utfit, Godfrey started for St.
Petersburg. On his last evening at home his father had a serious talk
with him.

"I have told Petrovytch," he said, "that you may possibly some day take
up the agency with him, but that nothing is decided as to that at
present, and that it will all depend upon circumstances. However, in any
case, you will learn the ins and outs of the trade there; and if, at the
end of a few years, you think that you would rather work by yourself
than with him, I can send out a special clerk to work with you. On the
other hand, it is possible that I may require you at home here. Venables
has no family, and is rather inclined to take it easy. Possibly in a few
years he may retire altogether, and I may want you at home. At five or
six and twenty you should be able to undertake the management of the
Russian part of the business, running out there occasionally to see that
everything goes on well. I hope I need not tell you to be steady. There
is a good deal too much drinking goes on out there, arising, no doubt,
from the fact that the young men have no family society there, and
nothing particular to do when work is over.

"Stick to the business, lad. You will find Petrovytch himself a
thoroughly good fellow. Of course he has Russian ways and prejudices,
but he is less narrow than most of his countrymen of that class. Above
all things, don't express any opinion you may feel about public
affairs--at any rate outside the walls of the house. The secret police
are everywhere, and a chance word might get you into a very serious
scrape. As you get on you will find a good deal that you do not like.
Even in business there is no getting a government contract, or indeed a
contract at all, without bribing right and left. It is disgusting, but
business cannot be done without it. The whole system is corrupt and
rotten, and you will find that every official has his price. However,
you won't have anything to do with this for the present. If I were you I
should work for an hour or two a day with a German master. There are a
great many Germans there, and you will find a knowledge of the language
very useful to you. You see your Russian has pretty nearly come back to
you during the last two months, and you will very soon speak it
perfectly; so you will have no trouble about that."

Godfrey found the long railway journey across the flat plains of Germany
very dull, as he was unable to exchange a word with his
fellow-passengers