188 ONCE MORE SAVED BY WOMAN S WIT. 



were a number of the knight's enemies prowling about, he 

 dared not to shelter him under his own roof, and there- 

 fore entrusted him to the safe keeping of a peasant named 

 Tomte Mattes, at Utmeland, a hamlet in the vicinity. 



Here he was secreted beneath the cottage in a vaulted 

 cellar, which was entered by means of a trap-door in 

 the floor of the room above. He had not been long 

 here, however, before the Danish soldiers came as usual in 

 search of him. But on the instant of their making their 

 appearance, Mattes' wife, who was at the time occupied 

 in brewing ale for Christmas, hastily rolled a .cask over 

 the trap-door, so that the men were in ignorance of the 

 opening. And as in reply to their inquiries, she professed 

 to know nothing about the knight ; and the search in the 

 house having proved fruitless, their suspicions were dispelled, 

 and they took their departure empty-handed. Once more, 

 therefore, was Gustavus saved by dear woman's wit. 



When one reflects that a large reward had long been 

 offered for the head of the knight, and that he had been 

 diligently sought for in every direction by the creatures of the 

 Tyrant, his escapes from his enemies are indeed wonderful. 

 But then it must be remembered that in those days and it 

 is to be hoped such is still the case so high and chivalrous a 

 feeling existed amongst the Swedish people, that if a stranger 

 entered a house, and threw himself on the generosity of the 

 owner, he would guard him at the risk of his own life. It 

 was now a matter of notoriety throughout Dalecarlia, that 

 Gustavus, relying on their well-known honour and integrity, 

 and in the full confidence that they would befriend him, had 

 committed himself into their hands. The inhabitants, there- 

 fore, considered him as their guest, and as such, entitled 



