has mobilised. I have been to the Legation to get the orders for my ultimate departure. _Wednesday, August 5th._--I met the Czar in the park. He told me with immense pleasure that, as a result of the violation of the neutrality of Belgium, England has joined the great cause. The neutrality of Italy seems assured as well.