IV.
Good fortune seldom comes singly. One morning Criminal and Court
Counsellor Bagger got, at his residence at Noerre Street, official
intelligence that from the first of next month he was transferred
to the King's Court, and in grace was promoted to be veritable
counsellor of justice there; rank, fourth-class, number three. As,
gratified by this friendly smile from above, he went out to repair
to the court-house, he met in the porch a postman, who delivered
him a letter. With thoughts yet busy with new title and court,
Counsellor Bagger broke the letter, but remained as if fixed to
the ground. In it he read:
"The high-seat pillars have come on shore.
"--'GEB.'--"
One says well, that a man's love or season of courtship lasts till
his thirtieth year, and after that time he is ambitious; but it is
not always so, and with Counsellor Bagger it was in all respects
the contrary. His ambition was already, if not fully reached, yet
in some degree satisfied. The faculty of love had not been at all
employed, and the letter came like a spark in a powder-cask; it
ran glowing through every nerve. The youthful half of his soul,
which had slept within him, wakened with such sudden,
revolutionary strength, that the other half soul, which until now
had borne rule, became completely subject; yes, so wholly, that
Counsellor Bagger went past the court-house and came down in
Court-house Street without noticing it. Suddenly he missed the big
building with the pillars and inscription: "With law shall Lands
be built;" looked around confused, and turned back.
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