of the young man's mother. The commandant was under bonds for the
safe-keeping of his prisoner; but being a man of tender feelings, he
imposed little restraint upon Gustavus, merely exacting from him a
promise that he would make no effort to escape. His life therefore was,
to outward appearance, not devoid of pleasure. The castle was situated
on a promontory in Jutland, at the northern end of Kaloe Bay. Its wall
ran close along the cliffs, a hundred feet above the sea. At either end
of the castle was a gray stone tower, and from the windows in the towers
was a charming prospect on every side. The promontory was connected with
the mainland by a low and narrow strip of land, and along the main shore
ran a dense forest belonging to the castle and plentifully stocked with
game. All these pleasures were at the free disposal of the captive. But
there was a canker ever gnawing at his heart. No matter which way he
turned, he heard only rumors of fresh preparations to conquer Sweden.
When guests visited the castle, they talked from morn till night of the
splendid armaments of Christiern. On one occasion he heard them declare
that so soon as Sweden fell, her aristocracy were to be put to the sword
and their wives and daughters parted out among the peasantry of Denmark.
The Swedish peasants, they said, would soon learn to drive the plough
with one arm and a wooden leg. Such jests made the young prisoner burn
with indignation. He felt it necessary to conceal his passion, and yet
he longed perpetually for a chance to burst his fetters and fly to the
rescue of his native land.[32]

Before tracing his adventures further, let us return once more to
Sweden. The dastardly escape of Christiern with the Swedish hostages had
stung the whole country to the quick. Even the Chapter of Upsala, which
had up to this time clung to the hope of restoring Trolle to his post,
began to yield to the oft-repeated exhortations of the regent, and
prepared to nominate a new archbishop. The man whom Sture urged for the
position was the bishop of Strengnaes, one of those who had voted in
favor of demolishing Staeket; and so early as the preceding February the
chapter had practically assented to this choice. Nothing further,
however, was done about it; and when, in the autumn of 1518, the papal
legate with his proclamations of pardon appeared in Sweden, the chapter
began to look toward him for help. Arcimboldo was not the man to let
slip an opportunity to aggra