Konrad and Alexandra (PDF) - Rolf Gross

Finally an actor appeared who announced that His Majesty the Emperor had bestowed a gold cigarette case on Yuriev.A puzzled murmur went through the theater. Yuriev’s homosexuality was well known, and everybody recalled the incidentin which six years earlier Nijinsky had been booed off the same stage and dismissed on imperial orders, because of hisaffair with Diaghilev.The presentation of the cigarette case was to be Nicholas II’s last public act.To Vladimir’s surprise, Alexandra was elated."A grandiose, macabre funeral for this corrupt regime," she proclaimed. "You were right this production rivaled Munich’sFasching! The music was suitably shallow, the acting excellent, the choreography made you shiver, and the sets weresuperb. But Mahler’s sixth symphony is a more profound requiem for Europe."Vladimir countered mysteriously. "You don’t know how close to reality this came. Let’s go home. Do you have a goodvodka? Your favorite Georgian cognac is not coarse enough to top off this experience. The graves for the imperial familyare already being dug."Going home was not easy. Shots could be heard on Nevsky Prospect. Police on horses attacked demonstrators onLiteini Boulevard with drawn sabers. They had to take cover several times in house entries to wait for the street to clear."I only have Polish vodka, it is excellent but you will have to swallow your Russian pride," said Konrad when he got thebottle and glasses for the three of them. Anxious to hear the news, Otto appeared in pajamas from his room woken bythe noises of their return.Vladimir handed him a glass. "Drink, Otto, the world is going to come to an end."They huddled around the table in the dining room and Vladimir, in a conspiratorial voice began. "The emperor will resign.He doesn’t know it yet, but I have it first hand. Alexander Kerensky will, in the name of the Duma, present the emperorwith an ultimatum demanding his abdication. Before the week is over Kerensky will proclaim a Russian Republic."He emptied his glass in one draw. "Adieu to a thousand years of Russian Empire."Alexandra exchanged glances with Konrad. "Your imagination is overheated. Do you think Nicholas will give up without awhimper?""Nicholas has no choice, his troops are completely demoralized. They will side with the Socialists. The Petrogradgarrison will stage an uprising if he refuses, and his Imperial Guard in Tsarskoe Selo is riddled with Bolsheviks."Konrad shook his head. "And what will happen thereafter? Kerensky and the Cadets are not strong enough to hold theirground against the left-wing radicals or the conservative royalists. Do you have the Bolsheviks on your side?""For the time being, yes. Nicholas will bear the fate of Russia on his weak shoulders, as he has said repeatedly. He willabdicate in order to fulfill the benighted vision of his tragic, God-ordained, religious mission."Vladimir gulped down his glass of vodka and held it for a refill. "I don’t know what will happen in the following months.Trotsky and Lenin are still in exile abroad, but they will for sure make their appearance at the liquidation sale of power.As long as they are not on Russian soil, Kerensky may well be able to keep his followers together."His voice turned into a hoarse whisper. "But I know what I will do. I will collect Tamara as soon as the passes haveopened and leave this country. To whomever Fortuna will give her nod, we will only have a short time of grace duringwhich it will be possible to escape the terrible reckoning to come."He looked at Alexandra. "And you should consider doing the same."An ominous silence hung like a black cloud over them. Vladimir poured himself another glass of vodka, Otto watched hismother intently, and Konrad, deep in thought, stared at her portrait across the room.Alexandra lit a cigarette. All four knew that this decision rested on her shoulders.She sighed.It was not the first time that she was confronted by this decision, only this time it was deadly serious. If the timing ofVladimir’s prediction held, it would be possible to reach Georgia, if not they would have to cross into Finland through thesnowbound woods of Karelia. And what then? How were they to reach Germany? The war was not over. And maybe theGermans would still win. All her Georgian relatives were convinced of a German victory, if only because, wedgedbetween Russia and Turkey as they were, they had no other choice of hope.She looked questioningly at Konrad.Deliberately slowly she said, "I will try to reach Georgia as soon as that is possible."The words, which Konrad had expected, had been said. Konrad did not comment.With an agitated voice Otto began to examine the logistic questions. They could not take the train to Tiflis, because Bakuwas in the hands of Moslem insurgents. Going by boat was equally out of question. The Black Sea was controlled byTurkish torpedo boats. They had only one choice, to wait until the Georgian Military Road opened. Could they cross thepass in a sleigh?"On foot is more likely," said Konrad with a dry voice. "And what shall we do with Sophia in that case? No, we will have towait until early May."Surprisingly, no one gave a thought to their possessions, the furniture, the books, the apartment.Vladimir asked for asylum that night It would be too dangerous to go home by himself.Four days later, on March 2, 1917, Tsar Nicholas II, a willing, sacrificial lamb of predestination, signed the abdication196