stern Sea was thickly studded with wrecks, icy hulks, splintered masts, broken boats, and dead ships. Argosies were hurled upon the coast, shattered to worthle

rty and rags, and pierced under eaves and doors to wealth and fur-bordered mantles. Beggars and wayfaring folk froze to death in t

spring followed with green budding leaves and fair weather, but the young men of Sj?lland did not ride a-Maying that year; for the Swedish soldiers were everywhere. There was peace indeed, but it c

were thronged. People walked - 29 - about quietly and soberly, but they talked a great deal; they all talked at once, and the sound of th

e in the centre turned and nodded meaningly to people behind them; one or two who were sitting nearest the pulpit rose and looked apprehensively toward the door. Soon there was not a face lifted to the pastor. All sat with heads bent as though to fix their thoughts on the sermon, but they whispered amo

me

all who were in authority or entrusted with high office,-and at that tears sprang to many eyes. As the prayer went on, there was a sound of sobbing, but the words came from hundreds of lips: "May God in His mercy deliv

hurch was empty, and only the vo

f Drag?r. Yet the populace was calmer than the day before; for it was generally known that two of the Councillors of the Realm had gone to parley with the enemy, and were-so it was said-e

at-skirted coat! What bedlam noise from grave lips and frenzied gestures of tight-dressed arms! None would be alone, none would stay indoors, all wanted to stand in the middle of the street with their despair, their tears, and wailing. See that stately old man with bared head and bloodshot eyes! He is turning his ashen face to the wall and beating the stones with clenched

with exertion, look about in surprise, then glance down at their clothes, and dart into the crowd as though eager to divert attention from their own finery. What have they in mind? And where do al

d barricades rise under their spades. Soldiers were passing. Artisans, students, and noblemen's servants were standing at watch, armed with all kinds of curious weapons.

layed on the golden balls topping the spire of St. Peter's, the news that the enemy was coming down Valby Hill stole in like a timid sigh. Through avenues and alleys sounded a frightened "The Swedes! The - 32 - Swedes!" The call came in the pier

rowds gathered farther away from the centre of interest, at the Secret Passage and the Fountain. Many ma

the Swedes would be upon them as soon as they ha

might be a risky matter to enter a strange city in the dead of

ecially in such business. 'Tis a natural gift. I found that out myself-'tis some half-score years since, but I've never forgotten that mummery. You see, indigo she makes black, and she makes light blue, and she makes medium blue, all according to the mordant. Scalding and making the dye-vats ready-any 'prentice can do that, if he's handy, but t

t," said the tr

here round the Fountain, it eats our wool and our linen, and for that reason we always hang up the stuff people give us to dye in canvas sacks under the loft-beams. So what does he do, the devil's gesindchen, but gets him one of the 'prentices to hang him up in a sack. And I came in and weighed and mixed and mad

n never get their bellyful. They're like poor-house children; they eat for today's hunger and for to-morrow's and yesterday's all in one. Thieves and cu

34

the hangman's man whipping a woman from town, and you ask

ong the dumb brutes. There's such an unseemly passion and raging heat in the humors of his body that the natural i

re, different from other people. I can always smell, when an outlandish man comes into my booth, whether he's a Swede or from some other country. There's such a rank odor abou

Turks smell different from Christians!"

interrupted the dyer. "Don't you k

f King Christian, God rest his soul! when the Swedes were in Jutland. There was a whole regiment of 'em marching one night at new moon, and at the stroke - 35 - o' midnight they

Sunday and have both pasto

kenfell. No, they're bewitched, an' nothing bites on 'em, be it powder or bullets. Half of 'em can cast the evil eye, too, else why d'ye thi

been looking about uneasily, spoke to him: "Hush, hush, Gert Pyper! Who's the

who had preached in the Church of the Holy Ghost, but whose doctrine, so Gert had been told by le

lack hair, a thick little nose on a broad face, lively brown eyes, and red lips. He was standing on a door

out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear. Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall pe

this moment encompassed by a strong host of armed warriors, and their king and commander has orde

eart of man if not for the purpose of resisting such an enemy? And, like Peter the Apostle, they would draw their glaive and smite off the ear of Malchus. But Jesus says: 'Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.' 'Tis true, this may seem like a strange speech to the unreason of the wrathful and like foolishness to the unseeing blindness of the spiteful. But the

en the whole body-the lustful eyes, the hastening feet, the covetous hands, the insatiable belly, but even so the prayerful knees, and the ears quick to hear! And if the body is a world, how much more, then, our precious and immortal soul! Ay, it is a garden full of

d the preacher appeared only as a large,

nds on the image of God to be regarded as worse than he who merely steals the holy vessels or vestmen

irded about with the flaming sword of truth. Armed thus, it behooves him to fight as a warrior before the Lord, rending the throat of hell and tramp

ly the dark mass was encircled with an undulating line of twinkling lights that flickered and shifted with the movements of the people. Now and then a lant

er and He should send twelve legions of angels. Oh, do not fall into despair! Do not murmur in your hearts against the counsel of the Lord, and make not your liver black against His will! For he whom the Lord would destroy is struck down, and he whom the Lord would raise abides in safety. He has

39

Jesper Kiim wa

, but suddenly Mette's voice pierced through: "Faugh, you hell-hound! Hold your ton

but the cries grew louder, and those nearest to the steps advanced threateningly. A white-haired little man righ

s words! Let him tell us what money he got for betraying us! Dow

others. "In the City Hall cella

d both railing and preacher down into the street, where the mob fell upon him with kicks and blows from clenched fist

e in the back of the crowd.

ou eat your devil's nonsens

to obey God rather tha

eyes. "But men have shoes, and you're in the pay of Satan and not of God. I'll give you

, Mette," groa

e Devil-" s

e a care, don't crowd so! There's

igure ro

r upon cheer sounded, until the rider disappeared in the direction of the ramparts. It was the lieutenan

ttle by little, till

re we're ready to crack the head of a man who speaks of peace, and

said the trader hastily. "Good-night

," murmured the dyer, and at

parts paced slowly back and forth, peering out over the dark land where all was wrap