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mained in the town, this instrument of punishment was employed more cautiously, but he did not deliberate long in inventing other less costly, but equally satisfying, means of correction.

The time came to move from the town to a country estate situated 30 Swedish miles from there, where the cruel stepfather had a sister who was married to an estate proprietor.

At a distance of four Swedish miles from this place we were moved into a small building quite remote from people, without farming, without livestock.

This place, crying vengeance upon him who, in the capacity of husband and father, could sink so low, was now distinguished by the most abominable deeds; here our unhappy mother found herself excluded no less from her former numerous friends than from every kind of intercourse with people.

Here all charge of the internal household was taken from her, all authority over her children; here there were no neighbours who could listen to our lament or come to help at our cries of distress.

Here this monster was, in the fullest sense of the word, absolute master in his house.

Whenever he entered from his chamber into my mother’s, where we usually stayed during the days, could