return and their nuptials the following year; and whilst they sat there the door was hewn down with axes.  Prince Erik entered, and raised the murderous weapon to slay the young Lord of East Friesland, when Cecilia threw herself between them.  But Erik commanded his menials to seize the lover, whom they put in irons and cast into a low, dark hole, that cold frosty night, and the next day, without even giving him a morsel of bread or a drop of water, he was thrown on to a peasant’s sledge, and dragged before the King to receive judgment.  Erik himself cast his sister’s fair name and fame into slander’s babbling pool, and high dames and citizens’ wives washed unspotted innocence in calumny’s impure waters.

It is only when the large wooden shutters of the saloons are opened, that the sunbeams stray in here; the dust accumulates in their twisted pillars, and is only just disturbed by the draught of air.  In here is a warehouse for corn.  Great fat rats make their nests in these halls.  The spider spins mourning banners under the beams.  This is Vadstene Palace!

We are filled with sad thoughts.  We turn our eyes from this place towards the lowly house with the grass-turf roof, where the little lamb crops the grass under the cherry-tree, which strews its fragrant leaves over it.  Our thoughts descend from the rich cloister, from the proud palace, to the grassy turf, and the sun fades away over the grassy turf, and the old dame goes to sleep under the grassy turf, below which lie the mighty memorials of Vadstene.

THE PUPPET-SHOWMAN.

* * * * *

There was an elderly man on the steam-boat, with such a contented face that, if it did not lie, he must be the happiest man on earth.  That he indeed said he was:  I heard it from his own mouth.  He was a Dane, consequently my countryman, and was a travelling theatrical manager.  He had the whole corps dramatique with him; they lay in a large chest—­he was a puppet showman.  His innate good-humour, said he, had been tried by a polytechnic candidate,[D] and from this experiment on his patience he had become completely happy.  I did not understand him at the moment, but he soon laid the whole case clearly before me; and here it is.

[Footnote D:  One who has passed his examination at a polytechnic school.]

“It was in Slagelse,” said he, “that I gave a representation at the parsonage, and had a brilliant house and a brilliant company of spectators, all young persons, unconfirmed, except a few old ladies.  Then there came a person dressed in black, having the appearance of a student:  he sat down amongst the others, laughed quite at the proper time, and applauded quite correctly; that was an unusual spectator!

“I was bent on ascertaining who he was, and then I heard that he was a candidate from the polytechnic school, who had been sent out to instruct people in the provinces.  At eight o’clock my representation was over; the children were to go early to bed, and one must think of the convenience of the public.