re
a book, under the protection of the Government, is kept to insert the
names, occupations, and destination of the persons who alight there, or
are travelling through the country. Its pages are divided into four
columns, and in the fourth column, the traveller may state any complaint
he has to make. At the end of every month, the appointed officers of the
State inspect this book, and rectify with severity any errors which may
have been brought to their notice.

The highways are kept in order by the gentry, farmers, or peasants; and,
along the road-side, a number of black posts are erected at certain
distances from one another, on which are painted in white characters the
names of the persons who are to repair the road, and the number of yards
or feet allotted to each of them; and the more extensive the landed
possession, or consequence of the man in the neighbourhood, so the
quantity of ground which comes under his care. It is obvious how soon
the person, neglecting the performance of the duty imposed upon him by
the Government, may be detected; and the imposition is effective in
keeping the roads in excellent order.

Though we returned at a late hour to Christiania, I walked to my old
spot on the mountain; and there, looking down towards the vessels that
were anchored in the harbour, like toys in a basin, the Norwegian girl,
whom I had seen yesterday, stood close to the black stone, her right
elbow resting on it, and her chin hid in the palm of her hand. She
seemed abashed that I had caught her in such thoughtful guise, and began
to move towards the path that led through the forest. I motioned to her,
as significantly as I could, not to allow me to disturb her.

"Nej, tak," she said, in a low, sweet tone; and, retiring a short space
from the stone, with all the delicacy of her tender youth and sex, and
a winning humility of manner, drew back behind me. Retiring, also, a few
paces till I was in a line with her, I allowed the huge piece of granite
to separate us; and dreading, that, by observing her too attentively,
she might go away, I took no apparent notice of her, and kept my eyes
fixed on the yacht, which had dwindled to a nutshell in size, with
needles for its mast and boom. I could, but indifferently, speak the
Norwegian language; and I knew not that she understood mine, though many
of the inhabitants of the principal towns of Norway generally possessed
a slight knowledge of English; and so, in silence, we stoo