or girl!" said Otto; "but I think she is come to good people."

"She has a strange glance!" said Wilhelm. "Do you know that there
is really a certain affinity between you and her? It was to me quite
striking."

"That is a compliment which I cannot accept," returned Otto, smiling.
"Yet, perhaps, I might resemble her."

It was not yet three o'clock when the friends reached Ringsted.

"I have never before been so far in Zealand," said Otto.

"Shall I be your guide?" returned Wilhelm. "Ringsted has a street and an
inn, and one is very badly served there, as you will soon both see and
experience yourself. Meanwhile, one can think of Hagbarth and Signe;
not far from here, at Sigersted, he hung his mantle on the oak, and
Signelil's abode stood in flames. Now only remain fields and meadows, a
cairn, and the old popular song. Then we rush past the friendly Soroe,
that mirrors itself with the wood in the lake, which forms itself
into so many bays; but we do not see much of it. We have here another
romantic spot, an old castle converted into a church, high up on the
hill near the lake, and close to it the dismal place of execution.
We then reach Slagelse, an animated little town; with the Antvorskov
convent, the poet Frankenau's grave, and a Latin school, celebrated on
account of its poets. It was there Baggesen and Ingemann learned their
Latin. When I once questioned the hostess regarding the lions of the
town, she would only acknowledge two,--Bastholm's library, and the
English fire-engine. The curtain in the theatre represents an alley
with a fountain, the jets of which are painted as if spouting out of
the prompter's box; or is this, perhaps, the English fire-engine? I
know not. The scene-decoration for towns represents the market-place of
Slagelse itself, so that the pieces thus acquire a home-feeling. This is
the modern history of the little town; and, with regard to its older
and romantic history, learn that the holy Anders was preacher here! Yes,
indeed, that was a man! He has been also sung of by our first poets. We
end with Korsoeer, where Baggesen was born and Birckner lies buried. In
the more modern history of this town, King Solomon and Joergen the hatter
play a considerable role. Besides this, I know that the town is said
once to have possessed a private theatre; but this soon was done for,
and the decorations were sold; a miller bought them, and patched his
windmill sails with them. Upon one sail was a piece of