Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman (112 page)

 1
“I am sending Count Keyserling”: Kaus, 262

 2
“fortunate anarchy”: Alexander, 123

 3
“There is a vast difference between melons”: Kaus, 264

 4
“to resort, if need be, to force of arms”: Ibid., 265

 5
“without the slightest mercy”: Alexander, 126
367 “Do not laugh at me”: Kaus, 263

 6
“I beg you most urgently not to come here”: Coughlan, 228

 7
“a thousand inconveniences”: Ibid.

 8
“in the hands of the brothers Orlov”: Ibid., 229

 9
“I beg of you to listen to me”: Kaus, 263

10
“the new king we have made”: Ibid., 266

 1
“a real thunderbolt for the country and for me”: Coughlan, 233

 2
“to prevent a quarter of their nation”: Gooch, 64

 3
“what does one have to endure”: Alexander, 129

 4
“at the risk of repeating myself”: Haslip, 182

 5
“I cannot keep writing to you”: Ibid.

 6
“in Poland one only has to stoop”: Anthony, 203

 1
“If you go to a village”: Cronin, 167

 2
“the same attention to cleanliness”: Madariaga,
Russia in the Age
, 560

 3
“I am quite sick”: Alexander, 144

 4
“It has been four years”: Ibid., 143

 5
“You couldn’t cure a flea bite”: Cronin, 169

 6
“Well done, ma’am!”: Ibid., 169

 7
“You know I am a child”: Alexander, 145

 8
“uncommon merit, beautiful, and immensely rich”: Ibid.

 9
“I am very upset”: Ibid.

10
“Having this hour learned”: Ibid.

11
“of all that I ever saw of her sex”: Cronin, 168

12
“a secret everybody knows”: Alexander, 146

13
“except for some slight uneasiness”: Ibid., 147

14
“My objective was”: Ibid.

15
“our argumentative charlatans”: Ibid., 148

16
“fine and zealous”: Reddaway, 135

17
“The famous Eighteenth Century”: Ibid.

18
“We have spent a month in circumstances”: Alexander, 158

 1
“freedom of the rivers”: Madariaga,
Russia in the Age
, 243

 2
“I give eternal freedom”: Oldenbourg, 299

 3
“If God permits me to reach St. Petersburg”: Kaus, 296

 4
“this godless turmoil”: Alexander, 170

 5
“The great sovereign”: Madariaga,
Russia in the Age
, 270

 6
“Whomever you represent”: Kaus, 298

 7
“a common highway robber”: Oldenbourg, 301

 8
“exploits of a brigand”: Troyat, 213

 9
“Marquis de Pugachev”: Alexander, 177

10
“this new husband who has turned up”: Haslip, 211

11
“for more than six weeks I have been obliged”: Grey, 162

12
“this motley crowd”: Alexander, 171

13
“What need is there to flog”: Madariaga,
Russia in the Age
, 249

14
“Orenburg has already been besieged”: Alexander, 171

15
“Leave the peasants”: Madariaga,
Russia in the Age
, 248

16
“the suspicion of foreigners”: Alexander, 174

17
“inhabited by all the good-for-nothings”: Ibid.

18
“Since you like hangings so much”: Ibid.

 1
“If God gives me power over the state”: Madariaga,
Russia in the Age
, 271

 2
“Why does he call himself Tsar Peter?”: Cronin, 180

 3
“Extremely shaken”: Alexander, 176

 4
“the insolent windbag”: Ibid.

 5
“You see, my friend, that Count Panin”: Madariaga,
Russia in the Age
, 264

 6
“bad news travels faster than good”: Alexander, 177

 7
“How dare you raise your hands”: Madariaga,
Russia in the Age
, 255

 8
“infernal monster”: Oldenbourg, 302

 9
“Sir, are you master or servant?”: Alexander, 178

10
“refrain from all questioning under torture”: Madariaga,
Russia in the Age
, 267

11
“Pugachev has lived like a scoundrel:” Oldenbourg, 304

12
“Please help to inspire everyone”: Alexander, 179

13
“they wanted to break Pugachev on the wheel”: Ibid.

14
“all that has passed to eternal oblivion”: Ibid., 180

 1
“He must appear”: Kaus, 311

 2
“good looking, amiable, and a complete nonentity”: Haslip, 198

 3
“He is capable of killing me”: Oldenbourg, 310

 4
“a kind of male
cocotte”:
Kaus, 313

 5
“he must send Vasilchikov away”: Smith,
Love and Conquest
, 21

 6
“It was a random choice”: Kaus, 311

 1
“If I become a general”: Soloveytchik, 43

 2
“Sir Lieutenant General and Chevalier”: Smith,
Love and Conquest
, 8

 3
“Any news at court?”: Soloveytchik, 67

 4
“I do not understand what has reduced him”: Ibid., 68

 5
“the state and yourself, Madam”: Ibid., 69

 6
“he had conducted himself indiscreetly”: Smith,
Love and Conquest
, 9

 7
“After a year spent in great sorrow”: Ibid., 9–10

 8
“I remain unmotivated by envy”: Ibid., 18

 9
“Sir Lieutenant General”: Ibid., 20

10
“Mr. Vasilchikov, the favorite”: Soloveytchik, 73

11
“The thing to do now, my sweet”: Ibid., 75

12
“I’m not surprised”: Smith,
Love and Conquest
, 19

13
“I don’t understand what kept you”: Ibid., 17

14
“I only ask you not to do one thing”: Ibid., 19

15
“I have parted from a certain excellent”: Soloveytchik, 78

16
“No, Grishenka”: Smith,
Love and Conquest
, 24

17
“There is no reason to be angry”: Ibid., 27

18
“Oh, my darling, you should be ashamed”: Ibid., 35

19
“Allow me, my precious dear”: Smith, Ibid., 78

20
“Does it appear, sir”: Soloveytchik, 101

21
“certain sacred and inalienable rights”: Montefiore, 139

22
“I kiss you and embrace you … dear husband”: Smith,
Love and Conquest
, 38

23
“pray come and cuddle with me”: Ibid., 40

 1
“There has been no instance”: Soloveytchik, 107

 2
“Do you remember how”: Ibid., 110

 3
“I have noticed that your mother”: Smith,
Love and Conquest
, 61

 4
“On Sunday, I happened to be seated”: Soloveytchik, 112

 5
“As long as my bed remains”: Ibid., 119

 6
“If there are no mistakes”: Smith,
Love and Conquest
, 50

 7
“This is really too much!”: Soloveytchik, 131

 8
“It is a hundred years”: Smith,
Love and Conquest
, 55

 9
“The rebellion in a great part”: Soloveytchik, 143

 1
“My dear friend, I don’t know why”: Smith,
Love and Conquest
, 51

 2
“Your long letter and stories”: Ibid., 57

 3
“You were in a mood to quarrel”: Ibid., 67

 4
“Precious darling”: Ibid.

 5
“I wrote you a letter”: Ibid., 75

 6
“Do me this one favor”: Ibid., 77

 7
“Such rage ought to be expected”: Ibid., 80

 8
“My Lord and Dear Husband!”: Ibid., 77

 9
“Should you not find pleasure”: Ibid., 81

10
“May God forgive you”: Ibid., 82

11
“Your Most Gracious Majesty”: Ibid., 83

12
“I read your letter”: Ibid., 84

13
“To present this comedy to society”: Ibid., 85

14
“Matushka, here is the result”: Ibid.

15
“Your foolish acts remain the same”: Ibid., 68

16
“Listening to you talk sometimes”: Ibid., 74

17
“God knows I don’t intend”: Ibid., 87

18
“Your Most Gracious Majesty”: Ibid.

19
“You know, Madam, I am your slave”: Soloveytchik, 195

 1
“My husband has written me”: Smith,
Love and Conquest
, 76

 2
“You ask for Zavadovsky’s removal”: Ibid., 85

 3
“Varinka, I love you”: Soloveytchik, 167

 4
“Listen, my dearest, Varinka is very sick”: Smith,
Love and Conquest
, 96

 5
“What’s the use of all this?”: Soloveytchik, 170

 6
“Would it not be charming”: Anthony, 315

 1
“with the greatest dignity”: Coughlan, 294

 2
“Last night I was in love with him”: Haslip, 257

 3
“Pyrrhus, king of Epirus”: Kaus, 326,

 4
“Big books at the bottom”: Cronin, 256

 5
“changed his original common name”: Haslip, 261

 6
“kind, gay, honest”: Madariaga,
Russia in the Age
, 354

 7
“compared to the others, he was an angel”: Haslip, 288

 8
“they helped, but I could not endure”: Alexander, 217

 9
“I am plunged into the most profound grief”: Ibid., 216

10
“From Catherine to my dearest friend”: Haslip, 290

11
“I am once more inwardly calm”: Ibid., 292

12
“You cur, you monkey”: Ibid., 299

13
“Either he or I must go!”: Ibid.

14
“They slept until nine o’clock”: Alexander, 218

15
“We are as clever”: Coughlan, 295

16
“Sasha is beyond price”: Haslip, 305

17
“stifling”: Ibid., 306

18
“It is your duty to remain”: Ibid., 330

19
“cold and preoccupied”: Alexander, 219

20
“a girl most ordinary”: Ibid., 220

21
“God grant them happiness”: Gooch, 51

22
“I have never been”: Alexander, 222

23
“constantly tortures my soul”: Ibid.

 1
“We have never had a jollier time”: Gooch, 26

 2
“I return to town on Tuesday”: Ibid.

 3
“Everything is done to excess”: Alexander, 227

 4
“The grand duke”: Smith,
Love and Conquest
, 58

 5
“Her friends are, with reason”: Alexander, 228

 6
“Never in my life”: Ibid.

 7
“For three days”: Haslip, 239

 8
“perfectly formed boy”: Alexander, 229

 9
I have wasted no time”: Troyat, 232

10
“since it has been proven”: Ibid., 231

 1
“I hope that in time”: Ibid., 231

 2
“Nothing can exceed”: Gooch, 29

 3
“The grand duke is exceedingly amiable”: Ibid.

 4
“my daughter.… Be assured”: Alexander, 232

 5
“We shall have her here”: Anthony, 277

 6
“My son has returned”: Alexander, 233.

 7
“I swear to love and adore you”: Troyat, 234

 8
“This dear husband is an angel”: Gooch, 30

 9
“Wherever she goes”: Ibid.

10
“had been given a map of Europe”: Haslip, 285

11
“whether his Polish majesty”: Ibid., 286

12
“prefers stewed fruit”: Ibid.

13
“an ardent and impetuous man”: Waliszewski, 403

14
“The grand duke is greatly undervalued”: Gooch, 30

15
“When they admitted me”: Ibid., 32

16
“He combined plenty of intelligence”: Ibid., 33

17
“You tax me with my hypochondria”: Anthony, 287

18
“Permit me to write you often”: Ibid.

19
“One cannot see everything”: Troyat, 323

20
“I told you that your request”: Gooch, 27

21
“I shall be separated”: Gooch, 34

22
“There is no one”: Anthony, 288

23
“I see into what hands”: Gooch, 35

24
“I hope not in the time of M. Alexander”: Ibid., 36

 1
“Is that a soldier’s business?”: Soloveytchik, 177

 2
“such a mixture of wit”: Ibid., 221

 3
“She had the strongest desire to help us”: Ibid., 201

 4
“You have chosen an unlucky moment”: Ibid., 212

 5
“The interest I take in everything”: Ibid., 216

 6
“Flatter her as much as you can”: Ibid., 225

 7
“You can demand of us”: Ibid.

 8
The dialogue between Potemkin and Harris regarding an Anglo-Russian alliance is drawn from Soloveytchik, 227–45

 9
“La
mariée est trop belle”:
Ibid., 234

10
“The acquisition of the Crimea”: Soloveytchik, 180