The palace where the kings of Sweden now reside was not completed, and Charles XI. who commenced it, inhabited the old palace, situated on the Ritzholm, facing Lake Modu. It is a large building in the form of a horseshoe: the king’s private apartments were in one of the extremities; opposite was the great hall where the States assembled to receive communications from the crown. The windows of that hall suddenly appeared illuminated. The king was startled, but at first supposed that a servant with a light was passing through; but then, that hall was never opened except on state occasions, and the light was too brilliant to be caused by a single lamp. It then occurred to him that it must be a conflagration; but there was no smoke, and the glass was not broken; it had rather the appearance of an illumination. Brahe’s attention being called to it, he proposed sending one of the pages to ascertain the cause of the light, but the king stopped him, saying, he would go himself to the hall. He left the room, followed by the count and doctor, with lighted torches. Baumgarten called the man who had charge of the keys, and ordered him, in the king’s name, to open the doors of the great hall. Great was his surprise at this unexpected command. He dressed himself quickly, and came to the king with his bunch of keys. He opened the first door of a gallery which served as an antechamber to the hall. The king entered, and what was his amazement at finding the walls hung with black. "What is the meaning of this?" asked he. The man replied, that he did not know what to make of it, adding, "When the gallery was last opened, there was certainly no hanging over the oak panelling." The king walked on to the door of the hall. "Go no further, for heaven’s sake," exclaimed the man; "surely there is sorcery going on inside. At this hour, since the queen’s death, they say she walks up and down here. May God protect us!" "Stop, sire," cried the count and Baumgarten together, "don’t you hear that noise? Who knows to what dangers you are exposing yourself! At all events, allow me to summon the guards." "I will go in," said the king, firmly; "open the door at once." The man’s hand trembled so that he could not turn the key. "A fine thing to see an old soldier frightened," said the king, shrugging his shoulders; "come, Count, will you open the door?" "Sire," replied Brahe, "let your majesty command me to march to the mouth of a Danish or German cannon, and I will obey unhesitatingly, but I cannot defy hell itself." "Well," said the king, in a tone of contempt, "I can do it myself."