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t I shall beastonished。〃
〃I am astonished also！〃 said the General。 〃I haven't an idea in myhead！〃 And he fell into a reverie； waiting for ideas。
There is a power； a nameless power； in the possession of favorfrom above； the favor of Providence； and this favor little George had。But we are forgetting the birthday。
Emily's room was fragrant with flowers； sent by male and femalefriends； on the table lay beautiful presents for greeting andremembrance； but none could e from George… none could e fromhim； but it was not necessary； for the whole house was full ofremembrances of him。 Even out of the ash…bin the blossom of memorypeeped forth； for Emily had sat whimpering there on the day when thewindow…curtain caught fire； and George arrived in the character offire engine。 A glance out of the window； and the acacia treereminded of the days of childhood。 Flowers and leaves had fallen；but there stood the tree covered with hoar frost； looking like asingle huge branch of coral； and the moon shone clear and largeamong the twigs； unchanged in its changings； as it was when Georgedivided his bread and butter with little Emily。
Out of a box the girl took the drawings of the Czar's palace andof her own castle… remembrances of George。 The drawings were lookedat； and many thoughts came。 She remembered the day when； unobserved byher father and mother； she had gone down to the porter's wife wholay dying。 Once again she seemed to sit beside her； holding thedying woman's hand in hers； hearing the dying woman's last words：〃Blessing George！〃 The mother was thinking of her son； and now Emilygave her own interpretation to those words。 Yes； George wascertainly with her on her birthday。
It happened that the next day was another birthday in thathouse； the General's birthday。 He had been born the day after hisdaughter； but before her of course… many years before her。 Manypresents arrived； and among them came a saddle of exquisiteworkmanship； a fortable and costly saddle… one of the Princes hadjust such another。 Now； from whom might this saddle e？ TheGeneral was delighted。 There was a little note with the saddle。 Now ifthe words on the note had been 〃many thanks for yesterday'sreception；〃 we might easily have guessed from whom it came。 But thewords were 〃From somebody whom the General does not know。〃
〃Whom in the world do I not know？〃 exclaimed the General。 〃Iknow everybody；〃 and his thoughts wandered all through society； for heknew everybody there。 〃That saddle es from my wife！〃 he said atlast。 〃She is teasing me… charming！〃
But she was not teasing him； those times were past。
Again there was a feast； but it was not in the General's house； itwas a fancy ball at the Prince's； and masks were allowed too。
The General went as Rubens； in a Spanish costume； with a littleruff round his neck； a sword by his side； and a stately manner。 TheGeneral's lady was Madame Rubens； in black velvet made high roundthe neck； exceedingly warm； and with a mill…stone round her neck inthe shape of a great ruff… accurately dressed after a Dutch picture inthe possession of the General； in which the hands were especiallyadmired。 They were just like the hands of the General's lady。
Emily was Psyche。 In white crape and lace she was like afloating swan。 She did not want wings at all。 She only wore them asemblematic of Psyche。
Brightness； splendor； light and flowers； wealth and taste appearedat the ball； there was so much to see； that the beautiful hands ofMadame Rubens made no sensation at all。
A black domino； with an acacia blossom in his cap； danced withPsyche。
〃Who is that？〃 asked the General's lady。
〃His Royal Highness；〃 replied the General。 〃I am quite sure of it。I knew him directly by the pressure of his hand。〃
The General's lady doubted it。
General Rubens had no doubts about it。 He went up to the blackdomino and wrote the royal letters in the mask's hand。 These weredenied； but the mask gave him a hint。
The words that came with the saddle： 〃One whom you do not know；General。〃
〃But I do know you；〃 said the General。 〃It was you who sent me thesaddle。〃
The domino raised his hand； and disappeared among the otherguests。
〃Who is that black domino with whom you were dancing； Emily？〃asked the General's lady。
〃I did not ask his name；〃 she replied； 〃because you knew it。 It isthe Professor。 Your protege is here； Count！〃 she continued； turning tothat nobleman； who stood close by。 〃A black domino with acaciablossoms in his cap。〃
〃Very likely； my dear lady；〃 replied the Count。 〃But one of thePrinces wears just the same costume。〃
〃I knew the pressure of the hand；〃 said the General。 〃The saddlecame from the Prince。 I am so certain of it that I could invite thatdomino to dinner。〃
〃Do so。 If it be the Prince he will certainly e；〃 replied theCount。
〃And if it is the other he will not e；〃 said the General； andapproached the black domino； who was just speaking with the King。The General gave a very respectful invitation 〃that they might makeeach other's acquaintance；〃 and he smiled in his certaintyconcerning the person he was inviting。 He spoke loud and distinctly。
The domino raised his mask； and it was George。 〃Do you repeat yourinvitation； General？〃 he asked。
The General certainly seemed to grow an inch taller； assumed amore stately demeanor； and took two steps backward and one stepforward； as if he were dancing a minuet； and then came as much gravityand expression into the face of the General as the General couldcontrive to infuse into it； but he replied；
〃I never retract my words！ You are invited； Professor！〃 and hebowed with a glance at the King； who must have heard the wholedialogue。
Now； there was a pany to dinner at the General's； but onlythe old Count and his protege were invited。
〃I have my foot under his table；〃 thought George。 〃That's layingthe foundation stone。〃
And the foundation stone was really laid； with great ceremony；at the house of the General and of the General's lady。
The man had e； and had spoken quite like a person in goodsociety； and had made himself very agreeable； so that the Generalhad often to repeat his 〃Charming！〃 The General talked of this dinner；talked of it even to a court lady； and this lady； one of the mostintellectual persons about the court； asked to be invited to meetthe Professor the next time he should e。 So he had to be invitedagain； and he was invited； and came； and was charming again； hecould even play chess。
〃He's not out of the cellar；〃 said the General； 〃he's quite adistinguished person。 There are many distinguished persons of thatkind； and it's no fault of his。〃
The Professor； who was received in the King's palace； might verywell be received by the General； but that he could ever belong tothe house was out of the question； only the whole town was talkingof it。
He grew and grew。 The dew of favor fell from above； so no onewas surprised after all that he should bee a Privy Councillor；and Emily a Privy Councillor's lady。
〃Life is either a tragedy or a edy；〃 said the General。 〃Intragedies they die； in edies they marry one another。〃
In this case they married。 And they had three clever boys… but notall at once。
The sweet children rode on their hobby…horses through all therooms when they came to see the grandparents。 And the General alsorode on his stick； he rode behind them in the character of groom tothe little Privy Councillors。
And the General's lady sat on her sofa and smiled at them； evenwhen she had her severest headache。
So far did George get； and much further； else it had not beenworth while to tell the story of THE PORTER'S SON。
THE END。
1872
FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
THE PORTUGUESE DUCK
by Hans Christian Andersen
A DUCK once arrived from Portugal； but there were some who saidshe came from Spain； which is almost the same thing。 At all events；she was called the 〃Portuguese；〃 and she laid eggs； was killed； andcooked； and there was an end of her。 But the ducklings which creptforth from the eggs were also called 〃Portuguese；〃 and about thatthere may be some question。 But of all the family one only remained inthe duckyard； which may be called a farmyard； as the chickens wereadmitted； and the cock strutted about in a ve