steward could have had an audience only in the lobby, and a peasant would not have dared to cross the second drawbridge.

*

*

One more sketch will give us a curious and merry custom of the Jutland peasantry :

THE PEASANT-FEAST.

The Baron with much politeness insisted on my remaining over night at the Hall; but it is probable that the presence of Theresa influenced me more than his persuasions.

The following day, our lively host proposed an amusement for his guests, which was altogether new to me, although, to speak the truth, I did not expect much from it. The day before, there had been a wedding in the next village. One of the Baron's most respectable peasant-farmers had married his daughter to the son of an equally well-to-do neighbour. On Sunday, the "Second day's feast," as it is called, took place; and to this it was that he proposed to conduct us, in order, as he said, “that he might show the gentlemen his pretty peasant girls."

We went in two carriages, but alighted on the outside of the village, that we might go on foot to the house of feasting, which stood at the opposite end.

A visit of this kind was no surprise to the tenant peasantry, who often saw their landlord among them on occasions of less importance, and who very well knew the general intention of such condescension. Besides, as this class did not regard with much severity the love adventures of the unmarried, and as these were not without certain advantage to those whom they concerned, the peasants received with much satisfaction the visits of

their Sultan, as he was called by the steward, a name which the people themselves soon adopted.

The news of our arrival was not long in reaching the bridal house, and as we entered the court we were saluted by two clarionet-players, who had established themselves outside the great door, from which the guests swarmed like bees out of a hive, to see this addition to their merry company.

As soon as we had entered the house, the Baron asked the bride to dance. At that time the peasants were acquainted with no other dances than the polska and a weak imitation of the minuet. The first, which is commonly only danced by one or two couples at a time, is boisterous and wild; stamping and leaping, the dancer draws or rather slides his partner after him, in rapid but narrow circles, letting her go for a moment, clapping his hands, seizing her again and whirling her round with impetuous speed. The Baron, an excellent dancer, fell short of none of the peasant youths in impetuosity, while he far excelled them in ease and grace; so that I should have admired with the greatest satisfaction his skill in this Sclavonic national dance, if he had confined himself to the new-married wife or any other woman; but whilst I was thus thinking, he seized on Theresa. My heart beat, and with an oppression of feeling, I withdrew from the circle of spectators; when she, after a few rounds, slipped from him and seated herself on a bench near where I was standing. With a mind considerably relieved, I approached her, and expressed my repugnance at so low and rude an amusement.

"I would not dance, because it seems so to me," said she with a smile, which restored my equanimity.

At this moment came Mr. Bang to us, and requested me to go with him into another room.

"The peasants," said he, when we were alone, "have a custom which I really like. The day after the wedding the bridegroom leaves the bride's house, accompanied by the young men and a fiddler. A little time after, all the married men come out and seek for him, and endeavour, by fair means or foul, to get him away to their party. The same thing happens with the bride, who has been taken away by the young girls, and for whom the married women now seek. If the young couple can get together before either of them has been seized upon by the opposite party, they win the wager which has been laid, or vice versa. You understand the meaning of this joke?"

'Yes, very well,” replied I; "but why do you bring me in here to tell me that about which there is no mystery."

"Because," said he, "I want to propose to you that we should each of us take parts in this farce. The scheme is to throw the pursuing party on a wrong track and to help the young folks if opportunity occurs, by dressing up either of us as the bride or the bridegroom; or better still, by our personating both. Don't you see? I am about as tall as she is, I can put myself into her place; you can change clothes with him, and so the travesty is perfect. The men will run after you and the women after me, and in the meantime the young couple will come together."

Without waiting for my consent, he took me by the arm, and while we hastily passed through the court, he told me that everything was arranged and prepared in readiness. We stole down into the village, therefore, and entered a little house, where we had not been long before the bridegroom and his attendants joined us. We hastily changed clothes; he put on my fine dress-coat and white waistcoat, together with my high-crowned hat; I, his

long, blue, wadmel coat, his red cotton waistcoat and broad hat. While this was going forward, Bang had vanished, and I accompanied the young fellows into the street, with the fiddler at our head, who applied his bow incessantly, for it is customary that the hunters should know where the game is.

We now for the first time got sight of my bride, who with her attendant maidens was far a-head of us, on the other side of the street; and somewhat after them came the women, taking the same direction, but as yet we saw nothing of our pursuers. At length, however, we became aware of their being considerably in our rear; and now the chase began, over stock and stone, through yards, through houses, over gardens and fields, as if an actual fiend was after us. At length we stumbled in a narrow lane unexpectedly on each other.

"Here we get a rush," said one of the boldest of the young fellows to me; "now take care of yourselves, whilst we mislead the men, and mind that you find a cover."

I now ran back, but yet stopped a little at the lane-end to see the peculiarities of the contest and what turn it would take. The two parties were about equally matched, and struggled manfully, with much noise and outcry. Some fell, but like the combatants in Valhalla, immediately rose again; still the married men were unable to break through the threefold line of the young fellows.

Without waiting for the final upshot, I continued my flight and stole into the first house of which the door stood open. But I did not remain long in the little room which I first entered; a confused noise which I heard approaching, led me to fear that my pursuers had come upon my track. I, therefore, without ceremony, opened a door, which led to a spacious chamber, dimly lighted by

a single little window, composed of small, sunburnt panes. But scarcely had I closed the door and looked round for a hiding-place among chests and boxes, before the door again opened, and in came the bride, but whether the true or the false I could not tell.

"Is it you, Bang?" I asked. At these words the newcomer shrunk together and turned herself from me, with her back to the window. As I consequently could not -see her face, I imagined that by mischance they had sent the true bride to me.

"It is unlucky, good little woman," said I, "for you I am not the right fellow; but I will go out and see if I cannot find him."

see

me;

I

Se saying, I advanced towards the door. She made no reply, but turned round her head to look after also cast back a glance at her. Amazement!-delight! it was Theresa! And now I stood mute as she was, and my heart throbbed with strange and delicious emotion.

It was evident that this encounter-sure enough contrived by the fertile brain of Bang-was as unexpected to her as to myself; her astonishment was not feigned. But, whether this meeting was the work of my friend, or of chance, I felt that I must avail myself of it as an unmistakeable indication of fate.

"Theresa," said I, extending my hand.

Slowly, and with downcast eyes, she raised hers; I seized it with both mine, and pressed it to my heart. "Theresa!" sighed I.

She was still silent.

"Theresa!" continued I, "this is the third time that we, as if by an invisible power, have been involuntarily brought together. Oh, tell me, will you become, what you now appear to be-my"-bride, I would have said, but before the word had passed my lips, the door flew