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PETER SCHLEMIHL. 
 
PETER SCHLEMIHL 
 
 FROM THE GERMAN 
 
 LAMOTTE FOUQUE. 
 
 WITH PLATES BY GEORGE CEUICKSHANK. 
 
 There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, 
 Thai) are dreamt of in your philosophy." 
 
 SHAKSFEARE. 
 
 LONDON: 
 G. AND W. B. WHITTAKER; 
 
 AVK-MARIA LANE. 
 
 1824. 
 
LONDON: 
 fRINTED BY COX AND BAYLJS, GREAT QUEEN STREET. 
 

 NOTICE. 
 
 DELUNG said to me one day at Petersburgli 
 " Have you read Peter Schlemihl ?" " No." 
 If you read it, you will translate it." 
 I have translated it. 
 
 The story is a moral one. I leave its develop- 
 ment to my readers. It would be little flattering 
 to them to suspect they required my assistance, 
 in order to discover the obvious lessons it con- 
 veys. 
 
 I have not scrupled to introduce a few verbal 
 alterations ; but the deviations from the original 
 are very trifling. 
 
 THE TRANSLATOR, 
 
 A 3 
 
TO MY FRIEND WANGNER ! 
 
 COME to the land of shadows for awhile, 
 
 And seek for truth and wisdom ! Here below, 
 
 In the dark misty paths of fear and woe, 
 
 We weary out our souls and waste our toil ; 
 
 But if we harvest in, the richer soil 
 
 Of towering thoughts where holy breezes blow, 
 
 And everlasting flowers in beauty smile 
 
 No disappointment shall the labourer know. 
 
 Methought I saw a fair and sparkling gem 
 In this rude casket but thy shrewder eye, 
 WANGNER ! a jewelled coronet could descry. 
 Take then the bright, unreal diadem ! 
 Worldlings may doubt and smile insultingly, 
 The hidden stores of truth are not. for them. 
 
AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTION. 
 
 You forget nobody, and surely you must 
 remember one Peter Schlemihl, whom you now 
 and then met at my house in former days ; a long- 
 shanked fellow, who had the credit of aukward- 
 ness because he was unpolished, and whose neg- 
 ligence gave him an air of habitual laziness. I 
 loved him you cannot have forgotten, Edward, 
 how often, in the spring-time of our youth, he 
 was the subject of our rhymes. Once I recol- 
 
X AUTHORS INTRODUCTION. 
 
 lect introducing him to a poetical tea-party, 
 where he fell asleep while I was writing, even 
 without waiting to hear any thing read. And that 
 brings to my mind a witty thing you said about 
 him 3 you had often seen him, heaven knows 
 where and when, in an old black kurtlca,* which 
 in fact he always wore, and you declared " he 
 would be a lucky fellow if his soul were half as 
 immortal as his kurtka !" So little did you value 
 him. I loved him, I repeat; and to this Schlemihl, 
 whom I had not seen for many a year, we owe 
 the following sheets. To you, Edward, to you 
 only, my nearest, dearest friend my better self, 
 from whom I can hide no secret, to you I commit 
 them ; to you only, and of course to Fouque, 
 
 * A frock coat. 
 
AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTION. xi 
 
 who, like yourself, is rooted in my soul but to 
 him as a friend alone, and not as a poet. You 
 can easily imagine, how unpleasant it would 
 be to me, if the secret reposed by an honourable 
 man, confiding in my esteem and sincerity, 
 should be exposed in the pillory of an epopee, 
 or in any way distorted, as if some miserable 
 witling had engendered unnatural and impossi- 
 ble things. Indeed, I must frankly own it is a 
 very shame that a history, which another cleverer 
 hand might have exhibited in all its comic force, 
 has been reduced to mere insipidity by our good 
 man's pen. What -would not John Paul Richter 
 have made of it ! In a w r ord, my dear friend, 
 
 many who are yet alive may be named, but 
 
 One word more on the way in which these 
 leaves came into my hands. Yesterday morning 
 
*" AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTION. 
 
 early as soon as I was upthey were presented 
 to me. A strange man with a long grey beard, 
 wearing a black, worn-out kurtka, with a botanical 
 ease suspended at his side, and slippers over his 
 boots, on account of the damp, rainy weather, 
 inquired after me, and left these papers behind 
 him. He pretended he came from Berlin. 
 
PETER SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 AT last, after a fortunate, but to me 
 most tedious passage, we reached our des- 
 tined haven. As soon as the boat had 
 landed me on the shore I loaded myself 
 with my little possessions, and forcing my 
 way through the swarming crowd, en- 
 tered the first and meanest house distin- 
 guished by a sign-board. I ordered a 
 chamber ; the waiter measured we with 
 a glance, and sent me up to the garret. 
 I ordered fresh water, and inquired for 
 the abode of Mr. Thomas Jones. Near 
 B 
 
2 
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 the North gate, the first country house on 
 the right-hand side j a large new house 
 of red and white marble, supported by 
 many pillars." Well : it was yet early ; 
 I opened my bundle, laid out my. newly- 
 turned black coat, clad myself in my 
 sprucest garments, put my letter of in- 
 troduction into my pocket, and bent my 
 way to the man, who, I modestly hoped, 
 was destined to befriend me. 
 
 After I had gone through the long 
 North-street, and reached the gate, I saw 
 the columns glimmering through the 
 green trees. It is here, then," I thought. 
 I wiped the dust from my feet with my 
 pocket handkerchief, arranged my cravat, 
 and rung the belL The door flew open; the 
 servants narrowly examined me in the hall, 
 but the porter at last announced me, and 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 3 
 
 I had the honour to be summoned into the 
 park, where Mr. Jones was walking with a 
 small company. I knew him instantly by 
 his portly self-complacency. He received 
 me tolerably well as a rich man is wont 
 to receive a poor dependent devil ; locked 
 towards me, but without turning from the 
 rest of the company, and took from me 
 the letter I held in my hand. " Aye, aye ! 
 from my brother ; I have not heard from 
 him a long time. Is he well? There" he 
 continued, addressing the company without 
 waiting for an answer, and pointed with the 
 letter to a hill, " There I have ordered a 
 new building to be erected/' He broke 
 the seal, but not the conversation, of which 
 wealth became the subject. He who 
 is not the master of at least a million," he 
 
 interposed, " is, forgive the expression, is 
 B 2 
 
4 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 a ragamuffin." That is true, indeed// 
 exclaimed I, with full, overflowing feeling. 
 He must have been pleased with the ex- 
 pression of my concurrence, for he smiled 
 on me, and said, Remain here, young 
 friend : I shall perhaps have time to tell 
 you, by and bye, what I think of it." He 
 pointed to the letter, put it into his pocket, 
 and turned again to the company. He then 
 offered his arm to a young lady ; other 
 gentlemen were busied with other fair 
 ones ; every one found some one to whom 
 he attached himself, and they walked to- 
 wards the rose-encircled hill. 
 
 I lingered idly behind, for not a soul 
 deemed me worthy of notice. The com- 
 pany was extremely cheerful, jocular, and 
 witty ; they spoke seriously of trifles, and 
 triflingly of serious matters; and I ob- 
 served they unconcernedly directed their 
 
SCHLEM-HL. > 
 
 satires against the persons and the situa- 
 tions of absent friends. I was too great a 
 stranger to understand much of these dis- 
 cussions ; too much distressed and self-re- 
 tired to enter into the full merit of these 
 enigmas. 
 
 We reached the rose-grove. The lovely 
 Fanny, the queen, as it seemed, of the 
 day, was capricious enough to wish to 
 gather for herself a blooming branch \ a 
 thorn pricked her, and a stream, as bright 
 as if from damask roses, flowed over her 
 delicate hand. This accident put the whole 
 company in motion. English court-plais- 
 ter was instantly inquired after. A silent, 
 meagre, pale, tall elderly man, who stood 
 next to me, and whom I had not before 
 observed, instantly put his hand into the 
 close-fitting breast-pocket of his old 
 B 3 
 
" SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 fashioned, grey taffetan coat/ took out a 
 small pocket-book, opened it, and with a 
 lowly bow gave the lady what she had 
 wished for ; she took it without any atten- 
 tion to the giver, and without a word of 
 thanks. The wound was bound up, and 
 they ascended the hill, from whose brow 
 they admired the wide prospect over the 
 park's green labyrinth, extending even to 
 the immeasurable ocean. 
 
 It was indeed a grand and noble sight. 
 A light speck appeared on the horizon be- 
 tween the dark waters and the azure heaven. 
 " A telescope, here !" cried the merchant ; 
 and before any one from the crowds of 
 servants appeared to answer his call, the 
 grey man, as if he had been applied to, 
 had already put his hand into his coat- 
 pocket : he had taken from it a beautiful 
 
SCHLEMIHL. / 
 
 Dollond, and handed it over to Mr. Jones ; 
 who, as soon as he had raised it to his eye, 
 informed the company that it was the ship 
 which had sailed yesterday, driven back by 
 contrary winds. The telescope passecf 
 from hand to hand, but never again reach- 
 ed that of its owner. I, however, looked 
 on the old man with astonishment, not 
 conceiving how the large machine had 
 come out of the tiny pocket. Nobody else 
 seemed surprised, and they appeared to 
 care no more about the grey man than 
 about me. 
 
 Refreshments were produced ; the rarest 
 fruits of every climate, served in the 
 richest dishes. Mr. Jones did the honours 
 with easy, dignified politeness, and for 
 the second time directed his discourse to 
 me : Eat then, you did not get this in 
 B 4 
 
8 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 your voyage." I bowed, but he did not 
 observe me : he was talking to somebody 
 else. 
 
 They would willingly have remained 
 longer on the sod of the sloping hill, and 
 have stretched themselves over the out- 
 spread turf, had they not feared its damp- 
 ness. " Now it would be enchanting/' 
 said somebody of the company, " if we 
 had Turkey carpets to spread here." The 
 wish was hardly expressed ere the man in 
 the grey coat had put his hand into his 
 pocket, and with modest, even humble 
 demeanour, began to draw out a rich em- 
 broidered Turkey carpet. It was received 
 by the attendants as a matter of course, and 
 laid down on the appointed spot. Without 
 further ceremony the company took their 
 jstand upon it. I looked with new surprise 
 

 SCHLEMIHL, 
 
 on the man, the pocket, and the carpet, 
 which was above twenty paces long, and ten 
 broad. I rubbed my eyes, not knowing 
 what to think, and especially as nobody 
 else seemed moved by what had passed. 
 
 I longed to learn something about the 
 man, and to inquire who he was : but I 
 knew not to whom to apply, for I really 
 was more afraid of the gentlemen-servants 
 than of the gentlemen served. I mustered 
 up my spirits at last, and addressed my- 
 self to a young man who seemed less 
 pretending than the rest, and who had 
 oftener been left to himself. I gently 
 asked him, who that courteous gentleman 
 was in grey clothes. "Who? he that 
 looks like an end of thread blown away 
 from a tailor's needle ?" " Yes, he that 
 stands alone." " I do not know him/' he 
 B 5 
 
10 SCHLEMIHL, 
 
 answered ; and^ determined, as it seemed, 
 to break off the discussion with me, turned 
 away, and entered on a trifling conversa^ 
 tion with somebody else* 
 
 The sun now began to shine more in- 
 tensely, and to annoy the ladies. The 
 lovely Fanny carelessly addressed the grey 
 man, whom, as far as I know, nobody had 
 addressed before, with the frivolous ques^ 
 tion : had he a marquee ?" He answered 
 with so low a reverence, as if feeling an un- 
 deserved honour had been done him ; his 
 hand was already in his pocket, fron 
 whence I perceived canvas, bars, ropes, 
 iron-work every thing, in a word, belong- 
 ing to the most sumptuous tent, issuing 
 forth. The young men helped to erect it $ 
 it 'covered the whole extent of the carpet, 
 and no one appeared to consider all this as 
 at all extraordinary. 
 
SCHLEMIHL. II 
 
 If my mind was confused, nay terrified, 
 with these proceedings, how was I over- 
 powered when the next-breathed wish 
 brought from his pocket three riding 
 horses. I tell you, three noble, valiant 
 steeds, with saddles and appurtenances ! 
 Imagine for a moment, I pray you, three 
 saddled horses from the same pocket which 
 had before produced a pocket-book, a te- 
 lescope, an ornamented carpet twenty 
 paces long and ten broad, a pleasure-tent 
 of the same size, with bars and iron- work! 
 If I did not solemnly assure you that I had 
 seen it, with my own eyes, you would cer- 
 tainly doubt the narrative. 
 
 Though there was so much of embar- 
 rassment and humility in the man, and he 
 excited so little attention, yet his appear- 
 ance to me had in it something so appal- 
 B 6 
 
12 SCHLKM1HL, 
 
 ling, that I was not able to turn away my 
 eyes from him. At last I could bear it no 
 longer. 
 
 I determined to steal away from the 
 company ; and this was easy for one 
 who had acted a part so little conspicuous. 
 I wished to hasten back to the city, and to 
 return in pursuit of my fortune the follow- 
 ing morning to Mr. J., and, if I could 
 muster up courage enough, to inquire 
 something about the extraordinary grey 
 man. Oh, had I been thus privileged to 
 escape ! 
 
 I had hastily glided through the rose- 
 grove, descended the hill, and found my- 
 self on a wide grass plot, when alarmed 
 with the apprehension of being discover- 
 ed wandering from the beaten path, I look 
 ed around me with enquiring apprehen- 
 sion. How I was startled when saw I the 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 13 
 
 old man in the grey coat behind, and ad- 
 vancing towards me ! He immediately took 
 off his hat, and bowed to me more pro- 
 foundly than any one had ever done be- 
 fore. It was clear he wished to address 
 me, and without extreme rudeness I could 
 not avoid him. I in my turn uncovered 
 myself, made my obeisance, and stood still 
 with a bare head, in the sunshine, as if 
 rooted there. I shook with terror while I 
 saw him approach : I felt like a bird fas- 
 cinated by a rattlesnake. He appeared 
 sadly perplexed, kept his eyes on the 
 ground, made several bows, approached 
 nearer, and with 3c , low and trembling 
 voice, as if he were asking alms, thus 
 accosted me: 
 
 " Will the gentleman forgive the in- 
 trusion of one who has stopt him in this 
 
14 SCHIJSMIHL. 
 
 unusual way ? I have a request to make, 
 but pray pardon../' " In the name of 
 heaven, Sir 5" I cried out in my anguish, 
 " what can I do for one who " We both 
 started back, and methought both blushed 
 deeply. 
 
 After a momentary silence he again 
 began : "During the short time when I en- 
 joyed the happiness of being near you, I ob- 
 served, Sir, will you allow me to say so 
 I observed, with unutterable astonishment, 
 the beautiful, beautiful shadow in the sun, 
 which with a certain noble contempt, and 
 perhaps without being aware of it, you 
 threw off from your feet ; forgive me this, 
 I confess, too daring intrusion, should you 
 be inclined to transfer it to me ?" 
 
 He was silent, and my head turned 
 round like a water-wheel/ What could I 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 15 
 
 make of this singular proposal for dispos- 
 ing of my shadow ? He is crazy ! thought 
 I ; and with an altered tone, yet more for- 
 cible, as contrasted with the humility of 
 his own, I replied : 
 
 " How is this, good friend? Is not your 
 own shadow enough for you ? This seems 
 to me a whimsical sort of bargain in- 
 deed !" He began again, I have in my 
 pocket many matters which might not be 
 quite unacceptable to the gentleman ; for 
 this invaluable shadow I deem any price 
 too little." 
 
 A chill came over me : I remembered 
 what I had seen, and knew not how to 
 address him whom I had just ventured to 
 call my good friend. I spoke again, and 
 assumed an extraordinary courtesy to set 
 matters in order. 
 
16 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 " Pardon, sir, pardon your most hum- 
 ble servant, I do not quite understand 
 your meaning; how can my shadow " 
 He interrupted me : " I only beg your per- 
 mission to be allowed to lift up your noble 
 shadow, and put it in my pocket : how to 
 do it is my own affair. As a proof of 
 my gratitude for the gentleman, I leave 
 him the choice of all the jewels which 
 my pocket affords; the genuine divining 
 rods, mandrake roots, change pennies, 
 money-extractors, the napkins of Rolan- 
 do's Squire, and divers other miracle- 
 workers, a choice assortment ; but all 
 this is not fit for you better that you 
 should have Fortunatus's wishing-cap, re- 
 stored spick and span new; and also a 
 fortune-bag which belonged to him/' 
 " Fortunatus's fortune-bag !" exclaimed 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 17 
 
 I ; and, great as had been my terror, all 
 my senses were now enraptured by the 
 sound. I became dizzy, and nothing but 
 double ducats seemed sparkling before my 
 eyes. 
 
 " Condescend, sir, to inspect and make 
 a trial of this bag." He put his hand into 
 his pocket, and drew from it a moderately 
 sized, firmly-stitched purse of thick cordo- 
 van, with two convenient leather cords 
 hanging to it, which he presented to me. 
 I instantly dipped into it, drew from it 
 ten pieces of gold, and ten more, and ten 
 more, and yet ten more ; I stretched out 
 my hand. Done ! the bargain is made ; 
 I give you my shadow for your purse/' 
 He grasped my hand, kneeled down 
 behind me, and with wonderful dexterity 
 [ perceived him loosening my shadow 
 
18 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 from the ground from head to foot; he 
 
 lifted it up; he rolled it together and 
 folded it, and at last put it into his pocket. 
 He then stood erect, bowed to me again, 
 and returned back to the rose grove. I 
 thought I heard him laughing softly to 
 himself. I held, however, the purse tight 
 by its strings the earth was sun-bright 
 all around me and my senses were still 
 wholly confused. 
 
CHAP. IL 
 
 AT last I came to myself, and has- 
 tened from a place, where apparently I 
 had nothing more to do. I first filled my 
 pockets with gold, then firmly secured 
 the strings of the purse round my neck, 
 taking care to conceal the purse itself 
 in my bosom. I left the park unno- 
 ticed, reached the high road, and bent my 
 way to the town. I was walking thought- 
 fully towards the gate, when I heard a 
 voice behind me : " Holla ! young Squire ! 
 holla ! don't you hear ?" I looked round 
 an old woman was calling after me j 
 
20 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 " Take care, sir, take care you have lost 
 your shadow !" " Thanks, good woman." 
 I threw her a piece of gold for her 
 well-meant counsel, and walked away un- 
 der the trees. 
 
 At the gate I was again condemned to 
 hear from the sentinel, " where has the 
 gentleman left his shadow?" and imme- 
 diately afterwards a couple of women ex- 
 claimed, good heavens ! the poor fellow 
 has no shadow !" I began to be vexed, 
 and carefully avoided walking in the sun. 
 This I could not always do : for instance, 
 in the Broad-street, where I was next 
 compelled to cross ; and as ill luck would 
 have it, at the very moment when the 
 boys were being released from school. 
 A confounded hunch-backed vagabond I 
 see him at this moment, had observed 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 21 
 
 that I wanted a shadow. He instantly be- 
 gan to bawl out to the young tyros of the 
 suburbs, \vho first criticized me, and then 
 bespattered me with mud : " Respectable 
 people are accustomed to carry their 
 shadows with them when they go into 
 the sun/' I scattered handfuls of gold 
 among them to divert their attention 5 and 
 with the assistance of some compassionate 
 souls, sprung into a hackney coach. 
 
 As soon as I found myself alone in the 
 rolling vehicle, I began to weep bitterly. 
 My inward emotion suggested to me, that 
 even as in this world gold weighs down 
 both merit and virtue, so a shadow might 
 possibly be more valuable than gold 
 itself; and that, as I had sacrificed my 
 riches to my integrity on other occa- 
 sions, so now I had given up my shadow 
 
22 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 for mere wealth ; and what ought, what 
 could become of me ? 
 
 I continued still sadly discomposed, 
 when the coach stopped before the old 
 tavern. I was shocked at the thought of 
 again entering that vile garret. I sent 
 for my baggage, took up the miserable 
 bundle with contempt, threw them some 
 pieces of gold, and ordered to be driven 
 to the principal hotel. The house faced 
 the north, so I had nothing to fear from 
 the sun. I dismissed the driver with gold, 
 selected the best front room, and locked 
 myself in as soon as possible. 
 
 And how do you imagine I employed 
 myself ? Oh ! my beloved Chamisso, I 
 blush to confess it even to you. I drew 
 forth the luckless purse from my bosom^ 
 and impelled by a sort of madness which 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 23 
 
 burned and spread within me like a fu- 
 rious conflagration, I shook out gold, and 
 gold, and gold, and still more gold ; 
 strewed it over the floor, trampled on it, 
 made it tinkle, and feasting my weak 
 senses in the glitter and the sound, I 
 added pile to pile, till I sunk exhausted on 
 the golden bed. I rolled about and wal- 
 lowed in delicious delirium. And so the 
 day passed by, and so the evening. My door 
 remained unopened, and night found me 
 still reposing on the gold, when sleep at 
 length overcame me. 
 
 Then I dreamed of you. I fancied I was 
 standing close to the glass door of your 
 little apartment, and saw you sitting at 
 your work-table, between a skeleton and 
 a parcel of dried plants. Haller, Hum- 
 boldt, and Linne lay open before you ; 
 
24 
 
 SCHLEMJHL. 
 
 on your sofa were a volume of Gothe, and 
 The Magic Ring* I looked at you for 
 a long time, then at every thing around 
 you, and then at you again; but you moved 
 not you breathed not you were dead. 
 
 I awoke : it seemed to be yet early- my 
 watch had stopped; I felt as if I had 
 been bastinadoed yet both hungry and 
 thirsty, for since the previous morning I 
 had eaten nothing. With weariness and 
 disgust I pushed away from me the gold, 
 which but a little time before had sa- 
 tiated my foolish heart: I now in my 
 perplexity knew not how to dispose of it. 
 But it could not remain there. I tried to 
 put it again into the purse no ; none of 
 my windows opened upon the sea. I 
 
 * Another Novel of Fouque. 
 
SCHLEMIHJU 25 
 
 was obliged to content myself by drag- 
 ging it with immense labour and diffi- 
 culty to a large cupboard, which stood in 
 a recess, where I packed it up. I left only 
 a few handfuls lying 1 about. When I had 
 finished my labour, I sat down exhaust- 
 ed in an arm-chair, and waited till the 
 people of the house began to stir. I or- 
 dered breakfast, and the presence of the 
 landlord, as soon as practicable. 
 
 With this man I arranged the future ma- 
 nagement of my household. He recom- 
 mended tome for my personal servant a cer- 
 tain Bendelj whose honest and intelligent 
 countenance instantly interested me. It 
 was he, who from that moment accompa- 
 nied me through life with sympathizing at- 
 tachment, and shared with me my gloomy 
 destiny. I passed the whole day in my 
 
26 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 apartments with servants out of place, 
 shoemakers, tailors, and shop-keepers ; 
 I provided myself with all necessaries and 
 bought large quantities of jewels and pre- 
 cious stones, merely to get rid of some 
 of my piles of gold; but it seemed scarcely 
 possible to diminish the heap. 
 
 Meanwhile I contemplated my situation 
 with most anxious doubts. I dared not 
 venture one step from my door, and at 
 evening ordered forty wax-lights to be kin- 
 dled in my saloon, before I left the dark 
 chamber. I thought with horror of the 
 dreadful scene with the school-boys, and 
 determined, whatever it might cost, once 
 more to sound public opinion. The moon, 
 at this season, illumined the night. Late 
 at evening I threw a wide cloak around 
 me, pulled down my hat over my eyes, 
 and glided out of the house trembling like 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 27 
 
 a criminal. I walked first along the sha- 
 dows of the houses to a remote open place ; 
 I then abandoned their protection, stepped 
 out into the moonshine, resolved to learn 
 my destiny from the lips of the passers-by 
 But spare me, my friend, the painful 
 repetition of what I was condemned to 
 undergo ! The deepest pity seemed to in- 
 spire the fairer sex ; but my soul was not 
 less wounded by this than by the con- 
 tumely of the young, the proud disdain 
 of the old, especially of those stout and 
 well-fed men, whose dignified shadows 
 seemed to do them honour, A lovely 
 graceful maiden, apparently accompanying 
 her parents, who seemed not to look beyond 
 their own footsteps, accidentally fixed her 
 sparkling eyes upon me. She obviously 
 started as she remarked my shadowless 
 c 2 
 
28 
 
 SCHULMIHL. 
 
 figure ; she hid her beautiful face beneath 
 her veil, hung down her head, and pass- 
 ed silently on. 
 
 I could bear it no longer. Salt streams 
 burst forth from my eyes, and with a 
 broken heart I hurried tremblingly back 
 into darkness. I was obliged to grope 
 along by the houses, in order to feel my 
 steps secure, and slowly and late I reach- 
 ed my dwelling. 
 
 The night was a sleepless one. My 
 first care at daybreak was to order the 
 man in the grey coat to be every where 
 sought for. Perchance I might be lucky- 
 enough to discover him and what a bliss ! 
 if he as well as I repented of our fool- 
 ish bargain. I sent for Bendel ; he seem- 
 ed both apt and active. I described to 
 him minutely the man who held in his 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 29 
 
 possession that treasure, without which 
 life was but a torment to me, I told him 
 the time, the place where I had seen 
 him; particularized to him all the per- 
 sons who could assist his inquiries; and 
 added, that he should especially ask after 
 a Dollond's telescope, a gold embroidered 
 Turkish carpet, a superb tent, and also 
 the black riding horses ; whose history, 
 without stating how, was closely connect- 
 ed with that of the unintelligible man, 
 whom nobody seemed to notice, and 
 whose appearance had destroyed the peace 
 and happiness of my life. 
 
 When I had done, I brought out as 
 much gold as I was able to carry. I laid 
 jewels and precious stones to a still greater 
 amount upon the pile. " Bendel," I said, 
 -" this levels many a path, and make* 
 c3 
 
30 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 many a difficult thing easy ; be not spar- 
 ing,. you know I am not; but go and 
 rejoice your master with the information, 
 on which his only hopes are built/* 
 
 He went he returned and returned 
 late and sorrowful. None of the mer- 
 chant's servants, none of his guests he 
 had spoken to all knew any thing about 
 the man in the grey coat. The new te- 
 lescope was there, but they were all 
 ignorant from whence it came. The tent 
 and the carpet were extended on the same 
 hill ; the lackeys boasted of their mas- 
 ter's magnificence : but none knew from 
 whence these new valuables had come. 
 They had administered to his pleasures; 
 and he did not disturb his rest to inquire 
 into their origin. The horses were in 
 the stalls of the young men who had 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 31 
 
 rode them ; and they lauded the gene- 
 rosity of the merchant, who had that day 
 requested they would keep them as pre- 
 sents. Such was the light that Bendel 
 threw upon this extraordinary history, 
 and for this fruitless result received my 
 grateful thanks. I beckoned gloomily to 
 him that he should leave me alone. 
 
 But he resumed : I have informed you, 
 Sir, of every thing connected with the 
 affair which most interests you. I have 
 also a message to deliver, which a per- 
 son gave to me this morning early, whom 
 I met at the door, while I was going out 
 on the business in which I have been so 
 unfortunate. His own words were, c say 
 to Mr. Peter Schlemihl, he will see me 
 here no more, as I am going to cross the 
 ea ; and a favourable wind beckons me to 
 c 4 
 
32 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 the haven. But after a year arid a day I 
 shall have the honour to seek him out, 
 and perhaps to propose to him another 
 arrangement which may then be to his 
 liking. Remember me most obediently 
 to him, and assure him of my thanks.' 1 
 asked him who he was : and he replied, 
 that you knew/' 
 
 What was the man's appearance ?" 
 I cried full of forebodings. And Bendel 
 described the man in the grey coat, feature 
 by feature, word for word, precisely as he 
 had depicted him, when inquiring about 
 him. 
 
 " Miserable mortal !" exclaimed I, 
 wringing my hands, it was he ! it was 
 he himself !" He looked as if scales had 
 fallen from his eyes. " Yes, it was he, 
 it was indeed he!" he cried out in ago- 
 
S'CHLEMIHL. 00 
 
 ny ; " and I, silly, deluded one, I did not 
 know him I did not know him, I have 
 betrayed my master." 
 
 He broke out into the loudest reproaches 
 against himself, He wept bitterly; his 
 despair could not but excite my pity. I 
 ministered consolation to him; assured him 
 again and again that I did not doubt his 
 fidelity, and sent him instantly to the ha- 
 ven, to follow the strange man's steps if 
 possible. But, on that very morning, 
 many vessels which had been kept by 
 contrary winds back in port, had put to 
 sea; all destined to distant lands and 
 other climes; the grey man had dis- 
 appeared, trackless as a shade. 
 
CHAP. III. 
 
 OF what use would wings be to him who 
 is fast bound in iron fetters ? He must still 
 despair, and despair with deeper melan- 
 choly. I lay like Taffner by his strong 
 hold, far removed from any earthly con- 
 solation, starving in the midst of riches. 
 They gave me no enjoyment ; I cursed 
 them ; they had cut me off from man- 
 kind. Concealing my gloomy secret with- 
 in me, I trembled before the meanest of 
 my servants, whom I could not but envy : 
 for he had his shadow, and could show 
 himself in the sun. Alone in my apart- 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 35 
 
 ments, I mourned through harassing days 
 and nights, and anguish fed upon my 
 heart. 
 
 One individual was constantly sorrowing 
 under my eyes. My faithful Bendel ceased 
 not to torment himself with silent reproach 
 that he had deceived the confidence of 
 his generous master, and had not recog- 
 nized him whom he was sent to seek, 
 and with whom my mournful fate seemed 
 strongly intertwined, I could not blame 
 him : I recognized too well in that 
 event the mysterious nature of the un- 
 known being. 
 
 But, to leave nothing untried, I sent 
 Bendel with a costly brilliant ring to the 
 most celebrated painter in the city, re- 
 questing he would pay me a visit. He 
 c 6 
 
36 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 came I ordered away my servants lock- 
 ed the door sat myself by him; and 
 after praising his art, I came with a 
 troubled spirit to the great disclosure, hav- 
 ing first enjoined on him the strictest 
 secresy. 
 
 Mr. Professor/' I began, " can you 
 paint a false shadow for one, who in the 
 most luckless way in the world has lost 
 his own?" You mean a reflected sha- 
 dow?" To be sure/' But/' here- 
 joined, " through what awkwardness, or 
 what negligence, could he lose his own 
 shadow ?" . How it happened/' replied 
 \j " that does not matter, but " I im- 
 pudently began again with a lie, " last 
 winter, -when he was travelling in Russia, 
 li froze so severely, during the extraordi- 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 37 
 
 nary cold, that his shadow was frozen 
 to the ground, and it was impossible for 
 him to get it free." 
 
 " And I," said the professor, " could 
 only make him a sheet shadow, which he 
 would be apt to lose again on the slight- 
 est motion ; especially for one whose ge- 
 nuine shadow was so badly fixed, as must 
 be inferred from your account ; the simplest 
 and wisest determination for him who has 
 no shadow, is not to go in the sun." He 
 stood up and walked away, after having 
 sent through me a piercing glance which 
 mine could not endure. I sunk back on 
 my chair, and veiled my face with my 
 hands. 
 
 Thus Bendel found me when he entered. 
 He saw his master's sorrow, and wanted 
 silently and respectfully to turn back. 
 
38 
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 I raised my eyes : the weight of my grief 
 was upon me I determined to divide it. 
 " Bendel !" I called to him : Bendel ! 
 you, who alone see and respect my suffer- 
 ings, not curiously prying into them, 
 but secretly and devotedly sharing them 
 with me come to me, Bendel, be the 
 nearest to my heart. The stores of my 
 gold I have not concealed from you : from 
 you I will not hide the store of my an- 
 guish. Bendel, forsake me not. You 
 know I am wealthy, kind, and generous, 
 and perhaps you think for that the world 
 should honour me : but you see I shun 
 the world ; I hide myself from its obser- 
 vation. Bendel, the world has judged 
 me and condemned me and Bendel, 
 too, perhaps, will turn from me when 
 he possesses my dreadful secret. Ben- 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 39 
 
 del ! I am indeed rich, liberal, and inde- 
 pendent, but heavens ! I have no sha- 
 dow !" 
 
 " No shadow !" echoed the good young 
 man in an agony, while bright tears broke 
 from his eyelids ; " Alas ! alas ! that I 
 should have been born to serve a sha- 
 dowless master !" He was silent, and I 
 hid my face in my hands. 
 
 At last I tremblingly said, " Bendel ! you 
 have now my confidence betray it if you 
 will away ! and bear witness against me." 
 He seemed struggling with internal emo- 
 tion ; he threw himself at my feet, seized 
 my hand, and bathed it with his tears. 
 " No/' he cried, " let the world say what 
 it may, I will not leave my good master 
 for the sake of a shadow ; I will do what 
 is right, and not what is prudent : I will 
 
40 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 remain with you, I will lend you my sha- 
 dow ; I will help you where I can ; I will 
 weep with you/' I fell on his neck, over- 
 come with such an unexpected self-de- 
 votion. I felt assured he did nothing for 
 the sake of gold. 
 
 From that moment my fate and my 
 mode of life were somewhat changed. 
 It is indescribable how carefully Bendel 
 sought to cover my defects. He was ever 
 before me and with me, foreseeing every 
 thing, arranging every thing, and where 
 unexpected danger threatened, covering 
 me with his shadow, for he was fortunately 
 taller and stouter than I. Again I min- 
 gled with mankind and acted my part in 
 the scenes of the world. It was neces 
 *ary to assume much singularity and queer- 
 ness, but these sit well upon a rich man, 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 41 
 
 and while the truth lay concealed, I en- 
 joyed all the honour and esteem to 
 which wealth has a claim. I looked with 
 more calmness on the advancing year and 
 day, whose close was to bring with them 
 the visit of the mysterious unknown, 
 
 I was well aware that I could not re- 
 main long in the place where I had been 
 seen without a shadow, and where I might 
 so easily be betrayed; and I thought 
 perhaps more on this remembering how I 
 had first shown myself to the merchant, 
 which was now a sad recollection to me ; 
 consequently I would only make an expe- 
 riment here, that I might learn how to 
 introduce myself hereafter with more ease 
 and confidence; nevertheless it happened 
 that I was momentarily bound down by 
 
42 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 my vanity ; which is the firm ground in 
 man where the anchor fixes itself. 
 
 The beautiful Fanny, whom I again met 
 in another situation, bestowed on me some 
 attention, without recollecting that she had 
 seen me before ; for now I had both wit 
 and understanding. When I talked, all 
 listened, and I could not imagine when or 
 how I had acquired the talent of leading 
 and directing the conversation. The im- 
 pression which I perceived I had pro- 
 duced on the fair one, made me, as she 
 would have me, a very fool ; and from 
 this time I pursued her, where only I 
 could pursue her, through shades and 
 twilight. I was vain enough to make 
 her vain of me ; yet I could not suc- 
 ceed, notwithstanding all my efforts to 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 43 
 
 drive the intoxication from my head to my 
 heart. 
 
 But why enter upon the details of an 
 every-day story ? You know, and have 
 often told me, how other wealthy people 
 spend their days. From an old well-known 
 drama, in which I, out of mere good-hu- 
 mour, was playing a hacknied part, arose 
 a singular and incredible catastrophe, un- 
 expected by me, or Fanny, or anybody. 
 
 According to my custom, one lovely 
 evening I had assembled a large com- 
 pany in an illuminated garden. I was 
 wandering about with my divinity arm in 
 arm, separated from the rest of the 
 guests, and endeavouring to amuse her 
 with well-timed conversation ; she looked 
 modestly towards the grouud, and gen- 
 tly returned the pressure of my hand. 
 
44 
 
 SCHLEMJHL. 
 
 At this moment the moon unexpectedly 
 burst through the clouds : her shadow 
 alone was there, she started, looked 
 alarmed at me, then at the earth, as 
 if her eyes were asking 1 for my sha- 
 dow; all her emotions were painted so 
 faithfully on her countenance, that I 
 should have burst into a loud laugh, had 
 I not felt an icy chillness creeping over 
 me. 
 
 She sunk down from my arms in a 
 swoon. I flew like an arrow through 
 the alarmed company, reached the door^ 
 threw myself into the first coach I 
 found waiting there, and hurried back to 
 the city, where, to my misfortune, I had 
 left the foresighted Bendel. He was 
 startled at seeing me a word told alL 
 Post-horses were instantly ordered. I took 
 
SCHLEMIHt, 
 
 45 
 
 only one of my servants with me, an in- 
 terested villain called Rascal, who had 
 learnt to make himself useful by his dex- 
 terity, and who could suspect nothing 
 of what had occurred. We travelled 
 a hundred miles before night. Ben- 
 del was left behind to dismiss my 
 household, to distribute my money by 
 paying my debts, and to bring away what 
 was most necessary. When he overtook 
 me the next day, 1 threw myself into his 
 arms, solemnly promising to commit no 
 farther folly, but to be more discreet in 
 future. We continued our journey with- 
 out interruption, passing over the chain 
 of mountains which formed the frontier, 
 and only when on the descent, and sepa- 
 rated by the high bastions from the 
 land so fatal to my peace, did I allow my- 
 
46 SCHLBMIHL. 
 
 self to be comforted, and hastened away 
 to a watering place in the vicinity, where 
 I sought repose from my disappointments 
 and my sorrows. 
 
CHAR IV. 
 
 I MUST rapidly hurry over a part of my 
 history, on which I should rejoice to 
 linger, if I could invoke the living spi- 
 rit of departed time. But the beautiful 
 associations which animated it once, and 
 which alone could animate its memory, are 
 extinguished within me. When I seek 
 them that influence which ruled so 
 mightily over my joys and sorrows my 
 mingled destiny, I strike in vain against 
 a rock, that gives out a living stream no 
 longer; the divinity is fled. O how 
 changed is the aspect of those days of 
 
48 SCHLEMTHL.. 
 
 old ! My intention was now to act an heroic 
 character, but it was badly studied, and I 
 a novice on the stage, forgetting my part 
 while fascinated by a pair of blue eyes. In 
 the intoxication of the scene, the parents 
 seem eager to close the bargain and the farce 
 closes in a common mockery. And this 
 is all ! So stale and unprofitable so me- 
 lancholy are the revisi tings of what beat 
 once so nobly, proudly in my bosom. 
 Mina ! as I wept when I lost thee, even 
 now I weep to have lost thee within 
 me. Am I become so old ? Pitiful intel- 
 lect of man ! O for a pulse-beat of 
 those days, a moment of that conscious- 
 ness, but no ! I am a solitary wave in 
 the dark and desolate sea : and the 
 sparkling glass I drank was drugged 
 with misery. 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 49 
 
 I had previously sent Bendel with bags 
 of gold to fit out a dwelling suitable for me 
 in the town. He had scattered about a 
 great deal of money, talked mysteriously 
 of the illustrious stranger whom he had 
 the honour to serve (for I did not choose 
 to be named), and this filled the good 
 people with strange notions. As soon 
 as the house was ready for rne, Bendel 
 returned to convey me thither. We start- 
 ed immediately, 
 
 About an hour's distance from the place, 
 on a sunny plain, a great number of per- 
 sons in gala dresses arrested our progres. 
 The coach stopped : music, bell- ringing, 
 and cannonading were heard ; a loud ac- 
 clamation rent the air; and a chorus of 
 singularly beautiful virgins in white robes 
 appeared at the door of the carriage, one 
 D 
 
50 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 of whom, surpassing the rest as the sun 
 surpasses in brightness the stars of even- 
 ing, stepped forward, and with graceful 
 and modest blushes knelt before me, and 
 presented to me on a silken cushion a 
 wreath of laurel, olive and rose branches, 
 garlanded together, while she uttered some 
 words, which I understood not, of majesty, 
 awe, and love, whose soft and silver tones 
 enchanted my ear and my bosom : it seemed 
 to me as if the heavenly apparition had 
 once glided before me in ether days. The 
 chorus began, and sang the praise of a 
 good monarch, and the happiness of his 
 people. 
 
 And this happened, my friend, in the 
 bright sunshine : she continued to kneel two 
 steps before me, and I, shadowless, dared 
 not spring over the gulf, that I might fall 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 51 
 
 on my knees in her angelic presence. What 
 would I not have given in that moment 
 for a shadow ! I was obliged to conceal 
 my shame, my anguish, my despair, by 
 sinking back into the carriage. Bendel 
 relieved me from my embarrassment : he 
 leaped out from the other side I called 
 him back and gave him out of my little 
 casket, which lay close at hand, a rich 
 diamond crown which was intended to 
 adorn the lovely Fanny. He moved for- 
 ward, and spoke in his master's name, 
 " who neither could," he said, " nor 
 would accept such flattering marks of 
 honour : there must have been some error, 
 though he could not but thank the worthy 
 townspeople for their expressions of kind - 
 ness." He then took the garland of flowers 
 from its place, and put there instead of it 
 D 2 
 
52 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 the crown of diamonds. His hand as- 
 sisted the beautiful virgin to rise, and with 
 a look of dignity he sent away the clergy, 
 magistrates and deputies. Nobody was 
 allowed a farther audience. He bid the 
 crowd retire, and make room for the 
 horses, flung himself into the carriage, 
 and off we went in a rapid gallop to the 
 town, through the arches of flowers and 
 laurels which had been erected. The 
 cannon continued to thunder the coach 
 at last reached my abode. I turned 
 hastily through the door, dividing the 
 assembly who had gathered together to 
 see me. The mob cried, " God bless 
 him!" under my window ; and I ordered 
 double ducats to be scattered among them. 
 At night the town was spontaneously illu- 
 minated. 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 53 
 
 And I knew not yet what all this meant, 
 nor who I was imagined to be. I sent 
 out Rascal to get information. He dis- 
 covered that the people believed they had 
 certain information that the good king of 
 Prussia was travelling through the country, 
 under the title of Count; that my adju- 
 tant had been recognized, and had dis- 
 covered both himself and me, in a word, 
 that infinite joy had been felt at the cer- 
 tainty of having me among them. They 
 had ascertained, indeed, that as I wished to 
 preserve the strictest incognito, how wrong 
 it had been to draw up the veil so in- 
 trudingly ; but as I had expressed my 
 displeasure with so much graciousness and 
 kindness, surely my generous heart could 
 forgive them. 
 
 It was so excellent a joke for my scoun- 
 D 3 
 
54 SCHLBMIHL. 
 
 drel servant, that he did as much as pos- 
 sible, by his sharp remonstrances to confirm 
 the good people in their opinions. He gav r e 
 me a most amusing account of his pro- 
 ceedings ; and as he saw it animated me, 
 he thought to add to my enjoyment by a 
 display of his own knavish tricks. Shall I 
 confess it ? I was not a little flattered by 
 even the illusion of being mistaken for the 
 head of the kingdom. 
 
 I ordered a feast to be provided on the 
 following evening, under the trees which 
 overshadowed the expanse in front of my 
 house, and the whole town to be invited. 
 The mysterious virtue of my purse, the ex- 
 ertions of Bendel, the dextrous contri- 
 vances of Rascal, succeeded in doing 
 wonders in the trifling space of time. It is 
 really astonishing how richly and beauti- 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 55 
 
 fully every thing was arranged in so short 
 a period. Such pomp and superfluity 
 were exhibited there, and the richly fanci- 
 ful illuminations were so admirably ma- 
 naged, that I felt quite at ease; I had 
 nothing to find fault with, and I could not 
 but praise the diligence of my servants. 
 
 Evening darkness came on ; the guests 
 appeared and were introduced to me. The 
 word majesty " was no more whispered ; 
 but I often heard, uttered in deep awe and 
 humility, " the Count." What could I do ? 
 The word Count satisfied me, and from 
 that moment I was Count Peter. But in 
 the midst of the festive crowd I sought 
 but one ; at last she appeared : she was 
 the crown and she wore it. She followed 
 her parents modestly, and seemed not to 
 know that she was the loveliest of the 
 B 4 
 
56 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 assemblage. The forest-master, his wife, 
 and daughter were introduced. I said much 
 that was agreeable and obliging to the 
 old people ; but I stood before their daugh- 
 ter like a checked boy, and could not utter 
 a single word. At last I stammered forth 
 a request that she would honour the fes- 
 tival by undertaking that office whose 
 badge she bore. With a touching look 
 she begged blushingly that I would excuse 
 her; but more abashed before her, than 
 she herself, I, as her first subject, of- 
 fered her my humble tribute ; and my 
 glance served as a command to all the 
 guests, each of whom seemed anxious to 
 meet it. Over this joyful festivity presided 
 majesty, innocence, and grace allied with 
 beauty. Mina's happy parents believed that 
 out of respect for them their child had been 
 elevated to these unexpected honours, and I 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 57 
 
 was in an unspeakable transport of joy. I 
 ordered every thing that was left of the 
 jewels, pearls, and precious stones which 
 I had purchased, with my perplexing piles 
 of wealth, to be placed in two covered 
 dishes, and distributed in the name of the 
 Queen among her playfellows and the 
 ladies present ; and I ordered gold to be 
 thrown over the border fence among the 
 joyous crowds. 
 
 On the following morning, Bendel com- 
 municated to me, in confidence, that the 
 suspicions he had formed against Rascal's 
 integrity were fully confirmed ; he had 
 yesterday purloined several bags of gold. 
 " Let us not envy," I replied, " the pooi 
 devil this trifling booty. I scatter my money 
 about profusely, why not to him ? Yes- 
 terday, he and every body else served me 
 nobly, and arranged a delightful festivity." 
 D 5 
 
58 
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 Nothing farther was said about it ; Ras- 
 cal continued to be my head-servant, and 
 Bendel ray friend and confidant. He had 
 imagined my wealth to be inexhaustible,, 
 and he cared not to inquire into its source. 
 Entering into my feelings, he assisted me 
 to find out constant occasions to display 
 my wealth, and to spend it. Of the un- 
 known, pale, sneaking fellow, he only 
 knew that without him I could not get 
 released from the curse which bound 
 me, and that I dreaded the man on whom 
 my only hope reposed. Besides, I was 
 now convinced he could discover me any 
 where, I him nowhere; so that I de- 
 termined to abandon a fruitless inquiry, 
 and to await the promised day. 
 
 The magnificence of the festival, and 
 my condescension there, confirmed the 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 59 
 
 obstinately credulous inhabitants in their 
 first opinion of my dignity. It appeared, 
 very soon notwithstanding, in the news- 
 papers, that the reported journey of the 
 King was wholly without foundation. But 
 I had been a king, and a king I was unfor- 
 tunately compel led to remain; and certainly 
 I was one of the richest and kingliest who 
 had ever appeared. But what king could I 
 be ? The world has never had cause to com- 
 plain of any scarcity of monarchs, at least 
 in our days ; and the good people, who had 
 never seen one with their own eyes, first 
 fixed on one, and then, equally happily 
 on another ; but Count Peter continued to 
 be my name. 
 
 There once appeared among the visitors 
 to the baths, a merchant who had made 
 himself a bankrupt in order to get rich, 
 D 6 
 
 
60 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 and he enjoyed the general esteem ; he was 
 accompanied by a broad, palish shadow. 
 He wished ostentatiously to display the 
 wealth he had acquired, and he deter- 
 mined to be my rival. I applied to my 
 bag. I drove on the poor devil at such 
 a rate, that in order to save himself he was 
 obliged to become a bankrupt a second 
 time. Thus I got rid of him ; and by 
 similar means I created in this neigh- 
 bourhood many an idler and a vagabond. 
 
 Though I thus lived in apparent kingly 
 pomp and prodigality, my habits at home 
 were simple and unpretending. With 
 thoughtful foresight, I had made it a rule 
 that no one except Bendel, should, on any 
 pretence, enter the chamber which I oc- 
 cupied. As long as the sun shone I re- 
 mained there locked in. People said, " the 
 
SCHLBMIHL. 
 
 61 
 
 Count is engaged in his cabinet/' The 
 crowds of couriers were kept in commu- 
 nication by these occupations, for I dis- 
 patched and received them on the most 
 trifling business. At evening, alone, I re- 
 ceived company under the trees, or in my 
 saloon, which was skilfully and magnifi- 
 cently lighted, according to Bendel's ar- 
 rangement. Whenever I went out, Bendel 
 watched round me with Argus' eyes ; my 
 steps were always tending to the forester's 
 garden, and that only for the sake of 
 her: the inmost spirit of my existence 
 was my love. 
 
 My good Chamisso, I will hope you have 
 not forgotten what love is ! I leave much 
 to your filling up. Mina was, indeed, a 
 love-worthy, good, and gentle girl ; I had 
 obtained full possession of her thoughts ; 
 
OZ SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 and in her modesty she could not imagine 
 how she had become worthy of my re- 
 gard ; and that I dwelt only upon her ; 
 but she returned love for love in the full 
 youthful energy of an innocent heart. She 
 loved like a woman ; all self-sacrificing, 
 self- forgetting, and living only in him who 
 was her life; careless even though she 
 should perish : in a word, she truly loved. 
 But I oh, what frightful moments ! 
 Frightful ! yet worthy to be recalled. 
 How often did I weep in Bendel's bosom, 
 after I recovered from the first inebriety 
 of rapture ! how severely did I condemn 
 myself, that I, a shadowless being, should 
 seal, with wily selfishness, the perdition 
 of an angel, whose pure soul I had 
 attached to me by lies and theft ; Now I 
 determined to unveil myself to her ; now, 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 63 
 
 with solemn oaths, I resolved to tear my- 
 self from her, and to fly ; then again I 
 broke out into tears, and arranged with 
 Bendel for visiting her in the forest-gar - 
 den again in the evening. 
 
 Sometimes I allowed myself to be flatter- 
 ed with the hopes of the now near ap- 
 proaching visit of the unknown, myste- 
 rious old man; and wept anew when I 
 recollected that I had sought him in vain. 
 I had reckoned the day when I was again 
 to expect to see that awful being. He had 
 said a year and a day ; and I relied on his 
 word. 
 
 The parents were good, worthy old 
 people ; loving their only child most ten- 
 derly ; the whole affair had taken them by 
 surprise, and, as matters stood, they knew 
 not how to act. They could never have 
 
64 SCHLKMIHL. 
 
 dreamed that Count Peter should think 
 of their child ; but it was clear he loved 
 her passionately, and was loved in return. 
 The mother, indeed, was vain enough to 
 think of the possibility of such an alliance, 
 and to prepare for its accomplishment ; 
 but the calm, good sense of the old 
 man, never gave such an ambitious hope 
 a moment's consideration. But they were 
 both convinced of the purity of my love, 
 and could do nothing but pray for their 
 child. 
 
 A letter is now in my hand which I re- 
 ceived about this time from Mina. This 
 is her very character. I will copy it for 
 you : 
 
 " I know I am a weak, a silly girl ; for 
 I have taught myself to believe my beloved 
 would not give me pain, and this because 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 65 
 
 I deeply, dearly love him. Alas ! thou 
 art so kind, so unutterably kind ! but do 
 not delude me. For me make no sacri- 
 fice wish to make no sacrifice. Hea- 
 ven ! I could hate myself if I caused 
 thee to do so. No, thou hast made me 
 infinitely happy ; thou hast taught me to 
 love thee. But go in peace ! my destiny 
 tells me Count Peter is not mine, but 
 the whole world's ; and then I shall feel 
 proudly as I hear : < That it was he and 
 he again that he had done this that he 
 has been adored here, and deified there.' 
 When I think of this, I could reproach 
 thee for forgetting thy high destinies in a 
 simple maiden. Go in peace, or the thought 
 will make me miserable me, alas ! who 
 am so happy, so blessed through thee. 
 And have not I entwined in thy existence 
 
66 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 an olive-branch and a rose-bud, as in the 
 garland which I dared to present thee ? 
 Think of thyself, my beloved one; fear 
 not to leave me. I should die so blessed, 
 so unutterably blessed, through thee/' 
 
 You may well imagine how these words 
 thrilled through my bosom. I told her I was 
 not that which I was supposed to be ; I was 
 only a wealthy, but an infinitely wretched 
 man. There was, I said, a curse upon me, 
 which should be the only secret between 
 her and me : for I had not yet lost the 
 hope of being delivered from it. This 
 was the poison of my existence : that I 
 could have swept her away with me into the 
 abyss; her the sole light, the sole bliss, the 
 sole spirit of my life. Then wept she again 
 that I was so unhappy. She was so amiable, 
 so full of love ! How blessed had she felt 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 67 
 
 to have offered herself up in order to spare 
 me a single tear ! 
 
 But she was far from rightly under- 
 standing my words : she sometimes fan- 
 cied I was a prince pursued by a cruel 
 proscription ; a high and devoted chief 
 whom her imagination loved to depicture, 
 and to give to her beloved one all the 
 bright hues of heroism. 
 
 Once I said to her, " Mina, on the last 
 day of the coming month, my doom may 
 change and be decided ; if that should not 
 happen I must die, for I cannot make thee 
 miserable.'* She wept, and her head sunk 
 into my bosom. If thy doom should 
 change, let me but know thou art happy ; 
 I have no claim upon thee but shouldst 
 thou become miserable, bind me to thy 
 misery, I will help thee to bear it." 
 
0$ SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 "Beloved maiden ! withdraw withdraw 
 the rash, the foolish word which has es- 
 caped thy lips. Dost thou know what is 
 my misery ? dost thou know what is my 
 curse ? That thy beloved what he ? Dost 
 thou see me shuddering convulsively be- 
 fore thee, and concealing from thee " 
 She sunk sobbing at my feet, and renewed 
 her declaration with a solemn vow. 
 
 I declared to the now approaching fo- 
 rest-master, my determination to ask the 
 hand of his daughter for the first day of the 
 coining month. I fixed that period, be- 
 cause in the mean while many an event 
 might occur which would have great in- 
 fluence on my fortunes. My love for his 
 daughter could not but be unchangeable. 
 
 The good old man started back, as 
 it were, while the words escaped from 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 69 
 
 Count Peter's lips. He fell upon my neck, 
 and then blushed that he had so far for- 
 gotten himself. Then he began to doubt, 
 to ponder, to inquire ; he spoke of dowry, 
 of security for the future for his beloved 
 child. I thanked him for reminding me of 
 it. I told him I wished to settle and live a 
 life free from anxiety, in a neighbourhood 
 where I appeared to be beloved. I ordered 
 him to buy, in the name of his daughter, 
 the finest estates, that were offered, and 
 refer to me for the payment. A father 
 would surely best serve the lover of his 
 child. This gave him trouble enough, for 
 some stranger or other always forestalled 
 him : but he bought for only the amount 
 of about a million florins. 
 
 The truth is, this was a sort of innocent 
 trick to get rid of him, which I had already 
 
70 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 once done before : for I must own he was 
 rather tedious. The good mother, on the 
 contrary, was somewhat deaf, and not like 
 him, always jealous of the honour of en- 
 tertaining the noble Count. 
 
 The mother pressed forward. The happy 
 people crowded around me, entreating me 
 to lengthen the evening among them. I 
 dared not linger a moment ; the moon 
 was rising above the twilight of evening : 
 my time was come. 
 
 Next evening I returned again to the 
 forest-garden. I had thrown my broad 
 mantle over my shoulders, my hat was 
 slouched over my eyes. I advanced towards 
 Mina; as she lifted up her eyes and looked 
 at me, an involuntary shudder came over 
 her. The frightful night in which I had 
 shown myself shadowless in the moonlight, 
 
SCHLBMIHL. 71 
 
 returned in all its brightness to my mind. 
 It was indeed she ! Had she too recog- 
 nized me? She was silent and full of 
 thought. I felt the oppression of a night- 
 mare on my breast. I rose from my seat ; 
 she threw herself speechless on my bosom. 
 I left her. 
 
 But now I often found her in tears ; my 
 soul grew darker and darker, while her 
 parents seemed to revel in undisturbed 
 joy. The day so big with fate rolled 
 onwards, heavy and dark like a thunder- 
 cloud. Its eve had arrived, I could scarce- 
 ly breathe. I had been foresighted enough 
 to fill some chests with gold. I waited for 
 midnight : it tolled. 
 
 And there I sat, my eyes directed to the 
 hand of the clock; the seconds, the mi- 
 nutes, as they tinkled, entered me like a 
 
72 SCHLEM1HL. 
 
 dagger. I rose up at every sound I heard, 
 The day began to dawn ; the leaden hours 
 crowded one on another ; it was morning, 
 evening night. The hands of the time- 
 piece moved slowly on, and hope was 
 departing. It struck eleven, and nothing 
 appeared. The last minutes of the last 
 hour vanished still nothing appeared ; 
 the first stroke the last stroke of twelve 
 sounded. I sank hopeless on my couch in 
 ceaseless tears. To-morrow shadowless 
 for ever ! To-morrow I should solicit the 
 hand of my beloved. Towards morning a 
 heavy sleep closed my eyes. 
 
CHAP. V. 
 
 IT was yet early, when I was awakened 
 by the sound of voices violently disputing 
 in my anti-chamber. I listened : Bendel 
 was forbidding access to my door. Ras- 
 cal swore loudly and deeply that he would 
 take no orders from his fellow-servant, 
 and insisted on rushing into my apart- 
 ment. The good Bendel warned him that 
 if such language reached my ears, he 
 might perchance lose a profitable place ; 
 but Rascal threatened to lay violent hands 
 upon him, if he impeded his entrance 
 any longer. 
 
 E 
 
74 SCHLBMIHL. 
 
 I had half dressed myself. I angrily 
 flung the door open, and called out to 
 Rascal, " what dost want, thou scoun- 
 drel?" He retreated two paces, and an- 
 swered with perfect coldness, " humbly 
 to reques^ may it please your lordship, 
 for once to show me your shadow : the 
 sun is shining so beautifully in the court." 
 
 I felt as if scathed by a thunderbolt, 
 and it was long before I could utter a 
 word : How can a servant presume 
 against his master that " He interrupted 
 me with provoking calmness : a servant 
 may be a very honest man, and yet refuse 
 to serve a shadowless master I must have 
 my discharge/' I tried another weapon. 
 
 " But Rascal, my dear Rascal, who 
 has put this wild notion into your head ? 
 How can you imagine " But he conti- 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 nued in the same tone, there are people 
 who assert you have no shadow ; and, in 
 a word, either show me your shadow, or 
 give me my discharge!" 
 
 Bendel, pale and trembling, but dis- 
 creeter than I, made me a sign to seek 
 a resource in the silence-imposing gold 
 but it had lost its power ; Rascal flung it 
 at my feet : " I will take nothing from 
 a shadowless being/' He turned his 
 back upon me, put his hat on his head, 
 and went slowly out of the apartment 
 whistling a tune. I stood there like a 
 petrifaction looking after him, vacant and 
 motionless. 
 
 Heavy and melancholy, with a death- 
 like feeling within me, I prepared to 
 redeem my promise ; and, like a crimi- 
 nal before his judges, to show myself in 
 E 2 
 
76 SCHJLEMIHL. 
 
 the forester's garden. I ascended to the 
 dark arbour which had been called by my 
 name, where an appointment had been 
 made to meet me. Mina's mother came 
 forwards toward, me, gay, and free from 
 care. Mina was seated there, pale and 
 lovely, as the earliest snow When it kisses 
 the last autumnal flower, and soon dis- 
 solves into bitter drops. The forest- mas- 
 ter, with a written sheet in his hand, wan- 
 dered in violent agitation from side to 
 side, seemingly overcome with internal 
 feelings, which painted his usually unva- 
 rying countenance with constantly chang- 
 ing paleness and scarlet. He came to- 
 wards me as I entered, and with broken 
 accents requested to speak to me alone. 
 The path through which he invited me 
 to follow him led to an open sunny part of 
 
SCHLBMIHL. 77 
 
 the garden. I seated myself down with- 
 out uttering a word ; a long silence fol- 
 lowed, which even our good mother dared 
 not interrupt. 
 
 With irregular steps t"he forest-master 
 paced the arbour backwards and forwards ; 
 he stood for a moment before me, looked 
 into the paper which he held, and said 
 with a most penetrating glance, " Count, 
 and do you indeed know one Peter 
 Schlemihl ?" I was silent u a man of 
 reputable character, and of great accom- 
 plishments." He waited for my answer. 
 And what if I were he ?" u He !" ad- 
 ded he, vehemently, " who has in some 
 way got rid of his shadow !" " Oh, my 
 forebodings ! my forebodings !" exclaimed 
 Mina, " alas ! I knew long ago that he 
 had no shadow !" and she flung herself 
 B 3 
 
78 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 into her mother's arms, who, alarmed, 
 pressed her convulsively to her bosom, 
 reproaching me with having concealed 
 such a fatal secret from her : but she, 
 like Arethusa, was bathed in a fountain 
 of tears, which flowed abundantly at the 
 sound of my voice, and at my approach 
 tempestuously burst forth. 
 
 " And so," cried the forest-master 
 furiously, " your matchless impudence 
 has sought to betray that poor girl and 
 me and you pretended to love her her 
 whom you dragged to the abyss her 
 see how she weeps, how she is agonized ! 
 O shame ! O sin I" 
 
 I was so completely confused that I an- 
 swered incoherently : " after all, 'twas but 
 a shadow nothing but a shadow one 
 can manage without it; and surely it 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 79 
 
 is not worth making such a noise about." 
 But I felt so deeply the deception of my 
 language, that I was silent before he 
 deigned to give me an answer. I added, 
 " what a man has lost to-day, he may 
 find again to-morrow." 
 
 He spoke angrily : " explain to me, sir, 
 explain how you got rid of your shadow/' 
 I was compelled again to lie : " a vulgar 
 fellow trod so clumsily upon my shadow, 
 that he tore a great hole in it ; I sent it 
 to be mended gold can do every thing ; 
 I ought to have received it back yes- 
 terday." 
 
 " Very well, sir, very well/' he replied. 
 You sue for my daughter others do the 
 same ; as her father I must take care of 
 her. I give you three days' respite, which 
 you may employ in procuring a shadow. 
 B 4 
 
80 
 
 SCHJLEMIHL. 
 
 Come to me after this, and if you have one 
 that suits you, you will be welcome ; but 
 if not, on the fourth day, I must tell you, 
 my daughter shall be the wife of another." 
 I attempted to address a word to Mina ; 
 but she clung, violently agitated, closer 
 to her mother, who silently beckoned to 
 me that I should retire. I slunk away as 
 if the world's gates had closed behind me. 
 
 Escaped to Bendel's affectionate gui- 
 dance, I wandered with erring footsteps 
 through fields and woods. Sweat drops 
 of anguish fell from my brow ; deep 
 groans broke from my bosom ; within me 
 raged a wild frenzy. 
 
 I know not how long it lasted, when on 
 a sunny heath I found myself held by the 
 sleeve I stood still, and looked around 
 me. It was the grey-coated stranger ; he 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 81 
 
 seemed to have followed me till he was 
 out of breath. He instantly began : 
 
 " I had announced myself for to-day ; 
 you have hardly been able to wait so long 
 but all is well you will take good coun- 
 sel : exchange your shadow again ; it only 
 waits your commands, and then turn 
 back. You will be welcome in the fores- 
 ter's garden; it was but a jest. Rascal, 
 who has betrayed you, and who is a 
 suitor to your betrothed, I will dispose of 
 the fellow is ripe." 
 
 I stood there still, as if I were asleep 
 " Announced for to-day ?" I reckoned the 
 time over again ; it was so. I had erred in 
 my calculations. I put my right hand on 
 the bag in my bosom ; he discovered my 
 meaning, and drew back two paces. 
 
 " No, Sir Count, that is in good hands ; 
 E 5 
 
82 
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 that you may retain/' I looked on him 
 with staring and inquiring eyes. He 
 spoke : May I ask for a trifling me- 
 mento ? Be so good as to sign this note." 
 The following words were on the parch- 
 ment he held : 
 
 " 1 hereby promise to deliver over my 
 soul to the bearer after its natural separa- 
 tion from my body/' 
 
 I looked with dumb astonishment, now 
 on the grey unknown, and now on the 
 writing. In the mean time he had dipped 
 a new pen in a drop of my blood, which 
 was flowing from a scratch made by a 
 thorn in my hand. He handed the pen to 
 me. 
 
 "Who are you, then?" I at last in- 
 quired. " What does that matter ?" he 
 answered. " Don't you see what I am ? 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 83 
 
 a poor devil ; a sort of philosopher or al- 
 chemist, who receives spare thanks for 
 great favours he confers on his friends ; 
 one who has no enjoyment in this world; 
 except a little experimentalizing : but 
 sign, I pray aye, just there on the right, 
 Peter Schlemihl" 
 
 I shook my head. " Forgive me, sir, 
 for I will not sign/' " Not !" replied he, 
 with seeming surprise, " why not ?" 
 
 " 'Tis an affair that requires some con- 
 sideration to add my soul to my shadow 
 in the bargain." "Oh, oh !" he ex- 
 claimed, " consideration !" and burst into 
 a loud laugh. May I then be allowed to 
 ask, what sort of a thing is your soul ? 
 Have you ever seen it ? Do you know 
 what will become of it when you are once 
 departed ? Rejoice that you have found 
 B 6 
 
84 
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 somebody to take notice of it ; to buy, even 
 during your life-time, the reversion of this 
 X, this galvanic power, this polarizing in- 
 fluence, or whatever the silly trifle may 
 turn out to be; to pay for it with your 
 bodily shadow, with something really sub- 
 stantial; the hand of your mistress, the 
 fulfilment of your prayers. Or will you 
 rather deliver over the sweet maiden to 
 hat contemptible scoundrel, Mr. Rascal ? 
 No, no ! look to that with your own eyes. 
 Come hither ; I will lend you the wishing- 
 cap too (he drew something from his 
 pocket), and we will have a ramble unseen 
 through the forest garden." 
 
 I must confess I was sadly ashamed to 
 be thus laughed at by this fellow. I hated 
 him from the bottom of my soul ; and I 
 believe this personal antipathy prevented 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 85 
 
 me, more than my principles, from giving 
 the required signature for my shadow, ne- 
 cessary as it was to me. The thought was 
 unbearable, that I should undertake such 
 a walk in his company. This sneaking 
 scoundrel, this scornful, irritating imp, 
 placing himself betwixt me and my be- 
 loved, sporting with two bleeding hearts, 
 roused my deepest feelings. I looked on 
 what had past as ordained, and considered 
 my misery as irretrievable. I turned upon 
 the man and said : 
 
 " Sir, I sold you my shadow for this 
 most estimable bag of yours : I have re- 
 repented it enough ; if the bargain can be 
 
 annulled, in the name of " He shook 
 
 his head, looked at me with a dark frown. 
 I began again : " I will sell you nothing 
 more of my possessions, though you may 
 
OO SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 offer as high a price as for my shadow ; 
 and I will sign nothing. Hence you may 
 conclude that the metamorphosis to which 
 you invite me would perhaps be more 
 agreeable to you than to me. Forgive 
 me, but it cannot be otherwise ; let us 
 part." 
 
 " I am sorry, Mr. Schlemihl, that you 
 so capriciously push away the favours 
 which are presented to you ; but I may be 
 more fortunate another time. Farewell, 
 till our speedy meeting ! By the way, 
 you will allow me to mention, that I do 
 not by any means permit my purchases to 
 get mouldy; I hold them in special regard, 
 and take the best possible care of them. 3 * 
 
 With this he took my shadow out of 
 his pocket, and with a dexterous fling it 
 was unrolled and spread out on the heath 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 87 
 
 on the sunny side of his feet, so that he 
 stood between the two attendant shadows, 
 mine and his, and walked away ; mine 
 seemed to belong to him as much as his 
 own ; it accommodated itself to all his 
 movements and all his necessities. 
 
 When I saw my poor shadow again, 
 after so long a separation, and found it 
 applied to such base uses, at a moment 
 when for its sake I was suffering name- 
 less anguish, my heart broke within 
 me, and I began to weep most bitterly. 
 The hated one walked proudly on with 
 his spoil, and unblushingly renewed his 
 proposals. 
 
 "You may have it 'tis but a stroke of 
 the pen ; you will save, too, your poor un- 
 happy Mina from the claws of the vaga 
 bond ; save her for the arms of the most 
 
00 SCHLEMIHJU 
 
 honourable Count. 'Tis but a stroke of 
 the pen, I say." Tears broke forth with 
 new violence; but I turned away, and 
 beckoned to him to be gone. 
 
 Bendel, who had followed my steps to 
 the present spot, approached me full of 
 sadness at this instant. The kind-hearted 
 fellow perceived me weeping, and observ- 
 ed my shadow, which he could not mis- 
 take, attached to the figure of the extra- 
 ordinary, grey unknown one, and he en- 
 deavoured by force to put me in possession 
 of 'my property ; but not being able to 
 lay firm hold on this subtle thing, he 
 ordered the old man, in a peremptory 
 tone, to abandon what did not belong to 
 him. He, for a reply, turned his back 
 upon my well-meaning servant, and march- 
 ed away. Bendel followed him closely, 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 89 
 
 and lifting up the stout black-thorn cudgel 
 which he carried, required the man to 
 give up the shadow, enforcing the com- 
 mand with the strength of his nervous 
 arm : but the man, accustomed perhaps 
 to such encounters, bowed his head, raised 
 his shoulders, and walked silently and 
 calmly over the heath, accompanied by 
 my shadow and my faithful man. For a 
 long time I heard the dull sound echoed 
 over the waste. It was lost at last in the 
 distance. I stood alone with my misery as 
 before. 
 
CHAP. VI. 
 
 THUS left behind on the dreary heath, 
 I gave vent to countless tears, which 
 seemed to lighten my bosom of its in- 
 tolerable weight. But I saw no bounds, 
 no outlet, no term to my terrible misery ; 
 and with wild impatience I sucked in the 
 poison which the mysterious being had 
 poured into my wounds. When I recalled 
 the image of Mina, her soft and lovely 
 form appeared pale and weeping before 
 me, as I had seen her in my hour of 
 ignominy 5 then the shade of Rascal im- 
 pudently and contumaciously seemed to 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 91 
 
 step between us. I veiled my face, I fled 
 across the waste : but the ghastly vision 
 still pursued me ; I ran it was close to 
 me. I sank breathless to the ground, and 
 watered it with renewed springs of tears. 
 
 And all about a shadow ! a shadow 
 which a stroke of the pen would have 
 restored to me ! I mused again on the 
 strange proposal, and my refusal. All 
 was dark and desolate within me ; I had 
 neither argument nor reason left. 
 
 The day rolled by. I calmed my hunger 
 with wild fruits ; my thirst with the 
 nearest mountain stream. Night approach- 
 ed ; I stretched myself under a tree. The 
 damp dawn awaked me from a heavy 
 sleep, in which I had heard myself groan, 
 as if struggling with death. Bendel had 
 surely lost my traces, and I rejoiced to 
 
92 
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 think so. I determined to return among 
 man no more, from whom I fled like the 
 shy beasts of the mountain. Thus I existed 
 through three weary days. 
 
 On the morning of the fourth I found 
 myself on a shady plain, where the sun 
 was shining brightly. I sat down there on 
 a fragment of rock in its beam, for I 
 enjoyed to bask again in its long for- 
 bidden glance. I nourished my heart 
 with its own despair. But I was alarmed 
 by a gentle rustling. I looked eagerly 
 round me, preparing to fly I saw no one ; 
 but there passed by on the sunny sand a 
 man's shadow not unlike my own, wan- 
 dering about alone, and which appeared 
 straying from its owner. 
 
 A mighty impulse was roused within 
 me. Shadow, thought I, art thou seek- 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 93 
 
 ing thy master ? I will be he ; and I 
 sprung forward to possess myself of it. I 
 imagined that if I were lucky enough to get 
 into its track, I could so arrange, that its 
 feet should just meet mine; it would even 
 attach and accommodate itself to me. 
 
 The shadow on my moving fled before 
 me, and I was compelled to begin an 
 active chace after the unsubstantial wan- 
 derer. The eager desire to be released 
 from the perplexities in which I stood, 
 armed me with unusual strength. It fled 
 to a distant wood, in whose obscurity it 
 would have been necessarily immediately 
 lost. I saw it a terror pierced my heart 
 kindled my burning desire and gave 
 wings to my feet. I gained on the sha- 
 dow, approached it nearer and nearer, 
 I was within reach of it. It stopped sud- 
 
94 SCHLBMIHL. 
 
 denly, and turned round towards me ; like 
 the lion pouncing upon his prey, I sprung 
 forward upon it with a mighty effort to 
 take possession. I felt most unexpectedly 
 that I had dashed against something which 
 made a bodily resistance I received from 
 an unseen power the most violent thrust 
 which a human being ever felt. The 
 working of terror was dreadfully act- 
 ing within me; its effect was to close 
 my arms as in a spasm, to seize on 
 what stood unseen before me. I stag- 
 gered onwards, and fell prostrate on the 
 ground; beneath me on his back was 
 a man whom I held fast, and who now 
 was visible. 
 
 The whole affair was now naturally ex- 
 plained. The man must have posses- 
 sed the viewless charm which makes the 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 95 
 
 possessor, but not his shadow, invisible. 
 He first held it, and afterwards had thrown 
 it away. I looked round, and immediately 
 discovered the shadow of the invisible 
 charm I leaped up and sprang towards 
 it, and did not miss at last the valuable 
 spoil unseen, and shadowless, I held the 
 charm in my hand. 
 
 The man rose up speedily; he looked 
 round after his fortunate subduer, not 
 being able to discover in the broad sunny 
 plain either him or his shadow, which he 
 sought with the greatest anxiety : for he 
 had no reason to suspect, and no time to 
 observe, that I was a shadowless being. 
 As soon as he discovered that every trace 
 was vanished, he raised his hands against 
 himself in the wildest despair, and tore 
 his hair. But this newly acquired trea- 
 
96 SCKfLEMIHL. 
 
 sure gave me the means and the disposi- 
 tion to mingle again among my fellow- 
 men. No pretext was wanting for pal- 
 liating to my own mind this despicable 
 robbery ; or, rather, it wanted no such 
 pretext. With a view of ridding myself 
 of any internal reproaches, I hurried 
 away, not even looking back on the un- 
 fortunate victim, whose agonized tones I 
 heard long repeated after me. So, at 
 least, at that time I looked upon the cir- 
 cumstances of that event. 
 
 I longed to go to the forest-garden, in 
 order to inform myself of the truth of 
 what the hated one had announced to me; 
 but I knew not where I was ; and in order 
 ^o inform myself as to the neighbourhood, 
 I mounted the nearest hill, and saw from 
 its brow the tower of the forest- garden 
 
SCHJLEMIHL. 97 
 
 lying at my feet. My heart beat with agi- 
 tatior, and tears, very different from those 
 I had before shed, burst into my eyes. I 
 was to see her again. An anxious, long- 
 ing desire hurried my steps down the 
 straightest path. A crowd of peasants I 
 passed unseen going from town ; they 
 were talking of me and of Rascal, and 
 of the forester. I would listen to nothing ; 
 I hastened by. 
 
 I walked into the garden, my bosom 
 trembling with the alarm of expectation. 
 A laugh approached me. I shook : looked, 
 eagerly around me, but could perceive 
 nobody. I moved farther forward, and a 
 noise as of the pacing of human feet 
 seemed near me. Still I could see nothing 
 I thought my ears were deceived ; but 
 it was early, nobody was in Count Peter's 
 F 
 
98 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 arbour the garden was empty. I rambled 
 over the familiar paths, until I came near 
 to the mansion. I heard the same sound 
 more distinctly. I sat down with a sor- 
 rowful heart upon a bank immediately 
 opposite the front door, in a sunny spot. 
 It appeared to me as if I heard the invi- 
 sible imp laughing insultingly. The key 
 was turned in the door, which opened, 
 and the fores t- master walked out with pa- 
 pers in his hand. I felt something like a 
 mist around my eyes I looked round 
 and, oh horrible ! the man in the grey 
 coat was sitting close to me, looking on 
 me with a satanic smile. He had drawn 
 his wishing cap over my head. At his feet 
 my shadow and his own lay peacefully one 
 against the other ; he was playing carelessly 
 with the well-known parchment which he 
 
SCHLEMIHlu 99 
 
 held in his hand, and while the forest- 
 master was walking backwards and for- 
 wards in the shade of the arbour, he bent 
 himself familiarly to my ear, and whis- 
 pered to me these words : 
 
 " Now, then, you have at last accepted 
 my offer, and so we sit two heads under 
 one cap. Very good! very A good! But 
 pray give me my charm again you do 
 not want it any more, and are too ho- 
 nourable a man to keep what does not be- 
 long to you no thanks -I assure you I 
 lent it you from my heart." He took it 
 gently from my hand, put it into his 
 pocket, laughed insultingly at me, and so 
 loudly, that the forest-master looked round 
 attracted by the noise. I sat there as if I 
 had been petrified. 
 
 " You must agree," he rejoined, " that 
 F 2 
 
100 
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 such a cap is much more convenient. It 
 does not cover its possessor alone, but his 
 shadow also, and as many people besides 
 as he likes to have with him. Look, now, 
 to-day I get two of ye." He laughed again. 
 " You must know, Schlemihl, that what 
 is not done by fair means at first, may be 
 enforced at last ; I still thought you would 
 have bought the trifle. Take back your 
 bride (there is yet time), and send Rascal 
 to swing on the gallows ; that is an easy 
 matter while we have a rope at hand. 
 Hearken, I give you the cap into the bar- 
 gain/' 
 
 The mother came forth, and this con- 
 versation followed. " What is my Mina 
 doing ?" Weeping." Simple child ! 
 but can it not be altered ?" " No, indeed." 
 But t* j.ive her so soon to another O 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 101 
 
 husband ! you are cruel to your own child !" 
 " Mother ! you don't see clearly. Even 
 before she has wept out her childish 
 tears, when she finds herself the wife of a 
 rich and noble man, she will be consoled 
 for her sorrows, as if awakened from a 
 dream. She will thank heaven and us 
 and that you will see." " God grant it ! 
 She already possesses a pretty handsome 
 dowry ; but after the noise made by that 
 unfortunate adventurer, do you believe 
 that so brilliant a proposal as Mr. Rascal's 
 will soon or easily be found ? Do you 
 know what wealth he possesses?" " He 
 has six million florins in landed property 
 in this country paid for in cash, free from 
 all incumbrances. I have the writings in 
 hand. It was he who forestalled me al- 
 F 3 
 
102 SCHLEMIH.L. 
 
 ways in the best purchases. Besides this, 
 he has bills of exchange in his portfolio 
 on Mr. Thomas Jones, for above three 
 millions and a half of florins/' " He must 
 have pilfered at a pretty rate/' " That's 
 all nonsense. He has hoarded wisely, where 
 others foolishly squandered." " But a 
 man who has worn a livery \" " Folly ! 
 he has an irreproachable shadow!" You 
 are right, but " 
 
 The man in the grey coat laughed and 
 looked full in my face. The door opened, 
 and Mina came out ; she was supporting 
 herself on her maid's arm ; silent tears 
 were flowing over her pale and lovely 
 cheeks. She sat down in a chair placed 
 for her under the lime trees, and her fa- 
 ther seated himself beside her. He gently 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 103 
 
 seized her hand, and while she wept still 
 more bitterly, addressed her in the gen- 
 tlest accents. 
 
 " Thou art my best, my dearest child ; 
 thou wilt be prudent too ; thou wilt not 
 grieve thy old father, who only thinks of 
 making thee happy. I well understand, 
 my sweet girl, that this has sadly shaken 
 thee ; thou hast wonderfully escaped from 
 misery. Before the shameless cheat was 
 unveiled, thou lovedst that unworthy one 
 most affectionately. I know it, Mina, but 
 I do not reproach thee. I, too, loved him, 
 while I deemed him to be a rich and 
 noble man. But thou hast seen in what 
 it ended. The veriest vagabond has his 
 own shadow \ and shall my beloved, my 
 only daughter, be married to ? O 
 no! thou thinkest of him no more. 
 F 4 
 
104 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 ten, my Mina: a lover addresses thee, who 
 does not dread the sun, an honourable 
 man, who is no Count, indeed, but who 
 possesses ten millions, ten times more than 
 thou hast ever possessed ; a man, who will 
 make my beloved child happy. Do not 
 oppose me; make no reply; be my good, 
 obedient daughter. Let thy affectionate 
 father care for thee, and dry thy tears. 
 Promise me to give thy hand to Mr. Ras- 
 cal ; say, wilt thou promise me?" 
 
 She answered with a dying voice, I 
 have no farther will nor wish on earth ; 
 let my father's w r ill be accomplished!*' 
 On this Mr. Rascal was announced, and 
 daringly joined the circle. Mina lay in a 
 swoon. My hated evil genius fixed his 
 eyes angrily on me, and whispered in 
 these rapid words, " can you bear that 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 105 
 
 loo ? What runs in your veins instead of 
 blood ?" With a swift motion he made a 
 slight wound in my hand blood gushed 
 forth : he cried, " red blood, truly ! sign/ 5 
 The parchment and the pen were in my 
 hand. 
 
CHAP. VII. 
 
 I SHALL expose myself, dear Chamisso, 
 to your criticism, and not seek to elude it. 
 I have long visited myself with the hea- 
 viest judgment, for I have fed the devour- 
 ing worm in my heart. This terrible mo- 
 ment of my / existence is everlastingly 
 present to my soul ; and I can contem- 
 plate it only in a doubting glance, with hu- 
 mility and contrition. My friend, he who 
 carelessly takes a step out of the straight 
 path, is imperceptibly impelled into ano- 
 ther course, in which he will be deluded 
 farther and farther astray. For him in 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 107 
 
 vain the pole-star twinkles in the hea- 
 vens ; there is no choice for him ; he must 
 slide down the declivity, and offer himself 
 up to Nemesis. After the false and precipi- 
 tate step which had brought down the 
 curse upon me, I had daringly thrust my- 
 self upon the fate of another being. 
 What now remained, but where I had 
 sowed perdition, and prompt salvation 
 was urgent again blindly to rush forward 
 to save? for the last knell had tolled. 
 Do not think so basely of me, my Cha- 
 misso, as to imagine that I should have 
 thought any price too dear, or should have 
 been more sparing with any thing I pos- 
 sessed than with my gold ? No ! but my 
 soul was filled with unconquerable ha- 
 tred towards this mysterious sneaker in 
 crooked paths. Perhaps, I might be un- 
 F 6 
 
108 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 just to him, yet my mind revolted against 
 all communication with him. But here, 
 as often in my life, and generally in the 
 history of the world, an accident determin- 
 ed rather than an intention. Afterwards 
 I became reconciled to myself. I learnt, 
 iri the first place, to respect necessity, and 
 those accidents, which are yet more the re- 
 sult of necessity than any will of our 
 own. Then was I also taught to obey 
 this necessity, as a wise arrangement of 
 Providence, which sets all this machinery 
 in action, in which we only co-operate by 
 moving and setting other wheels in mo- 
 tion. What must be, will happen ; what 
 should have been*, was ; and not without 
 the intervention of that Providence, which 
 I at last learnt to reverence in my fate, 
 and the fate of her who controlled mine. 
 
SCMLEMIHL. 109 
 
 I know not if I should ascribe it to the 
 strain of my soul, under the pressure of 
 such mighty emotions, or to the exhaus- 
 tion of my physical strength, weakened 
 by the unwonted abstinence of the days 
 gone by, or to that fatal agitation 
 which the approach of this grey adver- 
 sary produced through my whole frame, 
 certain it is, that while preparing to sign, 
 I fell into a deep swoon, and lay a long 
 time as in the arms of death. 
 
 On coming to my recollection, the first 
 tones that reached my ears were the 
 stamping of feet and cursing. I opened 
 my eyes it was dark my hated compa- 
 nion was there holding me, but scolding 
 thus : " Now, is not that behaving like a 
 silly old woman ? Let the gentleman rise 
 up .conclude the business as he intend- 
 
110 SCHLBMIHL. 
 
 ed or, perhaps, he has other thoughts 
 would like still to weep." With diffi- 
 culty I raised myself from the ground 
 where I lay, and looked silently around 
 me. The evening was advanced festive 
 music broke from the brightly- lighted fo- 
 rest Chouse, and groups of company were 
 scattered over the garden wakls. Some 
 drew near, who were engaged in conver- 
 sation, and seated themselves on the 
 benches. They spoke of the nuptials of 
 the daughter of the house with the rich 
 Mr. Rascal they had taken place in the 
 morning all all was over. 
 
 I struck away with my hand from my 
 head the wishing cap of the instantly va- 
 nishing unknown one, and fled in silence 
 to conceal myself in the deepest darkness 
 of the wood, hurrying to the garden gate 
 
SCHLEMIHL. Ill 
 
 before Count Peter's arbour. But my evil 
 genius accompanied me unseen, pursuing me 
 with bitter words. " This, then, is the re- 
 ward one is to get for the trouble of taking 
 care, through the live-long day, of the 
 nervous gentleman ! And I am then to 
 be fooled at last! Very well, very, well, 
 Mr. Wronghead : fly from me, but we are 
 inseparable. You have my gold, and I 
 your shadow ; they leave no rest to either. 
 Did any body ever hear of a shadow aban- 
 doning its master ? Yours draws me after 
 you, till you condescend to take it again, 
 and I get rid of it. What you have sold, 
 or neglected to do, of your own free-will, 
 that will you be compelled to repair with 
 repugnance and weariness; man cannot 
 oppose his destiny." He continued to talk 
 
112 SCHLBMIML. 
 
 in the same tone, I fled from him in vain 
 he was always behind me present 
 and speaking sneeringly of gold and sha- 
 dow. I could not repose on a single 
 thought. 
 
 Through untrodden, vacant streets, I 
 hastened to my abode. I stood before it 
 looked up and hardly recognized it. Be- 
 hind the closed windows no light was burn- 
 ing; the doors were shut no servants 
 appeared to be moving. He stood behind 
 me, and laughed aloud. " Aye, aye ! but 
 your Bendel is certainly at home ; he was 
 sent hither so thoroughly exhausted, that 
 no doubt he has carefully kept house." 
 He laughed again " he will have 
 some stories to amuse you Courage. 
 Good night for to-day, till an early inter- 
 view/' 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 113 
 
 I rang again, and a light appeared. Ben- 
 del asked from within, " who was there ?" 
 When he heard my voice the poor fellow 
 could scarcely contain his joy ; the door 
 flew open, and we lay weeping in each 
 other's arms. He was greatly changed 
 weak and ill. My hair had become wholly 
 grey. 
 
 He led me through the vacant chambers 
 to an inner apartment which remained fur- 
 nished. He fetched meat and drink we sat 
 down he again began to weep ; he then 
 told me that he had lately beaten the grey- 
 clad meagre man, whom he had met with 
 my shadow, so lustily and so long, that he 
 lost all trace of me, and had sunk exhausted 
 to the earth; that afterwards, not being able 
 to discover me, he had returned home, and 
 
114 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 the mob, excited by Rascal, had raised a 
 tumult, broken the windows of the house, 
 and given full reins to their love of de- 
 struction. Thus they had rewarded their 
 benefactors. One after another had my 
 servants fled. The police of the place had 
 ordered me to leave the town as a suspi- 
 cious person, and allowing me only a de - 
 lay of four and twenty hours to quit their 
 territory. He had a great deal to add to 
 what I already knew of Rascal's wealth 
 and espousals. This scoundrel, who had 
 originated all the proceedings against me, 
 must have possessed my secret from the 
 beginning. It seemed that, attracted by the 
 gold, he had forced himself upon me ; 
 and had procured a key for that treasure- 
 chest where he laid the foundation of 
 
SCHLKMIHL. 115 
 
 his fortune, which he now seemed deter- 
 mined to enjoy. 
 
 Bendel told me all with abundant tears, 
 arid wept anew for joy at seeing me again , 
 again possessing me 5 and that, after all 
 his fears as to what misfortune might have 
 brought me, he found me bearing every 
 thing with calmness and fortitude ; for such 
 was the form in which despair reigned over 
 me, while I saw gigantic and unchcuige- 
 able misery before me. I had wept away 
 all my tears ; it could force out no other 
 accent of distress from my bosom. I 
 raised against it coldly and unconcernedly 
 my uncovered head. 
 
 " Bendel/' said I, you know my fate. 
 Not without certain guilt does the heavy 
 penalty fall on me. You, innocent being, 
 shall bind no longer your destiny to mine. 
 
116 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 1 will no longer let it be so. To-night 1 
 will hasten away. Saddle me my horse 
 I ride alone you must remain I require 
 it. Some chests of gold must yet be here. 
 They are now yours. I shall wander rest- 
 lessly through the world : but if a hap- 
 pier day should dawn, and bliss should 
 again smile upon me, I will faithfully think 
 of you ; for on your faithful bosom I have 
 wept in many a weary, wretched, sorrow- 
 ful hour." 
 
 The honest fellow obeyed with a broken 
 heart this last command of his master. 
 It agonized his soul : but I was deaf to 
 his representations, to his intreaties, blind 
 to his tears. He brought the horse to me, 
 I pressed him while he wept against my 
 breast, sprung into the saddle, and pur- 
 sued my way under the mantle of night 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 117 
 
 from the grave of my existence ; indiffe- 
 rent as to the direction my horse might 
 take. On the earth I had no goal no 
 wish no hope. 
 
CHAP. VIII. 
 
 A FOOT passenger soon joined me, who, 
 after walking some time by my horse's 
 side, begged me, as we were bound the 
 same way, to be allowed to throw the 
 cloak which he carried on the crupper ; I 
 quietly allowed him to do so. He thanked 
 me with a graceful address for this tri- 
 fling service, praised my horse, and from 
 thence took the opportunity of lauding the 
 happiness and the influence of the weal- 
 thy. He went on I know not how, in a 
 sort of soliloquy, for I was only a hearer. 
 
 He unfolded his views of life and the 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 119 
 
 world, and soon introduced metaphysics, 
 from wlience the word was to emanate 
 which should solve all mysteries. He 
 developed his theme with great distinct- 
 ness, and led forward to its deductions. 
 
 You know very well that I have often 
 confessed, since I drove through the 
 school of philosophy, that I do not con- 
 sider myself as by any means calculated for 
 philosophical speculations, and that I have 
 altogether renounced this branch of study. 
 From that time I have let many things be 
 settled as they could, renounced much 
 which I might have understood or learnt, 
 and, following your counsels by trusting to 
 my innate senses, that voice of the heart, 
 I have gone forwards in my own road as 
 far as I was able. This rhetoritician ap- 
 peared to me to build his firmly cemented 
 
120 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 edifice with great ability. It seemed to 
 bear itself on its firm and solid foundation, 
 and stood, as it were, on its own absolute 
 necessity. Then I missed in the edifice 
 what I particularly sought ; and it was 
 to me merely a piece of art, whose 
 completeness and decorations served only 
 to delight the eye; but I listened wil- 
 lingly to the eloquent man, who seemed to 
 transfer to himself my observations on my 
 own sorrows; and I should have cheer- 
 fully surrendered myself to him, if he 
 would have taken possession of my soul 
 as well as my understanding. 
 
 In the mean while time passed on, 
 and morning-dawn had imperceptibly 
 brightened heaven. I trembled as I look- 
 ed around, and saw the magnificent co- 
 lours blending in the east, heralding the 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 121 
 
 ascending sun 5 and at that hour when 
 the shadows stretch themselves out in all 
 their extension, no shelter, no protection 
 was to be discovered and I was not alone ! 
 I looked upon my companion, and again 
 I trembled : it was even the man in the 
 grey coat. 
 
 He smiled at my alarms, and without 
 allowing me to utter a word, began : " Let 
 us then, as is the custom of the world, 
 unite our different advantages for a while : 
 we have always time to separate. The 
 road along-side the mountain, if you have 
 not already thought about it, is the only 
 one which you can prudently take. You 
 dare not descend into the valley ; and over 
 the hill you will hardly think of returning 
 as it would lead you whence you came; 
 and the road in which you are is just 
 G 
 
122 SCHLEMIHL* 
 
 mine. I see the uprising sun makes 
 you look pale; I will lend you your 
 shadow while we remain together, and 
 this may induce you to bear my being 
 near to you. Your Bendel is no longer 
 with you, but I will do you good service. 
 You do not love me : I am sorry for it ; 
 but you may make use of me notwith- 
 standing. The devil is not so black as he 
 is represented. Yesterday you vexed me, 
 'tis true, but I will bear you no grudge 
 to-day. I have shortened your way thus 
 far, as you must yourself confess; now 
 take your shadow on trial again/' 
 
 The sun had arisen ; travellers were ap- 
 proaching us on the road, and, in spite of 
 an internal repugnance, I accepted his 
 offer. He smiled, and let my shadow fall 
 on the ground; it took its station upon 
 that of my horse, and cheerfully moved 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 123 
 
 forward. My mind was in a strange mood. 
 I rode by a body of country-people, who 
 were respectfully making room with their 
 heads uncovered as for a wealthy looking 
 man. I rode farther, and looked aside with 
 eager eyes and beating heart from my 
 horse, on what was once my shadow ; but 
 which I had now borrowed from a 
 stranger, aye, from an enemy. 
 
 He came on carelessly by my side, and 
 whistled a tune he on foot, I on horse- 
 back. A dizziness seized me, the temp- 
 tation was too great ; I hastily turned the 
 reins, drove both spurs into the horse, and 
 thus went off at full speed through a 
 cross road. I could not elope with the 
 shadow, it slipped away when the horse 
 started, and waited on the road for its lawful 
 owner. I was obliged to turn round, 
 o 2 
 
124 SCHLBMIHL. 
 
 ashamed ; the man in the grey coat, as he 
 unconcernedly finished his tune, began to 
 laugh at me, and fixing the shadow again 
 in its place, informed me it would only 
 stick to me, and remain with me, when I 
 had properly and lawfully become possess- 
 ed of it. " I hold you fast," he cried, 
 " fast attached to the shadow : you can- 
 not escape from me. A wealthy man, like 
 you, may want a shadow, likely enough 
 arid you are only to blame for not having 
 earlier looked into the matter. > 
 
 I continued my journey on the same 
 road as before. I possessed all the com- 
 forts of life, all its luxuries. I could move 
 about freely and easily ; and I possessed 
 a shadow too, though but a borrowed one, 
 and I imposed that reverence every where 
 which wealth commands; but death was 
 
SCHLEM1HL. 125 
 
 at my heart. My marvellous conductor, 
 who represented himself to be the un- 
 worthy slave of the richest man in the 
 world, had extraordinary readiness as a ser- 
 vant, was exceedingly dexterous and clever, 
 the very model of a valet for a wealthy gen- 
 tleman; but he never separated himself from 
 my side, and incessantly plagued me, exhi- 
 biting the greatest assurance in order that 
 I should conclude the bargain with him 
 respecting the shadow, if it were only to 
 get rid of him. He was as troublesome 
 as hateful to me ; I -always stood in awe 
 of him. I had made myself dependent on 
 him. I was still in his power, and he had 
 again driven me into the vanities of the 
 world which I had abandoned : I was com- 
 pelled to allow to his eloquence full mas- 
 tery over me, and almost felt he was in 
 G 3 
 
126 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 the right. A wealthy man ought to have 
 a shadow in the world 5 and so long as I 
 wished to occupy that station which he 
 had induced me to fill, there was only one 
 outlet for me. But on this I determined 
 having sacrificed my love, arid made 
 my existence a curse, I would not transfer 
 my soul to this heing no, not for all the 
 shadows in the world : but I knew not how 
 it would end. 
 
 One day we were sitting before a cave, 
 which the travellers who had to cross the 
 mountain were accustomed to visit. There 
 the noise was heard of subterraneous 
 streams roaring from unmeasurable deeps; 
 and the stone that was thrown into the abyss 
 seemed in its echoing fall to find no bottom. 
 He depicted to me, as he had often done, 
 with a luxuriant fancy, and in the glowing 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 127 
 
 charms of the brightest colouring, careful 
 and detailed pictures of the brilliant figure 
 I might make in the world by means of 
 my purse, if I had only my shadow again 
 in my possession. My elbows were sup- 
 ported on my knees while I covered my 
 face with my hands, listening to the evil 
 one, my heart twice rent between tempta- 
 tion and my own earnest will. Such in- 
 ternal discord I could no longer endure, 
 and the decisive struggle began. 
 
 " You seem to forget, good sir, that I 
 have only allowed you to remain in my 
 company on certain conditions, and that I 
 retained for myself my unrestrained liber- 
 ty."" If you order me I shall move off:" 
 the threat was one to which he was 
 accustomed. I ceased : he sat himself 
 quietly down, and began to roll up my 
 G 4 
 
128 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 shadow. I grew pale, but I stood dumb 
 while he did so. There was a long silence. 
 He thus broke it : 
 
 " You cannot endure me, sir ! you 
 hate me I know it : but why do you hate 
 me ? Is it because, when you attacked me 
 on the highway, you attempted to steal 
 my charm by force : or is it because you 
 endeavoured fraudulently to get possessed 
 of my property, the shadow, which had 
 been confided to your simple honor ? For 
 myself, I do not hate you for that j it is 
 quite natural you should seek to turn your 
 advantages, your cunning, your strength 
 to good account. That you have the most 
 rigid principles, and are honesty itself, is 
 a hobby-horse belief of your own, to which 
 I can have no objection. My notions are 
 not so strict as yours : I only act according 
 
SCHLBMIHL. 129 
 
 to your notions. But did I ever attempt to 
 strangle you in order to possess your valua- 
 ble soul, to which I really have a great 
 liking ? Have I, for the sake of my bar- 
 tered purse, let loose a servant upon you, 
 and endeavoured to run away with it ?" 
 I could answer nothing to all this ; and 
 he continued. Well then, sir, well! 
 You cannot endure me 1 understand it, 
 and am not displeased with you for that. 
 It is clear we must part, and you really 
 are become very tedious to me ; but, to 
 get rid of my perplexing presence alto- 
 gether for the future, I will give you a 
 piece of advice buy the thing of me !" 
 I held out the purse to him. " At the 
 price?" "-No!" I sighed deeply, and 
 began again. " Well, then, I insist upon 
 it, we must part, do not stop up my way 
 G 5 
 
130 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 any longer in a world which is wide 
 enough for both of us." He smiled, and 
 replied : I go, sir ; but I will first in- 
 struct you how to summon me, when you 
 wish for the presence of your most humble 
 slave : you only need to shake your purse, 
 that its exhaustless pieces may tinkle, the 
 sound will draw me instantly to you. 
 Every body in this world thinks of his own 
 interests ; you see I was also attending to 
 yours for I give you spontaneously a new 
 power. Excellent purse ! and even if the 
 moths had devoured your shadow, there 
 would be a strong bond of union between 
 us. But enough you possess me while you 
 possess my gold j however distant, com- 
 mand your servant you know I am always 
 ready to do honor to my friends, and that 
 I have for the wealthy an especial regard ; 
 

 
 
-***ttM*>- ~ 
 
 ,."V\ J 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 131 
 
 that you yourself have seen but as for 
 your shadow, sir, allow me to assure you, 
 your shadow will never be yours but on 
 one condition. 3 ' 
 
 Visions of old time floated in my soul. 
 I inquired hastily : " Did Mr. Jones give 
 you his signature ?" He smiled : " With 
 so good a friend it was not necessary." 
 " Where is he where ? By heavens I will 
 know !" He put his hand slowly into 
 his pocket, and drew out by the hair 
 the pale and ghastly form of Thomas 
 Jones. Its blue and deadly lips trembled 
 with the dreadful words : " Justo judicio 
 Dei Judicatus sum, Justo judicio Dei con- 
 demnatus sum." I was horror-struck I 
 dashed the clinking purse hastily into the 
 abyss, and uttered these last words, " 1 
 conjure thee, in the name of God, monster, 
 G 6 
 
132 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 begone, and never again appear before 
 these eyes." He rose up with a gloomy 
 frown, and vanished instantaneously behind 
 the dark masses of rocks which surrounded 
 that wild and savage place. 
 
CHAR IX. 
 
 I SAT there shadowless and pennyless : 
 but a heavy weight had been removed 
 from my bosom, and I was calm. Had I 
 not lost my love, or had that loss left me 
 free from self-reproach, I believe I might 
 have been happy ; but I knew not what 
 steps I should take. I searched my pockets, 
 and found that a few pieces of gold re- 
 mained to me ; I counted them smilingly. 
 I had left my horse at the inn below. I 
 was ashamed to return there, at least till 
 the setting of the sun and the sun was 
 high in the heavens. I laid myself down 
 
134 SCHLKMIHL. 
 
 in the shade of a neighbouring tree, and 
 fell quietly asleep. 
 
 The sweetest images danced cheerfully 
 around me in my delightful dreams. Mina, 
 crowned with a garland of flowers, hovered 
 over me, and cheered me with an affec- 
 tionate smile. The noble Bendel was there 
 too, weaving a flowery wreath, and ap- 
 proaching me with a friendly greeting. 
 Many others were also there, and among 
 . them methought I saw even thee, Cha- 
 misso, in the distant crowd. A bright 
 light shone, but there were no shadows ; 
 and, what was more singular, all appeared 
 happy. Flowers and songs, and love and 
 joy, under groves of palms. I could 
 hardly realize, understand, or point out 
 the flitting, swiftly dispersed, and lovely 
 forms $ but I enjoyed such visions, I would 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 135 
 
 fain not awake but I awoke, though I 
 kept my eyes closed, that the vanishing 
 dreams might play a little longer round 
 my soul. 
 
 But I opened my eyes at last the sun 
 was in the heavens, but in the east ; I 
 had slept through the night. I took this 
 for a sign that I ought not to return to the 
 inn. I willingly abandoned that which I 
 had so lately left there, and determined 
 to take a by-road on foot, which led 
 through the forest-girded base of the hill, 
 leaving it to fate to determine what might 
 be my lot. I looked not back ; I thought 
 not even of applying to Bendel, whom I 
 had left in wealth behind me, which I 
 might so easily have done. I began to 
 consider what new character I should as- 
 sume in the world. My appearance was 
 
136 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 very unpretending : I wore an old black 
 coat, which I had formerly worn in Berlin, 
 and which, I know not how, I had taken 
 for this journey. I had only a travelling- 
 cap on my head, and a pair of worn-out 
 boots on my feet. I rose up, cut a knobbed 
 stick from the spot as a sort of memento, 
 and began my wanderings. 
 
 I overtook an old peasant in the wood, 
 who greeted me with great kindness, and 
 with whom I entered into conversation. 
 I first inquired, like a curious traveller, 
 about the road, then about the neighbour- 
 hood and its inhabitants, the productions 
 of the mountain, and such matters. He 
 answered my inquiries talkatively and 
 sensibly. We came to the bed of a moun- 
 tain-stream, which had spread its devas- 
 tations over a wide part of the forest. I 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 137 
 
 shuddered inwardly before the wide sunny 
 place, and let the countryman precede me. 
 He however stood still in the middle of 
 this frightful spot, and turned round to- 
 wards me, in order to give me the history 
 of the overflow. He soon observed what 
 was wanting to me, and stopped in the 
 middle of his narrative to say : < < But how 
 is this the gentleman has got no shadow !" 
 " Alas ! alas ! " I replied with a sigh, " I 
 had a long and dreadful illness, and lost 
 my hair, my nails, and my shadow ! Look, 
 father, at my time of life, my hair, which 
 has grown again, quite white, my nails 
 sadly short, and my shadow is not yet 
 springing forth." Aye ! aye," said the 
 old man^ shaking his head, " no shadow ! 
 that's odd the gentleman must have had 
 a sad illness !" But he did not go on with 
 
138 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 his story, and at the next cross path he 
 glided away from me without saying a 
 word. Bitter tears trembled again on my 
 cheeks all my serenity was gone. 
 
 With a heavy heart I moved forwards, 
 and sought the society of man no longer. 
 I concealed myself in the thickest of the 
 forest, and was often obliged to wait for 
 hours in order to get over sunny spots, 
 even where no human eye forbad my pro- 
 gress 5 in the evening I sought a retreat 
 Jn the villages. At last I bent my course 
 towards a mine in the mountain, where I 
 hoped to find employment under ground ; 
 for besides that my situation required me 
 even to procure my daily bread, I clearly 
 perceived nothing but the most laborious 
 toil would be any protection from my 
 convulsive thoughts, 
 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 139 
 
 A couple of rainy days helped me far on 
 my way, but at the cost of my boots, 
 whose soles were made to suit Count 
 Peter, and not a running footman : I 
 soon walked on my naked feet, and was 
 obliged to procure another pair of boots. 
 The next morning I attended earnestly to 
 this affair in a village, where a fair was 
 held, and where old and new boots were 
 exposed in a shop for sale. I selected and 
 bargained for a long time. I was obliged 
 to abandon a new pair which I wished to 
 possess I was frightened by the extrava- 
 gant price, and satisfied myself, therefore, 
 with old ones, which were yet firm and 
 strong, and which the fair and light- 
 haired shop-boy handed to me for my 
 ready cash with a smile, while he wished 
 me a prosperous journey. I put them ori 
 
140 , SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 immediately, and went away through a 
 door which lay to the north. 
 
 I was lost in my own thoughts, and 
 hardly observed where I put my foot for I 
 was still planning about the mine, whither 
 I hoped to arrive by the evening, and 
 hardly knew how I should manage to in- 
 troduce myself there. I had not advanced 
 two hundred paces ere I discovered that 
 I had lost my way ; I looked round, and 
 found myself in an antique and desert wood 
 of firs, to the roots of which it appeared 
 the axe had never been laid. I still has- 
 tened onwards a few steps, and perceived 
 I was among dreary rocks, surrounded 
 only by moss and stones, between which 
 lay piles of snow and ice. The wind was 
 extremely cold, and when I looked round 
 the forest had wholly disappeared. Yet a 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 141 
 
 few paces forward, the stillness of death 
 possessed me the ice on which I stood 
 stretched boundlessly before me a dark 
 mist hung over it the red sun looked 
 from the edge of the horizon. The cold 
 was intolerable I knew not how it had hap- 
 pened, but the benumbing frost forced me to 
 accelerate my steps. I heard the roar of dis- 
 tant waters another bewildered step, and I 
 was on the ice-borders of the ocean. Count- 
 less herds of seals dashed splashing into the 
 stream. I followed the sea-shore, and saw 
 again naked rocks, land, forests of birch 
 and pine-trees. I moved forwards for a few 
 minutes it was burning hot around me 
 were richly cultivated rice-fields under 
 mulberry trees, in whose shadow I sat 
 down, and looking at my watch, found it 
 was less than a quarter of an hour since I 
 
142 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 left the village. I fancied I was dream- 
 ing I bit my tongue to awake myself, 
 and I was aroused most thoroughly. I 
 closed my eyes in order to assemble my 
 thoughts. I heard strange nasal sounds 
 I looked around ; two Chinese, whose 
 Asiatic countenances I could not mistake, 
 were saluting me according to the custom 
 of their country, and in their own lan- 
 guage ; I aroseand walked back two 
 steps. I saw them no longer the land- 
 scape was wholly changed ; trees and 
 woods had succeeded to the rice-fields. I 
 looked pensively on the trees and plants 
 which were blooming around me, and saw 
 that they were the productions of South- 
 eastern Asia. I went towards a tree 
 and all was again changed. I walked for- 
 wards like a drilled recruit, with slow 
 
SCHLBMIHL. 143 
 
 
 
 paces. Wonderful varieties of countries, 
 fields, meadows, mountains, wastes, and 
 sandy deserts rolled along before my as- 
 tounded sight; doubtless I had the seven- 
 league boots on my legs. 
 
CHAP. X. 
 
 I FELL down on my knees in speechless 
 devotion, and shed tears of gratitude my 
 future destiny seemed bright in my souL 
 Shut out from human society by my 
 early guilt, nature, which I had ever 
 loved, was given me for my enjoyment, 
 spread out like a rich garden before me, an 
 object of study for the guide and strength 
 of my life, of which science was to be the 
 end. It was no decision of my own. 
 What then appeared bright and perfect 
 in my inner thoughts I have since en- 
 deavoured to describe with calm, earnest, 
 
SCHLEMEHL. 145 
 
 unremitting diligence, and my happiness 
 has depended on the intensity of my recol- 
 lections. 
 
 I rose up hastily, in order that I might 
 by a rapid survey take possession of the 
 field in which I wished to make my har- 
 vest. I stood upon the mountains of 
 Thibet, and the sun, which had risen a 
 few hours before, was now sinking in the 
 evening sky. I journeyed from the east 
 towards the west of Asia, overtaking the 
 sun in his progress, and passed the boun- 
 daries of Africa. I looked round with 
 great curiosity, and crossed it in all direc- 
 tions. As I glanced over the old pyramids 
 and temples of Egypt, I observed in the 
 deserts near the hundred-gated Thebes, 
 the caverns once occupied by Christian 
 anchorites instantly it occurred impres- 
 
146 
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 sively and distinctly to me there is thy 
 abode. I chose one of the most concealed, 
 which was at the same time roomy, con- 
 venient, and inaccessible to the jackalls, 
 for my future dwelling, and moved for- 
 ward with my staff. 
 
 I passed into Europe by the Pillars of 
 Hercules, and, after I had taken a rapid 
 survey of its southern and northern pro- 
 vinces, I hastened to North Asia, and thence 
 over the polar glaciers to Greenland and 
 America. I rambled through both parts 
 of that continent, and the winter which 
 had begun to reign in the south, now drove 
 me quickly back northwards from Cape 
 Horn. 
 
 I lingered till the day dawned in eastern 
 Asia, and after a short repose again entered 
 on my wanderings. I followed the chains 
 
I 
 
 
SCHLEMIHJL. 147 
 
 of mountains, some of the highest elevations 
 known in our globe, through the two Ame- 
 ricas. I trod slowly and prudently from 
 height to height, now over flaming vol- 
 canos, and now over snowy cupolas. I 
 was often almost breathless with weariness, 
 but I reached the Elias mountain and sprung 
 to Asia across Behring's Straits. I pursued 
 the western coast in its numerous wind- 
 ings, and endeavoured to ascertain by 
 special observation which of the islands in 
 the neighbourhood were accessible to me. 
 From the Malacca peninsula my boots took 
 me to Sumatra, Java, Balli, and Lamboc. 
 I endeavoured, often with peril, and al- 
 ways in vain, t9 find a north-west passage 
 over the inlets and the rocks with which 
 the ocean is studded, to Borneo and the 
 other islands of the Eastern Archipelago 
 H 2 
 
 
148 
 
 SCHLKMIHL. 
 
 but I was obliged to abandon the hope. 
 I sat down at last on the farthest verge of 
 Lamboc, and turning my eyes to the south 
 and east, I wept as if within the grates of a 
 prison, that I could proceed no farther. 
 New Holland, that extraordinary country 
 so essentially necessary to understanding 
 the philosophy of the earth, and its sun- 
 embroidered dress, the vegetable and the 
 animal world; and the South Sea with its 
 Zoophyte islands, were interdicted to me ; 
 and thus every thing on which I would 
 have gathered together and erected my 
 hopes was condemned to be left a mere 
 fragment, even in its very origin. O, my 
 Adalbert ! such is the reward for all th e 
 labours of man ! 
 
 In the coldest winter of the southern 
 hemisphere have I stood on Cape Horn, 
 
SCHLBMIHL. 149 
 
 meditating on the two hundred paces, 
 or thereabouts, which divided me from 
 New Holland and Van Diemen's Land 
 careless about the means of returning, and 
 indifferent even though that frightful land 
 should lie over me like the cover of my 
 bier. I attempted to cross the polar 
 glaciers towards the west, and, with fool- 
 ishly daring yet desponding steps, to pass 
 upon the floating ice, braving the frost 
 and the waves. In vain I have never yet 
 been in New Holland. I returned again 
 to Lamboc again I sat myself on the outer 
 verge my face turned to the south and 
 east, and wept again as if at the fast- 
 closed iron -window of my prison. 
 
 I rose up at last from this spot, and with 
 a dejected heart journeyed to the interior 
 of Asia. I hastened onwards, perceiving 
 H 3 
 
150 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 the day-break towards the west, and at 
 night reached my before-described abode 
 in Thebes, which I had just looked into 
 the previous afternoon. 
 
 As soon as I had taken some repose, and 
 the day had dawned upon Europe, my first 
 care was to provide for my necessities. 
 First, stop-shoes, for I had discovered 
 that, however inconvenient it might be, 
 there was no way of shortening my pace 
 in order to move conveniently in my im- 
 mediate neighbourhood, except by draw- 
 ing off my boots. A pair of slippers, how- 
 ever, produced the wished-for effect, and 
 henceforward I always took care to be 
 provided with a couple of pair, as I often 
 threw one pair away if I had not time to 
 lay hold of them, when the approach of 
 lions, men, or hyaenas interrupted my 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 151 
 
 botanizing. My excellent watch was an 
 admirable chronometer to me for the short 
 period of my peregrinations; but I re- 
 quired a sextant, some philosophical in- 
 struments, and books. 
 
 In order to obtain all these things 1 
 made some tedious journeys to London 
 and Paris, which were both overshadow- 
 ed by friendly fogs. As I had exhaust- 
 ed the remainder of my magic-gold, 
 I brought with me some easily-obtained 
 African elephants'-teeth for the purposes 
 of payment, though I was obliged to choose 
 the smallest among them, that they might 
 not be too much for my strength. I was 
 soon supplied and stocked with every thing 
 I required, and began my new mode of life 
 as a retired philosopher. 
 H 4 
 
152 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 J journeyed over the east, now mea- 
 suring its mountains now the temperature 
 of its streams and of its air ; now ob- 
 serving its animals now examining its 
 plants. I hastened from the Equator to 
 the pole from one world to another 
 comparing experience with experience. 
 The eggs of the African ostrich, or the 
 northern sea-fowl, and fruits, especially 
 tropical palms and bananas, were my usual 
 refreshments. Instead of my departed 
 fortune I enjoyed my Nicotiana it served 
 instead of the good opinion of mankind, 
 and then my affections I had the love 
 of a little dog, that watched my Theban 
 cave, and when I returned to it laden with 
 new treasures, sprang forwards to meet 
 me, making me feel the spirit of humanity 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 153 
 
 within me, and that I was not quite alone 
 on the earth. But, notwithstanding this, 
 calamity was yet to drive me back to the 
 haunts of men ! 
 
 H 5 
 
CHAP. XL 
 
 ONCE, being on the northern coast, having 
 drawn on my boots while I was gathering 
 together my straggling plants and sea- 
 weeds, a white bear approached unawares 
 the verge of the rock dn which I stood. I 
 wished to throw off my slippers and just 
 move to an adjacent island, which I ex- 
 pected to reach, over a rock whose head 
 towered above the waves. With one foot 
 I reached the rock; I stretched out the 
 other and fell into the sea : I had not ob- 
 served that my foot was only half-released 
 from the slipper. 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 155 
 
 Overpowered by the tremendous cold, I 
 had the greatest difficulty in rescuing my 
 life from this peril : but as soon as I reached 
 the land, I hurried off to the wastes of 
 Lybia to dry myself there in the sun. I 
 had, however, scarcely set out ere the 
 burning heat so oppressed my head, that I 
 reeled back again to the north very ill. 
 I sought relief in rapid movements ; and 
 with uncertain and hurried steps I has- 
 tened from the west to the east, and from 
 the east to the west. I placed myself in 
 the most rapid vicissitudes of day and 
 night ; now in the heats of summer, and 
 now in the winter's cold. 
 
 I know not how long I thus wandered 
 
 over the earth. A burning fever glowed 
 
 through my veins, and with dreadful agony 
 
 I perceived my intellects abandoning me. 
 
 H 6 
 
156 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 Misfortune would have it that I should 
 carelessly tread on a traveller's heel; I 
 must have hurt him, for I received a violent 
 blow, I staggered, and fell. 
 
 When I recovered my senses I was 
 comfortably stretched on an excellent bed, 
 which stood among many others in a roomy 
 and handsome apartment. Somebody was 
 sitting near my pillow; many persons 
 passed through the hall going from one 
 bed to another. They stood before mine, 
 and I was the subject of their conver- 
 sation. They called me Number Twelve ; 
 and on the wall at the foot of my bed that 
 number certainly stood it was no illusion, 
 for I could read it most distinctly : there 
 was a black marble slab, on which was 
 inscribed in large golden letters, my name, 
 
 PETER SCHLEMIHL, 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 157 
 
 quite correctly written. On the slab, and 
 under my name, were two lines of letters, 
 but I was too weak to connect them, and 
 closed my eyes again. 
 
 I heard something of which Peter Schle- 
 mihl was the subject, loudly and distinctly 
 uttered, but I could not collect the mean- 
 ing. I saw a friendly man and a beautiful 
 woman in black apparel, standing before 
 my bed. Their forms were not strangers 
 to me, though I could not recognize them. 
 
 Some time passed by, and I gradually 
 gathered strength. I was called No. 12, 
 and No. 12, by virtue of his long beard, 
 passed off for a Jew, but was not the less 
 attended to on that account. Nobody 
 seemed to notice that he had no shadow. 
 My boots were, as I was assured, to be 
 found, with every thing else that had been 
 
158 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 discovered with me, in good and safe keep- 
 ing, and ready to be delivered to me on my 
 recovery. The place in which I lay ill was 
 called the Schlemihlium ; and there was a 
 daily exhortation to pray for Peter Schle- 
 mihl, as the founder and benefactor of the 
 hospital. The friendly man whom I had 
 seen at my bed-side was Bendel ; the lovely 
 woman was Mina. 
 
 I lived peaceably in the Schlemihlium 
 quite unknown; but I discovered that I 
 was in Bendel's native place, and that he 
 had built this hospital with the remainder 
 of my once unhallowed gold. The unfortu- 
 nate blessed me daily, for he had built it in 
 .1 
 
 my name, and conducted it wholly under 
 his own inspection. Mina was a widow : 
 an unlucky criminal process had cost Mr. 
 Rascal his life, and taken from her the 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 159 
 
 greater part of her property. Her parents 
 were no more. She dwelt here like a pious 
 widow, and dedicated herself to works of 
 charity. 
 
 She was once conversing with Mr. Ben- 
 del near the bed No. 12. " Why, noble 
 woman, expose yourself to the bad air 
 which is so prevalent here ? is your fate 
 then so dreary that you long for death ?" 
 " No, Mr. Bendel, since I have dreamt 
 out my long dreams, and my inner-self was 
 awakened, ail is well death is neither the 
 object of my hopes nor fears. Since then, 
 I think calmly of the past and of the future. 
 And you do you not yet serve your master 
 and friend in this godlike manner, with 
 sweet and silent satisfaction ?" "Yes, noble 
 woman God be praised ! Ours has been a 
 marvellous destiny. From our full cups 
 
160 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 we have thoughtlessly drank much joy and 
 much bitter sorrow: 'tis empty now. 
 Hitherto we have only had a trial ; now, 
 with prudent solicitude, we wait for the real 
 introduction to substantial things. Far 
 different is the true beginning ; but who 
 would play over again the early game of 
 life ; though it is a blessing, on the whole, 
 to have lived? I am supported by the con- 
 viction that our old friend is better provided 
 for now than then." " I feel it too/' an- 
 swered the lovely widow, and they left me. 
 
 This conversation had produced a deep 
 impression within me; but I doubted in 
 my mind if I should discover, or set out 
 unknown from thence. I decided, however ; 
 I ordered paper and pencil to be brought 
 to me, and wrote these words : 
 
 " Your old friend too is better provided 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 161 
 
 for than formerly, and if he do penance 
 it is the penance of reconciliation." 
 
 On this, finding myself better, I desired 
 to dress myself. The keys were deposited 
 on the little trunk which stood close to my 
 bed. I found in it every thing that belonged 
 to me : I put on my clothes; hung over 
 my black coat my botanical case, where 
 I found again with transport, my northern 
 plants, I drew on my boots, laid the 
 note which I had written on my bed, and 
 when the door opened, was far on my way 
 towards Thebes. 
 
 A long time ago, as I was tracing back 
 my way homewards along the Syrian coast, 
 the last time I had wandered from my 
 dwelling, I saw my poor Figaro approach- 
 ing me. This charming spaniel seemed to 
 
162 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 wish to follow the steps of his master, 
 whom he must have so long waited for. I 
 stood still and called him to me. He sprang 
 barking towards me, with a thousand strik- 
 ing expressions of his innocent and ex- 
 travagant joy. I took him under my arm, 
 for in truth he could not follow me, and 
 brought him with me safely home. 
 
 I found every thing thus in order, and 
 returned again, as my strength returned, to 
 my former engagements and habits of life. 
 And now for a whole twelvemonth I have 
 refrained from exposing myself to the un- 
 bearable winter's cold. 
 
 And thus, my beloved Chamisso thus do 
 I yet live. My boots have not lost their 
 virtues as the very learned tome of Tiec- 
 kius, De rebus gestis Pollicilli^ gave me 
 
SCHUBMIHL. 163 
 
 reason to apprehend. Its power is un- 
 broken : but my strength is failing, though 
 I have confidence I have applied them to 
 their end, and not fruitlessly. I have 
 learned more profoundly than any man be- 
 fore me, every thing respecting the earth : 
 its figure, heights, temperature ; its atmos- 
 phere in all its changes ; the appearances 
 of its magnetic strength its productions., 
 especially of the vegetable world; all in 
 every part whither my boots would carry 
 me. I have published the facts, clearly ar- 
 ranged, with all possible accuracy, in diffe- 
 rent works, with my ideas and conclusions 
 set down in various treatises. I have esta- 
 blished the geography of interior Africa and 
 f the North Pole, of internal Asia and 
 its eastern coasts. My Historia sterpium 
 
164 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 plantarum utruisque orbis has appeared, 
 being but a large fragment of my Flora 
 univer sails terra, and a companion to my 
 Systema natures. In that I believe I have 
 not only increased the number of known 
 species more than a third (moderately 
 speaking) , but have thrown some light 
 on the general system of nature, and the 
 geography of plants. I am now busily en- 
 gaged with my Fauna. I will take care 
 before my death that my MSS. be disposed 
 in the Berlin University. 
 
 And you, my beloved Chamisso, you have 
 I chosen for the keeper of my marvellous 
 history, which, when I shall have vanished 
 from the earth, may tend to the improve- 
 ment of many of its inhabitants. But, my 
 friend, while you live among mankind, 
 
SCHLEMIHL. 165 
 
 learn above all things first to reverence 
 your shadow, and next your money. If 
 you will only live for Chamisso and his 
 better self, you need no counsel of mine. 
 
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