ally　pleasant；　and　if　I　go　to　a　town　there　are　sure　to　be　relations　in　it；　and　then　the　cake　will　spring　up　mushroom…like　from　the　teeming　soil　of　their　affection。
  I　hope　it　has　been　made　evident　in　these　pages　how　superior　Irais　and　myself　are　to　the　ordinary　weaknesses　of　mankind；　if　any　further　proof　were　needed；　it　is　furnished　by　the　fact　that　we　both；　in　defiance　of　tradition；　scorn　this　celebration　of　birthday　rites。　Years　ago；　when　first　I　knew　her；　and　long　before　we　were　either　of　us　married；　I　sent　her　a　little　brass　candlestick　on　her　birthday；　and　when　mine　followed　a　few　months　later；　she　sent　me　a　note…book。　No　notes　were　written　in　it；　and　on　her　next　birthday　I　presented　it　to　her；　she　thanked　me　profusely　in　the　customary　manner；　and　when　my　turn　came　I　received　the　brass　candlestick。　　Since　then　we　alternately　enjoy　the　possession　of　each　of　these　articles；　and　the　present　question　is　comfortably　settled　once　and　for　all；　at　a　minimum　of　trouble　and　expense。　We　never　mention　this　little　arrangement　except　at　the　proper　time；　when　we　send　a　letter　of　fervid　thanks。
  This　radiant　weather；　when　mere　living　is　a　joy；　and　sitting　still　over　the　fire　out　of　the　question；　has　been　going　on　for　more　than　a　week。　　Sleighing　and　skating　have　been　our　chief　occupation；　especially　skating；　which　is　more　than　usually　fascinating　here；　because　the　place　is　intersected　by　small　canals　communicating　with　a　lake　and　the　river　belonging　to　the　lake；　and　as　everything　is　frozen　black　and　hard；　we　can　skate　for　miles　straight　ahead　without　being　obliged　to　turn　round　and　come　back　again；at　all　times　an　annoying；　and　even　mortifying；　proceeding。　　Irais　skates　beautifully：　modesty　is　the　only　obstacle　to　my　saying　the　same　of　myself；　but　I　may　remark　that　all　Germans　skate　well；　for　the　simple　reason　that　every　year　of　their　lives；　for　three　or　four　months；　they　may　do　it　as　much　as　they　like。　　Minora　was　astonished　and　disconcerted　by　finding　herself　left　behind；　and　arriving　at　the　place　where　tea　meets　us　half　an　hour　after　we　had　finished。　In　some　places　the　banks　of　the　canals　are　so　high　that　only　our　heads　appear　level　with　the　fields；　and　it　is；　as　Minora　noted　in　her　book；　a　curious　sight　to　see　three　female　heads　skimming　along　apparently　by　themselves；　and　enjoying　it　tremendously。　When　the　banks　are　low；　we　appear　to　be　gliding　deliciously　over　the　roughest　ploughed　fields；　with　or　without　legs　according　to　circumstances。　　Before　we　start；　I　fix　on　the　place　where　tea　and　a　sleigh　are　to　meet　us；　and　we　drive　home　again；　because　skating　against　the　wind　is　as　detestable　as　skating　with　it　is　delightful；　and　an　unkind　Nature　arranges　its　blowing　without　the　smallest　regard　for　our　convenience。　　　Yesterday；　by　way　of　a　change；　we　went　for　a　picnic　to　the　shores　of　the　Baltic；　ice…bound　at　this　season；　and　utterly　desolate　at　our　nearest　point。　　I　have　a　weakness　for　picnics；　especially　in　winter；　when　the　mosquitoes　cease　from　troubling　and　the　ant…hills　are　at　rest；　and　of　all　my　many　favourite　picnic　spots　this　one　on　the　Baltic　is　the　loveliest　and　best。　As　it　is　a　three…hours'　drive；　the　Man　of　Wrath　is　loud　in　his　lamentations　when　the　special　sort　of　weather　comes　which　means；　as　experience　has　taught　him；　this　particular　excursion。　There　must　be　deep　snow；　hard　frost；　no　wind；　and　a　cloudless　sky；　and　when；　on　waking　up；　I　see　these　conditions　fulfilled；　then　it　would　need　some　very　potent　reason　to　keep　me　from　having　out　a　sleigh　and　going　off。　　It　is；　I　admit；　a　hard　day　for　the　horses；　but　why　have　horses　if　they　are　not　to　take　you　where　you　want　to　go　to；　and　at　the　time　you　want　to　go？　And　why　should　not　horses　have　hard　days　as　well　as　everybody　else？　The　Man　of　Wrath　loathes　picnics；　and　has　no　eye　for　nature　and　frozen　seas；　and　is　simply　bored　by　a　long　drive　through　a　forest　that　does　not　belong　to　him　；　a　single　turnip　on　his　own　place　is　more　admirable　in　his　eyes　than　the　tallest；　pinkest；　straightest　pine　that　ever　reared　its　snow…crowned　head　against　the　setting　sunlight。　Now　observe　the　superiority　of　woman；　who　sees　that　both　are　good；　and　after　having　gazed　at　the　pine　and　been　made　happy　by　its　beauty；　goes　home　and　placidly　eats　the　turnip。　He　went　once　and　only　once　to　this　particular　place；　and　made　us　feel　so　small　by　his　blast　behaviour　that　I　never　invite　him　now。　It　is　a　beautiful　spot；　endless　forest　stretching　along　the　shore　as　far　as　the　eye　can　reach；　and　after　driving　through　it　for　miles　you　come　suddenly；　at　the　end　of　an　avenue　of　arching　trees；　upon　the　glistening；　oily　sea；　with　the　orange…coloured　sails　of　distant　fishing…smacks　shilling　in　the　sunlight。　Whenever　I　have　been　there　it　has　been　windless　weather；　and　the　silence　so　profound　that　I　could　hear　my　pulses　beating。　The　humming　of　insects　and　the　sudden　scream　of　a　jay　are　the　only　sounds　in　summer；　and　in　winter　the　stillness　is　the　stillness　of　death。
  Every　paradise　has　its　serpent；　however；　and　this　one　is　so　infested　by　mosquitoes　during　the　season　when　picnics　seem　most　natural；　that　those　of　my　visitors　who　have　been　taken　there　for　a　treat　have　invariably　lost　their　tempers；　and　made　the　quiet　shores　ring　with　their　wailing　and　lamentations。　These　despicable　but　irritating　insects　don't　seem　to　have　anything　to　do　but　to　sit　in　multitudes　on　the　sand；　waiting　for　any　prey　Providence　may　send　them；　and　as　soon　as　the　carriage　appears　they　rise　up　in　a　cloud；　and　rush　to　meet　us；　almost　dragging　us　out　bodily；　and　never　leave　us　until　we　drive　away　again。　The　sudden　view　of　the　sea　from　the　messy；　pine…covered　height　directly　above　it　where　we　picnic；　the　wonderful　stretch　of　lonely　shore　with　the　forest　to　the　water's　edge；　the　coloured　sails　in　the　blue　distance；　the　freshness；　the　brightness；　the　vastnessall　is　lost　upon　the　picnickers；　and　made　worse　than　indifferent　to　them；　by　the　perpetual　necessity　they　are　under　of　fighting　these　horrid　creatures。　It　is　nice　being　the　only　person　who　ever　goes　there　or　shows　it　to　anybody；　but　if　more　people　went；　perhaps　the　mosquitoes　would　be　less　lean；　and　hungry；　and　pleased　to　see　us。　It　has；　however；　the　advantage　of　being　a　suitable　place　to　which　to　take　refractory　visitors　when　they　have　stayed　too　long；　or　left　my　books　out　in　the　garden　all　night；　or　otherwise　made　their　presence　a　burden　too　grievous　to　be　borne；　then　one　fine　hot　morning　when　they　are　all　looking　limp；　I　suddenly　propose　a　picnic　on　the　Baltic。　I　have　never　known　this　proposal　fail　to　be　greeted　with　exclamations　of　surprise　and　delight。
  〃The　Baltic！　　You　never　told　us　you　were　within　driving　distance？　How　heavenly　to　get　a　breath　of　sea　air　on　a　day　like　this！　The　very　thought　puts　new　life　into　one！　　And　how　delightful　to　see　the　Baltic！　　Oh；　please　take　us！〃　　And　then　I　take　them。
  But　on　a　brilliant　winter's　day　my　conscience　is　as　clear　as　the　frosty　air　itself；　and　yesterday　morning　we　started　off　in　the　gayest　of　spirits；　even　Minora　being　disposed　to　laugh　immoderately　on　the　least　provocation。　Only　our　eyes　were　allowed　to　peep　out　from　the　fur　and　woollen　wrappings　necessary　to　our　heads　if　we　would　come　back　with　our　ears　and　noses　in　the　same　places　they　were　in　when　we　started；　and　for　the　first　two　miles　the　mirth　created　by　each　other's　strange　appearance　was　uproarious；　a　fact　I　mention　merely　to　show　what　an　effect　dry；　bright；　intense　cold　produces　on　healthy　bodies；　and　how　much　better　it　is　to　go　out　in　it　and　enjoy　it　than　to　stay　indoors　and　sulk。　As　we　passed　through　the　neighbouring　village　with　cracking　of　whip　and　jingling　of　bells；　heads　popped　up　at　the　windows　to　stare；　and　the　only　living　thing　in　the　silent；　sunny　street　was　a　melancholy　fowl　with　ruffled　feathers；　which　looked　at　us　reproachfully；　as　we　dashed　with　so　much　energy　over　the　crackling　snow。
  〃Oh；　foolish　bird！〃　　Irais　called　out　as　we　passed；　〃you'll　be　indeed　a　cold　fowl　if　you　stand　there　motionless；　and　every　one　prefers　them　hot　in　weather　like　this！〃
  And　then　we　all　laughed　exceedingly；　as　though　the　most　splendid　joke　had　been　made；　and　before　we　had　done　we　were　out　of　the　village　and　in　the　open　country　beyond；　and　could　see　my　house　and　garden　far　away　behind；　glittering　in　the　sunshine；　and　in　front　of　us　lay　the　forest；　with　its　vistas　of　pines　stretching　away　into　infinity；　and　a　drive　through　it　of　fourteen　miles　before　we　reached　the　sea。　It　was　a　hoar…frost　day；　and　the　forest　was　an　enchanted　forest　leading　into　fairyland；　and　though　Irais　and　I　have　been　there　often　before；　and　always　thought　it　beautiful；　yet　yesterday　we　stood　under　the　final　arch　of　frosted　trees；　struck　silent　by　the　sheer　loveliness　of　the　place。　For　a　long　way　out　the　sea　was　frozen；　and　then　there　was　a　deep　blue　line；　and　a　cluster　of　motionless　orange　sails；　at　our　feet　a　narrow　strip　of　pale　yellow　sand；　right　and　left　the　line　of　sparkling　forest；　and　we　ourselves　standing　in　a　world　of　white　and　diamond　traceries。　The　stillness　of　an　eternal　Sunday　lay　on　the　place　like　a　benediction。
  Minora　broke　the　silence　by　remarking　that　Dresden　was　pretty；　but　she　thought　this　beat　it　almost。
  〃I　don't　quite　see；〃　said　Irais　in　a　hushed　voice；　as　though　she　were　in　a　holy　place；〃how　the　two　can　be