Part 3 (2/2)
”The same,” answered Fred
”Then I have it!” he exclaio down on all fours, and serve me for a horse for a minute, and we'll soon see ill happen”
”What! Do you want ly if I knew the way, but I think we should get there faster if we all walked on our two legs”
”No, no!” answered To horse, and I'll do the rider”
”Oh, ay, I see it all now,down on all fours, while old To at proper seasons, leaped on his back, and stuck out one ar
”Now, Je, and we shall coraphy,” he cried
The representation of the statue of Peter was unmistakeable In an instant the ishvoshtsticks co their hands with delight, while they burst into loud laughter, nals to the seamen to jump into a drosky, and away they drove as fast as their horses could go, in the very direction from whence Fred and Harry had just coolden spire of the Admiralty directly ahead of them, and shortly afterwards they rattled into the vast open space in which it stands, when the ishvoshtsticks pulled up close to the very statue of Peter
”Now, starboard your hel out old Tom to the drivers They did not understand what he said, but they saw the direction in which he pointed along the quay, so they all drove off again as rapidly as before Harry pulled at their driver's badge to make him stop in front of the hotel, where they found Cousin Giles looking out for theuessed that they had lost their way, and would probably find it again before long, while, as he said, it would teach the in future Old Tom and his companions could not be persuaded to come in, for they said that they must make the best of their way back to Cronstadt They h heartily by their description of thethe ishvoshtsticks understand the point to which they wished to be conveyed
CHAPTER FIVE
Bird's-eye View of Saint Petersburg from the Tower of the Admiralty-- The Isaac Church--Politeness of a Russian Officer--The Hernificent Hall--Superb View from it--Jewels--Relics of Peter the Great--The Winter and other Palaces-- Bridge of Boats--Exchange--Church of Peter Paul--To companions had cliht e scene which this aerial position presented to their eyes
”Let us take it in properly, and map it down in our memory,” said Cousin Giles after they had looked round and round, then to a distance, and down into the open spaces and streets below thees, of high and low degree, dashi+ng and tearing here and there as if the lives of doms depended on their speed ”First, look to the east; there we have the rapid, clear Neva, flowing out of Lake Ladoga, which in our h it is too far off to be seen in reality Then, in the same direction, near the outskirts of the city, the river branches off into several channels,a nue that a considerable portion of the city to the north of us stands on theardens and villas The country surrounding the city seems barren and desolate in the extre of the agues and fevers afflicting those dwelling near it To the north, however, not many versts from the city, rise the hills and woods, and fields and orchards of Finland, inhabited by the finest peasantry of the Russian e waters of the head of the Gulf of Finland, with the fortifications of Cronstadt in the far distance, and a fleet of un-boats, which were lately built and fitted out in a great hurry to land had prepared to send into these waters Across the head of the gulf, looking down on Cronstadt, peep forth aolden spires and do villas of Peterhoff, beyond which, and far away as the eye can reach to the southward, and very, veryfor ooseberry bush, or a hill boasting a height of greater elevation than aour eyes nearer to our feet, to the mouth of the river We see it croith steamers and every variety of craft of reater proportion of vessels which bade to the city do not cohters which we see oes to and froes, is another collection of vessels, and several are to be seenup and down the different channels; while the canals, which h the city in various directions, are literally ja firewood The canals pass down the ed with trees At the mouth of the river, on the south side, is Mr Baird's iron factory, where steaines and iron machines of all sorts are made; near it is his private residence He is now a Russian baron, and is her up is the new naval arsenal, with long sheds, where gangs of workh which runs a canal Some men-of-war steamers are moored off it Others are seen in different parts of the river, their guns co the quays; so that, should an emeute ever take place, the communication between the various quarters of the city would speedily be cut off Groups of shi+pping are visible at different parts of the quays; but no ugly warehouses or stores of any sort are in sight, and their cargoes are quickly spirited away to other unaristocratical parts of the city Here the mansions of the noble and wealthy have taken possession of the whole length of the quays The first building of importance on the north side, opposite Mr Baird's works, is the Corps of Mines It is of great extent, and contains aevery branch of civil and , as well as some beautifully executed models of various descriptions of mines Then conificent edifices containing the Academy of Arts, the University, the Acadee Soest squares in London Above the Exchange is Petersburg Island, which is covered with a strong fortification, called the Citadel It contains a church called Peter Paul, built by Peter the Great, and which has a spire exactly like that of the Ade which Peter the Great inhabited while the foundations of his wondrous city were being laid Beyond it, to the north and west, can be discerned so gardens and orchards, and green waving woods, with villas of every description of architecture, more suited apparently to the climate of the sunny south than to the cold ation Between the base of the building on which we stand and the northern portion of the city we have described, runs the main channel of the river It is crossed by several broad bridges, resting on a chain of huge boats or barges, which can be rens that, byice, the inhabitants will be able to cross without their aid
”We will now turn and face to the south To the right is the long line of the English Quay, with its numerous handsome and substantial mansions, which in any other city would be called palaces Then coreat square or rather space below us, bordered by huge piles containing the chief public offices in the e amid them, yet not pressed on too closely, rises the proud structure of the new Church of Saint Isaac, with its four granite-colu off directly before us are the three widest and longest streets perhaps in Europe: first in nificence comes the Neva Perspective, and then co out of thereat width, composed of houses of nurandeur The Neva Perspective is the ht side of it stands the Kazan Church, which it was intended should be like Saint Peter's at Ro portico with nunificent structure On the sas, which at a distance have no very ireat , or the Gostinnoi dvor It consists of a series of arcades, in front of stores of two or ion of squares, which have likewise arcades running round theh wares not liable to be injured by weather Here every article, either for use or consumption, which the lower orders can possibly require, is to be found, fro of mutton; but, as our friends were about to visit the place, it need not now be further described
”At the very end of the street could be seen the ter and Moscow railway, the iron road itself running far, far away to the southward across the flat and marshy steppe On either side of this prince of streets, the Neva Prospect, and infronificent palaces with here and there golden-dos, convents, and ed with trees, and canals carrying produce from far-off countries into the very heart of the city Let us have one look er apparently than a child's toy, and the Alexander Colue Winter Palace, and the Her line of palaces facing the quays of the Neva beyond theotten
”Saint Petersburg, as it stands on itsNeva, thecrowd of uniform-clad inhabitants--men, women, and children, coaches, droskies, and horses, infantry and cavalry, Cossacks of the Don on their ragged ponies, and skeleton-looking guards with their glittering halberds at every corner
Those at hoain a fair notion of the scene froet it, while we shall re like the reality to impress it on our an to descend into the world below
”We must now visit some of these places in detail,” said Cousin Giles as they stood in the square outside the Ad new church!” exclaimed Harry ”I want to see if it is as fine inside as it is out”
To the Isaac Church accordingly they steered their course On their way they encountered a party of British naval officers, whose shi+p was lying at Cronstadt Several of theladly accepted his invitation to visit the church When, however, they got to the gate in the wooden paling which still surrounded it, the porter signified to them that without a ticket they could not be admitted Even a silver rouble could not soften him He looked at it wistfully, but for so the bribe Just as they were going away in despair, a tall, gentleateway He looked at them for an instant, and then inquired in French what they wanted Cousin Giles explained
”Oh, I will soon arrange that, I doubt not,” he replied, returning into the enclosure He quickly caed them to enter ”After you have seen the church, if you will coreat pleasure in showing you over it”
Cousin Giles and the colish shi+p and the other officers bowed and thanked him, and accepted his offer He then left theht of steps which leads up to the southern portico It must be understood that there are three si the chief beauty of the exterior of the building The roof is supported by massive columns: they, and every part of the walls, are covered with the richest hly polished In the centre is a do over the worshi+ppers below, is seen a dove, floating apparently in air The effect is good, whatever ht of the taste which would allow so sacred an ereat attractions of the church are a row of h altar Their appearance is very fine; the malachite is, however, only veneered on copper, of which the pillars are composed There are also nuht appeared to be of the richest mosaic, like those of Saint Peter's at Rome, but on examination they proved to be only on canvas; perhaps they are placed there till the real mosaics are ready
The three brass doors of the church, covered with figures in the deepest relief, are very fine, as is also a largeof stained glass
Cousin Giles observed, that the richness of the decorations put him in mind of Saint Peter's at Ron, it issatisfied their curiosity, set off across the square to the Here Their new friend the colonel was at the door to receive theuide in the iht of steps, which led thenificent rooms, the walls of which were covered with soreat masters In the centre of each of these rooms were exquisitely-shaped vases of malachite and other valuable materials
The colonel, in the politest manner, pointed out to the party the pictures most worthy of admiration Cousin Giles was particularly struck by two holy families, by Raphael, painted at different periods of his life, very different from each other, and yet both equally beautiful