In the Kremlin, life was pleasant, though in Moscow, there was much upset and uncertainty. In the second week of February, unexpectedly Marie went with her Aunt Ella and Uncle Serge to the Moscow Opera House for a war benefit. They travelled in a closed carriage with white silk cushions. Days later she discovered she was close to death!
Apparently terrorists knew their route. Once one terrorist saw the 2 children, they did not ignite a bomb which would have killed all 4 of them. Boris Savinkov was that man and he had a large role in the Revolution of 1917.
As for that night at the opera house, Marie saw many with jewels and uniforms, and she so enjoyed the artist, Feodor Chaliapin. Two days later , her uncle needed to supervise the removal all belongings at the Governor Generals House. Thus, both Dmitri and Marie were having their private lessons in separate rooms. The room where Marie had a window. She began math lessons, though her mind seemed to travel to her uncle as she wanted to ask him a question. After her math lesson, she was to begin her German one and so her German teacher was quietly reading in the same room near the window. That window overlooked Kremlin Square and the steeple of St. John was in view.
The day had been calm and it was near the end of the day - a beautiful winter’s day with snow. A surprise detonation sound with the air movement and shaking of the window panes - then, silence. Dmitri came running into the room where Marie was. Lots of crows flew around the steeple in what appeared in a frightened manner. Then, a servant came in the room and Marie asked about her uncle. The servant left and came back soon after stating that her uncle was still in the Governor General’s House. A sleigh was waiting with Aunt Ella and Mlle. Hélène in a man’s overcoat, and both women without hats left quickly. The sleigh did come back after a while and only with Mlle. Hélène and she did not look up. She with labored breathing entered the room without sound or much movement other than motioning for Dmitri and Marie to get on their coats quickly. The concern was not to view out the window and there were tears with acceptance.
Her uncle had been assassinated and his body parts had been collected by Aunt Ella and she had placed those remains on an Army stretcher. That stretcher was taken to the Monastery of the Miracle which was next to the Palace where they had been staying. Many in the church were weeping and the stretcher was placed close to the altar steps. Small pools of blood dripped near the stretcher. The priest with a trembling voice in a barely lit room with some individuals holding lit candles. Her aunt had a gaunt, tight look in her face without a tear, and her expression was unforgettable to Marie. Her aunt still had blood on her hands, under her nails and on her dress. She was holding the necklace that Uncle Serge wore and was wearing that day.
Her aunt, once back, began to write telegrams to the family starting with the Emperor. Around 6pm, she also visited Uncle Serge’s coachman in the hospital in non-mourning attire. The coachman’s body was torn by the same bomb. Aunt Ella had spoken of her husband saying that he sent her over to see him. He peacefully passed later that evening. Marie began to see “great heroism” in her aunt now as she had been seeing her through all this trauma. Sometimes there would be a moment of “suffering” in her eyes. There were so many horrific details she had handled. After moving, Dmitri and Marie had shared with each other their impressions in a dark room, while the roofs and ramparts had a bluish tinted snow.
Aunt Ella kept Dmitri and Marie on the same schedule for eating, which surprised Marie. Aunt Ella sat down with them at the table but did not eat. She was still wearing the same blue dress, her face looked worn, and Marie felt she could not eat. Her aunt asked if she could stay in Marie’s room during the night. They talked as her Aunt started to relax a little and Marie fell deeply asleep. When Marie awoke, her aunt was not there. She had left during the night, as the remains were placed in a coffin on a platform with black draping. The Orthodox tradition was to have an open casket. His shattered face and hands were covered while the rest of the body was covered in gold braid. Sentinels were at attention at all 4 corners of the platform. Service were held all day. Her aunt would be affixed in her kneeling position and deeply within herself unaware around her. Marie at the end of services would take her arm gently while seeing her aunt as having “a blind look tragic in its tormented simplicity.” (p73)
Aunt Ella had found the strength to handle this and caring for Dmitri and Marie. She also seemed to really look into both Dmitri’s and Marie’s soul. Marie was having more intimate conversations that was different than before this tragedy. Her aunt revealed why she felt as she did before and that she was now to make amends to both Dmitri (Uncle Serge’s favorite) and Marie. In the days to come, she was focused on non-public life. Marie had also discovered that Aunt Ella’s long carriage ride the day after the murder, was to visit the assassin. She had apparently spoken with him privately and did not reveal to others the conversation. Unfortunately news became untrue stories which led to the assassin to be angry with Aunt Ella and wrote a letter to her. Marie did not fully understand the nuances of it all. Her uncle was buried on February 28 in the morning.
Due to the concern of danger and risk, Uncle Serge’s brothers and sister-in-law and the Dowager Empress did not attend. There were lots of disorders and strikes in the great industrial centers. Those who did attend, were: the Grand Duke Constantine and the Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and her daughter Beatrice, and the Grand Duke of Hesse and his wife. Marie’s father who had been banished to Paris, was allowed to come. Dmitri and Marie met their father at the railway station with tears and joy. At the house, Aunt Ella and Marie’s father had a difficult conversation.
Marie wrote. “My aunt conceived the idea of building a chapel in the crypt of the Miracle monastery to shelter the remains of my uncle. While waiting for the chapel to be built, she obtained permission to place the coffin in one of the convent churches. The funeral service was celebrated with great solemnity; officers with drawn swords and sentinels were stationed around the bier. The Archbishop and the high clergy of Moscow celebrated the mass.” (p74-75)
The services were long. The church was full with people. There many wreaths and flowers around the coffin and on the steps of the catafalque. Marie wrote. “By this time I had reached such a degree of physical lassitude that I could hardly think or feel anything. We had lived for six days in a state of nervous tension that never relaxed.. At the end of the service the coffin was carried to one of the little churches of the monastery and here for forty days and night prayers were said. We attended them every evening.” (p75)
Marie’s father and other family members had left. Her Aunt Ella continued to mourn and rarely went out. The house had “heavy memories.” (p75). Marie did not fully understand teh full depth of what her aunt was experiencing. Marie did understand the “full scope of he character and intent.” (p75) Aunt Ella was devout religiously and she comfort there. Her life became solely dedicated to “pious work” and “the mystic and concrete performance of her duties.” (p75)
She has now evolved to giving orders in her own home after 20 years. She was now managing household management and all the problem-solving that came with those responsibilities. A new routine had begun using the tradition used by her now deceased husband. She would frequently ask, “what would he have done?” (p76). They stayed in that home during the winter. In the early Spring, they were off to Tsarskoie-Selo for Easter holidays. The Imperial family had been living unseen by many to avoid being assassinated and for the possible political upheaval. War with Japan had continued and Russia was becoming more “complex and acute.” (p76) “Marie had written, “weak, indecisive, timorous, the government” (p76) as they are not able to come to a consensus on any action. Thus the Russian government was distant and let events occur. “The reign of assassination and assaults had begun.” (p76)
During the war, the Sovereigns were as if retired and they experiencing anxiety. The Empress’ son’s illness had been more concerning. The Emperor “had issues of spies and tattling” (p76) and “lots of whisperings, cross-currents of fear and mistrust.” (p76)
On Easter Eve, they were still staying at Tsarskoie. A serious conspiracy had been discovered. Terrorist had dressed as singers and had planned to act as part of the choir. Their mission was to set off a bomb within the church by throwing into the crowd of attendees. The Emperor was aware of the threat and yet he attended that church service. The members of the terrorist groups had been arrested that day. As Marie wrote, “that mass was the sadest that I have ever attended.” (p77)
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