itisnousetostanduponceremony.butwhereintheworldistheagent'shouse.thereisahouse,butitisnothis;andpeoplestillupinit,icanhear.ohdear!icertainlyamveryqueer."ashereachedthehalf-opendoor,hesawalightandwentin.itwasatavernoftheoldentimes,andseemedakindofbeershop.theroomhadtheappearanceofadutchinterior.anumberofpeople,consistingofseamen,copenhagencitizens,andafewscholars,satindeepconversationovertheirmugs,andtookverylittlenoticeofthenewcomer.

"pardonme,"saidthecounsellor,addressingthelandlady,"idonotfeelquitewell,andishouldbemuchobligedifyouwillsendforaflytotakemetochristian'shaven."thewomanstaredathimandshookherhead.thenshespoketohimingerman.thecounsellorsupposedfromthisthatshedidnotunderstanddanish;hethereforerepeatedhisrequestingerman.this,aswellashissingulardress,convincedthewomanthathewasaforeigner.shesoonunderstood,however,thathedidnotfindhimselfquitewell,andthereforebroughthimamugofwater.ithadsomethingofthetasteofseawater,certainly,althoughithadbeendrawnfromthewelloutside.thenthecounsellorleanedhisheadonhishand,drewadeepbreath,andponderedoverallthestrangethingsthathadhappenedtohim.

"isthatto-day'snumberoftheday?"heasked,quitemechanically,ashesawthewomanputtingbyalargepieceofpaper.shedidnotunderstandwhathemeant,butshehandedhimthesheet;itwasawoodcut,representingameteor,whichhadappearedinthetownofcologne.

"thatisveryold,"saidthecounsellor,becomingquitecheerfulatthesightofthisantiquedrawing."wheredidyougetthissingularsheet?itisveryinteresting,althoughthewholeaffairisarsareeasilyexplainedinthesedays;theyarenorthernlights,whichareoftenseen,andarenodoubtcausedbyelectricity."

thosewhosatnearhim,andheardwhathesaid,lookedathimingreatastonishment,andoneofthemrose,tookoffhishatrespectfully,andsaidinaveryseriousmanner,"youmustcertainlybeaverylearnedman,monsieur."

"ohno,"repliedthecounsellor;"icanonlydiscourseontopicswhicheveryoneshouldunderstand."

"modestiaisabeautifulvirtue,"saidtheman."moreover,imustaddtoyourspeechmihisecusvidetur;yetinthiscaseiwouldsuspendmyjudicium."

"mayiasktowhomihavethepleasureofspeaking?"

"iamabachelorofdivinity,"saidtheman.thisanswersatisfiedthecounsellor.thetitleagreedwiththedress.

"thisissurely,"thoughthe,"anoldvillageschoolmaster,aperfectoriginal,suchasonemeetswithsometimeseveninjutland."

"thisisnotcertainlyalocusdocendi,"begantheman;"stillimustbegyoutocontinuetheconversation.youmustbewellreadinancientlore."

"ohyes,"repliedthecounsellor;"iamveryfondofreadingusefuloldbooks,andmodernonesaswell,withtheexceptionofevery-daystories,ofwhichwereallyhavemorethanenough.

"every-daystories?"askedthebachelor.

"yes,imeanthenewnovelsthatwehaveatthepresentday."

"oh,"repliedtheman,withasmile;"andyettheyareverywitty,andaremuchreadatcourt.thekinglikesespeciallytheromanceofmesseursiffvenandgaudian,whichdescribeskingarthurandhisknightsoftheroundtable.hehasjokedaboutitwiththegentlemenofhiscourt."

"well,ihavecertainlynotreadthat,"repliedthecounsellor."isupposeitisquitenew,andpublishedbyheiberg."

"no,"answeredtheman,"itisnotbyheiberg;godfredvongehmanbroughtitout."

"oh,ishethepublisher?