TOLSTOY'S LAST DAYS

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 89, 14 April 1923, Page 18

TOLSTOY'S LAST DAYS

AT THE DEATH-BED

A BANEFUL INFLUENCE.

The ' long letter from Countess Tolstoy which has just been published, in the "Figaro" is an important contribution to the contradictory material through which the truth about the last days of the great man may possibly be guessed (says the "Manchester Guardian"). She wrote it in December, 1910, a few weeks before her husband's death, and it is now published by M. Charles Solomon, to whom she had given a copy. He states that he has been allowed authority by Tolstoy's eldeatison aad eldest daughter to make it known, and also that he does so in order to controvert certain statements and suggestions which are made in Tchertkov's recently published book on the subject of the'end of Tolstoy's life. '

The letter is addressed to A. F. Koni, a distinguished man of letters and friend of Tolabov. and it describes Tchertkov as the evil influence which gradually took command of Tolstoy in his last days, flrom the time that Tchertkov arrived j -i ! "?!.% neighbourhood, he came daily to the house,, and even carried off lolstoys manuscripts, so that frequently he could not, even start work in the mornincr without sendintr for his unfinished paper 'from Tchertkov. Since Tolstoy had been made to believe that Tchertkov was his "spiritual confessor," the life of the Countess had become intolerable^ At each of Tchertkov's visits she fell into a state of acute hysteria,and she became so ill that her husband consented not to see Tchertkov again, and departed on-a visit to his daughter, llus, she says, prompted Tchertkov to bring more and more pressure upon TolbWv t u-m? ke,. a wi!! wWch should depiive fc» famhy of the author's rights • tI W ™6 n ' and this will was signed Zl I 191?' iI She what was happening at the time, but she was told 5? th*- 1 *n 1 d olst°y even said to her that to-had made no will, for he was «™ Tf \ fear Of T(=hertko V .- she says that he dared not tell her the truth. -She states that he even wrote announced my intention to them; but dStd^hL o'^'111311^15^ St n1n S. TolStOy-gOeS on t0 say *«* Ac rat the growing estrangement which Ichertkov was causing between herself and her husband so deeply that,she told him that she gave up her place to Tcherttov and she left the house. It was only on her sons insistence that she returned, and was gratefully welcomed by Tolstoy who told her with tears that he could not live without her. The recon-ciliatio-i was not to last for Ion?, however, for Tolstoy—who had made'his will without telling her—began to suspect her ot secretly prying into his papers; and it was under the influence of that, as she maintains entirely unjust suspicion ni\e^™ during the night of 28th October 1910. She insists that she had examined no paper without 'his knowledge, though she claims that as she and her husband had always opened each other's letters ever since the beginning of their married life, and she had always looked after his papers, she had an undisputed right to examine them openly. Concerning the painful days when Tolstoy was dying, she says that she was prevented from going to see him by the two hospital nurses who were looking after her, and by her son Serguieenko—the secretary of Tchertkov—who mounted guard over her door. She adds, moreover, that when his daughter said to Tolstoy that he must not, talk of her lr.othei, as it excited him too much, he replied, "But it is the most important thing in the world to me." Further, she says, that when, at length she saw him, and he could no longer speak, "I leant over him and whispered gently into his ear, 'I have been ' there all the time, and I lovo you'; and 1 repeated tenderly, 'My dearest, forgive me and goodbye,' and suddenly he gave an expressive and profound sigh in answer, whosesignificance struck all those who were there."

Apart from his suspicions about her examining his papers, the desire to live i:i solitude for rest and for work was one of the reasons for Tolstoy's leaving the house. As long ago as 1897 he had written his wife a letter in which he said that one day he would secretly go away. "So be it," she says., "Let that beautiful legend remain to crown his life. So be it." She adds that she was glad when she learnt that he was at Chamordino, at his sister's, and "I did not want to disturb him by arriving at the monastery.' But his son Serguieenko, sent by_ Tchertkov, frightened him and made bim go. He said, 'If Serguieenko has found me co easily, that means that anyone can find me.' He was disturbed, and in the morning he got up to go further. The doctor says that that night his pulse had beea very bad. And yet he could not find means to prevent his departure "'

With regard to the statements which have been made about her, the Countess says:;" They have spoken about my cupidity and about quarrels over property, when there was never anything of the kind."