fiery eyes like his father's.

My father, who had done Senor Martinez considerable service in the
getting in the cargo, now invited him, with Nordland hospitality, to put
up at our house.

Although the intercourse between us could not be very lively, as the
foreigners only understood a few Norwegian words and were often obliged
to have recourse to a phrase-book, it was soon evident that they were
both very agreeable men. Their principal occupation consisted in making
and smoking cigarettes the whole day, and in superintending the work on
the brig.

The dark season has a depressing effect upon the spirits of many in the
North, especially on those days when there is very little to do. Thus,
during Christmas, and especially on Christmas Eve, my father used to be
excessively melancholy. While gaiety filled the whole house, and the
smartly-dressed servants kept Christmas round the kitchen table, which
was adorned with treble-branched candlesticks, he generally sat shut up
in the office with his own thoughts, and would not be disturbed by any
one.

This Christmas Eve, however, he was in the parlour for a while, on Senor
Martinez's account; but he was silent and dejected the whole time, as if
he were only longing for his solitary office, to which, moreover, he
retired directly after supper.

CHAPTER IX

_THE CHRISTMAS VISIT_

About Christmas-time that winter in our part of Lofoten there were a
number of foreigners, mostly ships' captains, who, on account of bad
weather or damage to their vessels, were staying at different places on
shore, as Martinez was with us. There were also notabilities from the
south on public business. One result of this was a number of social
gatherings, in which the hosts vied with one another in open
hospitality.

On the third New Year's day [The 3rd of January.] we were invited to
dinner and a ball at the house of the wealthy magistrate, Roest, where
some of the gentlemen from the south were staying for the time. It was
only a journey of a mile and a half [Between ten and eleven English
miles.] for us, but many had six or eight miles to go, and the greater
part of that by sea.

Roest's large rooms could accommodate a great number of guests, but this
time, in order to put up for the night all those invited, he had had to
take a neighbouring house in addition.

In proceeding with the account of this visit, which was to be so
eventful and exciting for me, I have promised myself t