o be short, and
shall thus omit many a feature and many an outline that belongs to a
more detailed representation of the life in Nordland.

According to the invitation, we were to dine at three, but most of the
boats made their appearance two or three hours in advance of that time.
While the ladies were dressing upstairs, the gentlemen assembled in an
intentionally dimly-lighted room, where they could take a "mouthful" and
a dram, which were very acceptable after the journey. They were also
made acquainted with one another by the careful host.

We waited long and in vain for the minister and his ladies, and at last
had to go to table without them.

The doors of the large, brilliantly-lighted dining-room were now thrown
open, the guests streamed upstairs, and, after much stopping in the
doorway and long polite disputes over the order of precedence, took
their places round the great loaded horse-shoe table, that glittered
gaily with a compact row of wine bottles, treble-branched candlesticks,
high cake-dishes, and, especially up by the place of honour, a perfect
heap of massive silver plate. Three places were reserved for the
minister and his family up by the notabilities. My father sat by Senor
Martinez at the principal table, and I, in modesty, farther down at one
of the side tables.

The dinner was of that good, old, genial sort which is now unfortunately
going more and more out of fashion. It is true, people ate with their
knives and knew nothing about silver forks; but on the other hand there
was real happiness in the gathering, and it formed the subject of many
an entertaining conversation for long after.

At first, while we were still chilled by the cold feeling of the white
cloth, and awed by the festal atmosphere, it was indeed very stiff.
Neighbours scarcely ventured to whisper to one another, and the young
ladies in ball-dresses, who, as if by a magnetic cohesion, were all
together, sat for a long time in a row in deep, embarrassed silence,
like a hedge of blue, red, and white flowers, in which no bird dared
sing.

The dinner began by the host bidding his guests welcome. He next
proposed in succession the healths of the notabilities present in rather
long, prepared speeches, which were responded to by them.

After this everyone felt that they had passed over the official
threshold to enjoyment.

The host, with lightened heart, now entered upon the much shorter and
simpler toasts for the absent, among