ABSTRACT

Although the Emperor and many others increasingly circumvented me because I was insufficiently docile, they were afraid to see me go until the loan necessary to save the government from bankruptcy was completed and the troops were back from beyond Lake Baikal. Although I felt it my duty to stay on as premier at least until these two goals were reached, there were many occasions when I felt that I could not stay under the anomalous conditions in which I found myself, nothing more than quasi-premier. Because General Trepov and Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich were the men whom the Emperor most trusted, I took occasion to tell them of my feelings. I told the Grand Duke that although I was prepared to take responsibility for what I did, I was not prepared to take responsibility for what others did and wished that the Emperor would relieve me of my duties. He said nothing. Several days after I had spoken to General Trepov in a similar vein, the general told me that the Emperor categorically refused to let me go. And when I spoke directly to the Emperor about my wish he either changed the subject or told me that there were still two major tasks for me to complete, the conclusion of the loan and the return of the troops.