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39°
39° A VISIT TO PETROGRAD [chap. xxi.
he commanded me to reassure the King of Sweden
thoroughly on the subject of Russia’s intentions in that
quarter; the fortifications erected on the Aland Islands
were a necessity of war, and would disappear as soon
as the war was over, etc. I then offered my respectful
congratulations to the Emperor. "But what on?"
" But on the capture of Erzerum, sir!" " Ah, yes, yes !"
he started, as if he had been dreaming; "certainly it
was a fine performance of our troops." , . . Then the
Emperor was kind enough to say a few words to me
about my son, who had just joined the regiment of
which His Majesty was the virtual commander, and the
uniform of which he nearly always wore; and then I
was graciously dismissed.
At this audience I noticed a great change in the
Emperor. These two years of terrible trials had
naturally aged him ; his hair and beard were streaked with
white, his eyes were sunken. But it was not that that
impressed me most. I noticed a kind of weariness, a kind
of constant preoccupation which seemed to prevent him
concentrating his whole attention on the conversation on
hand; the vivacity of his manner and of his mind seemed
to have vanished. I attributed all that to the fatigue of
the moment, to the manifold worries of the situation.
But when I recall those memories to-day it seems to me
that in the manner and appearance of the Emperor
Nicolas II. there was more than preoccupation, more
than worry. Perhaps he already saw the abyss opening
at his feet and perhaps he knew that to stop was
impossible, that he must pursue his way towards the
inevitable and fatal crash.
I never saw my unfortunate Emperor again. In the
course of this book I have often had to deplore the
faults committed by him—faults which he expiated in a
truly ghastly manner; I shall still have occasion to
criticise bitterly, in the name of " cold-eyed justice," the
last actions of this man, fore-ordained to the most
appalling catastrophes. I must be allowed here to
tender grateful homage to the kindness that he had
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