heasked.

thegeneralcertainlyseemedtogrowaninchtaller,assumedamorestatelydemeanor,andtooktwostepsbackwardandonestepforward,asifheweredancingaminuet,andthencameasmuchgravityandexpressionintothefaceofthegeneralasthegeneralcouldcontrivetoinfuseintoit;buthereplied,

"ineverretractmywords!youareinvited,professor!"andhebowedwithaglanceattheking,whomusthaveheardthewholedialogue.

now,therewasacompanytodinneratthegeneral's,butonlytheoldcountandhisprotegewereinvited.

"ihavemyfootunderhistable,"thoughtgeorge."that'slayingthefoundationstone."

andthefoundationstonewasreallylaid,withgreatceremony,atthehouseofthegeneralandofthegeneral'slady.

themanhadcome,andhadspokenquitelikeapersoningoodsociety,andhadmadehimselfveryagreeable,sothatthegeneralhadoftentorepeathis"charming!"thegeneraltalkedofthisdinner,talkedofiteventoacourtlady;andthislady,oneofthemostintellectualpersonsaboutthecourt,askedtobeinvitedtomeettheprofessorthenexttimeheshouldcome.sohehadtobeinvitedagain;andhewasinvited,andcame,andwascharmingagain;hecouldevenplaychess.

"he'snotoutofthecellar,"saidthegeneral;"he'squiteadistinguishedperson.therearemanydistinguishedpersonsofthatkind,andit'snofaultofhis."

theprofessor,whowasreceivedintheking'spalace,mightverywellbereceivedbythegeneral;butthathecouldeverbelongtothehousewasoutofthequestion,onlythewholetownwastalkingofit.

hegrewandgrew.thedewoffavorfellfromabove,sonoonewassurprisedafterallthatheshouldbecomeaprivycouncillor,andemilyaprivycouncillor'slady.

"lifeiseitheratragedyoracomedy,"saidthegeneral."intragediestheydie,incomediestheymarryoneanother."

inthiscasetheymarried.andtheyhadthreecleverboys-butnotallatonce.

thesweetchildrenrodeontheirhobby-horsesthroughalltheroomswhentheycametoseethegrandparents.andthegeneralalsorodeonhisstick;herodebehindtheminthecharacterofgroomtothelittleprivycouncillors.

andthegeneral'sladysatonhersofaandsmiledatthem,evenwhenshehadherseverestheadache.

sofardidgeorgeget,andmuchfurther;elseithadnotbeenworthwhiletotellthestoryoftheporter'sson.

theend.

1872

fairytalesofhanschristianandersen

theportugueseduck

byhanschristianandersen

aduckoncearrivedfromportugal,butthereweresomewhosaidshecamefromspain,whichisalmostthesamething.atallevents,shewascalledthe"portuguese,"andshelaideggs,waskilled,andcooked,andtherewasanendofher.buttheducklingswhichcreptforthfromtheeggswerealsocalled"portuguese,"andaboutthattheremaybesomequestion.butofallthefamilyoneonlyremainedintheduckyard,whichmaybecalledafarmyard,asthechickenswereadmitted,andthecockstruttedaboutinaveryhostilemanner."heannoysmewithhisloudcrowing,"saidtheportugueseduck;"but,still,he'sahandsomebird,there'snodenyingthat,althoughhe'snotadrake.heoughttomoderatehisvoice,likethoselittlebirdswhoaresinginginthelime-treesoverthereinourneighbor'sgarden,butthatisanartonlyacquiredinpolitesociety.howsweetlytheysingthere;itisquiteapleasuretolistentothem!icallitportuguesesinging.ifihadonlysuchalittlesinging-bird,i'dbekindandgoodasamothertohim,forit'sinmynature,inmyportugueseblood."

whileshewasspeaking,oneofthelittlesinging-birdscametumblingheadoverheelsfromtheroofintotheyard.thecatwasafterhim,buthehadescapedfromherwithabrokenwing,andsocametumblingintotheyard."that'sjustlikethecat,she'savillain,"saidtheportugueseduck."irememberherwayswhenihadchildrenofmyown.howcansuchacreaturebeallowedtolive,andwanderaboutupontheroofs.idon'tthinktheyallowsuchthingsinportugal."shepitiedthelittlesinging-bird,andsodidalltheotherduckswhowerenotportuguese.

"poorlittlecreature!"