the longest summer day shone brightly in the horizon, as the
governor and his companions approached Tornea, the end of their
journey, and the meanest among the (so called) cities of West Bothnia.
It lies near the boundary of East Bothnia, upon the delta of the united
rivers Tornea and Muonio, whose waters here again divide into two
branches before falling into the gulf of Bothnia. The little place,
with its towers, its handsome shops, and green shaded walks,
nevertheless presented itself under a very pleasant aspect in the clear
sunshine. In the city itself, however, the whole population of West
Bothnia and its Lapponian districts appeared to have been concentrated,
and in the streets and public square swarmed and pressed the joyous
multitude, who were pouring in to obtain a redress of their grievances,
to be relieved from their taxes, to buy and sell, and to enjoy
themselves in so numerous a company. The thick-set and bold Finlanders,
with flat yellow faces and dull gray eyes, their thin beards and dusky
yellow hair, in their short coats, dome-shaped caps, and fur-trimmed
half boots--the timid, short Laplanders, with their broad brown faces,
large mouths, blear eyes, and dark brown hair, with their leather coats
reaching to their knees, their small caps, and pointed, fur-trimmed
sandals,--all were here,--bringing with them fat cattle, venison,
sheepskins, bearskins, fish, reindeer cheeses, utensils carved from
wood, reindeer's horns, and pine bark meal, in great quantities, for
sale. Here came the wife of one of the poor fishermen of Lapland, in
her high conical cap, turning out of the way for the reindeer upon
which the wives of some of the rich mountain Laplanders proudly
flaunted by, in their curved conical head-dresses. There, a Laplandish
burgher-maiden ostentatiously displayed herself in her fine cloth
dress, decorated with silver buttons from the girdle to the feet, as
was the black bodice, and also rendered stiff and unbending with
buckles and spangles. High over these rather diminutive figures towered
here and there the majestic forms of the blond natives of Sweden, who
were moving about like giants among a race of pigmies.

The travelers alighted before the door of the sheriff's residence, and
the governor immediately entered upon business, which crowded upon him
like the unceasing rush of the storm-lashed waves. Megret, with a few
internally muttered oaths, was seeking Christine, who had disappeared
from hi