Factual error: When the two scholars are in the carriage, they mention being 6-7 versts from Mirgorod, and that means that they will be probably late for the inauguration but still able to make it to the conference "in the evening", in Moscow. That is, if they don't waste time dining at the inn. A little rest seems the last of their problems: while Mirgorod (Myrhorod) is certainly closer to Moscow than Moldova, mentioned before, it's still nearly 900 kms, over 850 'versts' if you will! That's a trip they would make in a week, being optimistic, surely not in a day or overnight.
Sammo
23rd Sep 2019