O. T. a Danish Romance
CHAPTER I "Quod felix faustumque sit!" There is a happiness which no poet has yet properly sung, which no lady-reader, let her be ever so amiable, has experienced or ever will experience in this world. This is a condition of happiness which alone belongs to the male sex, and even then alone to the elect. It is a moment of life which seizes upon our feelings, our minds, our whole being. Tears have been shed by the innocent, sleepless nights been passed, during which the pious mother, the loving sister, have put up prayers to God for this critical moment in the life of the son or the brother. Happy moment, which no woman, let her be ever so good, so beautiful, or intellectual, can experience--that of becoming a student, or, to describe it by a more usual term, the passing of the first examination! The cadet who becomes an officer, the scholar who becomes an academical burgher, the apprentice who becomes a journeyman, all
"I have no doubt that you left Spain in consequence of political
events. If my father is sent there, as seems to be expected, we shall
be in a position to help you, and might be able to obtain your pardon,
in case you are under sentence."
"It is impossible for any one to help me," he replied.
"But," I said, "is that because you refuse to accept any help, or
because the thing itself is impossible?"
"Both," he said, with a bow, and in a tone which forbade continuing
the subject.
My father's blood chafed in my veins. I was offended by this haughty
demeanor, and promptly dropped Senor Henarez.
All the same, my dear, there is something fine in this rejection of
any aid. "He would not accept even our friendship," I reflected,
whilst conjugating a verb. Suddenly I stopped short and told him what
was in my mind, but in Spanish. Henarez replied very politely that
equality of sentiment was necessary between friends, which did not
exist in this case, and therefore it was useless to consider the
question.
"Do you mean equality in the amount of feeling on either side, or
CHAPTER I "Quod felix faustumque sit!" There is a happiness which no poet has yet properly sung, which no lady-reader, let her be ever so amiable, has experienced or ever will experience in this world. This is a condition of happiness which alone belongs to the male sex, and even then alone to the elect. It is a moment of life which seizes upon our feelings, our minds, our whole being. Tears have been shed by the innocent, sleepless nights been passed, during which the pious mother, the loving sister, have put up prayers to God for this critical moment in the life of the son or the brother. Happy moment, which no woman, let her be ever so good, so beautiful, or intellectual, can experience--that of becoming a student, or, to describe it by a more usual term, the passing of the first examination! The cadet who becomes an officer, the scholar who becomes an academical burgher, the apprentice who becomes a journeyman, all