From left to right, behind Countess Benckendorff, seated: Prince Dolgorouky, the author, Countess Hendrikof, Baroness de Buxhœveden, Mlle. Schneider, Count Benckendorff, and Dr. Derevenko.
to which we were bound by so many memories, and this departure for the unknown was marked by great sadness. Just as our cars were leaving the park we were surrounded by a detachment of cavalry, which escorted us as far as the little station of Alexandrovka. We took our places in the compartments, which are very comfortable. Half an hour passed and then the train slowly moved away. It was ten minutes to six.
CHAPTER XIX
OUR CAPTIVITY AT TOBOLSK
(AUGUST-DECEMBER, 1917)
WHAT reasons had the Council of Ministers for transporting the Imperial family to Tobolsk?
It is difficult to say definitely. When Kerensky told the Czar of the proposed transfer he explained the necessity by saying that the Provisional Government had resolved to take energetic measures against the Bolsheviks; this would result in a period of disturbance and armed conflict of which the Imperial family might be the first victims; it was therefore his duty to put them out of danger. It has been claimed in other quarters that it was an act of weakness in face of the Extremists, who, uneasy at seeing in the army the beginnings of a movement in favour of the Czar, demanded his exile to Siberia. However this may be, the journey of the Imperial family from Tsarskoïe-Selo to Tobolsk was effected under comfortable conditions and without any noteworthy incidents.