Alexander and Katia, intoxicated with love

Alexander II Nikolayevich, Emperor of Russia (1818-1881). Autograph letter.

St Petersburg, 21/2, 22/3, 23/4 Feb. 1868.

8vo. 15½ pp. on 3 bifolia and 2 ff. Paginated.

 5,500.00

To his lover Catherine Dolgorouki, known as "Katia", about a year and a half after their first intimacy. Alexander reminisces about the the previous evening's lovemaking (here called "bingerles", an euphemism created by Katia): he confesses how this memory haunts him incessantly, assures Katia of his devotion, disclaims pertinaciously her suspicions of infidelity, and attempts to assuage Katia's jealousy. Alexander writes that he believes they both felt the same urge to surrender to each other immediately, but they will have to wait until they meet again: "Tous les details de notre délicieuse soirée d'hier me hantent sans cesse [...] il me semble que nous éprouvons la même rage de recommencer, ce qui n'aurait pas manqué d'arriver si nous pussions nous couch ensemble dans ce moment. Hélas! nous devrons patienter jusqu'à demain [...]" (21 Jan. 1868).

Alexander agrees with Katia that nothing in the world could be compared to the joy and happiness felt towards the beloved other. They had been able to read in one another's hearts how they were overwhelmed since they finally had become one after such a long time. Further, Alexander reminisces about ten days spent together in Paris during the world exhibition: "Ah! Oui, - tu as bien raison de dire que rien au monde ne peut se comparer au bonheur et à la jouissance que l'on éprouve réciproquement de l 'être aimé [...] tu as su lire dans mes yeux, comme moi dans les tiens, ce qui débordait dans nos coeurs, qui n'en formment qu'un depuis bien longtemps [...] Les 10 jours, que nous y avons passé ensemble, me paraissent comme un rêve de bonheur et il faut avouer que nous avons su en jouir comme des fous [...]" (22 Jan. 1868).

Other women are no longer to be of any interest to him; Katia has become everything to him, his joy, his happiness, his consolation, his courage, and he is overjoyed to be completely absorbed by her: "Tu es ma joie, mon bonheur, ma consolation, mon courage et je suis heureux, heureux, heureux, entends-tu d'être complètement absorbé par toi et de n'avoir rien d'autre en tête que toi [...]" (23 Jan. 1868).

With a small blindstamped vignette. In French throughout save for a few words in Russian (in Latin script).

Stock Code: BN#53735 Tag: