of the
rivals were sacrificed it must be the white one.

In a house where there are no children, where neither family nor friends
assemble, where the mistress sits with her trouble in darkness, there
can Christmas bring no great joy. But Susanna had made preparations to
diffuse pleasure, and the thoughts of it had through the whole week,
amid her manifold occupations, illumined her heart; and, besides, she
was of that kind that her life would have been dark had it not been that
the prospect of always making somebody happy had glimmered like a star
over her path. Larina, Karina, and Petro tasted on this day of the
fruits of Susanna's night-watching; and when it was evening, and Susanna
had arranged the Christmas-table in the hall, and had seen it adorned
with lut-fish,[3] and roast meat, and sweet groats, cakes and butter,
tarts and apples, and lighted with four candles; when the farm-people
assembled round the table with eyes that flashed with delight and
appetite; when the oldest among them struck up a hymn of thanksgiving,
and all the rest joined in with folded hands and solemn voices--then
seemed it to Susanna as if she were no longer in a foreign land: and
after she had joined in with the hymn of the people, she seated herself
at the table as the most joyous, cordial hostess; clinked her glass with
those of men and maid servants; animated even the most colossal passion
for eating, and placed the nicest things before the weak and the timid.

Mrs. Astrid had told Susanna that she would remain alone in her chamber
this evening, and only take a glass of milk. Susanna wished, however, to
decoy her into enjoyment by a little surprise; and had laid the
following little plot against her peace. At the time when the glass of
milk was to be carried in to her, instead of this a very pretty boy,
dressed to represent an angel, according to Susanna's idea of one, with
a crown of light upon his head, should softly enter her room and beckon
her out. So beautiful and bright a messenger the lady would find it
impossible to withstand, and he would then conduct her out into the
great hall, where, in a grove of fir-trees, a table was covered with the
sweetest groats, and the most delicious of tarts, and behind the
fir-trees the people of the house were to be assembled, and to strike up
a song to a well-known air of the country, in praise of their lady, and
full of good wishes for her future life.

Harald, to whom Susanna had imparted h