▁finally ▁started ▁her ▁return ▁journey ▁to ▁the ▁capital , ▁she ▁felt ▁so ▁sick ▁that ▁she ▁had ▁to ▁stop ▁at ▁Be lev , ▁T ula ▁Province , ▁on ▁the ▁road ▁from ▁Tag an rog ▁to ▁St . ▁Petersburg ▁just ▁a ▁few ▁hours ▁before ▁she ▁was ▁to ▁meet ▁her ▁mother - in - law , ▁who ▁was ▁coming ▁south ▁to ▁gre et ▁her . ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁hours ▁of ▁ 1 6 ▁May ▁ 1 8 2 6 , ▁towards ▁ 4 . 3 0 ▁am , ▁when ▁her ▁lady ' s ▁ma id ▁went ▁to ▁check ▁on ▁the ▁Em press , ▁she ▁found ▁her ▁dead ▁in ▁bed . ▁Elizabeth ▁Alex e iev na ▁had ▁died ▁of ▁heart ▁failure . ▁ ▁Three ▁days ▁after ▁her ▁husband ' s ▁death ▁Elizabeth ▁had ▁written ▁her ▁mother , ▁" Do ▁not ▁worry ▁too ▁much ▁about ▁me , ▁but ▁if ▁I ▁d ared , ▁I ▁would ▁like ▁to ▁follow ▁the ▁one ▁who ▁has ▁been ▁my ▁very ▁life ." ▁ ▁Children ▁Alexander ▁I ▁and ▁Elizabeth ▁Alex e iev na ▁had ▁two ▁daughters , ▁both ▁of ▁whom ▁died ▁in ▁early ▁child hood . ▁Their ▁common ▁sorrow ▁drew ▁husband ▁and ▁wife ▁closer ▁together ▁for ▁a ▁brief ▁time . ▁▁ ▁Grand ▁Duch ess ▁Maria ▁Alexand rov na ▁of ▁Russia ▁( St . ▁Petersburg , ▁ 2 9 ▁May ▁ 1 7 9 9 ▁– ▁St . ▁Petersburg , ▁ 8 ▁July ▁ 1 8 0 0 ) ▁ ▁Grand ▁Duch ess ▁Elizabeth ▁Alexand rov na ▁of ▁Russia ▁( St . ▁Petersburg , ▁