Page:Fairy tales and stories (Andersen, Tegner).djvu/100

68 Foretell the future thus. Do you assent?

No answer! Then your silence is consent.

By way of recompense, with you I'll share

The hidden secrets which the wondrous cards lay bare.

Now we shall see what fate the cards foretell

For you, for me, for King and Country. Well! (He puts on the spectacles.)

Yes, it's quite true!—Ah, that's a funny sight!

I only wish that you could see it quite

As well as I! But what a lot of beaux.

And Queens of Hearts! Of these there are long rows,

The black ones over there are Clubs and Spades—

I soon shall see them all, both men and maids!

The Oueen of Spades, I see, has only eyes

For one, the Knave of Diamonds—a prize!

Oh, this inpection makes my head turn quite!

There's such a heap of money here to-night,

And strangers, too, from far across the seas!

Yes, but we do not wish to know such things as these

Of Nobles and of Commons!—Well, "The Times"—

But that I must not breathe of in my rhymes!

To injure that great paper I've no wish,

So I'll not take the best bone from the dish!

The theater, then? The latest play? But no!

The manager's my friend: 't is better so!

The future that awaits me? Ah! one's fate

Concerns oneself: one learns it soon or late.

What's this I see? In truth, I hardly know;

You'll see it when it happens. On I go!

Who's happiest among us here just now?

That I can tell you easily. I trow

The happiest is. No, it might embarrass,

And possibly the others it might harass!

Well—will this gentleman live longer than

The lady? That't were ruder still to scan!

Shall I, then, tell of ? No! of ? No! of ? No

Of ? Ah! I hardly know myself what I should show!

So easy 't is to wound, I'm quite put out.

Yet wait! I'll tell you what you think about

My powers of prophecy—no pains I'll spare!

You think—I beg your pardon? Everywhere

You think that, as my promise I have broke,

My undertaking only ends in smoke.

And so I hold my peace, most honored sirs and dames:

I'll own you may be right—but trust that no one blames.

The poem was excellently recited, and the reciter met with a great success. Among the audience was the student from the hospital, who appeared to have forgotten his adventure of the night before; he had