CHAPTER XIII.

A SURPRISE.

THREE days before the wedding a grand travellingcarriage drawn by four horses rolled through the streets of the city of X-, and from the prodigious clatter which it made drew all the inquisitive among the inhabitants to their windows.

"Did you see, dear sister," cried the generalshopkeeper Madame Suur to Madame Bask, the wife of the postmaster, "the grand travelling-carriage that has just gone by? Did you see the sweet youth that sate on the left and looked so genteel, with his snowwhite neck and open shirt-collar? Lawk! how he looked at me-so sweet as he was! How like a real prince he looked!”

"then

"Dear sister!" answered the postmistress, you did not see the gentleman who sate on the right? He was a grand gentleman, that I can positively assert! He sate so stately leaning back in the carriage, and so wrapped up in grand furs that one could not see the least bit of his face. Positively he is a great somebody!"

"I got a shimmer of the youth," said the greybrown handed and complexioned Annette Pas she glanced up from her coarse sewing, with such a look as probably a captive casts who has glanced out of his prison into a freer and more beautiful state of existence; "he looked so calm, with large blue eyes, out of the plate-glass windows of the carriage! as pure and grave he looked as one of God's angels!"

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'Ay, we know to be sure how the angels look!" said the postmistress snubbingly, and with a severe glance at Annette; "but that's absolutely all one! Yet I should like to know what grandees they are. I should not be a bit surprised if it were his royal highness or gracious crown-prince, who with his eldest son is travelling incondito through the country."

"Dear sister says what is true," returned Madame Suur. "Yes it must be so! for he looked like a regular prince, the sweet youth, as he sate there and glanced at me through the window; really, he smiled at me!"

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Nay, my ladies, we've got some genteel strangers in the city!" exclaimed Mr. Alderman Nyberg as he came into the room.

"Have they stopped here?" cried both ladies at

once.

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'My wife saw the carriage draw up and————”

Nay, heaven defend us! Mr. Alderman what are you thinking about that you don't make a stir in the city and send a deputation to wait upon them? For goodness sake let the city-council come together!"

"How? What? Who?" asked the Alderman, opening wide his grey eyes like some one just awoke out of sleep; can it indeed

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"Yes, very likely his royal highness himself in his own proper person-possibly his majesty!"

"Gracious heavens!" said the Alderman, and looked as if the town-house had fallen.

and run

"But speed off in all the world's name, and look about you, and don't stand here staring like a dead figure!" exclaimed the postmistress quite hoarse, while she shook up and down her great mass of humanity on the creaking sofa. "Dear sister, cannot you also get on your legs a little, and Annette too, instead of sitting there humdrumming with her sewing, out of which nothing comes. Annette run

quick, and see what it is all about-but come back in an instant-minute and tell me, poor soul, whom our Lord has smitten with calamity and sickness-nay, nay, march pancake!"

The alderman ran; dear sister Suur ran; Mamselle Annette ran; we ran also, dear reader, in order to see a large-made gentleman somewhat in years, and a youth of eleven, of slender figure and noble appearance, dismount from the travelling-carriage. It was Excellence O- and his youngest son.

They alighted and went into the house of the Franks. His Excellence entered the drawing-room without suffering himself to be announced, and introduced himself to Elise, who though surprised by the visit

of the unexpected stranger, received him with all her accustomed graceful self-possession; lamenting the absence of her husband, and thinking to herself that Jacobi had not in the least exceeded the truth in his description of the person of his Excellence.

His Excellence was now in the most brilliant of humours, and discovered, as by sudden revelation, that he and Elise were related; called her "my cousin" all the time, and said the handsomest things to her of her family, of whom he had heard so much, but more especially of a certain young man on whom he set the highest value. Further he said, that however much he must rejoice in having made the personal acquaintance of his cousin, still he must confess that his visit at this time had particular reference to the young man of whom he had spoken; and with this he inquired after Jacobi.

Jacobi was sent for and came quickly, but not without evident emotion in his countenance. Excellence O approached him, extended his hand cheerfully, and said, "I rejoice to see you; my cursed gout has not quite left me; but I could not pass so near the city without going a little out of my way in order to wish you happiness on your approaching marriage, and also to mention an affair-but you must introduce me to your bride."

Jacobi did it with glowing eyes. His Excellence took Louise's hand, and said, "I congratulate you on your happiness, on being about to have one of the best

and the most estimable of men for your husband!" And with these words he riveted a friendly penetrating glance upon her, and then kissed her hand. Louise blushed deeply, and looked happier than when she agreed to her own proposition of not troubling herself about his Excellence.

Upon the other daughters also who were present, his keen eyes were fixed with a look which seemed rather to search into soul than body, and rested with evident satisfaction on the beautifully blushing Gabriele.

“I also have had a daughter,” said he slowly, “an only one-but she was taken from me!"

A melancholy feeling seemed to have gained possession of him, but he shook it quickly from him, stood up and went to Jacobi, to whom he talked in a loud and friendly voice.

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"My best Jacobi," said he, "you told me the last time we were together that you thought of opening a school for boys in Stockholm. I am pleased with it, for I have proved that your ability as teacher and guide of youth is of no ordinary kind. I wish to introduce to you a pupil, my little boy. You will confer upon me a real pleasure if you will be able to receive him in two months, at which time I must undertake a journey abroad, which perhaps may detain me long, and would wish to know that during this my absence my son was in good hands. I wish that he should remain under your care at least two or three