At a little distance from the castle, in a pretty valley overlooked by wooded heights, a circus had been erected, with galleries capable of holding about four thousand spectators. Its floor had disappeared beneath a thick layer of the finest sand, and high and strong palisades surrounded it on every side. The women, in their richest apparel, were almost without exception remarkable for the beauty peculiar to their sisters of northern climes. The men were in uniform or in Court dress. A cloak of black silk lined with crimson satin was considered tantamount to gala vesture. The grandees of the kingdom had all donned the dresses connected with their functions. Stands, draped with satin, and displaying the three crowns of Sweden, were set apart for the ambassadors. The ring was hung with Swedish standards. At one end of the building was the pavilion for the queen and her ladies of honour, particularly noticeable for the coquettish mingling of its decorations, consisting of flowers, weapons, and flags, intertwined with simple and genuine elegance. Dupré, the French architect, one of the most celebrated decorators of Europe, had superintended all the arrangements. At regular distances there were columns, from some of which were suspended the rings for the games, while others supported the Turks’ heads to be slashed at by the competitors. The banners of the knights selected to dispute the prize were first borne in procession around the arena, then fixed against the different barriers of the ring. Before leaving us Comte de Fersen had introduced us to his friend, M. de Rozen, a young man who had taken part in the previous _carrousel_, and who was, therefore, in a position to give us full particulars of the present one. The various emblems and mottoes of the banners and scutcheons were as ingenious as they were instructive in the true spirit of chivalry. Among many I cite the following:-- A sword on a field azure. Motto--‘Je pars, je brille, je frappe.’ (I go, I shine, I strike.) A lion on a field starred. ‘La valeur soumet les astres.’ (Valour subjugates the stars.) A fire burning on an altar. ‘Ce qui est pur est éternel.’ (The pure lasts for ever.) An ermine climbing a steep height. ‘Tâche sans tache.’ (Try but keep stainless.) Finally, another shield, checkered red and yellow, was that of Tonin, the jester of the late king. His motto, though, would have given no clue to that effect. It ran: ‘Tout par raison, Raison par tout, Partout raison.’ (Every thing through reason, Reason in every thing, Everywhere reason.)