the dress of a civilian. His close-bodied coat, with broad
turned-up sleeves, his long waistcoat and his small clothes, all of one
colour, ash-gray velvet, together with his dark colored wig, gave him
an uncommonly strange and solemn appearance, which his fixed and
expressive eye rendered still more disagreeable.

Indignant at the reproof conveyed by the words of the stranger, Arwed
abruptly and harshly asked the gray form, 'what do you mean by that,
sir?'

'I mean,' answered the gray coat, 'that it always makes my flesh crawl
to hear a true hero so excessively praised. His renown cannot be
increased thereby, and the old _Fatum_ becomes easily jealous of such
idolatry and oftentimes wreaks its vengeance upon the idol. Think of
the anticipations of the great Gustavus Adolphus, to whom Germany did
slavish homage in the altitude of his fortunes, and recollect his sad
fate.'

'I do not like these nursery tales,' said Arwed angrily; 'and
superstition, when it makes lofty pretensions, is highly offensive to
me.'

'You cannot know the man to whom you speak,' said captain count Posse,
stepping forward to appease Arwed. 'That we are here so near to
Frederickshall, and that you have here acquired your first laurels, you
may thank him alone. Through his deep science was general Duecker
enabled to construct the wooden pier between the bays of Stevemstadt
and Idefiall, over which our ships were transported upon ingenious
machines from one navigable water to the other.'

'Is it possible! Swedenborg?' quickly exclaimed the softened Arwed with
joyful surprise, offering the hand of peace to the gray-coat.
'Swedenborg! Swebenborg!' the murmur ran through the company, and the
officers pressed around to catch a glance at the wonderful man.

'Swedenborg!' cried Megret, laughingly, from the other table, 'do you
find yourself here again? What news do you bring with you? How stand
affairs in the celestial and subterranean regions?'

'The angels axe weeping and the devils laughing!' answered Swedenborg
with awful earnestness.

'And what say your spirits thereto?' sneeringly added the Frenchman.

'They are silent in the presence of impure souls,' resumed the prophet
in a tone of thunder, which closed the lips of the scorner.

'Is captain Gyllenstierna here?' cried adjutant general Siquier,
putting his head in at the door.

'He is here,' answered Arwed, rising from his seat.

'In an hour the king will expect you at his quarters,' s