WOMAN HIS GUARDIAN ANGEL. 181 



husband's movements, and seeing him, on his return from 

 Aspeboda, drive past his own door to the Fogde's, she at 

 once suspected the real state of the case ; and indignant at 

 his perfidy, took instant measures to defeat his treacherous 

 intentions. Ordering a faithful servant, named Jakob, to 

 prepare a horse and sledge, and to have the vehicle in waiting 

 at the back of the house, she hastened to the knight's 

 chamber, and informed him of his imminent danger, and 

 the necessity of immediate flight. Desiring him to follow, 

 she led the way to a detached and lone room, from the 

 window of which, as it was some twenty feet from the 

 ground, she lowered him down by means of one of the long 

 narrow towels still so commonly seen in the northern parts 

 of Sweden. He then jumped into the sledge, which was in 

 readiness under the window, and set off at a rapid pace for the 

 house of Jon, the parson of Svardsjo, where his kind protectress 

 had assured him he would be well received, and in safety. 



The old house at Ornas, situated near to the shores of the 

 lake Runn, the bed on which Gustavus slept, and his watch, 

 are still religiously preserved ; and strangers often visit the 

 place to see these mementos of one of Sweden's greatest 

 heroes and kings. 



Gustavus had made his retreat just in time ; for soon 

 after his departure, the Fogde and some twenty armed men 

 arrived at the house, in full assurance of securing their prize. 

 But the bird was flown, and Persson got nothing by his 

 damnable treachery but the curses of his contemporaries and 

 of posterity. 



It is said, that to his dying day, the scoundrel never 

 forgave his wife for her nobte conduct in this matter ; that 

 the sight of her was unendurable to him ; and that though 



