The sun of the longest summer day shone brightly in the horizon, as the
governor and his companions approached Tornea, the end of their
journey, and the meanest among the (so called) cities of West Bothnia.
It lies near the boundary of East Bothnia, upon the delta of the united
rivers Tornea and Muonio, whose waters here again divide into two
branches before falling into the gulf of Bothnia. The little place,
with its towers, its handsome shops, and green shaded walks,
nevertheless presented itself under a very pleasant aspect in the clear
sunshine. In the city itself, however, the whole population of West
Bothnia and its Lapponian districts appeared to have been concentrated,
and in the streets and public square swarmed and pressed the joyous
multitude, who were pouring in to obtain a redress of their grievances,
to be relieved from their taxes, to buy and sell, and to enjoy
themselves in so numerous a company. The thick-set and bold Finlanders,
with flat yellow faces and dull gray eyes, their thin beards and dusky
yellow hair, in their short coats, dome-shaped caps, and fur-trimmed
half boots--the timid, short Laplanders, with their broad brown faces,
large mouths, blear eyes, and dark brown hair, with their leather coats
reaching to their knees, their small caps, and pointed, fur-trimmed
sandals,--all were here,--bringing with them fat cattle, venison,
sheepskins, bearskins, fish, reindeer cheeses, utensils carved from
wood, reindeer's horns, and pine bark meal, in great quantities, for
sale. Here came the wife of one of the poor fishermen of Lapland, in
her high conical cap, turning out of the way for the reindeer upon
which the wives of some of the rich mountain Laplanders proudly
flaunted by, in their curved conical head-dresses. There, a Laplandish
burgher-maiden ostentatiously displayed herself in her fine cloth
dress, decorated with silver buttons from the girdle to the feet, as
was the black bodice, and also rendered stiff and unbending with
buckles and spangles. High over these rather diminutive figures towered
here and there the majestic forms of the blond natives of Sweden, who
were moving about like giants among a race of pigmies.
The travelers alighted before the door of the sheriff's residence, and
the governor immediately entered upon business, which crowded upon him
like the unceasing rush of the storm-lashed waves. Megret, with a few
internally muttered oaths, was seeking Christine, who had disappeared
from his view soon after their arrival, and Arwed remained standing at
the house door, amusing himself with watching the confused crowd in the
public square. While he was thus employed, a sudden movement occurred
among the living masses, as if an island of human heads was forming in
one particular spot. Arms, with and without clubs, were ever and anon
raised above the thickly crowded heads, and a confused cry arose, in
which Arwed soon plainly distinguished the words, 'stop him! stop him!'
The next moment a man in a green hunting dress rushed from the square
towards the door of the sheriff's house, ran by Arwed with such
impetuosity that he came near throwing him down, and hastily entered
the room where the governor was holding his official sitting. While the
astonished Arwed was looking after the fugitive, a Lapland village
constable (or magistrate) came puffing and blowing from the same
direction in the square. A dozen other Laplanders followed in his wake,
armed with hunting spears, oars and cudgels. With the timidity to which
the oppressed are early accustomed by their oppressors, the little
constable looked up to the tall Swedish warrior, took off his cap, and
with cringing humility asked him if he knew what had become of the
green-coat who had just before fled into the house.
'Impossible!' cried he, as Arwed pointed towards the session room; 'how
could such a thievish fox seek refuge in the tent of the huntsman? Not
that I in the least doubt the truth of your intimation, noble sir,'
added he, courteously, 'but Enontekis must have mistaken the man, and
he cannot be the one whom we seek.'
'He is the same,' asseverated one of the Laplanders; 'I have marked the
features of his face but too well, and should know him among a
thousand.'
'So then we must pluck up fresh courage,' said the constable in a very
dispirited tone, 'and request an audience of the gentlemen within. Come
with me, Enontekis, to enter your complaint; and you others, guard the
door, that this beast of prey may not escape.'
The two Laplanders entered the session room. Arwed followed them with
highly excited curiosity. The first object that met his eye was the
huntsman, whom he now for the first time recognised as Mac Donalbain,
in close and friendly conversation with the governor. While he was
vainly endeavoring to find the key to these singular occurrences, the
constable and his companion, afraid to speak aloud in the presence of
their superiors, were disputing in vehement pantomime, the former
denying and the latter affirming, although with constantly increasing
uncertainty and anxiety. Finally, the constable approached the bar and
slightly touched the arm of the sheriff.
'With your leave, respected sir,' asked he, as the latter turned toward
him, 'does the stranger huntsman there enjoy the acquaintance of the
lord governor?'
'So it would seem,' answered the sheriff, 'as the governor has just now
invited him to dinner.'
At that moment the governor shook the Scot kindly by the hand, and the
Laplander started back in affright.
'Do you not now perceive that you must have been blind?' whispered he
to the good Enontekis. 'My God! what trouble might I not have prepared
for myself through my zeal for the discharge of my official duty! To
follow a friend and guest of our most noble governor as a criminal! But
happily the gentlemen have not perceived us, and we cannot do better
than to make a speedy retreat.'
With anxious haste he drew his somewhat reluctant companion out of the
room. Meanwhile Mac Donalbain had taken his leave of the governor, and
now quickly, but with a courteous greeting, dashed past Arwed, who
followed him to the door of the room. There he saw him cast a wild
glance toward the crowd assembled before the front door, and then turn
off to the right toward the back door, which opened into the garden.
The constable was standing there, engaged in a warm dispute with poor
Enontekis, who was still unsatisfied that he could have been mistaken.
Their armed followers, whose thirst for battle did not appear to be
very strong, were standing solemnly around them. Mac Donalbain stood
for a moment regarding the group as if considering what course to take,
and then marched boldly up to his pursuers.
'Out of the way, Laplanders!' thundered he, hurling them to the right
and left; and in this manner he passed through the assemblage and
disappeared.
'That was very uncourteous, sir Swede!' cried the terrified constable
after him when he had got out of hearing. 'We call ourselves Samolazes,
and not Laplanders. Our enemies only call us so, when they wish to
insult us; but we poor people are treated justly nowhere upon earth,
and must be patient under all our injuries until we appear before the
final judgment seat!'
The tone of the little man grew constantly weaker and weaker during
this speech. Weeping, he went forth; weeping, Enontekis followed him;
and sobbing and wiping their eyes, the twelve warriors followed them.
'What can all this mean?' Arwed asked himself, as he returned to the
session room.
'Mac Donalbain,' observed he to the governor, 'appeared to seek you
with great haste; had he any very important favor to ask?'
'Not that I know of,' answered the governor. 'He came here only for a
moment, to fulfill his promise that he would greet me at Tornea. He was
obliged to decline my invitation to dinner because of an engagement
with a hunting party.'
'Has Mac Donalbain been here?' asked Megret, hastily entering the room.
'But a moment since,' answered Arwed, 'and he cannot now be far off.
What do you wish of him?'
'A crowd of Laplanders,' said Megret, 'are seeking, with spears and
poles, in all the streets of Tornea for a huntsman, who, according to
their description, can be no other than Mac Donalbain; and I should be
very happy to place the noble gentleman before the good people, so that
I might learn precisely what they want of him.'
'We shall probably find him in the garden,' answered Arwed, and they
hastened there together. But the garden was empty. 'Incomprehensible!'
exclaimed the sheriff, who had followed them. 'The garden gate leading
to the street is closed, and I have the key with me.'
'Not so incomprehensible as you may suppose,' rejoined Megret, pointing
to a hedge-row by the garden wall whose freshly broken and trampled
branches plainly showed that some one had recently clambered over them.
'Your pardon, sir officer,' stammered the sheriff, examining the
damaged hedge, 'that is still more incomprehensible,--for what could
have induced the gentleman to climb over the wall, and thus do me so
great an injury?'
'That, master sheriff,' answered Megret, 'is to me most comprehensible,
if I am right in my suspicions.'
'What do you mean by that?' asked Arwed; but Megret, who was busily
examining the marks of injury upon the hedge, did not hear him. 'So the
weasel has escaped me,' said he, grating his teeth; 'but, by my honor,
he is lost if he again venture into my snare.'