A Yacht Voyage to Norway, Denmark, and Sweden Part 7

"Ibam forte via sacra, sicut meus est mos, Nescio quid meditans nugarum, et totus in illis; Accurrit quidam notus mihi nomine tantum, Arrep----"

"A note, my Lord," and the steward placed a most diminutive note in R----'s hand. It ran thus:--

"My Lord and Gentlemen,

"I will accompany you to the Casino this evening at 8.

I feel it my duty to show you all the attention I can.

"Yours faithfully,

"A--l--r C----."

"Deuce take him!" said R----; "let us go at six."

"From Mr. C----, I suppose," remarked P----, taking up and glancing at the piece of paper. "I see how it is. We must give him a civil hint; and if he won't take it, we must do the best we can. Poor old fellow! I should not like to hurt his feelings."

When we had made an end of the treatment it was suggested Mr. C---- should receive, I put on my best coat, and went ash.o.r.e. Scarcely had I, for the second time, rested my foot on the soil of Denmark, than I caught, riveted on me, two small pig-like eyes twinkling in the centre of an ebony face.

"Me berry glad to see you, Sir," said the owner of this countenance, and, accompanying the welcome voice, the removal of a high-crowned white hat exposed to the African warmth of noon a head of true African wool.

"Thank you, Solomon."

"No, Sir; me Joe--Joe Washimtum," replied the black man, proudly; "but me brudder name Dabid--him better dan Sarlaman."

Deeming this the beginning and result of our acquaintance, I walked on, paying no attention to the sable Mr. C----; but I had antic.i.p.ated blacky's intentions wrongfully, for a few minutes were sufficient time to place him on my left hand.

"Hab you, Sir, no c.u.msidumration to see um town?" he inquired.

"Not to-day, Joe," I answered. "I have formed my plans; but some other day we will navigate the town together."

"Berry good, Sir." And, again elevating his steeple white hat, away marched Joe, Commissionaire of l'Hotel d'Angleterre.

The day was very hot, and my feet, swollen by the heat, suffered more than they did last night from the effects of the uneven stones. I limped from one street to the other, and found the "Amalien-Gade," not much inferior in breadth and length to Portland Place. Palaces of great symmetry, though of immense size, rose before the eye at every corner; and the residence of the Prince of Hesse is one of the most beautiful structures I have ever seen. The white colour, as at Christiansand, with which all these large buildings are painted, forces directly on the stranger's mind their lightness and elegant proportions.

At the end of the "Amalien-Gade," which is about a mile in length, is a large odiously-paved square intersected by four streets; and, between each of these streets, are four small palaces in the style of Italian architecture. They are inhabited by the royal family; and the old king, Christian, may be seen sometimes, of an evening, walking across to play a game of whist with the dowager-queen. Infantry and cavalry officers, gossipping in groups, and flashing in the sun's rays, their light-blue uniform embroidered elaborately with silver lace, remind you of the Court's vicinity; and the eternal sound of a sentinel's challenge, as files of men march and re-march by him, proclaims, that, deference to kings is much the same in simple Denmark, as in pageant England.

In the centre of this square stands an equestrian bronze statue of Frederick the Fifth; and, though the horse's head is considered a perfect piece of statuary, I am obstinate enough to differ, from the general opinion; and Monsieur Gorr, who executed it, will, with the politeness and generosity of his country, permit me to think as I do, and pardon me, if I be wrong. Since its foundation in 1168, three awful fires in 1729, 1794, and 1795, nearly burned down the whole city of Copenhagen; but Christiansborg, the colossal palace of the Danish kings, was levelled with the ground; and Christian, deeming, perhaps, this abode of his ancestors doomed to be destroyed a second time, avoids it with superst.i.tious care; and has selected for himself and family the four mansions, for they are nothing more, to which I have alluded. Queen Caroline-Matilda being taken from this palace to Cronenborg, her son, Frederick the Sixth, would never reside in it afterwards; and, I think, it is more from this mingled feeling of affection and painful regret, and a desire to obliterate from their memories the recollection of her fate, that his descendants have followed the filial example of Frederick, than from any dread of sudden destruction by fire.

While walking through the streets, I could hardly dissuade myself I was not in the tropics, for the capacious archways, and central court-yards were quite oriental; and the large and numerous windows of the private houses, with jalousies thrown open, at cool of day, against the wall, reminded me also of the Antilles; and, had a black face but peeped out at me, the fancy might have seemed reality.

CHAPTER VI.

THE CASINO--THE ROYAL FAMILY OF DENMARK--SUCCESSION TO HOLSTEIN--THE ENGLISH CONSUL--VISIT TO THE ENGLISH AMBa.s.sADOR--COLOSSAL STATUE OF CHRISTIAN THE FIFTH-- ANECDOTE OF BELZONI--TRINITY CHURCH--EXTRAORDINARY FEAT OF PETER THE GREAT--DUCKING AN OFFENDER--PALACE OF CHRISTIANSBORG--THE EXCHANGE--THE CASTLE OF ROSENBERG.

At seven o'clock, we went to the Casino; and, trusting that we had deceived Mr. C----, renewed our acquaintance with the gentleman in spectacles.

The room, an immense one, was lighted from the lofty ceiling with four splendid chandeliers. The people sat in seats appropriated to them, and listened attentively to some exquisite pieces of music, played as exquisitely, by a large band. There was no dancing; nor indeed was the room adapted for such recreation. The king, the queen, and their niece, the beautiful Princess Louise, sat in a gallery, speaking to those around them, and watching with interest the group below. This is that princess whose hand the Crown Prince, Frederick, thrice divorced, has sought in vain; for, he failing heirs, Holstein pa.s.ses from the present dynasty to the Ducal House of Augustenburg. This political flaw is, while I write, being adjusted by the Danish Senate, as the impotency of Frederick, now reigning Sovereign of Denmark, has been pretty well admitted. The company took no heed of the royal presence, but walked and talked, and stood with hats on; and when I observed to my late excitable friend in spectacles, that the English behaved not so in the sight of their queen, he replied,

"Zat is nuttin. Ze king is nuttin."

"That is to say, though it be done, no feeling of disrespect is meant,"

I continued.

"Ja."

We wandered through illuminated galleries and conservatories sweetly perfumed with the most delicate flowers. Continually, on every hand, was revealed some marble statue to attract attention, or living beauty to gratify the eye. Borne away by these delightful sights and sounds, and feeling life only in the ideal, this lethargy of soul and body burst, convulsively, into common existence, as the indomitable Mr. C---- issued, gaping in all directions, from behind a fluted column; and, when his glance fell on us, the face of Minerva looked not more luminous when she leaped from the brain of Jove.

"Ah! gentlemen," delightedly he exclaimed, "you gave me the slip; but the guard below told me three Englishmen were here."

P---- answered him with civility, and said that we had altered our plans, and could not communicate with him, being in ignorance of his address. He showed us great attention, and, by explanation, smoothed all those excrescences of conventional usages which we did not understand.

So far, Mr. C---- was useful; but, seeming a character of doubtful respectability by the cold indifference with which some Danish gentlemen received his warm advances, we did not like to be accompanied in public by a man of whom we knew nothing. His companionship, therefore, hurried us from the Casino; and, the cathedral clock was tolling midnight, as we were rowed alongside the yacht. The closed gates again gave us trouble; and, we thanked the bright stars above us, that knowledge of the French grammar had survived the tenderness of Anacreon. Nevertheless, this brought the irksomeness of our situation to a climax, and P---- made up his mind to call on the Consul in the morning. For my part, I believe, I became feverish through the night, and in my sleep talked to the binnacle about Magna Charta.

At eleven o'clock on Monday morning, R----, P----, and I, formed a deputation, and started for the Consul's office. While R---- was giving directions to the men when to return with the boat for us, I felt a gentle tap on my left shoulder; and turning round, received a nod, and "good morrow," from Mr. C----. His services were, however, required, and his pertinacity in retaining our friendship was not so unwelcome. We told him the object we had in view; he appreciated our national conduct, and begged to take us the pleasantest and shortest way to the Consul's.

Many people were abroad; and hardly one person failed to stop and recognise us as Englishmen. I do not doubt that the population of Copenhagen is upwards of 100,000; but I judge from the mult.i.tudes which, in some parts, thronged the princ.i.p.al thoroughfares. The bee-like movements of the males,--stopping, in the bustle of business, to greet each other, then hurrying off again,--and the fondness of the females for gazing in the shop-windows where fine wares lay exposed, frequently blocking up the small foot-pavement in the gratification of this idiosyncrasy, a.s.similated them to my own countrymen and women. I looked under many a blue bonnet, and caught the sly glance of many a blue eye; but they were not the blue eye and bonnet of England. I gazed upon many a sweet, smiling face, and saw many an elegant form; but they had not the pouting, red lip, and roundness of England. No! wander where I will--and I have wandered far--I never saw aught to match the pure beauty of England's Daughter. Stamped on her fair brow, the hand of Heaven owns no other mould for loveliness; and the die was broken when sensibility of soul blended with her tender frame the strong feelings of the heart.

Before I saw enough of life in the streets, we were under the great gateway which led to the Consul's apartments; for the houses here, as in Edinburgh and Paris, are divided between several families, and have one common staircase. The Consul heard attentively our tale, and then told us he could in no way interfere; but that we had better make a personal application to the Minister, Sir Henry Whynne.

To Sir Henry we went; and the result with him was the same as with the Consul. Sir Henry said, he could with just as much propriety interrupt for our benefit the closing of the gates at a certain hour, as the Danish Minister in London could interrupt, for the benefit of three Danes, the closing of the Horse Guards. He recommended us to make friends with the officer on duty, and he doubted not every facility would be afforded us in our ingress and regress, to and from the town at night.

On the strength of that concession by the proper authority, Sir Henry asked us to dine with him the following day; we thanked him for his information, and accepted the invitation. Before parting, he offered to introduce us to the king, who, he a.s.sured us, entertained a partiality for the English, and would be happy to see us and have a game of whist with us every night at the palace. Mr. C----, who had waited for us outside, now conducted us round the town, and gave us all the information he had mustered during a residence of many years in Copenhagen.

In the centre of the second square,--better paved than the other one,--where are situated the Theatre, Hotel d'Angleterre, and several other large hotels, stands another colossal statue of Christian the Fifth, as devoid of admiration as its prancing fellow. Its remarkable size has exceeded the bounds of elegance. The horse is about to trample on a serpent with distended mouth and forked extended tongue, being the symbol of Discord. Around the pedestal are many figures; and, amongst them, Minerva's arms and legs are sculptured in prodigious relief: but it is to be hoped the G.o.ddess of the Fine Arts will, some day, descend to Copenhagen, and prove to the Danes how symmetrical are her limbs, since, in this allegorical group, the neck of the wild bull of Crete must have been a withe to her proportions. An anecdote is told of Belzoni, when Feldborg showed this statue to him.

"I hope this is not the work of a Danish artist?" demanded Belzoni.

"No; oh, no," replied Feldborg. "If you want to see statues executed by Danish artists, go to England, or your own country; don't come here.

The statue you are now looking at was sculptured, and no doubt conceived, by a Frenchman, named Amoureux, who was sent here by Louis XIV. for the purpose, Louis being excessively anxious, in every imaginable way, to promote the welfare of the Danish sovereign of that day."

"Well, the Frenchman who executed this statue has been a clever fellow,"

observed Belzoni; "the only animation I notice in his work, is in the horse's _tail_."

We clambered up the Round Tower of the Trinity Church, which was founded by Christian IV. in the year 1673, and finished five years afterwards.

It is 115 feet high, and was used as an observatory about the time of Tycho Brahe. There are no steps, but the ascent is made by a gentle spiral plane; and, as we wound our way up, thinking of Peter the Great, who drove a carriage drawn by four horses to the top, and of the manner the Czar contrived to reach the bottom without backing; all the names of all the families of Smiths, Smythes, and Joneses, deeply incised on the wall, pulled us, with a jerk, to vulgarities again.

From the summit is a fine view of Copenhagen. Before we had finished moralizing about views and heights, the afternoon had slipped imperceptibly away. Where we stood, the cowherd's long whoop at intervals, and, in answer to his call, the faint low of cattle, could be heard; and, from some cottages beyond the city walls, the bark of dogs, and noise of f.a.ggots being hewn, were interrupted only by the loud jests of fishermen, who sat at the cottage-doors, unravelling their nets; while the dewy mist of evening kept rising till it reached the elm-tree tops, then hung there, like a girdle of thin white gauze. It was quite an English scene.

We descended; and lagging behind, I followed my companions in silence home.

We remained on board during the evening, and played at whist. It was some time before we could muster the ace of spades; but, after diligent search, it was found, torn in twain, and the fragments stuck upright, in a pot of marmalade. A small hole bored in the centre of the skin which covered the preserve, not exceeding the dimensions of Jacko's finger, proclaimed it to be his handywork. Jacko, fortunately, had retired for the night to Alfred's hammock; and, out of humanity, the period and severity of his castigation were deferred till the morrow.

As soon as we rose on Tuesday morning, Jacko was placed in a canva.s.s bucket, and thrice ducked in the sea; when his yells were caught up by a flock of little Danes dabbling in the water along the sh.o.r.e, who gave shriek for shriek.

Remembering Sir Henry Whynne's injunctions, we went, after breakfast, to the guard-room; and, through the harbour-master, held a long conversation with the officer in command of the _objectionable gates_; and, after a while, our names were written in a large book, and we received permission to go and come as we pleased.