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It seemed curious and strange to come out into the park, in glowing sunshine, among living human beings. It was Christmas night, a real Christmas night. The goblins raised the mountain roofs on lofty gold pillars and celebrated the midwinter festival. The brownies danced around the Christmas porridge in new red caps. Not very far away, at the old manor of Årsta, Mamsell Fredrika was lying asleep.
She was born at Tuorla Manor House, near Abo in Finland, on the 17th of August, 1801. When she was three years old her father removed his family to the small estate of Arsta, about twenty miles from Stockholm, which he had purchased. Here she received a careful education, early attaining a good knowledge of French, so as to read and speak it with facility.
Nynäs was an old-fashioned mansion situated amidst picturesque scenery, which appears to have awakened in Frederika her first impressions of the beauty of Nature. Her education still continued; she studied English and German, and made considerable progress in history and geography. In 1813 Nynäs was sold, and the family once more settled at Arsta.
At Årsta some one came into Mamsell Fredrika's room and laid her hand gently on the sleeper's arm. "Up, my Fredrika! It is time to go to the early mass." Old Mamsell Fredrika opened her eyes and saw Agathe, her beloved sister who was dead, standing by the bed with a candle in her hand. She recognized her, for she looked just as she had done on earth.
At Årsta the father of Fredrika, who had amassed a fortune in the iron industry in Finland, set up an establishment in accord with his means. The manor-house, built two centuries before, had become in some parts dilapidated, but it was ultimately restored and improved beyond its original condition.
Årsta is, as every one knows, an old haunted castle, but Mamsell Fredrika slept a calm, quiet sleep. She was old now and tired out after many weary days of work and many long journeys, she had almost traveled round the world, therefore she had returned to the home of her childhood to find rest. Outside the castle sounded in the night a bold fanfare.
Three months of the summer of 1864 she spent at Arsta with the patriarchal family who had become the owners of the paternal estate, and enjoyed so much peace and pleasantness that she resolved to accept their invitation to lodge with them permanently.
Madame de Valentinois, called Diana of Poitiers, whom the King served and in whose name the mock chase was arranged, was not less content. Fredrika Bremer was born at Tuorla Manor-house, near Åbo, in Finland, on the 17th of August, 1801. In 1804 the family removed to Stockholm, and two years later to a large estate at Årsta, some twenty miles from the capital, which was her subsequent home.
Several long journeys abroad mark the succeeding years: to Denmark and America from 1848 to 1857; to Switzerland, Belgium, France, Italy, Palestine, and Greece, from 1856 to 1861; to Germany in 1862, returning the same year. The summer months of 1864 she spent at Årsta, which since 1853 had passed out of the hands of the family.
"Well, good-night then, and beware of the knight of the church road," said her dead sister, and smiled roguishly in her old way. Then Mamsell Fredrika drove home. All Årsta still slept, and she went quietly to her room, lay down and slept again. A few hours later she drove to the real early mass.
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