ng time
upon time. I was no hardened soul; my honourable nature rebelled
against such a low action. God be praised, I had raised myself in my
own estimation again! "Do as I have done!" I said to myself, looking
across the thronged market-place--"only just do as I have done!" I had
gladdened a poor old cake vendor to such good purpose that she was
perfectly dumbfounded. Tonight her children wouldn't go hungry to
bed.... I buoyed myself up with these reflections and considered that I
had behaved in a most exemplary manner. God be praised! The money was
out of my hands now!

Tipsy and nervous, I wandered down the street, and swelled with
satisfaction. The joy of being able to meet Ylajali cleanly and
honourably, and of feeling I could look her in the face, ran away with
me. I was not conscious of any pain. My head was clear and buoyant; it
was as if it were a head of mere light that rested and gleamed on my
shoulders. I felt inclined to play the wildest pranks, to do something
astounding, to set the whole town in a ferment. All up through
Graendsen I conducted myself like a madman. There was a buzzing in my
ears, and intoxication ran riot in my brains. The whim seized me to go
and tell my age to a commissionaire, who, by-the-way, had not addressed
a word to me; to take hold of his hands, and gaze impressively in his
face, and leave him again without any explanation. I distinguished
every nuance in the voice and laughter of the passers-by, observed some
little birds that hopped before me in the street, took to studying the
expression of the paving-stones, and discovered all sorts of tokens and
signs in them. Thus occupied, I arrive at length at Parliament Place. I
stand all at once stock-still, and look at the droskes; the drivers are
wandering about, chatting and laughing. The horses hang their heads and
cower in the bitter weather. "Go ahead!" I say, giving myself a dig
with my elbow. I went hurriedly over to the first vehicle, and got in.
"Ullevoldsveien, No. 37," I called out, and we rolled off.

On the way the driver looked round, stooped and peeped several times
into the trap, where I sat, sheltered underneath the hood. Had he, too,
grown suspicious? There was no doubt of it; my miserable attire had
attracted his attention.

"I want to meet a man," I called to him, in order to be beforehand with
him, and I explained gravely that I must really meet this man. We stop
outside 37, and I jump out, spring up the stairs r