Letters, quotations, diary entries, and artwork...a work in progress...
Several of our letters were translated by Dasha Shevtchenko. Thanks, Dash!
__________________________________________________________________
"One has to struggle much because the return for good is evil, and evil reigns."
__________________________________________________________________
Diary entry, quoting Father Ioann of Krondstadt:
"Your grief is indescribable, the Saviour's grief in the Gardens of Gethsemane of the world's sins is immeasurable, join your grief to his, in it you will find consolation."
__________________________________________________________________
God's Blessings and His Words Upon Us:
Why, seeing an orthodox cemetery, do we begin to feel dull at heart?
Because life on earth is bustle, we've never striven against the desires,
We've served out flesh and have cared for idle comfort, in spite and slander.
And why, standing by the shrine of pious people, do we feel contented?
Because their life was sacrifice; as Christ suffered and after His suffering
There was Easter
Thus a pious person endures spite and persecution. . .~ Tatiana Nikolaievna Romanova
__________________________________________________________________
1906
My Darling Mama!
I thank you 100 times for your dear letter which I was very pleased to get it. How funny it is that Olga and Anastasia lunch in your bedroom. Now we will go to bed and rest a little bit. I kiss you and Papa 100000000 times but I can't count it myself.
Tatiana
__________________________________________________________________
1908, Letter to Fr. Grigory RasputinMy dear and true friend, When will you come? Are you going to be stuck in Pokrovskoe much longer? How are your children?... When we go to Ania's [Virubova] we all think of you. We would so like to go to Pokrovskoe. When shall we go? Please arrange it, you can do anything. God loves you so. And you say God is so good and kind that he will do anything you ask. So visit us soon, it is so dull without you. Mother is ill without you and it is so sad to see her ill. If you only knew how hard it is to see her ill. But you know because you know everything. I kiss your hand my dear friend I kiss your holy hand. God bless you,
Tatiana
__________________________________________________________________
17 January 1909
My darling Mama!
I hope you wont be today ver tied and that you can get up to dinner. I am always so awfuy sorry when you are tied and when you cant get up. I will pray for you my darling Mama in church. I hope that we can go some day to Annias little house with you. Please sleep well and dont get tied.
Perhaps I have lots of folts but please forgive me. It is very nice that you didnt go to chruch yesterday els I am shore you would be much more tied. Was it nice to [dine] yeasterday with Ania in your little room.
I try to listen what Mary says now as much as I kan. Did you see without us at Annias brother [Sergei Aleksandrovich Taneev]! I find him very nice, and how do you! Many, Many kisses to my beloved Mama. Sleep well and I hope that you wont be ti[r]ed. Your loving dauther
TatianaI will pray for you in church.
__________________________________________________________________
Tsarskoe Selo.
1910 17/30 Jan. Monday.
My darling Louise [of Battenburg, aka Mountbatten, our cousin and daughter of Mama's older sister Victoria],
I thank you many times for the letter. I was very pleased to get it. Tell your Mama and Papa that my Papa for my namesday gave me the regiment which before commanded your Grandfather Uncle Alexander, the 8 Lancer Wosnecenski. I do not know how to write the name as it is difficult from the Russian. I am so delighted I have got my own regiment. Olga also got when she was as old as I the hussar regiment, so now we both have one.
How are you, dear? You said that you hoped that none of us would get chicken pox, but of course I got it from Anastasia which is a great bore.
From the 2nd Jan. Alexei and I went to bed and lay till the 12th. I got up just for my namesday. Then in between Anastasia lay and also had influenza but the whole time we were all together. Baby is lying till now. Marie is also in bed, only Olga, Mama and Papa were not lying till now.
On the 6th Jan. just before our lessons began Olga went to Petersburg in the evening to the theatre, and came back very late and had to lie in the stupid bed. Better in any case do not show to anyone this letter, perhaps it is dangerous as I have got still chicken pox. Mama is now a little better but it makes her tired running every day three times a day upstairs to us whilst we were all in bed. How is your Mama, Papa and all?
Tell Nona [Kerr, Aunt Victoria's lady-in-waiting] I am awfully sorry I did not thank her for the letter which she sent me with the socks but each time I began I tore it up as I did not like it. I want to see you awfully, Louise darling.
Now good bye, my dearest Louisechen. Much love and kisses to you all from your ever loving cousin,
Tatiana.
P.S. Love to Clayden [Louise's own maid].
__________________________________________________________________
8 March 1910
My sweet own darling Mama,
Please forgive me that I have not did what I would last day. I am so sad that I did that, what I knew you would not like. Please forgive me I did not want to do it real-
ly Mama dear. I never, never wont do something I know you don't like and I wont do it without asking you my sweet Mama. How is your head?I am so afread that S.I. [Sofia Ivanovna Tiutcheva, a former nurse of ours who was let go for criticising Fr. Grigory Rasputin's visits to our nursury] can speak to Maria about our friend [Fr. Grigory Rasputin] some thing bad. I hope our nurse will be nice to our friend now.
Please tell Papa that I also ask him my pardon. I am so sad I made that what you and Papa don't like. Sleep well my own sweet Mama darling and I hope that tomor-
row your poor head wont each any more. God bless you sweet darling. Many loving kisses to all from all. Your ever loving own daughterTatiana
__________________________________________________________________
Baltic Port
The Standart, 10 June 1910[To my grandmother, the Dowager Empress Maria]
My dear grandmother, we enjoy ourselves so much on our beloved Standart. Every day we go ashore with papa. Maria, Anastasia, and Aleksei go spearately. Olga and I go with papa, as papa walks a great deal, and Aleksei and the boys march up and down by the shore...
__________________________________________________________________
Tsarskoe Selo
5/18 November 1910
[This letter to my cousin Louise of Battenburg describes portions of our trip to Darmstadt, where my mother is from.]
My darling Louise,
I kiss and thank you a thousand times for the nice long letter. We were in the theater "Bonifacius", it was delightfully pretty. Even Mama, Anastasia and Marie were there. Papa, Uncle Ernie [Uncle Ernst-Ludwig of Hesse, mother's brother], Marie and I sat in your box. It was so lovely, pretty. Mama, Aunt Irene [mother's sister Irene], Olga and Anastasia sat in the big box, and in the little one next to them, Aunt Onor [Uncle Ernie's second wife, Eleonore] and Uncle Harry [Prince Henry of Prussia, Aunt Irene's husband]. Sunday after church we went to the theater and in the saloon next to your box they showed us the cinimatograph only not like always but like in the theater on the screen and they dance. It is most amusing but difficult to write how it was. After that we four went to the middle box in which the ladies sit and looked how they were praktising [sic] a piece. It was such fun to look on.
It is such a pity you had to go so early away. How is Nona, your Mama, Georgie, Dickie and your Papa [Louise's parents, brothers, and her mother's lady-in-waiting (see previoius letter to Louise, above)]?
The first day we could go in the sledges but on the second day (yesterday) we had to go in the carriages, it was too dirty and little snow.
I must go soon to luncheon. Alexei lunches also with us, with Papa and Mama. In Friedberg and Wolfsgarten he did not because Mama wanted him to speak with the little ones English. The masseuse came with us to Russia and she continues with Mama and us both.
It would be such fun it [sic] you would be here we would be always together. We play Ilaffneau's stories nearly every day, and in the Russian train we have a piano and there we played also, we would not stop.
We four girls were at the bazar in Offenbach. Olga, Marie, Anastasia went after luncheon to Offenbach. Uncle and Aunty went at eleven. Auntie Irene went at five. At 8 Auntie Irene, Uncle and Aunt and I had to come back to dinner. I telephoned to ask if I may stay longer but the answer never came, then we sat in the motor and just wanted to go home when I see the Hofmarschal running. He came and said that I may stay. I was delighted, flew out and ran upstairs where everybody was walking and looking at things. After I went myself to buy things. We came home at half past eleven in the night. I got up for breakfast and had no headache.
Now good bye, dearest Louise. Love to everybody. Many kisses from your loving devoted cousin,
Tatiana.
__________________________________________________________________
18th February 1911
Darling Dicky [our cousin, Prince Louis of Battenberg, Earl Mountbatten of Burma],
How are you now? I hope you feel better + can go to scool [sic]. Please write to me how you are. We were all [illegible] in the theater it was very nice.
Now good-bye. Many kisses fr yr loving cousin
Tatiana
__________________________________________________________________
[Postcard - Undated]I send you dear little Dicky many wishes for a happy Xmas and a bright New Year.
Yr loving cousin
Tatiana
__________________________________________________________________
20 April 1911,
Tsarskoe Selo
Mama my darling,
How about tomorrow? Must I lie in bed or no (ah of course no) I had a little as I walked but my head does not hurt as I lay and now it passed. Can you write deary I would like to know. I would like so much to go to the review of the second division as I am also the second daughter and Olga was at the first so now it is my turn. What will you about that??
Ah!!!????!!!! Maria asks when must we have Delacroix for the hair as we did not have him for such a long time. Yes Mama and at the second division I will see whom I *must* see..................... you know whom..................!!!!??!?!
Now goodbye. God bless you two angels. God be with you always and every where you are.
Many kisses from your loving, devoted, thankful true daughter.
Tatiana
P.S. Kiss Ania [Virubova] very much.
__________________________________________________________________
September, 1911 [approximately, while cruising the Crimea]
[To my Aunt Olga]
In the morning, the officers gave me a packet and asked me to pass it on to Olga, which I did. What do you think was in it? A frame made out of cardboard and inside a portrait of David [one of our English cousins, the eventual Duke of Windsor; Olga and David were considered by some to be a possible match] cut from a newspaper. Olga laughed a great deal over it, and none of the officers wanted to confess they had done it. Aren't they pigs?
__________________________________________________________________
26 November 1911
My sweet, darling, own Mama dear,
I beg your pardon that I don't listen to you and that I contradict you, that I am disobedient. At once I never feel anything but afterwards I feel so sad and miserable that I made you tired of telling me always to do that and so on.
Please forgive me my own precious Mama darling. Really now I'll try and be as good and kind as I can be, else I know how disagreeable it is to you when one of your daughters don't listen to you and behaves bad.
I know it is very bad of me to be so horrid with you my dear Mama, but really, really my sweet one I WILL try and be as good as I can and never tire you and always listen every word you will tell me.
Forgive me deary. Write to me please a word only that you forgive me and then I can go and sleep with a clear conscience. God bless you always and wherever you go-- show this letter to nobody.
Kisses from your own loving, devoted, thankful, and true daughter,
Tatiana
__________________________________________________________________
March 1912
My sweet darling dear beloved own dearest Mama,
I am so awfully sorry that you wont come with us. I hope that you will feel better tomorrow when we come. Fancy it will be the first time that we will sleep on the Standart it is awfully sad Mama dearest. I hope that Ania [Virubova] will be nice with you and wont tire you and specialy wont come in to you to disturb when you lie or when you want to be alone. Such I petty I could not stay with you Mama dear. It would be such a pleasure to me. I do hope you wont feel too tired. Please Mama darling dont run about the rooms to see how they are. Send Ania or els you will be very tired to receive Auntie and Uncle [Uncle Ernst-Ludwig of Hesse and his second wife].
I will try and be as good as I con on board with the officers.
Goodbye till tomorrow. Dont worry sweety about baby [brother] I will look after him and all will be alright. God bless you my sweet own darling.
Many many kisses to you angel from your own loving devoted and true daughter
Tatiana
__________________________________________________________________
26 March 1913
Tsarskoe Selo
My dear darling Mama,
I just had a bath and before that a chair, so today I had two chairs. I hope you will sleep well my darling angel and that I will see you not in bed with a bad heart, but feeling well and in your sitting room.
Then I'll come tomorrow at nine to say good morning before my lesson which I have together with Olga. God bless you my own beloved Mama deary. Sleep nicely and be well to-morrow. 10000000000000000000 x 100000000000000000 so many times I kiss you.
Your own loving devoted true and thankful for all daughter
Tatiana
Kiss Papa dear.
__________________________________________________________________
30 September 1914
Mama darling mine,
Forgive me about the little dog [Ortino!]. To say the truth, when he asked should I like to have it if he [Dmitri Malama] gave it to me, I at once said yes. You remember, I always wanted to have one, and only afterwards when we came home I thought that suddenly you might not like me having one. But I was really so pleased at the idea that I forgot about everything. Please, darling angel, forgive me. Tell Papa about it. I hope he won't have anything against it. Good night, beloved Mama. God bless and keep you.
1000 kisses from your devoted daughter and loving,
Tatiana
Say, darling, you are not angry.
__________________________________________________________________
29 October, 1914
My sweet darling angel, Mama dear,
I do so hope that you all sleep well and won't feel so tired tomorrow as you will probably do so much the whole day.
Please forgive me, my Mama Sweet, if I ever hurt you involuntarily by saying something about your former home, but really if I do say something, it is always without thinking that I can hurt you, or something like that, because really, when I think of you I only think that you are our angel, Mama dear-- a Russian, and always forget that it was not always so, and that you had another home before you came to Papa here.
Do forgive me deary. Now goodbye. I pray God give you a good sleep and that you'll be well and happy tomorrow.
1000 kisses to my own darling, sweet, precious Mama, from her ever-loving, thankful, and true daughter,
Tatiana
__________________________________________________________________
7 August 1915
Mama darling mine,
Please give Ania [Virubova] this photo of [illegible] which I did at Krasnoe during the review. I am sure she will be very pleased that he is here. Mama sweet, I am so awfully sad I see so little of you. I hate going away for so long. Really, we never see you now. It doesn't matter if sisters go earlier to bed- I'll remain. For me it is better to sleep less and see more of you, my beloved one. God bless you, deary. 1000 kisses to you and Papa dear. Your own true loving child,
Tatiana
__________________________________________________________________
15 August 1915
Tsarskoe Selo
Mama, darling angel mine!
I pray for you both dearies, the whole time, that God will help you now in this terrible time. I simply can't tell you how awfully sorry I am for you, my beloved ones. I am so sorry I can in now way help you or be useful.
In such moments I am sorry I'm not a man. Bless you my own beloved one. Sleep well. I kiss you and Papa dear awfully much. Your own loving and true daughter,
Tatiana
__________________________________________________________________
[Translated by Dasha Shevtchenko, with many thanks:]
October 7, 1915
Tsarskoye Selo
My Dear Darling Aleksey,
Yesterday Mama read us all of you letters, which are written so well. I always tell P.V. [Russian tutor] that you write much better by yourself then with him.
I'm very happy to hear that you're enjoying yourself. I would love to see how you and Papa sleep, but when we mention it, Anya says that it's inappropriate. In the morning there was snow on all the roads, but it melted later. It is such a bore that winter will come soon. Do you play with Kol'ya? What is Joy up to? Ortino is very sweet and she greets you and Nagornii. I really would love to see you Little Darling. I didn't see your Irina, because she is in Petrograd, so I can't tell you what she is doing. Rita works in our hospital, so we see her everyday.
Well, good-bye Baby Darling. God protect you. Big hugs and kisses to you and Papa.
Your
Uhlan
__________________________________________________________________
From 1916:
__________________________________________________________________
[Easter message to Cousin Dicky from OTMA, 1916]
Happy Easter!
Dicky Dear -
With love fr.
Olga
Tatiana
Maria
Anastasia
__________________________________________________________________
Tsarskoe Selo
14 July 1916My darling Aleksei,
It is very lonely here without you and Papa. It was so nice to visit you in Mogelev! The weather is warm. We're sitting on the balcony. Just came back with Maria and Shvibz from the Big Palace. Tell Papa that Sister Movutsina has crossed eyes. Very strange. There are many wounded. Some old colonel from Siberia, who is your Godfather, sent you his regards and wished you health, etc. Of course I fogot his last name. Tell V.N. that there are many wounded. Forty eight. Yesterday they brought eleven more people and they're all layng down. They're from near Riga, the Siberian Regiments. Everyone is all right. All keep asking about you and want to see you. Please thank P.V.P for his letter and tell him he can write again.
Well, good-bye my darling Aleksei. May the Lord protect you all. I kiss you many, many times. I hug you mentally and love you very, very much.
Your Tatiana
I embrace you.
***
[The following is the same letter, translated by Dasha: ]
July 14, 1916
Tsarskoye SeloMy Dear Little Darling Aleksey
It is so boring here without you and Papa. It was wonderful to visit you in Mogilev. The weather is warm. We're sitting on the balcony. I went with Maria and Shvibz (Anastasia) to the Big Palace. Tell Papa that Nurse Mobugina is still cross-eyed. There are a lot of wounded over there. One of your Godfathers, an old Colonel from Siberia sends you his regards and wishes you good health, etc. Of course, I forgot his last name. Tell V. N. that there are a lot of wounded. Forty-eight in total. Yestreday elevn more arrived, and all are laying down. All come from Riga, the Siberian Regements. Some of Amama's are there too. Everyone is all right. They ask a lot about you and would like to see you too. Thank P.V.P. (Russian tutor) for his letter, and tell him that he can write more.
Well, good-bye darling Aleksey. God protect you both. Big kisses to you and Papa. I press you close, and love you very very much.
Tatiana
Big Hugs
__________________________________________________________________
18 February 1917
Tsarskoe Selo
Mama darling, sweet one,
I was such a fool today! When you called me several times to come to you (whilst Ania was there in the afternoon), I wanted to so awfully much. But then I felt that if I'll come, I'll howl, and I didn't want to be such an idiot before Ania, but I so wanted to go to you and be caressed.
And then I never thanked you as I wanted to for the nice drive. I was so pleased, but by some stupid idea of mine, I did not want to show that I was pleased. When you asked me if I wanted to drive I said I did not know. It was not true - because I wanted to but I was afraid you would be tired of driving. I was so happy in the morning, that it was simply the devil which got into me and made me so beastly nasty. Please forgive me, my own precious Mama sweet. God bless you, my angel.
I kiss you 1000 times and still more, as I love you. Good night, deary, from your own loving - very, very much more than I can say in the world - child,
Tatiana
__________________________________________________________________
5 May 1917
Tsarskoe Selo
Pyotr Vasilievich, my dear,
I feel so ashamed that I have not written to You before, but please don't think this shows I have forgotten You-- absolutely not. After all, it's possible not to write to friends and yet keep them in mind-- isn't that so? So, how are you feeling?
I was very upset, when I learnt about your illness. Do you have any news from your nephew-- how is he? As you will have heard, we all try to keep busy here with some form of domestic activity-- each one as he can. We are planting a kitchen garden. Do you really still have to stay in bed, or will you be able to go out onto the balcony once it gets warmer? Anyway, all my very best wishes. It's sad that we have not met for so long. Get well soon.
May God keep you. Your old pupil, Tatiana
__________________________________________________________________
Tobolsk
23 October 1917
Dear Pyotr Vasilievich,
I am quite embarrassed that I haven't written you until now. Can you please get my books by A. Tolstoy; they always stood on the 1st shelf of my bookshelf, but I don't know what it's like now. I will be very grateful to you if you get them, although I know how hard it is. Send them to Iza [Buxhoeveden] if you can manage it, or by mail in the name of commissar Pankratov for delivery to me!
Now then! We remember you often, I hope that you are completely better. Here we have a lot of snow but it isn't very cold. The lessons are going well, so that almost all the time is filled up and the day goes by very quickly - mainly because it is monotonous.
Yesterday we partook of the Blessed Sacrament in church. This was very good.
What are you doing? How is brother doctor and nephew? And where is his former superior, Pavel Pavlovich? I hope that at least for them everything is going well. Did you see Mr. Conrad [one of our former teachers] and Konstantin Alekseievich? Give them all regards.
24 October
Yesterday I didn't get a chance to finish, so I continue today. The weather was divine all day, bright sun, which makes my mood immediately better, so don't think that it is always bad. Not at all. As you know, we don't get dejected easily! Were you amazed when you found out about the wedding of your very 1st pupil--?!! [a reference to a rumor that one of the grand duchesses had escaped and married]We didn't expect that at all. And did Mr. Conrad see the young ones? How do they look now and where are they? Does he continue to give lessons there? Did his family arrive? How did K. A. settle into the new house? Forgive me for so many questions, but I hope that you will answer them all. All the best to you. Everyone sends heartfelt regards. May God protect you. I do not envy your proximity to the repulsive and vile Petrograd.
Your pupil Nr. 2, Tatiana
__________________________________________________________________
9 December 1917, to Ania Virubova
My darling:
I often think and pray for you, and we are always remembering and speaking of you. It is hard that we cannot see each other, but God will surely help us, and we will meet again in better times. We wear the frocks your kind friends sent us, and your little gifts are always with us, reminding us of you. We live quietly and peacefully. The days pass quickly. In the morning we have lessons, walk from eleven to twelve before the house in a place surrounded for us by a high board fence. We lunch together downstairs, sometimes Mamma and Alexei with us, but generally they lunch upstairs alone in Papa's study. In the afternoon we go out again for half an hour if it is not too cold. Tea upstairs, and then we read or write. Sometimes Papa reads aloud, and so goes by every day.
On Saturdays we have evening service in the big hall at nine o'clock. Until that hour the priest has to serve in the church. On Sundays, when we are allowed, we go to a near-by church at eight o'clock in the morning. We go on foot through a garden, the soldiers who came here with us standing all around. They serve mass for us separately, and then have a mass for everybody. On holidays, alas, we have to have small service at home. We had to have home service on the 6th (St. Nicholas' day), and it was sad on such a big holiday not to be in church, but one can't have everything one wants, can one?
I hope you at least can go to church. How are your heart and your poor legs? Do you see the doctor of your hospital? You remember how we used to tease you. Greetings to your old servants. Where are your brother and his wife? Have they got a baby? God bless you, my darling beloved.
All our letters (permitted letters) go through the Kommissar. I am glad that the parents of Eristoff are kind to you. Him I remember well, but I never saw the parents. Isa has not come yet. Has she been to see you?
I kiss you tenderly and love you.
Your T.
__________________________________________________________________
Tobolsk
Former Governor's H.[ouse]
9 December 1917
My dear Valentina Ivanovna [Chebotaryova - she is a nurse with whom we worked, and a good friend],
Have you received my letter of the 29th? Be kind enough to transmit this letter to our prince. You are probably now missing L.F. [Lydia Feodorovna, wife of General Pyotr Krassnov]? But it is nevertheless good that they are together. I pity poor Filatov that he cannot get well so long. He was at the hospital when we were still there. Can it be that the same wound bothers him, or is it something else? And our Baron how [omitted]... frost recently. It reached 24 degrees. When there is wind, it strongly cuts the face. Today is calmer. The sun shines every day. At Ts[arskoe] S[elo] this never happened at this time of the year. Well, good wishes, my dear dove, Valentina Ivanovna. Christ be with you. If anyone wishes to write us, let them write directly. I kiss you firmly, as I love, Alyusha [Valentina's daughter] too and O. P. [Grekova?] Good wishes.
Your
Tatiana
__________________________________________________________________
Tobolsk
27 December 1917
Hello, sweet Pyotr Vasilievich,
Thank you for the postcard with the congratulations. May God grant you all the good things in the new year. Did you have a tree this year? We had a good tree; it smelled divine. I don't remember such a strong scent anywhere else. I think they call it "balsam fir." I hope things are going well for you under the direction of an illiterate janitor! In my opinion, this is so sweet, and the main thing is that this is so madly sensible; if it is the same everywhere and in the same spirit then it is understandable what a great benefit it is to our poor motherland!!!
Please give regards to Yury I., Mr. Conrad, and K. A. And how is the Father's health?
It isn't too cold here. On average it is minus 15 to 16 degrees [5 deg. F.]. We live as before. Lessons stopped because of holidays. Well, good-bye, all the best. May God preserve you. Heartfelt regards.
Tatiana
__________________________________________________________________
[In Mama's diary]To my sweet darling Mama dear with my best wishes for a happy new year. May God's blessing be upon you and guard you for ever.
Yr. own loving girl
Tatiana
Tobolsk 1918.
Governor's House__________________________________________________________________
11 January 1918
TobolskRita [Khritovo], my darling,
My thanks for your dear letter and the postcard. It was wonderful to finally hear from you. Lyuda [Khitrovo] sometimes writes to Anastasia. Olya [Kolzakova] writes, but we've only obtained letter no. 5, and everything else did not reach us. It is awfully insulting! Here we are astonished after getting a letter from O. P. [Grekovoy] with the information about her wedding with the baron. We are glad for them and particularly for her. Now it will be spoilt! What do you make of Nina and Kostya? How are they occupied? Think--the person spilled blood for their native land, and they received awards, and for their good service received rank--and now this? Those that served many years, now to be equalled to a cat, even when they weren't in the war. In general everything seems alright.
The truth? So hurt and sad what they are all doing to our native land, but there is one hope, that God will not leave and He will teach these madmen. Well, here, we live as before. Work for us is in the courtyard. When we bring in the firewood, we add it into the shed (specially built for this). They built a small hill, on level with the fence, and it is obvious when we stand on it we are seen and it is apparently not pleasant for the soldiers. Likely we will soon be forbidden to go for a drive!!! For the present, the packages sent by Zinochkin [Z. S. Tolstaya] have not been recieved--I hope they will reach us.
If you see Katya, Nina with her husband, send a kiss and greetings. Did you see Rodionova? Did she make it to her operation? May God keep you. I love you. New Year's greetings.
Tatiana.
__________________________________________________________________
12 January 1918, to Ania Virubova
My beloved darling
How happy we are to get news from you. I hope you got my letters. I think often of you and pray God to keep you from all harm and help you. I am glad you know the Eristovs now. We get such good letters from Zina, she writes so well. There are many sadnesses in these days. God be with you. It is very cold. Papa wears his Cossack uniform and we remember how much you liked it. I kiss you tenderly, and love you, and congratulate you on your dear name day.
T.
__________________________________________________________________
26 January 1918
Hello, sweet Pyotr Vasilievich,
Thank you very much for your two letters. I was very touched that you wrote so much. We are in complete health, thank God, live quietly as before, and strangely enough, so far none among us has fought with anyone else. In the morning we have lessons for two hours, from 9 to 11, walk for an hour, and study for another hour. After lunch we walk again-- usually until 4, and if it's really good weather, then for longer. Before tea, we work or occupy ourselves for a while with something. After tea and before supper there are often rehearsals of some play. We have already put on three. All the same, we're still practicing another little diversion, and it's good for conversation.
A small [snow] hill has been built in our yard. When we get bored with walking back and forth, then we slide down it, and often we take very funny falls. Once Zhilik ended up sitting on my head. I begged him to get up, but he couldn't because he had sprained his ankle and it hurt. Somehow I crawled out. It was terribly silly and funny, but he still had to lie down for a few days because of his ankle. Another time I was going down the hill backwards and banged the back of my head really hard against the ice. I thought nothing would be left of the hill, but it turned out that neither I nor my head burst, and my head didn't even hurt. I've got a hard head, don't I? Eh?
We also had very cold weather with a particularly strong wind-- it sliced terribly at my face. It was very cold in the rooms. In the hall it was 5 30/4 degrees [42 deg. F.]. Not far from Mr. Conrad's. Please console him at least a little bit. Does he get letters from his wife? How can it be that you still haven't gone to the show in the Chinese theater? Oh! What famous things you are missing!
Did Yury Petrovich get my postcard? All the best. We send greetings to his sister, too.
Be well. We send everyone heartfelt regards.
Tatiana
