Does Alexandra call Maria “Mashenka”?
I got this from a Russian biography of Maria which I translated using Google Translator. This is the very famous letter of Alexandra to Maria so don’t mind the grammar that Google translator made.
"My dear Машенька.
Your letter I am very saddened. A pretty child, you must promise me never to stop to think that nobody loves you. As in your head has such an unusual idea? Quickly run it from there. We are all very dearly love you; and only when you are too rasshalishsya, raskapriznichaeshsya and do not listen, you scold, berate but does not mean not to love. On the contrary, it is done so that you can correct your weaknesses and become better, you are usually kept away from others, think that you disturb them, and remains one of Trinh, instead of being with them. They imagine that you do not want them to be. Now you become a big girl and you better should be more with nimi. Nu, I do not think more about it and remember that you are exactly the same way we, as the remaining four, and that we love you with all my heart. It is you loving old mother. "
I can’t read Russian that’s why I will not be able to put the exact Russian text but here’s the link:
http://www.st-nikolas.orthodoxy.ru/biblio/tzar/pedagogy/glava9_4.html