themselves, more warmth and geniality of character,
and less selfish sharpness and shrewdness. Mugge tells a story of a
number of Swedes who were at a dinner party in Paris, where the health
of "the King of Sweden and Norway" was proposed and drunk with great
enthusiasm. One glass was observed to be untouched. It belonged to a
Norwegian, who, when called upon for an explanation, said: "I cannot
drink such a toast as this, but I will drink the health of the King of
Norway, who is also King of Sweden!"

One cannot find fault with a people for their patriotism. I have always
admired that love of _Gamle Norge_ which shines through Norwegian
history, song, and saga--but when it is manifested in such ridiculous
extremes, one doubts the genuineness of the feeling, and suspects it of
being alloyed with some degree of personal vanity. There are still evils
to be eradicated,--reproaches to be removed,--reforms to be achieved,
which claim all the best energies of the best men of the country, and
positive harm is done by concealing or denying the true state of
things.

CHAPTER XXIX.

DRONTHEIM AND BERGEN.

We spent another day and a half in Drontheim, before reshipping in the
steamer for Bergen. With the exception of a trip to the Lierfoss, or
falls of the Nid, however, it was by no means a satisfactory sojourn.
The hotel was full, and we could only get quarters in the billiard-room,
through which other guests were continually passing and repassing. Two
small boys were quite inadequate to the service; the table d'hote was
the scantiest I ever saw, and the charges at the rate of three dollars a
day. The whole of Sunday was consumed in an attempt to recover our
carrioles, which we left behind us on embarking for Hammerfest. The
servants neglected to get them on Saturday evening, as we had ordered,
and in the morning the man who had the key of the warehouse went into
the country, taking it with him. The whole day was spent in searching
and waiting, and it was only by unremitting exertions that we succeeded
in putting them on board in the evening. Owing to this annoyance, I was
unable to attend service in the cathedral, or even to see the inside of
it.

Our drive to the Lierfoss, in the evening, was an exquisite enjoyment.
The valley of the Nid, behind Drontheim, is one of the most carefully
cultivated spots in Norway. Our road led up the stream, overlooking rich
levels of grain and hay fields, studded with large and han