expect it. Fortunately, our seat
lies hidden behind the wood: we are, at all events, safe."

"Yes, that it is, my friend," returned the other; "the outer sides of
the garden are still bare. Did I not, last autumn, see Miss Sophie quite
distinctly, when she was gathering service-berries in her little basket?
And then, what tricks did she not play? She certainly did not think that
I sat here and watched tier pretty gambols!"

They quitted the tower, and passed through the so-called Knight's Hall,
where immense beams, laid one on the other, supported the roof. At
either end of the hall was a huge fireplace, with armorial bearings
painted above: the hall was now used as a granary; they were obliged to
step over a heap of corn before reaching the family pew in the little
chapel, which was no longer used for divine service.

"This might become a pretty little room," said the Kammerjunker, "but we
have enough, and therefore we let this, for curiosity's sake, remain in
its old state. The moon is worth its money!" and he pointed toward the
vaulted ceiling, where the moon was represented as a white disk, in
which the painter, with much naivete, had introduced a man bearing a
load of coals upon his back; in faithful representation of the popular
belief regarding the black spot in the moon, which supposes this to be
a man whom the Lord has sent up there because he stole his neighbor's
coal. "That great picture on the right, there," pursued he, "is Mrs.
Ellen Marsviin; I purchased it at an auction. One of the peasants put
up for it; I asked him what he would do with this big piece of
furniture--he could never get it in through his door. But do you know
what a speculation he had? It was not such a bad one, after all. See!
the rain runs so beautifully off the painted canvas, he would have a
pair of breeches made out of it, to wear in rainy weather behind the
plough; they would keep the rain off! I thought, however, I ought to
prevent the portrait of the highly honorable Mrs. Ellen Marsviin being
so profaned. I bought it: now she hangs there, and looks tolerably
well pleased. The peasant got a knight instead--perhaps one of my own
ancestors, who was now cut up into breeches. See, that is what one gets
by being painted!"

"But the cupboard in the pillar there?" inquired Otto.

"There, certainly, were Bibles and Prayer-books kept. Now I have in it
what I call sweetmeats for the Chancery-counselor Thomsen: old knives of
sacrifice, co