CHAPTER IV.
"Christmas-tide, When in the wood the snow shines bright." OEHLENSCHLAeGER'S Helge We again let several weeks pass by; it was Christmas Eve, which brings us the beautiful Christmas festival.

We find the two friends taking a walk.
Describe to an inhabitant of the south a country where the earth appears covered with the purest Carrara marble, where the tree twigs resemble white branches of coral sprinkled with diamonds, and above a sky as blue as that belonging to the south, and he will say that is a fairy land.
Couldst thou suddenly remove him from his dark cypresses and olive-trees to the north, where the fresh snow lies upon the earth, where the white hoar-frost has powdered the trees over, and the sun shines down from the blue heaven, then would he recognize the description and call the north a fairy land.
This was the splendor which the friends admired.

The large trees upon the fortification-walls appeared crystallized when seen against the blue sky.

The Sound was not yet frozen over; vessels, illuminated by the red evening sun, glided past with spread sails.

The Swedish coast seemed to have approached nearer; one might see individual houses in Landskrona.
It was lovely, and on this account there were many promenaders upon the walls and the Langelinie.
"Sweden seems so near that one might swim over to it!" said Wilhelm.
"The distance would be too far," answered Otto; "but I should love to plunge among the deep blue waters yonder." "How refreshing it is," said Wilhelm, "when the water plays about one's cheeks! Whilst I was at home, I always swam in the Great Belt.