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BIOGRAPHY. 5k
we played chess with him all through the long winter even-
ings. My father was passionately fond of chess, but he did
not like to lose the game; whereas he laughed at us when
we were checkmate. This vexed and annoyed Fredrika
very much, who disliked exceedingly that my father should
laugh and chuckle while capturing those of her pieces
which she frequently left unguarded. She could, on such
occasions, rarely restrain her tears. This displeased my
father, who sent her away, and I had to come and finish
the game, which, in most cases, stood very unfavorably for
her. Sometimes she had only the king and the queen left,
and these I had to move about until I became checkmate.
I used to take it very coolly, and was glad, although aston-
ished, that my father could find any pleasure in seeing such
a wretched end to the game. Hedda did not know how to
play chess; it was therefore Fredrika and I who each
alternately had to play with him. Poor Fredrika went
with an insurmountable aversion to the chess-table. I de-
termined to manage so that I won one or two games every
night, in order that ny father should not consider himself
too clever; but by some wrong moves I always let him win
the last game, for otherwise he lost his temper, and that
he should be in a good temper was, after all, the main point.
I begged of Fredrika to think of this, and to try to over-
come her aversion; but she never could calmly submit.
Not until about midsummer did my father so far recover
from his illness that he could be moved out to Arsta, and
how delightful this was to us sisters I can hardly express.
At the dear old Arsta we again breathed freely.
During the summer, no Tess than five daughters of peas-
ants belonging to the estate applied to us to be dressed as
brides, and to be married at Arsta, i in the autumn. Almost
every autumn, One or more such weddings were celebrated
in our large dining-room, with the ceremonies customary in
‘the district. There was something so old-fashioned, so pe-
culiarly medizeval in the costume of the brides, and in the
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