not yet been heard in the valleys of Norway. There occurred in it so
many strange and horrible things, that the credulous Susanna, who during
it had become ever paler and paler, might have been petrified with
horror if, precisely at the most terrible part of the catastrophe, the
suspicion had not suddenly occurred to her, that she was horrifying
herself--at a mere fiction! And Harald's countenance, when she expressed
her conjectures, made this certainty; and the hearty laughter with which
he received her exclamations and reproaches excited her highest
indignation, and she rose up and left him, with the assurance that she
never again would ask him anything, never believe a word that he said.

This lasted till--the next time. Then if Harald promised to tell the
truth as regarded their lady--the whole pure truth, then Susanna let
herself be befooled, listened, grew pale, wept, till the increasing
marvels of the story awoke afresh her suspicion, which she again plainly
expressed as before, and again Barbra stood up, scolded, threatened,
banged the door after her in anger, and Harald--laughed.

In one point, however, Harald and Susanna always perfectly agreed, and
that was in serving their lady with the greatest zeal; and this, without
themselves being aware of it, increased their esteem for each other,
which, however, by no means prevented their boldly attacking each other,
and slandering--he Sweden, she Norway.

Thus, amid perpetual alternations of strife and peace, slid away the
autumn months unobserved, with its darkening days and its increasing
cold; and the season came, in which important business demanded the time
of the ladies, as well in great as in small houses; the time for lights
and tarts, dance, play, and children's joy, in one word--

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Several districts, wicked as Sodom and Gomorrah, are said to be
buried under the gigantic pall, and it is related that people have heard
the cock crow below the snow covering. If the sun appears above the
Fond, it is believed that swarms of innumerable birds of all colours,
white, black, green, yellow, and red, are seen flying up and down over
the snowy sea. It was thought in early times, that these were the souls
of the wicked inhabitants of the valley which swarmed about here in the
shapes of birds.--FAYE.

[2] Eric, king of Norway, so called because of his cruelty.

CHRISTMAS.

Come hither little birds, merry of mood,
By barn-door and dwell