ing; some leader of a forlorn-hope, created
colonel on the field of battle; some young general fresh from some
heroic achievement, that had endeared him to his chief; but whoever it
was, she was resolved to show him that the crown of Sweden was a very
limited monarchy in regard to its female subjects, and that she would
have nobody for her husband--neither count, nor colonel, nor
general--but only her cousin Adolphus, lieutenant in the Dalecarlian
hussars. Notwithstanding this resolution, it is astonishing what a
time she stayed before the glass--how often she tried different
coloured roses in her hair--how carefully she fitted on her new
Parisian robes, and, in short, did every thing in her power to look
her very best. What did all this arise from? She wished to show this
young favourite, whoever he might be, that she was really as beautiful
as people had told him; she wished to convince him that her smile was
as sweet, her teeth as white, her eyes as captivating, her figure as
superb, as he had heard them described--and then she wished to show
him that all these--smiles--eyes--teeth--figure, were given, along
with the heart that made them truly valuable, to another! and that
other no favourite of a king--nor even of a minister, but only of a
young girl of eighteen.

Radiant with beauty, and conscious of the sensation she was certain to
create, she entered the magnificent apartment where supper was
prepared--a supper splendid and costly enough to have satisfied a
whole army of epicures, though only intended for her father, the
stranger, and herself; and if you, oh reader! had been there, you
would have thought Christina lovely enough to have excited the
admiration of a whole court instead of an old man--and that, too, her
father--and a young one, and that none other, to Christina's infinite
disgust, than the very Count Ericson whose acquaintance she had
already made, and whom she infinitely and unappeasably disliked. He
was the most awkward, stupid-looking young man she ever saw, and had
furnished her with a butt for her malicious pleasantries ever since
she had known him. He rose to lead her to her seat. "How different
from Adolphus! If he is no better performer in the battle-field than
at the supper-table, the King must be very ill off for soldiers. What
can papa mean by asking such a horrid being to his house? I am certain
I shall laugh outright if I look again at his silly grey eyes and long
yellow hair, as ragged