Russia in 1839 -Empire of the Czar: A Journey Through Eternal Russia

CHAR XXXVI

RETURN FROM MOSCOW TO PETERSBURG.—HISTORY OF M. PERNET, A FRENCH PRISONER IN RUSSIA. —HIS ARREST. —CONDUCT OF

HIS FELLOW TRAVELLER.THE FRENCH CONSUL AT MOSCOW.

EFFECTS OF IMAGINATION. ADVICE OF A RUSSIANGREAT

NOVGOROD.SOUVENIRS OF IVAN IV. ARRIVAL AT PETERS

BURG.— M. DE BARANTE. — SEQUEL OF THE HISTORY OF M.

PERNET. INTERIOR OF A MOSCOW PRISON. A VISIT TO COL-

PINA. — ORIGIN OF THE LAVAL FAMILY IN RUSSIA. — THF. ACADEMY OF PAINTING. —THE ARTS IN RUSSIA.—M. BRÜLOW. — INFLUENCE OF THE NORTH UPON THE ARTS. —MADEMOISELLE

TAGLIONI AT PETERSBURG. — ABOLITION OF THE UNIATES.

SUPERIORITY OF A REPRESENTATIVE FORM OF GOVERNMENT.

DEPARTURE FROM RUSSIA. THE FEELINGS OF THE AUTHOR.

—A SINCERE LETTER.— REASONS FOR NOT RETURNING THROUGH POLAND.

At the moment I was about to quit Moscow, a singular circumstance attracted all my attention, and obliged me to delay my departure.

I had ordered post-horses at seven o'clock in the morning: to my great surprise my valet-de-chambre awoke me at four, and on my asking the cause of this unnecessary hurry, he answered that he did not like to delay informing me of a fact which he had just learnt, and which appeared to him veiy serious. The following is the sum of what he related.

A Frenchman, whose name is M. Louis Pernet, and who arrived a few days ago in Moscow, where he lodged at a public hotel, has been arrested in the middle of the night — this very night, — and, after being deprived of his papers, has been taken to the