"What--what shall be his recompense? Look! He who made the invaders bleed And Moscow and his country freed, He--modest as courageous--he Takes the bright garland from his brow, And to a youth he bends him now, He bends an aged and hero-knee 'Thou art of royal blood,' he said, 'Thy father is in our foeman's hand; Wear then this garland on thy head And bless--O bless, our father-land!'" The new dynasty was founded, but quite early, if the tradition be true, was likely to have been extinguished. The Poles on learning the news endeavoured to put the young Romanof to death; an attempt to waylay him was frustrated by the heroism of the peasant Sussanin who, in the district of Kostroma, gave his "life for the Tsar" by leading astray in the forest the murderous band searching for him. Historians now say that he had no opportunity of so doing, but the fact remains that for some service rendered the Romanofs the Sussanins for many generations enjoyed rare privileges, and if the tale be not true, it has at least resulted in the Russians obtaining from the theme their finest opera, Glinka's "Life for the Tsar." The "time of trouble" for Moscow was not over on the appointment of a Tsar, but the Muscovites entered upon a very glorious era with a Tsar of their own choosing. CHAPTER VII _Moscow of the Tsars_ "Mid forests deep the turrets gleaming Of Moscow's gorgeous Kremlin stand, Beauteous golden-crown! Peerless white-walled town!" ALL RUSSIAN POETS.