When Gerald had been about six months at his new employment, to his great surprise he was one morning told by an inspector of the works, that an order had just come from the Emperor signifying that he was to be sent immediately to Moscow.
This intelligence created a little alarm in the breast of the youth, for he could only suppose that he was suspected of having committed some offence. Conscious, however, of having discharged his appointed duties with faithfulness, he asked the officer whether he were sure that he was the person mentioned in the royal letter.
‘The person signified is called by the name of Gerald Kopt. His person is described, and the description answers exactly to you.’
‘I am called by the name of Gerald Kopt,’ the youth replied, ‘and if the Czar commands me to go of course I must obey. Indeed I have no objection to going. But should my mother come here and miss me, who will let her know whither I am gone?’
‘I will engage that your mother shall be told all that we know concerning you,’ replied the officer.
‘Many thanks for that kindness,’ cried Gerald, looking gratefully in the man’s face, ‘I am now ready to attend the Czar’s orders.’
Could Gerald have divested himself of the idea that he might be going as a culprit to be tried for an unknown offence, he would have been delighted with the journey, for he had long had a strong desire to see more of the world.
The distance from St. Petersburg to Moscow, which is upwards of four hundred miles, was a formidable journey in a country where the roads were bad, and there were very few inns. At a subsequent period the Emperor Peter had good roads made between the large towns, and inns and posting-houses were built upon them. Canals were also dug to connect the great rivers, and there were many improvements of a similar kind; but these things were the work of considerable time. Some of them were only just commenced at the period of which we are speaking.
On their way to Moscow the party passed through the town of Novogorod, the seat of the earliest government, and afterwards so noted as a republic. Gerald was greatly pleased that he had an opportunity of visiting this place, for Michael and his father-in-law had told him something of its ancient history. How about the middle of the ninth century, Rusic, a Norman pirate chief, when cruising about the Baltic with his followers had sailed down rivers and through lakes till they came to this city, which was then a mere cluster of wooden huts inhabited by barbarians, and how the Norman had made himself master of the place, assumed the title of Grand Duke, and laid the foundation of the present powerful and extensive empire of Russia.[1] Many legendary tales were told of the adventures of these wild Normans, and most of these adventures were associated with the city.
[1] Igov, the son of Rusic, afterwards made Kirow the capital of the country; but Novogorod was for a considerable time a place of importance, and the chief city of a republican state.