The young girl blushed, and gazed at him with astonishment; in such
a manner had no one of his age ever before spoken to her.

"The poor 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