suffering, rose continually higher in its noble
glorification; it beamed into her soul, and her soul became brightened
thereby. Seldom mentioned she the name of her husband; but when she did
so, it was like a breath of summer air in voice and countenance.

She collected good people about her, and loved to promote their
happiness; and whenever there was a young couple whose narrow
circumstances, or whose fears for the future, filled them with anxiety,
or a young but indigent man who was about to fall into debt and
difficulty, Mrs. Gunilla was ever at hand, although in most cases behind
others. She had nevertheless her faults; and these, as we proceed, we
shall become acquainted with.

We now hastily sketch her portrait the size of life. Age between fifty
and sixty; figure tall, stiff, well-made, not too thin--beside Jeremias
Muntor she might be called stout--complexion, pale yellow; the nose and
chin coming together, the mouth fallen in; the eyes grey and small,
forehead smooth, and agreeably shaded by silver hair; the hands still
handsome, and between the thumb and delicate tip of the forefinger a
pinch of snuff, which was commonly held in certain perspective towards
the nose, whilst with an elbow resting on the arm of sofa or easy-chair
she gave little lectures, or read aloud, for it was one of her
weaknesses to suppose that she knew everything.

During her long hermit-life she had been accustomed wholly to neglect
her toilet, and this neglect she found it difficult afterwards to
overcome; and her old silk gown, from which the wadding peeped out from
many a hole, especially at the elbows; her often-mended collar, and her
drooping cap, the ribbons of which were flecked with many a stain of
snuff, were always a trouble to Elise's love of order and purity.
Notwithstanding all this, there was a certain air about Mrs. Gunilla
which carried off all; and with her character, rank, property, and
consideration, she was _haute volee_, spite of torn gown and
snuff-beflecked ribbons, and had great influence among the best society
of the city.

She considered herself somewhat related to Elise, was very fond of her,
and used very often to impart to her opinions on education (N. B.--Mrs.
Gunilla never had children), on which account many people in the city
accused Elise of weakness towards the _haute volee_, and the
postmistress Bask and the general-shopkeeper Suur considered it quite as
much a crime as a failing.

There was in