OLGA and the Empress were quite calm, but Tatiana, who has been described by most contemporary historians as proud and reserved, made no secret of her grief. Two soldiers were waiting on the staircase ... the little group of the Imperial Family stopped, and surrounded me ... all pretence of self-control vanished. We clung together, but our unavailing tears made no impression on hearts harder than the marble staircase on which we stood.

“Come ... Madame ...” said one of the soldiers, seizing me by the arm. I turned to the Empress. With a tremendous effort of will, she forced herself to smile reassuringly; then, in a voice whose every accent bespoke intense love and deep religious conviction, she said: “Lili, by suffering we are purified for Heaven. This good-bye matters little — we shall meet in another world.”