But, heedless of
this, the student Anselmus, looking gloomily before him, blew forth
his smoky clouds into the air. His chagrin at length became audible,
and he said: "Of a truth, I am born to losses and crosses for my life
long! That in boyhood I never could become the King on Twelfthnight,
that at Odds or Evens I could never once guess the right way, that
my bread and butter always fell on the buttered side--of all these
sorrows I will not speak; but is it not a frightful destiny, that now,
when, in spite of Satan, I have become a student, I must still be a
jolthead as before? Do I ever put a new coat on, without the first day
smearing it with tallow, or on some ill-fastened nail or other tearing
a cursed hole in it? Do I ever bow to any Councilor or any lady,
without pitching the hat out of my hands, or even slipping on the
pavement, and shamefully going heels-over-head? Had I not, every
market-day, while in Halle, a regular sum of from three to four
groschen to pay for broken pottery, the Devil putting it into my head
to walk straight forward, like a leming-rat? Have I ever once got to
my college, or any place I was appointed to, at the right time? What
availed it that I set out half an hour before, and planted myself at
the door, with the knocker in my hand? Just as the clock is going to
strike, souse! some Devil pours a wash-basin down on me, or I bolt
against some fellow coming out, and get myself engaged in endless
quarrels till the time is clean gone.
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