Nicholas and Alexandra

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’etat. 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 Tsarvich: 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.