Free The Diary of Olga Romanov by Helen Azar Page B

went away
    From us ailing soldiers,
    And even in our future anguish,
    Perhaps already gray haired,
    We will remember these visits,
    Like magic childhood dreams…”
    Your Imperial Majesty's Hussar, Posadnoy. 21/II/1916
    —
    From the memoirs of V. I. Chebotareva:
    February 1916.
    Tatiana Nikolaevna cross-examined what O. said—since [he] returned from Evpatoria. [She] was apparently waiting to hear about K.: “They went for six weeks, didn't they?” They say that K. is returning any day. And plus a letter came from Shakh-Bagov—Olga Nikolaevna threw all her things around from delight, and threw a pillow up on a top shelf. She felt feverish and she jumped around: “Can someone have a stroke at 20 years old? I think I am having a stroke!” But Varvara Afanasievna declared: “Young blood is warm; the years pass, and the blood cools off.”
    —
    Wednesday. 30th March.
    After [getting] a massage to the infirmary. Did the same things as always. Mama came after the service. During the day we 2 rode with her. At 4 o'clock to the Red Cross for moleben . Had a music lesson. Aunt Mavra and Elena had dinner, and after that she read to us a long letter from Vera, “about those awful days they lived through in Montenegrin and about [their] miraculous redemption…” and aboutmany more [things] that happened to them. Anya came over at 10 o'clock. At 11 o'clock to bed. Papa telegraphed, [he] departed from Kamenetz-Podolsk.
    Wednesday. 6th April.
    To church in the morning and in the evening. Aleksei has awful pains in his arm. He did not sleep all night. During the day [he was] lying down in the playroom. We sat with him and Mama and painted. Rode with Trina. In the evening 2 [degrees] and heavy fog. At 10 o'clock [we] confessed downstairs. Papa telegraphed.
    Tuesday. 12th April.
    Maria, Anastasia, Isa and I went to inspect my medical train #4. From there to the infirmary. Papa telegraphed from Smolensk. At 2 o'clock went to Matveyesky infirmary with Mama, after that to the Red Cross. Rode with Nastenka. Again after 6 o'clock. Dmitri had tea and at 3 1/2 we 5 with him and Mama to a concert at Anya's…. Mama is very tired.
    —
    From the memoirs of nurse S. Y. Ofrosimova : 2
    In my mind's eye I see them [the grand duchesses] again, sitting across from me as in that distant past.
    Diagonally from me is the Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna. She draws me to her with irresistible force—the force of her charm. I almost cannot work when she is sitting that close to me, I just keep looking at her enchanting little face.
    And only then, when my eyes meet her intelligent, kind and gentle eyes, do I look down at my own work, embarrassed and confused when she starts talking amiably to me….

    She cannot be called beautiful, but all of her being exudes such femininity and such youth, that she seems more than beautiful. The more you look at her, the more comely and more charming is her face. It is illuminated by an inner light, it appears more and more wondrous with each bright smile, her manner of laughing, throwing her head back, so that you can see the even row of her snow-white pearly teeth.
    Skillfully and deftly, her unusually beautiful and delicate hands perform their work. In a particularly careful and loving manner, all of her fragile and delicate being leans over soldier's shirt which she is sewing….
    One cannot help but recall the words spoken to me by one of her tutors: “Olga Nikolaevna has a crystal soul.”
    —
    Friday. 15th April.
    Walked to the infirmary with the little ones. 3 …At 2 o'clock went to Kokorevsky infirmary with Mama, and after 3 o'clock met darling Papa. [We] broke the ice remnants with the sailors under the bridge. Papa and Mama took a walk. She—in a wheelchair. After tea, [we] rode with Isa. In the evening Papa read to us.
    Tuesday. 26th April.
    Massage and to the infirmary. Mama also. Papa arrived yesterday. 4 Ate with Mama, tea and dinner on the balcony. Warm, a little windy…. We 4 rode with Nastenka.