The Porter's Son, part 3 · page 21 2101He spoke loud and distinctly.102The domino raised his mask, and it was George. "103Do you repeat your invitation, General?" he asked.104The General certainly seemed to grow an inch taller, assumed a more stately demeanor, and took two steps backward and one step forward, as if he were dancing a minuet, and then came as much gravity and expression into the face of the General as the General could contrive to infuse into it; but he replied,105"I never retract my words!106You are invited, Professor!" and he bowed with a glance at the King, who must have heard the whole dialogue.107Now, there was a company to dinner at the General's, but only the old Count and his protege were invited.108"I have my foot under his table," thought George. "109That's laying the foundation stone."110And the foundation stone was really laid, with great ceremony, at the house of the General and of the General's lady.111The man had come, and had spoken quite like a person in good society, and had made himself very agreeable, so that the General had often to repeat his "Charming!"112The General talked of this dinner, talked of it even to a court lady; and this lady, one of the most intellectual persons about the court, asked to be invited to meet the Professor the next time he should come.113So he had to be invited again; and he was invited, and came, and was charming again; he could even play chess.114"He's not out of the cellar," said the General; "he's quite a distinguished person.115There are many distinguished persons of that kind, and it's no fault of his."116The Professor, who was received in the King's palace, might very well be received by the General; but that he could ever belong to the house was out of the question, only the whole town was talking of it.117He grew and grew.118The dew of favor fell from above, so no one was surprised after all that he should become a Privy Councillor, and Emily a Privy Councillor's lady.119"Life is either a tragedy or a comedy," said the General. "120In tragedies they die, in comedies they marry one another."121In this case they married.122And they had three clever boys--but not all at once.123The sweet children rode on their hobby-horses through all the rooms when they came to see the grandparents.124And the General also rode on his stick; he rode behind them in the character of groom to the little Privy Councillors.125And the General's lady sat on her sofa and smiled at them, even when she had her severest headache.126So far did George get, and much further; else it had not been worth while to tell the story of THE PORTER'S SON.1 2← previousThe Porter's Son, part 2next →Poultry Meg's Family↑ back to Fairy Tales of Hans Christian AndersenThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg27200/148/page/2/