CHAPTER CXXVI
DEFINITE DEPARTURE FOR ST. PETERSBURG
I counted the last hours of my stay at Tashkend. At last the happy day of our departure arrived. Swarms of people came to see us start and wish a happy journey and a safe and speedy return to them. The leave-taking was very warm. How happy I should have been to say good-bye to Tashkend for ever! “_Au revoir_,” said my lips, and “_adieu_” whispered to me the presentiment that we shall never meet again.
The train began to move amidst loud cheers. I stood at the window of my car, with my arms full of flowers, exchanging smiles and nods.
We are back at St. Petersburg. I am so happy to push etiquette aside and live the life of a simple mortal. But the sword of Damocles was hanging over my head all the time. My husband’s illness had taken a sudden turn for the worse; he became thinner and paler every day, and the doctors ordered him a complete rest. This put an end to Sergy’s hesitations, and he begged the Emperor to permit him to resign his post in Turkestan.
On New Year’s Day my husband was named member of the State Council. Oh, how blessed it was to have done with Tashkend and all! Our wandering life was over now, the thing I had longed for year after year. I lulled myself with such sweet dreams for the future. But my joy was a short one. I soon saw sinister black clouds darkening my bright sky. Sergy was sinking fast, and was confined to his bed. I hated to see him in pain, and would have given all my blood to save him, but the Almighty predetermined it otherwise. On March 1, my beloved husband passed away. The awful circumstances of my dream, during my railway-journey to Tashkend, were realised, and the world suddenly took a cold and dismal aspect; everything around and within me grew dark and chill. Ever since I was born, good fortune had marked me her own; there were many fairies at my cradle. Life had been too smooth for me, and so it took vengeance now for all my felicity of by-gone years!
The Emperor was present at a Requiem-Mass sung in our house. His Majesty said kind words of condolence to me, but I scarcely heard them. Happiness, peace, all that was scattered to the ground like a house built on sand, nothing remained of it!
There are griefs that are too deep to speak of, and too secret for pen and ink. I end my remembrances by these sad words:—
“_Sic transit gloria mundi._”
THE END
JOHN LONG, LTD., PUBLISHERS, LONDON. 1917
INDEX
A
Abruzzi, Prince of, 391
Aden, 425, 442
Admirers, _see_ Love affairs
Adriatic, storm in, 309
Afghan Pretender, 508
Alexandria, 299, 308
America, journey across, 329-35
Americans—manners, etc., 199, 200, 205-208, 217, 309, 321-2, 332, 343
Amou-Daria river, 492, 509
Amour Provinces, _refer to_ Siberia
Amour river, 511
Anarchists in Russia, 144, 147
—New York, 320
Andidjan disturbances, 488, 496, 505
Aoste, Prince Amédée de, 155
Armenians in Erzeroum, _see_ Erzeroum
Astrakhan, 513, 514
Athens, 298
Atlantic voyage, 316-320
B
Baku, 489
Balkan troubles, 73
Barcelona, 263
Batavia, 416-20
“Batchas,” 516
Batoum, 126
Beethoven—Birthplace, 236
—Anecdote, 407
Bellinfanti, Señorita Estrella, 395, 396
Berlin Congress, 120, 125
Bernardines, Convent of, 253
Bernhardt, Sarah, 145-6
Betrothal, 66
Biarritz, 39, 252
—Bathing incident, 253
Bicycling, 510, 519
Bobrinsky, Princess (Countess Dürkheim), 233
Bokhara, 487, 492, 514-15
Bonn, 236
Boulogne-sur-mer, 159
Bourbon, Prince Jaime de, 519
Brest, 249
Brindisi, 309
Brussels, 19
Bull-fights, 255, 257-61
Buriates, 511
C
Cairo, 299, 302, 307, 483
Canton, 465-7
Carisbrooke, 244
Casamicciola earthquake, 229
Caspian, Ice in, 523
Castellamare, 226
Caucasus, 60
Cernobbio, 193, 199, 210
Certosa Convent, 218, 229
Ceylon, 423, 444-7
Chamonix, 185
Channel crossings, 21, 160, 163-4
Chicago World’s Fair, 322-34
Childhood and education, 13-21
Chillon, 182
China and the Chinese, 346, 380, 383, 387 Boxer Rising, etc., 534, 536 “Boys,” 342 Women, 345, 401-2 _See also_ names of places
Chino-Japanese War, 390-1
Cock-fighting and wolf-hunting, 147
Commander Islands, 455
Como, 193, 196
Constantinople, 291
Copenhagen Exhibition, 270
Coptic village, 305
Corea, 398, 453
Corniche Railway, 251
Coronation Ceremonies Alexander III, 151-5 Nicholas II, 435-6
Cowes, 244
Crimea, 52
Czar, _see_ Tzar
D
Dauville Races, 282
Début in Society, 33
Denmore, Lady, 298
Dieppe, 164, 282
Dolgorouki, Prince, 249, 287
Dolgik, 15, 48, 141
Domestic life, 135
Doumtcheff, Kostia, violinist, 383
Doukhovskoy, General, _see_ Sergy
Doukhow, Wilhelm, 379
Dürkheim, Countess (_neé_ Princess Bobrinsky), 233
Duse, Eleonora, 284
E
Egypt, 299-308
Emperor of Russia, _see_ Tzar
Empress Dowager, 315
England, 21, 161-3, 240-6
Erzeroum, 98-130 Armenians, 99, 100, 102, 103, 109, 116, 124 Armenians and Turks, 123, 125, 126 Christian Schools, 117, 124 Earthquake, 105 Russians, feeling towards, 104, 120 Sanitation, 102 Tribute to Sergy’s administration, 131 Typhus, 108, 118
Euphrates, 116, 125
Evil Eye, 155
F
Ferni-Germano, 284
Flirtations, _see_ Love affairs
Florence, 217, 218
France National Festival, 165 _See also_ names of places
Fuji-Yama, 347
G
Galitzine, Prince Theodore, 13, 14 Death, 268
Galitzine, Princess (Mamma), 14, 19, 20, 75, 86, 519
Geneva, 187, 189
Genoa, 250
German frontier experience, 156
Gervais, Admiral, 288
Golde Tribe, 381, 383
Grand Duchess Olga Fedorovna, 74, 85
Grand Dukes Michael, 150, 154 Nicholas, 149 Nicolas Constantinovitch, 494, 495, 499, 518 Sergius, 288
H
Harems and Harem life, 107, 112, 293, 295
Health exhibition, 240
Helsingfors, 273
Holland, 237
Holland, Mr. and Mrs., 298, _et seq._
Hong Kong, 405-7, 463, 472
Horses, Adventures with, 48, 64, 71, 224, 267, 268, 274
I
Illnesses, 36, 137
Interlaken, 179-81
Ischia, 229-31
Italy, King Humbert and Queen Margareta of, 213, 214, 217
J
Jalta, 52
Japan, 347-60, 399 Chino-Japanese War, 390-1 Russia, feeling against, war rumours, etc., 400, 460 _See also_ names of places
Japanese Sea, 357, 361, 397
Java—Batavia, 416-20
Jews in Russia, 143
Johore, Sultan of, 475, 476
K
Kahns, 459, 460
Kaiser Wilhelm II., visit to Denmark, 272
Kamtchatka, 455
Kars, 90, 91, 131
Kars to Erzeroum, 94-7
Kassatkin-Rostovski, Prince, 354
Kazan, 511
Khabarovsk, 368-84, 387-92, 453 Tigers, 454 Railway to Vladivostock, 387, 456
Khodinka Field, 144, 248, 288
Kirghees, 493
Kissingen, 533
Kobe, 355, 356
Komaroff, General, 87
Kontski, Antoine, 402, 403, 404, 406, 456, 510
Kopanski, General, 368, 369, 384, 393
Korea, _see_ Corea
Korff, Baron, 313, 314, 343, 344, 375
“Koulikovo Field” Anniversary, 141
Kourakine, Princess, 33
Kremlin, 151
Kronstadt, 269
Kurds, 114-5, 124, 357
L
Latin Road, 222
Lebrun, Mme., Anecdote of, 219
Li Hung Chang, 435
Liszt, 407
Lobanoff-Rostovski, Prince, 347
London, 21, 161-3, 240
Longchamps, 279
Loubet, President, 526
Lourdes, 251
Loussavoritch-Vank, Monastery of, 118
Love Affairs, Flirtations and Admirers, 17, 21, 22, 24, 27, 28, 35, 37, 39, 43, 44, 45, 48, 50, 53, 56, 57-9, 60, 72, 74, 76, 139, 148, 171, 197, 311, 315, 343, 424, 480, 482
Lucerne, 171, 172
M
Macao, 468-71
Madrid—Bull-fights, etc., 255-61
Malmö, 270
Marriage with General Doukhovskoy, 70, 133
Marseilles, 431
Masowah, Italian Soldiers from, 440
Mediterranean Voyage, 430
Mechrali, Brigand, 123, 127
Melikoff, General Loris, 73, 76, 103
Menaggio, 197
Merv, 492
Milan, 192, 194, 211-13
Monaco, 266
Monsoon, 442
Mont Blanc Excursion, 185
Monte Carlo, 266, 432
Montenegro, Prince of, 35
Montreux, 182-3
Moscow—Gaieties, Society doings, etc., 135, 137, 142, 148, 248, 268, 274, 284, 286, 313
Mouravieff-Amourski, Count, 376
Munich, 235
Music, Love of—Music lessons and musical triumphs, 42, 286-7, 311, 404, 454, 479, 499, 510, 513, 520
Musicians, _see_ their names
Mussulmans of the Russian Empire, 511-12
N
Nagasaki, 359, 399, 452, 460
Nagasaki to Shanghai, 400
Naples, 27, 224-5, 231, 310
“Natives and Mustard,” 501
Nerves and Moods, 154, 174, 194, 198, 366, 499
New York, 320-6 Plot to assassinate Sergy, 327-8
Newport, 245
Niagara, 330
Nice, 26, 251, 265
O
Oldenbourg, Prince of, 505, 507, 509
Oussouri River, 373
P
Pacific Voyage, 340-6
Paris, 19, 87, 167-70, 316, 434 Exhibitions, 276-81, 524-31
Peissenberg Sanatorium, 232-5
Perim Islands, 441
Persia, Shah of, 280, 282, 285
Persian Princes, 60, 61
Petrograd, _see_ St. Petersburg
Plague, 505-8
Pompeii, 225
Port Saïd, 429, 440, 485
Portraits of the Authoress, 27, 218, 220
Prospezi, Signorina Sofia, of the Hôtel Diomède, 226
R
Red Sea, 426, 428
Rhine Voyage, 236-7
Rigi, Ascent of, 175-7
Roerberg, Aunt Nathalie, 60
Roerberg, General, 491
Romanelli, 219
Rome, 221
Rosen, Baron, 197, 222
Rothschild’s dinner—Musician-guests, 407
Rotterdam, 238
Rougitzki, Volodia, Boy-Pianist, 510
Rubinstein in Moscow, 146
Ryde Family, 22-32, 240, 242
Ryde, I.O.W., 241, 245
S
Saigon, 409, 410-12, 474
St. Gothard, 190-1
St. Petersburg—Gaieties, Society doings, etc., 33, 42, 50, 56, 133, 487, 505, 510, 518, 537
St. Petersburg to Tashkend, 489-94
Samarkand, 493
Samoyedes at Geneva, 189
San Francisco, 338-9
San Remo, 265
San Sebastian, 39-40, 254
Sandown, 242
Saragossa—A Bull-fight, 257-61
Seliverstoff, General—Assassination, 326
Sergy (General Doukhovskoy), 61-66, 69 Appointments, distinctions, &c. Amour Provinces, Governor of, 313, 314 Ardagan Exploit—Cross of St. George, 85 Caucasus, Army of—Chief of Staff, 73 Chinese Order, 436 Coronation gift from the Tzar, 155 Demarcation Commission, President of, 90 Erzeroum, Governor-General of, 91 General-Lieutenant, 249 General-in-Chief, 510 Italian Order, 212 Légion d’Honneur, Grand Cross, 530 Moscow Circuit—Chief of Staff, 134 Siberian Deputation, presentation to Tzar, 435 State Council, Member of, 537 Turco-Russian War, 80 Turkestan, Governor-General of, 487 Resignation, 537 Cure at Kissingen, 533-4 Devotion as husband, 135, 167-8 Failure of Health, 524, 535, 537—Death, 537
Shah of Persia, 280, 282, 285
Shanghai, 400, 401-2, 462
Shanklin, 241, 243, 246
Siberia—Sergy as Governor-General of the Amour Provinces, 362 Colonists and Emigrants, 370, 378 Convict Labour, 371, 377 Cossack Settlements, 373, 385 Official duties, 376-7 Postal Arrangements, 379 Roads, 371, 372 _see also_ Khabarovsk
Sick Leave by Stratagem, 133
Singapore, 413-14, 421, 449, 475-6
Singapore to Suez, 478
Skobeleff, General, 145
Sledging with dogs, 383
Socotra, 424
Sorrento, 226
Soungatcha, travelling on, 372
Spa, 17
Starving Plain, 495
Steppes of Central Asia, 491
Stockholm, 269
Stuttgart, 21-26
Suez, 428, 441, 482
Suez Canal, 440
Sumatra, Cannibalism in, 478
Sunday in England, 21, 246
Sven-Hedin, 515
Sweden, King Oscar of, 246
Swetchine, Aunt and Cousins, 42, 86, 87
T
Tashkend, 495-502, 515-7, 519-22, 535-7
Tashkend to St. Petersburg, 489, 502-4, 522
Tiflis, 60, 65, 73, 131
Tiflis to Vladicaucasus, 67, 73
Tifountai, 384, 435, 454
“Tiger,” 137
Tokio, 352-55
Toumanoff, Prince, 113, 490
Toutolmine, General, 519
Trouville, 282
Turco-Russian War, 73, 75, 79-93
Turkish Barbarism, 103, 118
Turks in Erzeroum, 123, 125, 126
Turkestan, 487, 516 _see also_ names of places
Typhoon, 355
Typhus fever in Kurdistan, 89, 92
Tzars Alexander II., 33, 133, 137 Assassination, 142 Ghost, 147 Alexander III. Attempt on, during voyage to Japan, 354 Coronation, 151-5 Death, 388 Nicholas II. Betrothal, 388 Coronation, 435-6
V
Vanderbilt, Mrs., 326
Vatican, 221-2
Venice, 30, 215
Ventnor, 244
Verona, 250
Vesuvius, 224, 227-9
Vladivostock, 362-7, 394-6, 453, 459
Volga, voyages on, 140-1, 510-14
W
Weidemann, Frau, and her boarders, 199-210
Wight, Isle of, 241-6
Windt, Mr. de, 383
Y
Yang-tse-kiang river, 400
Yokohama, 347-51