112 TEN YEAES IN SWEDEN. 



the place. At night, when we were gone to bed, we were 

 surprised by an incident which appeared to us very ex- 

 traordinary in a country of so high a latitude. I have long 

 been in the dangerous habit, before falling asleep, of reading 

 a book for half an hour. This evening I happened to be 

 reading Ariosto, when I thought I heard three taps at the 

 window of our chamber, which was on the ground floor. I 

 paid not the smallest attention to it the first nor even the 

 second time. When it was repeated the third time, I 

 began to suspect it had some meaning, but as I read Ariosto, 

 I was disposed to doubt whether it was not an effect of 

 my imagination, heated perhaps by that of the poet. The 

 fourth time, however, I had scarcely the shadow of a doubt 

 that it was somebody who tapped at the window, but still, 

 to guard against illusions, I awakened my companion, who 

 slept in another bed in the same room, and after acquainting 

 him with my impression, prayed him to listen and observe 

 whether he could not hear a noise at the window. We 

 then heard the three taps repeated, accompanied with a voice 

 which uttered something indistinctly. I rose, put on my 

 pelisse, and taking out my pistols, went out of the chamber 

 to see what it might be. But how great was my surprise ! 

 It was a fine girl, who wanted a corner of a bed. I imme- 

 diately uncocked, and laid aside the pistols for fear of doing 

 mischief." 



The Swedish gentlemen are in general hospitable to 

 a fault, especially in Wermland. Good natured, polite, 

 and courteous to strangers, and when you know them, 

 some of the jolliest fellows under the sun. They take 

 life easily, never meet troubles half way, and what I 

 respect them so much for, is, that they never turn their 

 backs upon a friend in misfortune. They dress remarkably 

 well, and unlike many other of our foreign neighbours, 

 are always scrupulously clean in their persons and linen. 

 They are generally fine grown, stout, and tall, often with 

 remarkably handsome open countenances (for a fine manly 

 countenance, I think I never yet saw a better one than 

 that of the present Swedish king) and take them 



