rder to travel post that night to Nyborg. It was only four o'clock in
the afternoon, Otto had no acquaintance here, therefore it was but to
take a walk.

"There still exist remains of the old Antvorskov convent, [Author's
Note: The convent was founded by Waldemar I., 1177.] do there not?"
asked he.

"Yes, but very little!" answered the host. "The convent became a castle,
the castle a private house, and now within the last few years, on
account of the stones, it has been still more pulled down. You will find
nothing old remaining, except here and there in the garden a piece of a
red wall standing out. But the situation is beautiful! If you will only
take the road toward the large village called Landsgrav, you are on the
way to Korsoeer, and close to the cross of the holy Anders. It is a right
pleasant excursion!"

"Convent ruins and the holy cross!" said Otto; "that sounds quite
romantic!" And he commenced his wanderings.

A few scholars from the Latin school, with their books held together by
a strait, and then a square built lancer, who greeted in military style
an elderly-young lady, who was seated behind a barricade of geraniums
and wall flowers, were the only individuals he met with on his way. Yet
Otto remarked that the windows were opened as he passed; people wanted
to see who the stranger might be who was going up the street.

A long avenue led from the town to the castle. On either side the way
lay detached houses, with little gardens. Otto soon reached the remains
of old Antvorskov. The way was red from the stones which were flung
about, and were now ground to dust. Huge pieces of wall, where the
mortar and stone were united in one piece, lay almost concealed among
the high nettles. Rather more distant stood a solitary house of two
stories. It was narrow, and whitewashed. A thick pilaster, such as one
sees in churches, supported the strong wall. This was half of the last
wing of the castle,--a mingling of the ancient and incident, of ruin and
dwelling-house.

Otto went into the garden, which was laid out upon the hill itself, and
its terraces. Here were only young trees; but the walks were everywhere
overgrown. The view stretched itself far over the plain, toward the Belt
and Funen. He descended from the terrace down to the lowest wall. In
this there yet remained a piece of an old tombstone, of the age of the
convent, on which you perceived the trace of a female form; and near
to this the figure of a ske