our passport," he
continued, placing his finger on the wound, "to ask me any favour, ay,
even to measure swords with you, as I daresay you would be delighted
to do in so noble a quarrel as the present; for on the day of that
glorious fight, I learned, like you, the duty of a soldier, and the
true dignity of a brave man. By the balls that rattled about our heads
so playfully, give me your hand, brother, for we were baptized
together in fire!"

Charles appeared to Christina, at this time, quite a different man
addressing his fellow soldier, from what he had done upsetting the
chess-board. Curiosity had dried her eyes, and she lost not a word of
the conversation. The King turned to her with a smile.

"By my sword, Christina! I am but a poor wooer; one movement of your
hand," and he touched his ear playfully as he spoke, "has banished all
the silly thoughts that in a most traitorous manner had taken my heart
prisoner. Speak, then, as forcibly as you act. Do you love this brave
soldier?"

"Yes, sire."

"Who hinders the marriage?"

"The courtship of Count Ericson, with which my father perpetually
threatens me."

"O ho!" thought Charles, "I see how it is. The King must console
himself with the kiss, and pass the blow on the ear to the minister.
Christina," he added aloud, "your father refuses to give you to the
man you love; but he'll do it now, for _it is my will_. You'll
confess, I am sure that if I was your nightmare as a lover, I am not
your enemy as king."

"I confess it on my knees;" replied the humble beauty, taking her
place beside her cousin, who knelt to his sovereign. While Charles
joined the hands of the youthful pair, he imprinted a kiss on the fair
brow of Christina; the last he ever bestowed on woman.

"Your Majesty pardons me then?" enquired the trembling girl. "If I had
known it was the King, I would not have hit so hard."

That same evening Count Gyllenborg signed a contract of marriage, to
which the name of Count Ericson was not appended, though it was
witnessed by Charles the Twelfth; and in a few days afterwards, the
old politician presided at the wedding dinner, and, by royal command,
did the honours so nobly, and appeared so well pleased on the
occasion, that nobody suspected that he had ever had higher dreams of
ambition than to see his daughter happy; and if such had been his
object, all Sweden knew that in bestowing her on her cousin he was
eminently successful.

PHYSICAL SCIENCE