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diff --git a/5339-h/5339-h.htm b/5339-h/5339-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..afbc13b --- /dev/null +++ b/5339-h/5339-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4208 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII" /> +<title>Peter Schlemihl etc., by Adelbert Chamisso</title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + P { margin-top: .75em; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + P.gutsumm { margin-left: 5%;} + P.poetry {margin-left: 3%; } + .GutSmall { font-size: 0.7em; } + H1, H2 { + text-align: center; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + } + H3, H4, H5 { + text-align: center; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + BODY{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + table { border-collapse: collapse; } +table {margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;} + td { vertical-align: top; border: 1px solid black;} + td p { margin: 0.2em; } + .blkquot {margin-left: 4em; margin-right: 4em;} /* block indent */ + + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .pagenum {position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: small; + text-align: right; + font-weight: normal; + color: gray; + } + img { border: none; } + img.dc { float: left; width: 50px; height: 50px; } + p.gutindent { margin-left: 2em; } + div.gapspace { height: 0.8em; } + div.gapline { height: 0.8em; width: 100%; border-top: 1px solid;} + div.gapmediumline { height: 0.3em; width: 40%; margin-left:30%; + border-top: 1px solid; } + div.gapmediumdoubleline { height: 0.3em; width: 40%; margin-left:30%; + border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} + div.gapshortdoubleline { height: 0.3em; width: 20%; + margin-left: 40%; border-top: 1px solid; + border-bottom: 1px solid; } + div.gapdoubleline { height: 0.3em; width: 50%; + margin-left: 25%; border-top: 1px solid; + border-bottom: 1px solid;} + div.gapshortline { height: 0.3em; width: 20%; margin-left:40%; + border-top: 1px solid; } + .citation {vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: none;} + img.floatleft { float: left; + margin-right: 1em; + margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; } + img.floatright { float: right; + margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; + margin-bottom: 0.5em; } + img.clearcenter {display: block; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0.5em; + margin-bottom: 0.5em} + --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> +</head> +<body> +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Peter Schlemihl etc., by Adelbert Chamisso, +Edited by Henry Morley + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Peter Schlemihl etc. + + +Author: Adelbert Chamisso + +Editor: Henry Morley + +Release Date: July 27, 2014 [eBook #5339] +[This file was first posted on July 2, 2002] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PETER SCHLEMIHL ETC.*** +</pre> +<p>Transcribed from the 1889 Cassell & Company edition by +David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><span +class="GutSmall">CASSELL’S NATIONAL LIBRARY.</span></p> + +<div class="gapshortline"> </div> +<h1><span class="smcap">Peter Schlemihl</span></h1> +<p style="text-align: center"><span class="GutSmall">BY</span><br +/> +ADELBERT CHAMISSO</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><span class="smcap"><b>The Story +without an End</b></span><br /> +<span class="smcap">by</span><br /> +CARODÉ</p> +<p style="text-align: center"><b>HYMNS TO THE NIGHT</b><br /> +<span class="GutSmall">BY</span><br /> +NOVALIS</p> +<p style="text-align: center"> +<a href="images/tpb.jpg"> +<img alt= +"Decorative graphic" +title= +"Decorative graphic" +src="images/tps.jpg" /> +</a></p> +<p style="text-align: center">CASSELL & COMPANY, Limited:<br +/> +<span class="GutSmall">LONDON, PARIS & MELBOURNE</span><br /> +<span class="GutSmall">1889</span></p> +<h2>INTRODUCTION.</h2> +<p>“<span class="smcap">Peter Schlemihl</span>,” one +of the pleasantest fancies of the days when Germany delighted in +romance, was first published in 1814, and was especially +naturalised in England by association with the genius of George +Cruikshank, who enriched a translation of it with some of his +happiest work as an illustrator. An account of the book and +its author is here reprinted at the end of the tale, as +originally given by the translator. To this account one or +two notes may be added. Louis Charles Adelaide de Chamisso +de Boncourt was born on the 27th of January, 1781, at the +Château of Boncourt, in Champagne, which he made the +subject of one of his most beautiful lyrics. He belonged to +a family faithful to Louis XVI., that fled to Würzburg from +the fury of the French Revolution. Thus he was taken to +Germany a child of nine, and was left there when the family, with +other emigrants, returned to France in 1801. At fifteen he +had Teutonised his name to Adelbert von Chamisso, and was +appointed page to the Queen of Prussia. In the war that +came afterwards, for a very short time he bore arms against the +French, but being one of a garrison taken in the captured fort of +Hamlin, he and his comrades had to pledge their honour that they +would not again bear arms against France during that war. +After the war he visited France. His parents then were +dead, and though he stayed in France some years, he wrote from +France to a friend, “I am German heart and soul, and cannot +feel at home here.” He wandered irresolutely, then +became Professor of Literature in a gymnasium in La +Vendée. Still he was restless. In 1812 he set +off for a walk in Switzerland, returned to Germany, and took to +the study of anatomy. In 1813, Napoleon’s expedition +to Russia and the peril to France from legions marching upon +Paris caused to Chamisso suffering and confusion of mind.</p> +<p>It is often said that his sense of isolation between interests +of the land of his forefathers and the land of his adoption makes +itself felt through all the wild playfulness of “Peter +Schlemihl,” which was at this time written, when +Chamisso’s age was about thirty-two. A letter of his +to the Councillor Trinius, in Petersburg, tells how he came to +write it. He had lost on a pedestrian tour his hat, his +knapsack, his gloves, and his pocket handkerchief—the chief +movables about him. His friend Fouqué asked him +whether he hadn’t also lost his shadow? The friends +pleased their fancies in imagining what would have happened to +him if he had. Not long afterwards he was reading in La +Fontaine of a polite man who drew out of his pocket whatever was +asked for. Chamisso thought, He will be bringing out next a +coach and horses. Out of these hints came the fancy of +“Peter Schlemihl, the Shadowless Man.” In all +thought that goes with invention of a poet, there are depths as +well as shallows, and the reader may get now and then a peep into +the depths. He may find, if he will, in a man’s +shadow that outward expression of himself which shows that he has +been touched, like others, by the light of heaven. But +essentially the story is a poet’s whim. Later +writings of Chamisso proved him to be one of the best lyric poets +of the romance school of his time, entirely German in his tone of +thought. His best poem, “Salas y Gomez,” +describes the feeling of a solitary on a sea-girt rock, living on +eggs of the numberless sea-birds until old age, when a ship is in +sight, and passes him, and his last agony of despair is followed +by a triumph in the strength of God.</p> +<p class="poetry">“Alone and world-forsaken let me die;<br +/> + Thy Grace is all my wealth, for all my loss:<br /> +On my bleached bones out of the southern sky<br /> + Thy Love will look down from the starry +cross.”</p> +<p>The “Story Without an End”—a story of the +endless beauty of Creation—is from a writer who has no name +on the rolls of fame. The little piece has been made famous +among us by the good will of Sarah Austin. The child who +enjoyed it, and for whom she made the delicate translation which +here follows next after Chamisso’s “Peter +Schlemihl,” was that only daughter who became Lady +Duff-Gordon, and with whom we have made acquaintance in this +Library as the translator of “The Amber Witch.”</p> +<p>To make up the tale of pages in this little book without +breaking its uniformity, I have added a translation of the +“Hymns to Night” of Novalis. It is a +translation made by myself seven-and-forty years ago, and printed +in a student’s magazine that I then edited. +“Novalis” was the name assumed by a poet, Friedrich +von Hardenberg, who died on the 25th March, 1801, aged +twenty-nine. He was bred among the Moravian brethren, and +then sent to the University of Jena. Two years after his +marriage to a young wife, Sophie von Kühn, she died. +That was in 1797. At the same time he lost a brother who +was very dear to him. It was then—four years before +his own death—that he wrote his “Hymns to +Night.”</p> +<p style="text-align: right">H. M.</p> +<h2>INTRODUCTORY EPISTLE<br /> +<span class="GutSmall">FROM</span><br /> +<span class="GutSmall">A. VON CHAMISSO TO JULIUS EDWARD +HITZIG.</span></h2> +<p><span class="smcap">You</span>, who forget nobody, must surely +remember one Peter Schlemihl, whom you used to meet occasionally +at my house—a long-legged youth, who was considered stupid +and lazy, on account of his awkward and careless air. I was +sincerely attached to him. You cannot have forgotten him, +Edward. He was on one occasion the hero of our rhymes, in +the hey-day of our youthful spirits; and I recollect taking him +one evening to a poetical tea-party, where he fell asleep while I +was writing, without even waiting to hear my effusion: and this +reminds me of a witticism of yours respecting him. You had +already seen him, I know not where or when, in an old black +frock-coat, which, indeed, he constantly wore; and you said, +“He would be a lucky fellow if his soul were half as +immortal as his coat,” so little opinion had you of +him. <i>I</i> loved him, however: and to this very +Schlemihl, of whom for many years I had wholly lost sight, I am +indebted for the little volume which I communicate to you, +Edward, my most intimate friend, my second self, from whom I have +no secrets;—to you, and of course our Fouqué, I +commit them, who like you is intimately entwined about my dearest +affections,—to him I communicate them only as a friend, but +not as a poet; for you can easily imagine how unpleasant it would +be if a secret confided to me by an honest man, relying +implicitly on my friendship and honour, were to be exposed to the +public in a poem.</p> +<p>One word more as to the manner in which I obtained these +sheets: yesterday morning early, as soon as I was up, they were +brought to me. An extraordinary-looking man, with a long +grey beard, and wearing an old black frock-coat with a botanical +case hanging at his side, and slippers over his boots, in the +damp, rainy weather, had just been inquiring for me, and left me +these papers, saying he came from Berlin.</p> +<p style="text-align: right"><span class="smcap">Adelbert von +Chamisso</span>.</p> +<h2><span class="smcap">Peter Schlemihl</span>,<br /> +<span class="GutSmall"><i>THE SHADOWLESS MAN</i></span><span +class="GutSmall">.</span></h2> +<h3>CHAPTER I.</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">After</span> a prosperous, but to me very +wearisome, voyage, we came at last into port. Immediately +on landing I got together my few effects; and, squeezing myself +through the crowd, went into the nearest and humblest inn which +first met my gaze. On asking for a room the waiter looked +at me from head to foot, and conducted me to one. I asked +for some cold water, and for the correct address of Mr. Thomas +John, which was described as being “by the north gate, the +first country-house to the right, a large new house of red and +white marble, with many pillars.” This was +enough. As the day was not yet far advanced, I untied my +bundle, took out my newly-turned black coat, dressed myself in my +best clothes, and, with my letter of recommendation, set out for +the man who was to assist me in the attainment of my moderate +wishes.</p> +<p>After proceeding up the north street, I reached the gate, and +saw the marble columns glittering through the trees. Having +wiped the dust from my shoes with my pocket-handkerchief and +readjusted my cravat, I rang the bell—offering up at the +same time a silent prayer. The door flew open, and the +porter sent in my name. I had soon the honour to be invited +into the park, where Mr. John was walking with a few +friends. I recognised him at once by his corpulency and +self-complacent air. He received me very well—just as +a rich man receives a poor devil; and turning to me, took my +letter. “Oh, from my brother! it is a long time since +I heard from him: is he well?—Yonder,” he went +on,—turning to the company, and pointing to a distant +hill—“Yonder is the site of the new +building.” He broke the seal without discontinuing +the conversation, which turned upon riches. “The +man,” he said, “who does not possess at least a +million is a poor wretch.” “Oh, how +true!” I exclaimed, in the fulness of my heart. He +seemed pleased at this, and replied with a smile, “Stop +here, my dear friend; afterwards I shall, perhaps, have time to +tell you what I think of this,” pointing to the letter, +which he then put into his pocket, and turned round to the +company, offering his arm to a young lady: his example was +followed by the other gentlemen, each politely escorting a lady; +and the whole party proceeded towards a little hill thickly +planted with blooming roses.</p> +<p>I followed without troubling any one, for none took the least +further notice of me. The party was in high +spirits—lounging about and jesting—speaking sometimes +of trifling matters very seriously, and of serious matters as +triflingly—and exercising their wit in particular to great +advantage on their absent friends and their affairs. I was +too ignorant of what they were talking about to understand much +of it, and too anxious and absorbed in my own reflections to +occupy myself with the solution of such enigmas as their +conversation presented.</p> +<p>By this time we had reached the thicket of roses. The +lovely Fanny, who seemed to be the queen of the day, was +obstinately bent on plucking a rose-branch for herself, and in +the attempt pricked her finger with a thorn. The crimson +stream, as if flowing from the dark-tinted rose, tinged her fair +hand with the purple current. This circumstance set the +whole company in commotion; and court-plaster was called +for. A quiet, elderly man, tall, and meagre-looking, who +was one of the company, but whom I had not before observed, +immediately put his hand into the tight breast-pocket of his +old-fashioned coat of grey sarsnet, pulled out a small +letter-case, opened it, and, with a most respectful bow, +presented the lady with the wished-for article. She +received it without noticing the giver, or thanking him. +The wound was bound up, and the party proceeded along the hill +towards the back part, from which they enjoyed an extensive view +across the green labyrinth of the park to the wide-spreading +ocean. The view was truly a magnificent one. A slight +speck was observed on the horizon, between the dark flood and the +azure sky. “A telescope!” called out Mr. John; +but before any of the servants could answer the summons the grey +man, with a modest bow, drew his hand from his pocket, and +presented a beautiful Dollond’s telescope to Mr. John, who, +on looking through it, informed the company that the speck in the +distance was the ship which had sailed yesterday, and which was +detained within sight of the haven by contrary winds. The +telescope passed from hand to hand, but was not returned to the +owner, whom I gazed at with astonishment, and could not conceive +how so large an instrument could have proceeded from so small a +pocket. This, however, seemed to excite surprise in no one; +and the grey man appeared to create as little interest as +myself.</p> +<p>Refreshments were now brought forward, consisting of the +rarest fruits from all parts of the world, served up in the most +costly dishes. Mr. John did the honours with unaffected +grace, and addressed me for the second time, saying, “You +had better eat; you did not get such things at sea.” +I acknowledged his politeness with a bow, which, however, he did +not perceive, having turned round to speak with some one +else.</p> +<p>The party would willingly have stopped some time here on the +declivity of the hill, to enjoy the extensive prospect before +them, had they not been apprehensive of the dampness of the +grass. “How delightful it would be,” exclaimed +some one, “if we had a Turkey carpet to lay down +here!” The wish was scarcely expressed when the man +in the grey coat put his hand in his pocket, and, with a modest +and even humble air, pulled out a rich Turkey carpet, embroidered +in gold. The servant received it as a matter of course, and +spread it out on the desired spot; and, without any ceremony, the +company seated themselves on it. Confounded by what I saw, +I gazed again at the man, his pocket, and the carpet, which was +more than twenty feet in length and ten in breadth; and rubbed my +eyes, not knowing what to think, particularly as no one saw +anything extraordinary in the matter.</p> +<p>I would gladly have made some inquiries respecting the man, +and asked who he was, but knew not to whom I should address +myself, for I felt almost more afraid of the servants than of +their master. At length I took courage, and stepping up to +a young man who seemed of less consequence than the others, and +who was more frequently standing by himself, I begged of him, in +a low tone, to tell me who the obliging gentleman was in the grey +cloak. “That man who looks like a piece of thread +just escaped from a tailor’s needle?” +“Yes; he who is standing alone yonder.” +“I do not know,” was the reply; and to avoid, as it +seemed, any further conversation with me, he turned away, and +spoke of some common-place matters with a neighbour.</p> +<p>The sun’s rays now being stronger, the ladies complained +of feeling oppressed by the heat; and the lovely Fanny, turning +carelessly to the grey man, to whom I had not yet observed that +any one had addressed the most trifling question, asked him if, +perhaps, he had not a tent about him. He replied, with a +low bow, as if some unmerited honour had been conferred upon him; +and, putting his hand in his pocket, drew from it canvas, poles, +cord, iron—in short, everything belonging to the most +splendid tent for a party of pleasure. The young gentlemen +assisted in pitching it: and it covered the whole carpet: but no +one seemed to think that there was anything extraordinary in +it.</p> +<p>I had long secretly felt uneasy—indeed, almost +horrified; but how was this feeling increased when, at the next +wish expressed, I saw him take from his pocket three +horses! Yes, Adelbert, three large beautiful steeds, with +saddles and bridles, out of the very pocket whence had already +issued a letter-case, a telescope, a carpet twenty feet broad and +ten in length, and a pavilion of the same extent, with all its +appurtenances! Did I not assure thee that my own eyes had +seen all this, thou wouldst certainly disbelieve it.</p> +<p>This man, although he appeared so humble and embarrassed in +his air and manners, and passed so unheeded, had inspired me with +such a feeling of horror by the unearthly paleness of his +countenance, from which I could not avert my eyes, that I was +unable longer to endure it.</p> +<p>I determined, therefore, to steal away from the company, which +appeared no difficult matter, from the undistinguished part I +acted in it. I resolved to return to the town, and pay +another visit to Mr. John the following morning, and, at the same +time, make some inquiries of him relative to the extraordinary +man in grey, provided I could command sufficient courage. +Would to Heaven that such good fortune had awaited me!</p> +<p>I had stolen safely down the hill, through the thicket of +roses, and now found myself on an open plain; but fearing lest I +should be met out of the proper path, crossing the grass, I cast +an inquisitive glance around, and started as I beheld the man in +the grey cloak advancing towards me. He took off his hat, +and made me a lower bow than mortal had ever yet favoured me +with. It was evident that he wished to address me; and I +could not avoid encountering him without seeming rude. I +returned his salutation, therefore, and stood bareheaded in the +sunshine as if rooted to the ground. I gazed at him with +the utmost horror, and felt like a bird fascinated by a +serpent.</p> +<p>He affected himself to have an air of embarrassment. +With his eyes on the ground, he bowed several times, drew nearer, +and at last, without looking up, addressed me in a low and +hesitating voice, almost in the tone of a suppliant: “Will +you, sir, excuse my importunity in venturing to intrude upon you +in so unusual a manner? I have a request to +make—would you most graciously be pleased to allow +me—!” “Hold! for Heaven’s +sake!” I exclaimed; “what can I do for a man +who”—I stopped in some confusion, which he seemed to +share. After a moment’s pause, he resumed: +“During the short time I have had the pleasure to be in +your company, I have—permit me, sir, to say—beheld +with unspeakable admiration your most beautiful shadow, and +remarked the air of noble indifference with which you, at the +same time, turn from the glorious picture at your feet, as if +disdaining to vouchsafe a glance at it. Excuse the boldness +of my proposal; but perhaps you would have no objection to sell +me your shadow?” He stopped, while my head turned +round like a mill-wheel. What was I to think of so +extraordinary a proposal? To sell my shadow! +“He must be mad,” thought I; and assuming a tone more +in character with the submissiveness of his own, I replied, +“My good friend, are you not content with your own +shadow? This would be a bargain of a strange nature +indeed!”</p> +<p>“I have in my pocket,” he said, “many things +which may possess some value in your eyes: for that inestimable +shadow I should deem the highest price too little.”</p> +<p>A cold shuddering came over me as I recollected the pocket; +and I could not conceive what had induced me to style him +“<i>good friend</i>,” which I took care not to +repeat, endeavouring to make up for it by a studied +politeness.</p> +<p>I now resumed the conversation:—“But, +Sir—excuse your humble servant—I am at a loss to +comprehend your meaning,—my shadow?—how can +I?”</p> +<p>“Permit me,” he exclaimed, interrupting me, +“to gather up the noble image as it lies on the ground, and +to take it into my possession. As to the manner of +accomplishing it, leave that to me. In return, and as an +evidence of my gratitude, I shall leave you to choose among all +the treasures I have in my pocket, among which are a variety of +enchanting articles, not exactly adapted for you, who, I am sure, +would like better to have the wishing-cap of Fortunatus, all made +new and sound again, and a lucky purse which also belonged to +him.”</p> +<p>“Fortunatus’s purse!” cried I; and, great as +was my mental anguish, with that one word he had penetrated the +deepest recesses of my soul. A feeling of giddiness came +over me, and double ducats glittered before my eyes.</p> +<p>“Be pleased, gracious sir, to examine this purse, and +make a trial of its contents.” He put his hand in his +pocket, and drew forth a large strongly stitched bag of stout +Cordovan leather, with a couple of strings to match, and +presented it to me. I seized it—took out ten gold +pieces, then ten more, and this I repeated again and again. +Instantly I held out my hand to him. “Done,” +said I; “the bargain is made: my shadow for the +purse.” “Agreed,” he answered; and, +immediately kneeling down, I beheld him, with extraordinary +dexterity, gently loosen my shadow from the grass, lift it up, +fold it together, and, at last put it in his pocket. He +then rose, bowed once more to me, and directed his steps towards +the rose bushes. I fancied I heard him quietly laughing to +himself. However, I held the purse fast by the two +strings. The earth was basking beneath the brightness of +the sun; but I presently lost all consciousness.</p> +<p>On recovering my senses, I hastened to quit a place where I +hoped there was nothing further to detain me. I first +filled my pockets with gold, then fastened the strings of the +purse round my neck, and concealed it in my bosom. I passed +unnoticed out of the park, gained the high road, and took the way +to the town. As I was thoughtfully approaching the gate, I +heard some one behind me exclaiming, “Young man! young man! +you have lost your shadow!” I turned, and perceived +an old woman calling after me. “Thank you, my good +woman,” said I; and throwing her a piece of gold for her +well-intended information, I stepped under the trees. At +the gate, again, it was my fate to hear the sentry inquiring +where the gentleman had left his shadow; and immediately I heard +a couple of women exclaiming, “Jesu Maria! the poor man has +no shadow.” All this began to depress me, and I +carefully avoided walking in the sun; but this could not +everywhere be the case: for in the next broad street I had to +cross, and, unfortunately for me, at the very hour in which the +boys were coming out of school, a humpbacked lout of a +fellow—I see him yet—soon made the discovery that I +was without a shadow, and communicated the news, with loud +outcries, to a knot of young urchins. The whole swarm +proceeded immediately to reconnoitre me, and to pelt me with +mud. “People,” cried they, “are generally +accustomed to take their shadows with them when they walk in the +sunshine.”</p> +<p>In order to drive them away I threw gold by handfuls among +them, and sprang into a hackney-coach which some compassionate +spectators sent to my rescue.</p> +<p>As soon as I found myself alone in the rolling vehicle I began +to weep bitterly. I had by this time a misgiving that, in +the same degree in which gold in this world prevails over merit +and virtue, by so much one’s shadow excels gold; and now +that I had sacrificed my conscience for riches, and given my +shadow in exchange for mere gold, what on earth would become of +me?</p> +<p>As the coach stopped at the door of my late inn, I felt much +perplexed, and not at all disposed to enter so wretched an +abode. I called for my things, and received them with an +air of contempt, threw down a few gold pieces, and desired to be +conducted to a first-rate hotel. This house had a northern +aspect, so that I had nothing to fear from the sun. I +dismissed the coachman with gold; asked to be conducted to the +best apartment, and locked myself up in it as soon as +possible.</p> +<p>Imagine, my friend, what I then set about? O my dear +Chamisso! even to thee I blush to mention what follows.</p> +<p>I drew the ill-fated purse from my bosom; and, in a sort of +frenzy that raged like a self-fed fire within me, I took out +gold—gold—gold—more and more, till I strewed it +on the floor, trampled upon it, and feasting on its very sound +and brilliancy, added coins to coins, rolling and revelling on +the gorgeous bed, until I sank exhausted.</p> +<p>Thus passed away that day and evening; and as my door remained +locked, night found me still lying on the gold, where, at last, +sleep overpowered me.</p> +<p>Then I dreamed of thee, and fancied I stood behind the glass +door of thy little room, and saw thee seated at thy table between +a skeleton and a bunch of dried plants; before thee lay open the +works of Haller, Humboldt, and Linnæus; on thy sofa a +volume of Goethe, and the Enchanted Ring. I stood a long +time contemplating thee, and everything in thy apartment; and +again turning my gaze upon thee, I perceived that thou wast +motionless—thou didst not breathe—thou wast dead.</p> +<p>I awoke—it seemed yet early—my watch had +stopped. I felt thirsty, faint, and worn out; for since the +preceding morning I had not tasted food. I now cast from +me, with loathing and disgust, the very gold with which but a +short time before I had satiated my foolish heart. Now I +knew not where to put it—I dared not leave it lying +there. I examined my purse to see if it would hold +it,—impossible! Neither of my windows opened on the +sea. I had no other resource but, with toil and great +fatigue, to drag it to a huge chest which stood in a closet in my +room; where I placed it all, with the exception of a handful or +two. Then I threw myself, exhausted, into an arm-chair, +till the people of the house should be up and stirring. As +soon as possible I sent for some refreshment, and desired to see +the landlord.</p> +<p>I entered into some conversation with this man respecting the +arrangement of my future establishment. He recommended for +my personal attendant one Bendel, whose honest and intelligent +countenance immediately prepossessed me in his favour. It +is this individual whose persevering attachment has consoled me +in all the miseries of my life, and enabled me to bear up under +my wretched lot. I was occupied the whole day in my room +with servants in want of a situation, and tradesmen of every +description. I decided on my future plans, and purchased +various articles of vertu and splendid jewels, in order to get +rid of some of my gold; but nothing seemed to diminish the +inexhaustible heap.</p> +<p>I now reflected on my situation with the utmost +uneasiness. I dared not take a single step beyond my own +door; and in the evening I had forty wax tapers lighted before I +ventured to leave the shade. I reflected with horror on the +frightful encounter with the school-boys; yet I resolved, if I +could command sufficient courage, to put the public opinion to a +second trial. The nights were now moonlight. Late in +the evening I wrapped myself in a large cloak, pulled my hat over +my eyes, and, trembling like a criminal, stole out of the +house.</p> +<p>I did not venture to leave the friendly shadow of the houses +until I had reached a distant part of the town; and then I +emerged into the broad moonlight, fully prepared to hear my fate +from the lips of the passers-by.</p> +<p>Spare me, my beloved friend, the painful recital of all that I +was doomed to endure. The women often expressed the deepest +sympathy for me—a sympathy not less piercing to my soul +than the scoffs of the young people, and the proud contempt of +the men, particularly of the more corpulent, who threw an ample +shadow before them. A fair and beauteous maiden, apparently +accompanied by her parents, who gravely kept looking straight +before them, chanced to cast a beaming glance on me; but was +evidently startled at perceiving that I was without a shadow, and +hiding her lovely face in her veil, and holding down her head, +passed silently on.</p> +<p>This was past all endurance. Tears streamed from my +eyes; and with a heart pierced through and through, I once more +took refuge in the shade. I leant on the houses for +support, and reached home at a late hour, worn out with +fatigue.</p> +<p>I passed a sleepless night. My first care the following +morning was, to devise some means of discovering the man in the +grey cloak. Perhaps I may succeed in finding him; and how +fortunate it were if he should be as ill satisfied with his +bargain as I am with mine!</p> +<p>I desired Bendel to be sent for, who seemed to possess some +tact and ability. I minutely described to him the +individual who possessed a treasure without which life itself was +rendered a burden to me. I mentioned the time and place at +which I had seen him, named all the persons who were present, and +concluded with the following directions:—He was to inquire +for a Dollond’s telescope, a Turkey carpet interwoven with +gold, a marquee, and, finally, for some black steeds—the +history, without entering into particulars, of all these being +singularly connected with the mysterious character who seemed to +pass unnoticed by every one, but whose appearance had destroyed +the peace and happiness of my life.</p> +<p>As I spoke I produced as much gold as I could hold in my two +hands, and added jewels and precious stones of still greater +value. “Bendel,” said I, “this smooths +many a path, and renders that easy which seems almost +impossible. Be not sparing of it, for I am not so; but go, +and rejoice thy master with intelligence on which depend all his +hopes.”</p> +<p>He departed, and returned late and melancholy.</p> +<p>None of Mr. John’s servants, none of his guests (and +Bendel had spoken to them all) had the slightest recollection of +the man in the grey cloak.</p> +<p>The new telescope was still there, but no one knew how it had +come; and the tent and Turkey carpet were still stretched out on +the hill. The servants boasted of their master’s +wealth; but no one seemed to know by what means he had become +possessed of these newly acquired luxuries. He was +gratified; and it gave him no concern to be ignorant how they had +come to him. The black coursers which had been mounted on +that day were in the stables of the young gentlemen of the party, +who admired them as the munificent present of Mr. John.</p> +<p>Such was the information I gained from Bendel’s detailed +account; but, in spite of this unsatisfactory result, his zeal +and prudence deserved and received my commendation. In a +gloomy mood, I made him a sign to withdraw.</p> +<p>“I have, sir,” he continued, “laid before +you all the information in my power relative to the subject of +the most importance to you. I have now a message to deliver +which I received early this morning from a person at the gate, as +I was proceeding to execute the commission in which I have so +unfortunately failed. The man’s words were precisely +these: ‘Tell your master, Peter Schlemihl, he will not see +me here again. I am going to cross the sea; a favourable +wind now calls all the passengers on board; but, in a year and a +day I shall have the honour of paying him a visit; when, in all +probability, I shall have a proposal to make to him of a very +agreeable nature. Commend me to him most respectfully, with +many thanks.’ I inquired his name; but he said you +would remember him.”</p> +<p>“What sort of person was he?” cried I, in great +emotion; and Bendel described the man in the grey coat feature by +feature, word for word; in short, the very individual in search +of whom he had been sent. “How unfortunate!” +cried I bitterly; “it was himself.” Scales, as +it were, fell from Bendel’s eyes. “Yes, it was +he,” cried he, “undoubtedly it was he; and fool, +madman, that I was, I did not recognise him—I did not, and +have betrayed my master!” He then broke out into a +torrent of self-reproach; and his distress really excited my +compassion. I endeavoured to console him, repeatedly +assuring him that I entertained no doubt of his fidelity; and +despatched him immediately to the wharf, to discover, if +possible, some trace of the extraordinary being. But on +that very morning many vessels which had been detained in port by +contrary winds had set sail, all bound to different parts of the +globe; and the grey man had disappeared like a shadow.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER II.</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">Of</span> what use were wings to a man +fast bound in chains of iron? They would but increase the +horror of his despair. Like the dragon guarding his +treasure, I remained cut off from all human intercourse, and +starving amidst my very gold, for it gave me no pleasure: I +anathematised it as the source of all my wretchedness.</p> +<p>Sole depository of my fearful secret, I trembled before the +meanest of my attendants, whom, at the same time, I envied; for +he possessed a shadow, and could venture to go out in the +daytime; while I shut myself up in my room day and night, and +indulged in all the bitterness of grief.</p> +<p>One individual, however, was daily pining away before my +eyes—my faithful Bendel, who was the victim of silent +self-reproach, tormenting himself with the idea that he had +betrayed the confidence reposed in him by a good master, in +failing to recognise the individual in quest of whom he had been +sent, and with whom he had been led to believe that my melancholy +fate was closely connected. Still, I had nothing to accuse +him with, as I recognised in the occurrence the mysterious +character of the unknown.</p> +<p>In order to leave no means untried, I one day despatched +Bendel with a costly ring to the most celebrated artist in the +town, desiring him to wait upon me. He came; and, +dismissing the attendants, I secured the door, placing myself +opposite to him, and, after extolling his art, with a heavy heart +came to the point, first enjoining the strictest secrecy.</p> +<p>“For a person,” said I, “who most +unfortunately has lost his shadow, could you paint a false +one?”</p> +<p>“Do you speak of the natural shadow?”</p> +<p>“Precisely so.”</p> +<p>“But,” he asked, “by what awkward negligence +can a man have lost his shadow?”</p> +<p>“How it occurred,” I answered, “is of no +consequence; but it was in this manner”—(and here I +uttered an unblushing falsehood)—“he was travelling +in Russia last winter, and one bitterly cold day it froze so +intensely, that his shadow remained so fixed to the ground, that +it was found impossible to remove it.”</p> +<p>“The false shadow that I might paint,” said the +artist, “would be liable to be lost on the slightest +movement, particularly in a person who, from your account, cares +so little about his shadow. A person without a shadow +should keep out of the sun, that is the only safe and rational +plan.”</p> +<p>He rose and took his leave, casting so penetrating a look at +me that I shrunk from it. I sank back in my chair, and hid +my face in my hands.</p> +<p>In this attitude Bendel found me, and was about to withdraw +silently and respectfully on seeing me in such a state of grief: +looking up, overwhelmed with my sorrows, I felt that I must +communicate them to him. “Bendel,” I exclaimed, +“Bendel, thou the only being who seest and respectest my +grief too much to inquire into its cause—thou who seemest +silently and sincerely to sympathise with me—come and share +my confidence. The extent of my wealth I have not withheld +from thee, neither will I conceal from thee the extent of my +grief. Bendel! forsake me not. Bendel, you see me +rich, free, beneficent; you fancy all the world in my power; yet +you must have observed that I shun it, and avoid all human +intercourse. You think, Bendel, that the world and I are at +variance; and you yourself, perhaps, will abandon me, when I +acquaint you with this fearful secret. Bendel, I am rich, +free, generous; but, O God, I have <i>no shadow</i>!”</p> +<p>“No shadow!” exclaimed the faithful young man, +tears starting from his eyes. “Alas! that I am born +to serve a master without a shadow!” He was silent, +and again I hid my face in my hands.</p> +<p>“Bendel,” at last I tremblingly resumed, +“you have now my confidence; you may betray +me—go—bear witness against me!”</p> +<p>He seemed to be agitated with conflicting feelings; at last he +threw himself at my feet and seized my hand, which he bathed with +his tears. “No,” he exclaimed; “whatever +the world may say, I neither can nor will forsake my excellent +master because he has lost his shadow. I will rather do +what is right than what may seem prudent. I will remain +with you—I will shade you with my own shadow—I will +assist you when I can—and when I cannot, I will weep with +you.”</p> +<p>I fell upon his neck, astonished at sentiments so unusual; for +it was very evident that he was not prompted by the love of +money.</p> +<p>My mode of life and my fate now became somewhat +different. It is incredible with what provident foresight +Bendel contrived to conceal my deficiency. Everywhere he +was before me and with me, providing against every contingency, +and in cases of unlooked-for danger, flying to shield me with his +own shadow, for he was taller and stouter than myself. Thus +I once more ventured among mankind, and began to take a part in +worldly affairs. I was compelled, indeed, to affect certain +peculiarities and whims; but in a rich man they seem only +appropriate; and so long as the truth was kept concealed I +enjoyed all the honour and respect which gold could procure.</p> +<p>I now looked forward with more composure to the promised visit +of the mysterious unknown at the expiration of the year and a +day.</p> +<p>I was very sensible that I could not venture to remain long in +a place where I had once been seen without a shadow, and where I +might easily be betrayed; and perhaps, too, I recollected my +first introduction to Mr. John, and this was by no means a +pleasing reminiscence. However, I wished just to make a +trial here, that I might with greater ease and security visit +some other place. But my vanity for some time withheld me, +for it is in this quality of our race that the anchor takes the +firmest hold.</p> +<p>Even the lovely Fanny, whom I again met in several places, +without her seeming to recollect that she had ever seen me +before, bestowed some notice on me; for wit and understanding +were mine in abundance now. When I spoke, I was listened +to; and I was at a loss to know how I had so easily acquired the +art of commanding attention, and giving the tone to the +conversation.</p> +<p>The impression which I perceived I had made upon this fair one +completely turned my brain; and this was just what she +wished. After that, I pursued her with infinite pains +through every obstacle. My vanity was only intent on +exciting hers to make a conquest of me; but although the +intoxication disturbed my head, it failed to make the least +impression on my heart.</p> +<p>But why detail to you the oft-repeated story which I have so +often heard from yourself?</p> +<p>However, in the old and well-known drama in which I played so +worn-out a part a catastrophe occurred of quite a peculiar +nature, in a manner equally unexpected to her, to me, and to +everybody.</p> +<p>One beautiful evening I had, according to my usual custom, +assembled a party in a garden, and was walking arm-in-arm with +Fanny at a little distance from the rest of the company, and +pouring into her ear the usual well-turned phrases, while she was +demurely gazing on vacancy, and now and then gently returning the +pressure of my hand. The moon suddenly emerged from behind +a cloud at our back. Fanny perceived only her own shadow +before us. She started, looked at me with terror, and then +again on the ground, in search of my shadow. All that was +passing in her mind was so strangely depicted in her countenance, +that I should have burst into a loud fit of laughter had I not +suddenly felt my blood run cold within me. I suffered her +to fall from my arm in a fainting-fit; shot with the rapidity of +an arrow through the astonished guests, reached the gate, threw +myself into the first conveyance I met with, and returned to the +town, where this time, unfortunately, I had left the wary +Bendel. He was alarmed on seeing me: one word explained +all. Post-horses were immediately procured. I took +with me none of my servants, one cunning knave only excepted, +called Rascal, who had by his adroitness become very serviceable +to me, and who at present knew nothing of what had +occurred—I travelled thirty leagues that night; having left +Bendel behind to discharge my servants, pay my debts, and bring +me all that was necessary.</p> +<p>When he came up with me next day, I threw myself into his +arms, vowing to avoid such follies and to be more careful for the +future.</p> +<p>We pursued our journey uninterruptedly over the frontiers and +mountains; and it was not until I had placed this lofty barrier +between myself and the before-mentioned unlucky town that I was +persuaded to recruit myself after my fatigues in a neighbouring +and little-frequented watering-place.</p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p>I must now pass rapidly over one period of my history, on +which how gladly would I dwell, could I conjure up your lively +powers of delineation! But the vivid hues which are at your +command, and which alone can give life and animation to the +picture, have left no trace within me; and were I now to +endeavour to recall the joys, the griefs, the pure and enchanting +emotions, which once held such powerful dominion in my breast, it +would be like striking a rock which yields no longer the living +spring, and whose spirit has fled for ever. With what an +altered aspect do those bygone days now present themselves to my +gaze!</p> +<p>In this watering-place I acted an heroic character, badly +studied; and being a novice on such a stage, I forgot my part +before a pair of lovely blue eyes.</p> +<p>All possible means were used by the infatuated parents to +conclude the bargain; and deception put an end to these usual +artifices. And that is all—all.</p> +<p>The powerful emotions which once swelled my bosom seem now in +the retrospect to be poor and insipid, nay, even terrible to +me.</p> +<p>Alas, Minna! as I wept for thee the day I lost thee, so do I +now weep that I can no longer retrace thine image in my soul.</p> +<p>Am I, then, so far advanced into the vale of years? O +fatal effects of maturity! would that I could feel one throb, one +emotion of former days of enchantment—alas, not one! a +solitary being, tossed on the wild ocean of life—it is long +since I drained thine enchanted cup to the dregs!</p> +<p>But to return to my narrative. I had sent Bendel to the +little town with plenty of money to procure me a suitable +habitation. He spent my gold profusely; and as he expressed +himself rather reservedly concerning his distinguished master +(for I did not wish to be named), the good people began to form +rather extraordinary conjectures.</p> +<p>As soon as my house was ready for my reception, Bendel +returned to conduct me to it. We set out on our +journey. About a league from the town, on a sunny plain, we +were stopped by a crowd of people, arrayed in holiday attire for +some festival. The carriage stopped. Music, bells, +cannons, were heard; and loud acclamations rang through the +air.</p> +<p>Before the carriage now appeared in white dresses a chorus of +maidens, all of extraordinary beauty; but one of them shone in +resplendent loveliness, and eclipsed the rest as the sun eclipses +the stars of night. She advanced from the midst of her +companions, and, with a lofty yet winning air, blushingly knelt +before me, presenting on a silken cushion a wreath, composed of +laurel branches, the olive, and the rose, saying something +respecting majesty, love, honour, &c., which I could not +comprehend; but the sweet and silvery magic of her tones +intoxicated my senses and my whole soul: it seemed as if some +heavenly apparition were hovering over me. The chorus now +began to sing the praises of a good sovereign, and the happiness +of his subjects. All this, dear Chamisso, took place in the +sun: she was kneeling two steps from me, and I, without a shadow, +could not dart through the air, nor fall on my knees before the +angelic being. Oh, what would I not now have given for a +shadow! To conceal my shame, agony, and despair, I buried +myself in the recesses of the carriage. Bendel at last +thought of an expedient; he jumped out of the carriage. I +called him back, and gave him out of the casket I had by me a +rich diamond coronet, which had been intended for the lovely +Fanny.</p> +<p>He stepped forward, and spoke in the name of his master, who, +he said, was overwhelmed by so many demonstrations of respect, +which he really could not accept as an honour—there must be +some error; nevertheless he begged to express his thanks for the +goodwill of the worthy townspeople. In the meantime Bendel +had taken the wreath from the cushion, and laid the brilliant +crown in its place. He then respectfully raised the lovely +girl from the ground; and, at one sign, the clergy, magistrates, +and all the deputations withdrew. The crowd separated to +allow the horses to pass, and we pursued our way to the town at +full gallop, through arches ornamented with flowers and branches +of laurel. Salvos of artillery again were heard. The +carriage stopped at my gate; I hastened through the crowd which +curiosity had attracted to witness my arrival. Enthusiastic +shouts resounded under my windows, from whence I showered gold +amidst the people; and in the evening the whole town was +illuminated. Still all remained a mystery to me, and I +could not imagine for whom I had been taken. I sent Rascal +out to make inquiry; and he soon obtained intelligence that the +good King of Prussia was travelling through the country under the +name of some count; that my <i>aide-de-camp</i> had been +recognised, and that he had divulged the secret; that on +acquiring the certainty that I would enter their town, their joy +had known no bounds: however, as they perceived I was determined +on preserving the strictest <i>incognito</i>, they felt how wrong +they had been in too importunately seeking to withdraw the veil; +but I had received them so condescendingly and so graciously, +that they were sure I would forgive them. The whole affair +was such capital amusement to the unprincipled Rascal, that he +did his best to confirm the good people in their belief, while +affecting to reprove them. He gave me a very comical +account of the matter; and, seeing that I was amused by it, +actually endeavoured to make a merit of his impudence.</p> +<p>Shall I own the truth? My vanity was flattered by having +been mistaken for our revered sovereign. I ordered a +banquet to be got ready for the following evening, under the +trees before my house, and invited the whole town. The +mysterious power of my purse, Bendel’s exertions, and +Rascal’s ready invention, made the shortness of the time +seem as nothing.</p> +<p>It was really astonishing how magnificently and beautifully +everything was arranged in these few hours. Splendour and +abundance vied with each other, and the lights were so carefully +arranged that I felt quite safe: the zeal of my servants met +every exigency and merited all praise.</p> +<p>Evening drew on, the guests arrived, and were presented to +me. The word <i>majesty</i> was now dropped; but, with the +deepest respect and humility, I was addressed as the +<i>count</i>. What could I do? I accepted the title, +and from that moment I was known as Count Peter. In the +midst of all this festivity my soul pined for one +individual. She came late—she who was the empress of +the scene, and wore the emblem of sovereignty on her brow.</p> +<p>She modestly accompanied her parents, and seemed unconscious +of her transcendent beauty.</p> +<p>The Ranger of the Forests, his wife, and daughter, were +presented to me. I was at no loss to make myself agreeable +to the parents; but before the daughter I stood like a +well-scolded schoolboy, incapable of speaking a single word.</p> +<p>At length I hesitatingly entreated her to honour my banquet by +presiding at it—an office for which her rare endowments +pointed her out as admirably fitted. With a blush and an +expressive glance she entreated to be excused; but, in still +greater confusion than herself, I respectfully begged her to +accept the homage of the first and most devoted of her subjects, +and one glance of the count was the same as a command to the +guests, who all vied with each other in acting up to the spirit +of the noble host.</p> +<p>In her person majesty, innocence, and grace, in union with +beauty, presided over this joyous banquet. Minna’s +happy parents were elated by the honours conferred upon their +child. As for me, I abandoned myself to all the +intoxication of delight: I sent for all the jewels, pearls, and +precious stones still left to me—the produce of my fatal +wealth—and, filling two vases, I placed them on the table, +in the name of the Queen of the banquet, to be divided among her +companions and the remainder of the ladies.</p> +<p>I ordered gold in the meantime to be showered down without +ceasing among the happy multitude.</p> +<p>Next morning Bendel told me in confidence that the suspicions +he had long entertained of Rascal’s honesty were now +reduced to a certainty; he had yesterday embezzled many bags of +gold.</p> +<p>“Never mind,” said I; “let him enjoy his +paltry booty. I like to spend it; why should not he? +Yesterday he, and all the newly-engaged servants whom you had +hired, served me honourably, and cheerfully assisted me to enjoy +the banquet.”</p> +<p>No more was said on the subject. Rascal remained at the +head of my domestics. Bendel was my friend and confidant; +he had by this time become accustomed to look upon my wealth as +inexhaustible, without seeking to inquire into its source. +He entered into all my schemes, and effectually assisted me in +devising methods of spending my money.</p> +<p>Of the pale, sneaking scoundrel—the unknown—Bendel +only knew thus much, that he alone had power to release me from +the curse which weighed so heavily on me, and yet that I stood in +awe of him on whom all my hopes rested. Besides, I felt +convinced that he had the means of discovering <i>me</i> under +any circumstances, while he himself remained concealed. I +therefore abandoned my fruitless inquiries, and patiently awaited +the appointed day.</p> +<p>The magnificence of my banquet, and my deportment on the +occasion, had but strengthened the credulous townspeople in their +previous belief.</p> +<p>It appeared soon after, from accounts in the newspapers, that +the whole history of the King of Prussia’s fictitious +journey originated in mere idle report. But a king I was, +and a king I must remain by all means; and one of the richest and +most royal, although people were at a loss to know where my +territories lay.</p> +<p>The world has never had reason to lament the scarcity of +monarchs, particularly in these days; and the good people, who +had never yet seen a king, now fancied me to be first one, and +then another, with equal success; and in the meanwhile I remained +as before, Count Peter.</p> +<p>Among the visitors at this watering-place a merchant made his +appearance, one who had become a bankrupt in order to enrich +himself. He enjoyed the general good opinion; for he +projected a shadow of respectable size, though of somewhat faint +hue.</p> +<p>This man wished to show off in this place by means of his +wealth, and sought to rival me. My purse soon enabled me to +leave the poor devil far behind. To save his credit he +became bankrupt again, and fled beyond the mountains; and thus I +was rid of him. Many a one in this place was reduced to +beggary and ruin through my means.</p> +<p>In the midst of the really princely magnificence and +profusion, which carried all before me, my own style of living +was very simple and retired. I had made it a point to +observe the strictest precaution; and, with the exception of +Bendel, no one was permitted, on any pretence whatever, to enter +my private apartment. As long as the sun shone I remained +shut up with him; and the Count was then said to be deeply +occupied in his closet. The numerous couriers, whom I kept +in constant attendance about matters of no importance, were +supposed to be the bearers of my despatches. I only +received company in the evening under the trees of my garden, or +in my saloons, after Bendel’s assurance of their being +carefully and brilliantly lit up.</p> +<p>My walks, in which the Argus-eyed Bendel was constantly on the +watch for me, extended only to the garden of the forest-ranger, +to enjoy the society of one who was dear to me as my own +existence.</p> +<p>Oh, my Chamisso! I trust thou hast not forgotten what +love is! I must here leave much to thine imagination. +Minna was in truth an amiable and excellent maiden: her whole +soul was wrapped up in me, and in her lowly thoughts of herself +she could not imagine how she had deserved a single thought from +me. She returned love for love with all the full and +youthful fervour of an innocent heart; her love was a true +woman’s love, with all the devotion and total absence of +selfishness which is found only in woman; she lived but in me, +her whole soul being bound up in mine, regardless what her own +fate might be.</p> +<p>Yet I, alas, during those hours of wretchedness—hours I +would even now gladly recall—how often have I wept on +Bendel’s bosom, when after the first mad whirlwind of +passion I reflected, with the keenest self-upbraidings, that I, a +shadowless man, had, with cruel selfishness, practised a wicked +deception, and stolen away the pure and angelic heart of the +innocent Minna!</p> +<p>At one moment I resolved to confess all to her; then that I +would fly for ever; then I broke out into a flood of bitter +tears, and consulted Bendel as to the means of meeting her again +in the forester’s garden.</p> +<p>At times I flattered myself with great hopes from the near +approaching visit of the unknown; then wept again, because I saw +clearly on reflection that they would end in +disappointment. I had made a calculation of the day fixed +on by the fearful being for our interview; for he had said in a +year and a day, and I depended on his word.</p> +<p>The parents were worthy old people, devoted to their only +child; and our mutual affection was a circumstance so +overwhelming that they knew not how to act. They had never +dreamed for a moment that the <i>Count</i> could bestow a thought +on their daughter; but such was the case—he loved and was +beloved. The pride of the mother might not have led her to +consider such an alliance quite impossible, but so extravagant an +idea had never entered the contemplation of the sounder judgment +of the old man. Both were satisfied of the sincerity of my +love, and could but put up prayers to Heaven for the happiness of +their child.</p> +<p>A letter which I received from Minna about that time has just +fallen into my hands. Yes, these are the characters traced +by her own hand. I will transcribe the letter:—</p> +<p>“I am indeed a weak, foolish girl to fancy that the +friend I so tenderly love could give an instant’s pain to +his poor Minna! Oh no! thou art so good, so inexpressibly +good! But do not misunderstand me. I will accept no +sacrifice at thy hands—none whatever. Oh +heavens! I should hate myself! No; thou hast made me +happy, thou hast taught me to love thee.</p> +<p>“Go, then—let me not forget my destiny—Count +Peter belongs not to me, but to the whole world; and oh! what +pride for thy Minna to hear thy deeds proclaimed, and blessings +invoked on thy idolised head! Ah! when I think of this, I +could chide thee that thou shouldst for one instant forget thy +high destiny for the sake of a simple maiden! Go, then; +otherwise the reflection will pierce me. How blest I have +been rendered by thy love! Perhaps, also, I have planted +some flowers in the path of thy life, as I twined them in the +wreath which I presented to thee.</p> +<p>“Go, then—fear not to leave me—you are too +deeply seated in my heart—I shall die inexpressibly happy +in thy love.”</p> +<p>Conceive how these words pierced my soul, Chamisso!</p> +<p>I declared to her that I was not what I seemed—that, +although a rich, I was an unspeakably miserable man—that a +curse was on me, which must remain a secret, although the only +one between us—yet that I was not without a hope of its +being removed—that this poisoned every hour of my +life—that I should plunge her with me into the +abyss—she, the light and joy, the very soul of my +existence. Then she wept because I was unhappy. +Oh! Minna was all love and tenderness. To save me one +tear she would gladly have sacrificed her life.</p> +<p>Yet she was far from comprehending the full meaning of my +words. She still looked upon me as some proscribed prince +or illustrious exile; and her vivid imagination had invested her +lover with every lofty attribute.</p> +<p>One day I said to her, “Minna, the last day in next +month will decide my fate, and perhaps change it for the better; +if not, I would sooner die than render you miserable.”</p> +<p>She laid her head on my shoulder to conceal her tears. +“Should thy fate be changed,” she said, “I only +wish to know that thou art happy; if thy condition is an unhappy +one, I will share it with thee, and assist thee to support +it.”</p> +<p>“Minna, Minna!” I exclaimed, “recall those +rash words—those mad words which have escaped thy +lips! Didst thou know the misery and curse—didst thou +know who—what—thy lover—Seest thou not, my +Minna, this convulsive shuddering which thrills my whole frame, +and that there is a secret in my breast which you cannot +penetrate?” She sank sobbing at my feet, and renewed +her vows and entreaties.</p> +<p>Her father now entered, and I declared to him my intention to +solicit the hand of his daughter on the first day of the month +after the ensuing one. I fixed that time, I told him, +because circumstances might probably occur in the interval +materially to influence my future destiny; but my love for his +daughter was unchangeable.</p> +<p>The good old man started at hearing such words from the mouth +of Count Peter. He fell upon my neck, and rose again in the +utmost confusion for having forgotten himself. Then he +began to doubt, to ponder, and to scrutinise; and spoke of dowry, +security, and future provision for his beloved child. I +thanked him for having reminded me of all this, and told him it +was my wish to remain in a country where I seemed to be beloved, +and to lead a life free from anxiety. I then commissioned +him to purchase the finest estate in the neighbourhood in the +name of his daughter—for a father was the best person to +act for his daughter in such a case—and to refer for +payment to me. This occasioned him a good deal of trouble, +as a stranger had everywhere anticipated him; but at last he made +a purchase for about £150,000.</p> +<p>I confess this was but an innocent artifice to get rid of him, +as I had frequently done before; for it must be confessed that he +was somewhat tedious. The good mother was rather deaf, and +not jealous, like her husband, of the honour of conversing with +the Count.</p> +<p>The happy party pressed me to remain with them longer this +evening. I dared not—I had not a moment to +lose. I saw the rising moon streaking the horizon—my +hour was come.</p> +<p>Next evening I went again to the forester’s +garden. I had wrapped myself closely up in my cloak, +slouched my hat over my eyes, and advanced towards Minna. +As she raised her head and looked at me, she started +involuntarily. The apparition of that dreadful night in +which I had been seen without a shadow was now standing +distinctly before me—it was she herself. Had she +recognised me? She was silent and thoughtful. I felt +an oppressive load at my heart. I rose from my seat. +She laid her head on my shoulder, still silent and in +tears. I went away.</p> +<p>I now found her frequently weeping. I became more and +more melancholy. Her parents were beyond expression +happy. The eventful day approached, threatening and heavy, +like a thundercloud. The evening preceding arrived. I +could scarcely breathe. I had carefully filled a large +chest with gold, and sat down to await the appointed +time—the twelfth hour—it struck.</p> +<p>Now I remained with my eyes fixed on the hand of the clock, +counting the seconds—the minutes—which struck me to +the heart like daggers. I started at every sound—at +last daylight appeared. The leaden hours passed +on—morning—evening—night came. Hope was +fast fading away as the hand advanced. It struck +eleven—no one appeared—the last minutes—the +first and last stroke of the twelfth hour died away. I sank +back in my bed in an agony of weeping. In the morning I +should, shadowless as I was, claim the hand of my beloved +Minna. A heavy sleep towards daylight closed my eyes.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER III.</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">It</span> was yet early, when I was +suddenly awoke by voices in hot dispute in my antechamber. +I listened. Bendel was forbidding Rascal to enter my room, +who swore he would receive no orders from his equals, and +insisted on forcing his way. The faithful Bendel reminded +him that if such words reached his master’s ears, he would +turn him out of an excellent place. Rascal threatened to +strike him if he persisted in refusing his entrance.</p> +<p>By this time, having half dressed myself, I angrily threw open +the door, and addressing myself to Rascal, inquired what he meant +by such disgraceful conduct. He drew back a couple of +steps, and coolly answered, “Count Peter, may I beg most +respectfully that you will favour me with a sight of your +shadow? The sun is now shining brightly in the court +below.”</p> +<p>I stood as if struck by a thunderbolt, and for some time was +unable to speak. At last, I asked him how a servant could +dare to behave so towards his master. He interrupted me by +saying, quite coolly, “A servant may be a very honourable +man, and unwilling to serve a shadowless master—I request +my dismissal.”</p> +<p>I felt that I must adopt a softer tone, and replied, +“But, Rascal, my good fellow, who can have put such strange +ideas into your head? How can you imagine—”</p> +<p>He again interrupted me in the same tone—“People +say you have no shadow. In short, let me see your shadow, +or give me my dismissal.”</p> +<p>Bendel, pale and trembling, but more collected than myself, +made a sign to me. I had recourse to the all-powerful +influence of gold. But even gold had lost its +power—Rascal threw it at my feet: “From a shadowless +man,” he said, “I will take nothing.”</p> +<p>Turning his back upon me, and putting on his hat, he then +slowly left the room, whistling a tune. I stood, with +Bendel, as if petrified, gazing after him.</p> +<p>With a deep sigh and a heavy heart I now prepared to keep my +engagement, and to appear in the forester’s garden like a +criminal before his judge. I entered by the shady arbour, +which had received the name of Count Peter’s arbour, where +we had appointed to meet. The mother advanced with a +cheerful air; Minna sat fair and beautiful as the early snow of +autumn reposing on the departing flowers, soon to be dissolved +and lost in the cold stream.</p> +<p>The ranger, with a written paper in his hand, was walking up +and down in an agitated manner, and struggling to suppress his +feelings—his usually unmoved countenance being one moment +flushed, and the next perfectly pale. He came forward as I +entered, and, in a faltering voice, requested a private +conversation with me. The path by which he requested me to +follow him led to an open spot in the garden, where the sun was +shining. I sat down. A long silence ensued, which +even the good woman herself did not venture to break. The +ranger, in an agitated manner, paced up and down with unequal +steps. At last he stood still; and glancing over the paper +he held in his hand, he said, addressing me with a penetrating +look, “Count Peter, do you know one Peter Schlemihl?” +I was silent.</p> +<p>“A man,” he continued, “of excellent +character and extraordinary endowments.”</p> +<p>He paused for an answer.—“And supposing I myself +were that very man?”</p> +<p>“You!” he exclaimed, passionately; “he has +lost his shadow!”</p> +<p>“Oh, my suspicion is true!” cried Minna; “I +have long known it—he has no shadow!” And she +threw herself into her mother’s arms, who, convulsively +clasping her to her bosom, reproached her for having so long, to +her hurt, kept such a secret. But, like the fabled +Arethusa, her tears, as from a fountain, flowed more abundantly, +and her sobs increased at my approach.</p> +<p>“And so,” said the ranger fiercely, “you +have not scrupled, with unparalleled shamelessness, to deceive +both her and me; and you pretended to love her, +forsooth—her whom you have reduced to the state in which +you now see her. See how she weeps!—Oh, shocking, +shocking!”</p> +<p>By this time I had lost all presence of mind; and I answered, +confusedly, “After all, it is but a shadow, a mere shadow, +which a man can do very well without; and really it is not worth +the while to make all this noise about such a +trifle.” Feeling the groundlessness of what I was +saying, I ceased, and no one condescended to reply. At last +I added, “What is lost to-day may be found +to-morrow.”</p> +<p>“Be pleased, sir,” continued the ranger, in great +wrath—“be pleased to explain how you have lost your +shadow.”</p> +<p>Here again an excuse was ready: “A boor of a +fellow,” said I, “one day trod so rudely on my shadow +that he tore a large hole in it. I sent it to be +repaired—for gold can do wonders—and yesterday I +expected it home again.”</p> +<p>“Very well,” answered the ranger. “You +are a suitor for my daughter’s hand, and so are +others. As a father, I am bound to provide for her. I +will give you three days to seek your shadow. Return to me +in the course of that time with a well-fitted shadow, and you +shall receive a hearty welcome; otherwise, on the fourth +day—remember, on the fourth day—my daughter becomes +the wife of another.”</p> +<p>I now attempted to say one word to Minna; but, sobbing more +violently, she clung still closer to her mother, who made a sign +for me to withdraw. I obeyed; and now the world seemed shut +out from me for ever.</p> +<p>Having escaped from the affectionate care of Bendel, I now +wandered wildly through the neighbouring woods and meadows. +Drops of anguish fell from my brow, deep groans burst from my +bosom—frenzied despair raged within me.</p> +<p>I knew not how long this had lasted, when I felt myself seized +by the sleeve on a sunny heath. I stopped, and looking up, +beheld the grey-coated man, who appeared to have run himself out +of breath in pursuing me. He immediately began:</p> +<p>“I had,” said he, “appointed this day; but +your impatience anticipated it. All, however, may yet be +right. Take my advice—redeem your shadow, which is at +your command, and return immediately to the ranger’s +garden, where you will be well received, and all the past will +seem a mere joke. As for Rascal—who has betrayed you +in order to pay his addresses to Minna—leave him to me; he +is just a fit subject for me.”</p> +<p>I stood like one in a dream. “This day?” I +considered again. He was right—I had made a mistake +of a day. I felt in my bosom for the purse. He +perceived my intention, and drew back.</p> +<p>“No, Count Peter; the purse is in good hands—pray +keep it.” I gazed at him with looks of astonishment +and inquiry. “I only beg a trifle as a token of +remembrance. Be so good as to sign this +memorandum.” On the parchment, which he held out to +me, were these words:—“By virtue of this present, to +which I have appended my signature, I hereby bequeath my soul to +the holder, after its natural separation from my body.”</p> +<p>I gazed in mute astonishment alternately at the paper and the +grey unknown. In the meantime he had dipped a new pen in a +drop of blood which was issuing from a scratch in my hand just +made by a thorn. He presented it to me. “Who +are you?” at last I exclaimed. “What can it +signify?” he answered; “do you not perceive who I +am? A poor devil—a sort of scholar and philosopher, +who obtains but poor thanks from his friends for his admirable +arts, and whose only amusement on earth consists in his small +experiments. But just sign this; to the right, exactly +underneath—Peter Schlemihl.”</p> +<p>I shook my head, and replied, “Excuse me, sir; I cannot +sign that.”</p> +<p>“Cannot!” he exclaimed; “and why +not?”</p> +<p>“Because it appears to me a hazardous thing to exchange +my soul for my shadow.”</p> +<p>“Hazardous!” he exclaimed, bursting into a loud +laugh. “And, pray, may I be allowed to inquire what +sort of a thing your soul is?—have you ever seen +it?—and what do you mean to do with it after your +death? You ought to think yourself fortunate in meeting +with a customer who, during your life, in exchange for this +infinitely-minute quantity, this galvanic principle, this +polarised agency, or whatever other foolish name you may give it, +is willing to bestow on you something substantial—in a +word, your own identical shadow, by virtue of which you will +obtain your beloved Minna, and arrive at the accomplishment of +all your wishes; or do you prefer giving up the poor young girl +to the power of that contemptible scoundrel Rascal? Nay, +you shall behold her with your own eyes. Come here; I will +lend you an invisible cap (he drew something out of his pocket), +and we will enter the ranger’s garden unseen.”</p> +<p>I must confess that I felt excessively ashamed to be thus +laughed at by the grey stranger. I detested him from the +very bottom of my soul; and I really believe this personal +antipathy, more than principle or previously-formed opinion, +restrained me from purchasing my shadow, much as I stood in need +of it, at such an expense. Besides, the thought was +insupportable, of making this proposed visit in his +society. To behold this hateful sneak, this mocking fiend, +place himself between me and my beloved, between our torn and +bleeding hearts, was too revolting an idea to be entertained for +a moment. I considered the past as irrevocable, my own +misery as inevitable; and turning to the grey man, I said, +“I have exchanged my shadow for this very extraordinary +purse, and I have sufficiently repented it. For +Heaven’s sake, let the transaction be declared null and +void!” He shook his head; and his countenance assumed +an expression of the most sinister cast. I continued, +“I will make no exchange whatever, even for the sake of my +shadow, nor will I sign the paper. It follows, also, that +the incognito visit you propose to me would afford you far more +entertainment than it could possibly give me. Accept my +excuses, therefore; and, since it must be so, let us +part.”</p> +<p>“I am sorry, Mr. Schlemihl, that you thus obstinately +persist in rejecting my friendly offer. Perhaps, another +time, I may be more fortunate. Farewell! May we +shortly meet again! But, <i>à propos</i>, allow me +to show you that I do not undervalue my purchase, but preserve it +carefully.”</p> +<p>So saying, he drew my shadow out of his pocket; and shaking it +cleverly out of its folds, he stretched it out at his feet in the +sun—so that he stood between two obedient shadows, his own +and mine, which was compelled to follow and comply with his every +movement.</p> +<p>On again beholding my poor shadow after so long a separation, +and seeing it degraded to so vile a bondage at the very time that +I was so unspeakably in want of it, my heart was ready to burst, +and I wept bitterly. The detested wretch stood exulting +over his prey, and unblushingly renewed his proposal. +“One stroke of your pen, and the unhappy Minna is rescued +from the clutches of the villain Rascal, and transferred to the +arms of the high-born Count Peter—merely a stroke of your +pen!”</p> +<p>My tears broke out with renewed violence; but I turned away +from him, and made a sign for him to be gone.</p> +<p>Bendel, whose deep solicitude had induced him to come in +search of me, arrived at this very moment. The good and +faithful creature, on seeing me weeping, and that a shadow +(evidently mine) was in the power of the mysterious unknown, +determined to rescue it by force, should that be necessary; and +disdaining to use any finesse, he desired him directly, and +without any disputing, to restore my property. Instead of a +reply, the grey man turned his back on the worthy fellow, and was +making off. But Bendel raised his buck-thorn stick; and +following close upon him, after repeated commands, but in vain, +to restore the shadow, he made him feel the whole force of his +powerful arm. The grey man, as if accustomed to such +treatment, held down his head, slouched his shoulders, and, with +soft and noiseless steps, pursued his way over the heath, +carrying with him my shadow, and also my faithful servant. +For a long time I heard hollow sounds ringing through the waste, +until at last they died away in the distance, and I was again +left to solitude and misery.</p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p>Alone on the wild heath, I disburdened my heart of an +insupportable load by giving free vent to my tears. But I +saw no bounds, no relief, to my surpassing wretchedness; and I +drank in the fresh poison which the mysterious stranger had +poured into my wounds with a furious avidity. As I retraced +in my mind the loved image of my Minna, and depicted her sweet +countenance all pale and in tears, such as I had beheld her in my +late disgrace, the bold and sarcastic visage of Rascal would ever +and anon thrust itself between us. I hid my face, and fled +rapidly over the plains; but the horrible vision unrelentingly +pursued me, till at last I sank breathless on the ground, and +bedewed it with a fresh torrent of tears—and all this for a +shadow!—a shadow which one stroke of the pen would +repurchase. I pondered on the singular proposal, and on my +hesitation to comply with it. My mind was confused—I +had lost the power of judging or comprehending. The day was +waning apace. I satisfied the cravings of hunger with a few +wild fruits, and quenched my thirst at a neighbouring +stream. Night came on; I threw myself down under a tree, +and was awoke by the damp morning air from an uneasy sleep, in +which I had fancied myself struggling in the agonies of +death. Bendel had certainly lost all trace of me, and I was +glad of it. I did not wish to return among my +fellow-creatures—I shunned them as the hunted deer flies +before its pursuers. Thus I passed three melancholy +days.</p> +<p>I found myself on the morning of the fourth on a sandy plain, +basking in the rays of the sun, and sitting on a fragment of +rock; for it was sweet to enjoy the genial warmth of which I had +so long been deprived. Despair still preyed on my +heart. Suddenly a slight sound startled me; I looked round, +prepared to fly, but saw no one. On the sunlit sand before +me flitted the shadow of a man not unlike my own; and wandering +about alone, it seemed to have lost its master. This sight +powerfully excited me. “Shadow!” thought I, +“art thou in search of thy master? in me thou shalt find +him.” And I sprang forward to seize it, fancying that +could I succeed in treading so exactly in its traces as to step +in its footmarks, it would attach itself to me, and in time +become accustomed to me, and follow all my movements.</p> +<p>The shadow, as I moved, took to flight, and I commenced a hot +chase after the airy fugitive, solely excited by the hope of +being delivered from my present dreadful situation; the bare idea +inspired me with fresh strength and vigour.</p> +<p>The shadow now fled towards a distant wood, among whose shades +I must necessarily have lost it. Seeing this, my heart beat +wild with fright, my ardour increased and lent wings to my +speed. I was evidently gaining on the shadow—I came +nearer and nearer—I was within reach of it, when it +suddenly stopped and turned towards me. Like a lion darting +on its prey, I made a powerful spring and fell unexpectedly upon +a hard substance. Then followed, from an invisible hand, +the most terrible blows in the ribs that anyone ever +received. The effect of my terror made me endeavour +convulsively to strike and grasp at the unseen object before +me. The rapidity of my motions brought me to the ground, +where I lay stretched out with a man under me, whom I held tight, +and who now became visible.</p> +<p>The whole affair was now explained. The man had +undoubtedly possessed the bird’s nest which communicates +its charm of invisibility to its possessor, though not equally so +to his shadow; and this nest he had now thrown away. I +looked all round, and soon discovered the shadow of this +invisible nest. I sprang towards it, and was fortunate +enough to seize the precious booty, and immediately became +invisible and shadowless.</p> +<p>The moment the man regained his feet he looked all round over +the wide sunny plain to discover his fortunate vanquisher, but +could see neither him nor his shadow, the latter seeming +particularly to be the object of his search: for previous to our +encounter he had not had leisure to observe that I was +shadowless, and he could not be aware of it. Becoming +convinced that all traces of me were lost, he began to tear his +hair, and give himself up to all the frenzy of despair. In +the meantime, this newly acquired treasure communicated to me +both the ability and the desire to mix again among mankind.</p> +<p>I was at a loss for a pretext to vindicate this unjust +robbery—or, rather, so deadened had I become, I felt no +need of a pretext; and in order to dissipate every idea of the +kind, I hastened on, regardless of the unhappy man, whose fearful +lamentations long resounded in my ears. Such, at the time, +were my impressions of all the circumstances of this affair.</p> +<p>I now ardently desired to return to the ranger’s garden, +in order to ascertain in person the truth of the information +communicated by the odious unknown; but I knew not where I was, +until, ascending an eminence to take a survey of the surrounding +country, I perceived, from its summit, the little town and the +gardens almost at my feet. My heart beat violently, and +tears of a nature very different from those I had lately shed +filled my eyes. I should, then, once more behold her!</p> +<p>Anxiety now hastened my steps. Unseen I met some +peasants coming from the town; they were talking of me, of +Rascal, and of the ranger. I would not stay to listen to +their conversation, but proceeded on. My bosom thrilled +with expectation as I entered the garden. At this moment I +heard something like a hollow laugh which caused me involuntarily +to shudder. I cast a rapid glance around, but could see no +one. I passed on; presently I fancied I heard the sound of +footsteps close to me, but no one was within sight. My ears +must have deceived me.</p> +<p>It was early; no one was in Count Peter’s +bower—the gardens were deserted. I traversed all the +well-known paths, and penetrated even to the dwelling-house +itself. The same rustling sound became now more and more +audible. With anguished feelings I sat down on a seat +placed in the sunny space before the door, and actually felt some +invisible fiend take a place by me, and heard him utter a +sarcastic laugh. The key was turned in the door, which was +opened. The forest-master appeared with a paper in his +hand. Suddenly my head was, as it were, enveloped in a +mist. I looked up, and, oh horror! the grey-coated man was +at my side, peering in my face with a satanic grin. He had +extended the mist-cap he wore over my head. His shadow and +my own were lying together at his feet in perfect amity. He +kept twirling in his hand the well-known parchment with an air of +indifference; and while the ranger, absorbed in thought, and +intent upon his paper, paced up and down the arbour, my tormentor +confidentially leaned towards me, and whispered, “So, Mr. +Schlemihl, you have at length accepted my invitation; and here we +sit, two heads under one hood, as the saying is. Well, +well, all in good time. But now you can return me my +bird’s nest—you have no further occasion for it; and +I am sure you are too honourable a man to withhold it from +me. No need of thanks, I assure you; I had infinite +pleasure in lending it to you.” He took it out of my +unresisting hand, put it into his pocket, and then broke into so +loud a laugh at my expense, that the forest-master turned round, +startled at the sound. I was petrified. “You +must acknowledge,” he continued, “that in our +position a hood is much more convenient. It serves to +conceal not only a man, but his shadow, or as many shadows as he +chooses to carry. I, for instance, to-day bring two, you +perceive.” He laughed again. “Take +notice, Schlemihl, that what a man refuses to do with a good +grace in the first instance, he is always in the end compelled to +do. I am still of opinion that you ought to redeem your +shadow and claim your bride (for it is yet time); and as to +Rascal, he shall dangle at a rope’s end—no difficult +matter, so long as we can find a bit. As a mark of +friendship I will give you my cap into the bargain.”</p> +<p>The mother now came out, and the following conversation took +place: “What is Minna doing?” “She is +weeping.” “Silly child! what good can that +do?” “None, certainly; but it is so soon to +bestow her hand on another. O husband, you are too harsh to +your poor child.” “No, wife; you view things in +a wrong light. When she finds herself the wife of a wealthy +and honourable man, her tears will soon cease; she will waken out +of a dream, as it were, happy and grateful to Heaven and to her +parents, as you will see.” “Heaven grant it may +be so!” replied the wife. “She has, indeed, now +considerable property; but after the noise occasioned by her +unlucky affair with that adventurer, do you imagine that she is +likely soon to meet with so advantageous a match as Mr. +Rascal? Do you know the extent of Mr. Rascal’s +influence and wealth? Why, he has purchased with ready +money, in this country, six millions of landed property, free +from all encumbrances. I have had all the documents in my +hands. It was he who outbid me everywhere when I was about +to make a desirable purchase; and, besides, he has bills on Mr. +Thomas John’s house to the amount of three millions and a +half.” “He must have been a prodigious +thief!” “How foolishly you talk! he wisely +saved where others squandered their property.” +“A mere livery-servant!” “Nonsense! he +has at all events an unexceptionable shadow.” +“True, but . . . ”</p> +<p>While this conversation was passing, the grey-coated man +looked at me with a satirical smile.</p> +<p>The door opened, and Minna entered, leaning on the arm of her +female attendant, silent tears flowing down her fair but pallid +face. She seated herself in the chair which had been placed +for her under the lime-trees, and her father took a stool by her +side. He gently raised her hand; and as her tears flowed +afresh, he addressed her in the most affectionate +manner:—</p> +<p>“My own dear, good child—my Minna—will act +reasonably, and not afflict her poor old father, who only wishes +to make her happy. My dearest child, this blow has shaken +you—dreadfully, I know it; but you have been saved, as by a +miracle, from a miserable fate, my Minna. You loved the +unworthy villain most tenderly before his treachery was +discovered: I feel all this, Minna; and far be it from me to +reproach you for it—in fact, I myself loved him so long as +I considered him to be a person of rank: you now see yourself how +differently it has turned out. Every dog has a shadow; and +the idea of my child having been on the eve of uniting herself to +a man who . . . but I am sure you will think no more of +him. A suitor has just appeared for you in the person of a +man who does not fear the sun—an honourable man—no +prince indeed, but a man worth ten millions of golden ducats +sterling—a sum nearly ten times larger than your fortune +consists of—a man, too, who will make my dear child +happy—nay, do not oppose me—be my own good, dutiful +child—allow your loving father to provide for you, and to +dry up these tears. Promise to bestow your hand on Mr. +Rascal. Speak my child: will you not?”</p> +<p>Minna could scarcely summon strength to reply that she had now +no longer any hopes or desires on earth, and that she was +entirely at her father’s disposal. Rascal was +therefore immediately sent for, and entered the room with his +usual forwardness; but Minima in the meantime had swooned +away.</p> +<p>My detested companion looked at me indignantly, and whispered, +“Can you endure this? Have you no blood in your +veins?” He instantly pricked my finger, which +bled. “Yes, positively,” he exclaimed, +“you have some blood left!—come, sign.” +The parchment and pen were in my hand!</p> +<h3>CHAPTER IV.</h3> +<p>I <span class="smcap">submit</span> myself to thy judgment, my +dear Chamisso; I do not seek to bias it. I have long been a +rigid censor of myself, and nourished at my heart the worm of +remorse. This critical moment of my life is ever present to +my soul, and I dare only cast a hesitating glance at it, with a +deep sense of humiliation and grief. Ah, my dear friend, he +who once permits himself thoughtlessly to deviate but one step +from the right road, will imperceptibly find himself involved in +various intricate paths, all leading him farther and farther +astray. In vain he beholds the guiding-stars of Heaven +shining before him. No choice is left him—he must +descend the precipice, and offer himself up a sacrifice to his +fate. After the false step which I had rashly made, and +which entailed a curse upon me, I had, in the wantonness of +passion, entangled one in my fate who had staked all her +happiness upon me. What was left for me to do in a case +where I had brought another into misery, but to make a desperate +leap in the dark to save her?—the last, the only means of +rescue presented itself. Think not so meanly of me, +Chamisso, as to imagine that I would have shrunk from any +sacrifice on my part. In such a case it would have been but +a poor ransom. No, Chamisso; but my whole soul was filled +with unconquerable hatred to the cringing knave and his crooked +ways. I might be doing him injustice; but I shuddered at +the bare idea of entering into any fresh compact with him. +But here a circumstance took place which entirely changed the +face of things . . .</p> +<p>I know not whether to ascribe it to excitement of mind, +exhaustion of physical strength (for during the last few days I +had scarcely tasted anything), or the antipathy I felt to the +society of my fiendish companion; but just as I was about to sign +the fatal paper, I fell into a deep swoon, and remained for a +long time as if dead. The first sounds which greeted my ear +on recovering my consciousness were those of cursing and +imprecation; I opened my eyes—it was dusk; my hateful +companion was overwhelming me with reproaches. “Is +not this behaving like an old woman? Come, rise up, and +finish quickly what you were going to do; or perhaps you have +changed your determination, and prefer to lie groaning +there?”</p> +<p>I raised myself with difficulty from the ground and gazed +around me without speaking a word. It was late in the +evening, and I heard strains of festive music proceeding from the +ranger’s brilliantly illuminated house; groups of company +were lounging about the gardens; two persons approached, and +seating themselves on the bench I had lately occupied, began to +converse on the subject of the marriage which had taken place +that morning between the wealthy Mr. Rascal and Minima. All +was then over.</p> +<p>I tore off the cap which rendered me invisible; and my +companion having disappeared, I plunged in silence into the +thickest gloom of the grove, rapidly passed Count Peter’s +bower towards the entrance-gate; but my tormentor still haunted +me, and loaded me with reproaches. “And is this all +the gratitude I am to expect from you, Mr. Schlemihl—you, +whom I have been watching all the weary day, until you should +recover from your nervous attack? What a fool’s part +I have been enacting! It is of no use flying from me, Mr. +Perverse—we are inseparable—you have my gold, I have +your shadow; this exchange deprives us both of peace. Did +you ever hear of a man’s shadow leaving him?—yours +follows me until you receive it again into favour, and thus free +me from it. Disgust and weariness sooner or later will +compel you to do what you should have done gladly at first. +In vain you strive with fate!”</p> +<p>He continued unceasingly in the same tone, uttering constant +sarcasms about the gold and the shadow, till I was completely +bewildered. To fly from him was impossible. I had +pursued my way through the empty streets towards my own house, +which I could scarcely recognise—the windows were broken to +pieces, no light was visible, the doors were shut, and the bustle +of domestics had ceased. My companion burst into a loud +laugh. “Yes, yes,” said he, “you see the +state of things: however, you will find your friend Bendel at +home; he was sent back the other day so fatigued, that I assure +you he has never left the house since. He will have a fine +story to tell! So I wish you a very good night—may we +shortly meet again!”</p> +<p>I had repeatedly rung the bell: at last a light appeared; and +Bendel inquired from within who was there. The poor fellow +could scarcely contain himself at the sound of my voice. +The door flew open, and we were locked in each other’s +arms. I found him sadly changed; he was looking ill and +feeble. I, too, was altered; my hair had become quite +grey. He conducted me through the desolate apartments to an +inner room, which had escaped the general wreck. After +partaking of some refreshment, we seated ourselves; and, with +fresh lamentations, he began to tell me that the grey withered +old man whom he had met with my shadow had insensibly led him +such a zig-zag race, that he had lost all traces of me, and at +last sank down exhausted with fatigue; that, unable to find me, +he had returned home, when, shortly after the mob, at +Rascal’s instigation, assembled violently before the house, +broke the windows, and by all sorts of excesses completely +satiated their fury. Thus had they treated their +benefactor. My servants had fled in all directions. +The police had banished me from the town as a suspicious +character, and granted me an interval of twenty-four hours to +leave the territory. Bendel added many particulars as to +the information I had already obtained respecting Rascal’s +wealth and marriage. This villain, it seems—who was +the author of all the measures taken against me—became +possessed of my secret nearly from the beginning, and, tempted by +the love of money, had supplied himself with a key to my chest, +and from that time had been laying the foundation of his present +wealth. Bendel related all this with many tears, and wept +for joy that I was once more safely restored to him, after all +his fears and anxieties for me. In me, however, such a +state of things only awoke despair.</p> +<p>My dreadful fate now stared me in the face in all its gigantic +and unchangeable horror. The source of tears was exhausted +within me; no groans escaped my breast; but with cool +indifference I bared my unprotected head to the blast. +“Bendel,” said I, “you know my fate; this heavy +visitation is a punishment for my early sins: but as for thee, my +innocent friend, I can no longer permit thee to share my +destiny. I will depart this very night—saddle me a +horse—I will set out alone. Remain here, +Bendel—I insist upon it: there must be some chests of gold +still left in the house—take them, they are thine. I +shall be a restless and solitary wanderer on the face of the +earth; but should better days arise, and fortune once more smile +propitiously on me, then I will not forget thy steady fidelity; +for in hours of deep distress thy faithful bosom has been the +depository of my sorrows.” With a bursting heart, the +worthy Bendel prepared to obey this last command of his master; +for I was deaf to all his arguments and blind to his tears. +My horse was brought—I pressed my weeping friend to my +bosom—threw myself into the saddle, and, under the friendly +shades of night, quitted this sepulchre of my existence, +indifferent which road my horse should take; for now on this side +the grave I had neither wishes, hopes, nor fears.</p> +<p>After a short time I was joined by a traveller on foot, who, +after walking for a while by the side of my horse, observed that +as we both seemed to be travelling the same road, he should beg +my permission to lay his cloak on the horse’s back behind +me, to which I silently assented. He thanked me with easy +politeness for this trifling favour, praised my horse, and then +took occasion to extol the happiness and the power of the rich, +and fell, I scarcely know how, into a sort of conversation with +himself, in which I merely acted the part of listener. He +unfolded his views of human life and of the world, and, touching +on metaphysics, demanded an answer from that cloudy science to +the question of questions—the answer that should solve all +mysteries. He deduced one problem from another in a very +lucid manner, and then proceeded to their solution.</p> +<p>You may remember, my dear friend, that after having run +through the school-philosophy, I became sensible of my unfitness +for metaphysical speculations, and therefore totally abstained +from engaging in them. Since then I have acquiesced in some +things, and abandoned all hope of comprehending others; trusting, +as you advised me, to my own plain sense and the voice of +conscience to direct and, if possible, maintain me in the right +path.</p> +<p>Now this skilful rhetorician seemed to me to expend great +skill in rearing a firmly-constructed edifice, towering aloft on +its own self-supported basis, but resting on, and upheld by, some +internal principle of necessity. I regretted in it the +total absence of what I desired to find; and thus it seemed a +mere work of art, serving only by its elegance and exquisite +finish to captivate the eye. Nevertheless, I listened with +pleasure to this eloquently gifted man, who diverted my attention +from my own sorrows to the speaker; and he would have secured my +entire acquiescence if he had appealed to my heart as well as to +my judgment.</p> +<p>In the meantime the hours had passed away, and morning had +already dawned imperceptibly in the horizon; looking up, I +shuddered as I beheld in the east all those splendid hues that +announce the rising sun. At this hour, when all natural +shadows are seen in their full proportions, not a fence or a +shelter of any kind could I descry in this open country, and I +was not alone! I cast a glance at my companion, and +shuddered again—it was the man in the grey coat +himself! He laughed at my surprise, and said, without +giving me time to speak: “You see, according to the fashion +of this world, mutual convenience binds us together for a time: +there is plenty of time to think of parting. The road here +along the mountain, which perhaps has escaped your notice, is the +only one that you can prudently take; into the valley you dare +not descend—the path over the mountain would but reconduct +you to the town which you have left—my road, too, lies this +way. I perceive you change colour at the rising sun—I +have no objections to let you have the loan of your shadow during +our journey, and in return you may not be indisposed to tolerate +my society. You have now no Bendel; but I will act for +him. I regret that you are not over-fond of me; but that +need not prevent you from accepting my poor services. The +devil is not so black as he is painted. Yesterday you +provoked me, I own; but now that is all forgotten, and you must +confess I have this day succeeded in beguiling the wearisomeness +of your journey. Come, take your shadow, and make trial of +it.”</p> +<p>The sun had risen, and we were meeting with passengers; so I +reluctantly consented. With a smile, he immediately let my +shadow glide down to the ground; and I beheld it take its place +by that of my horse, and gaily trot along with me. My +feelings were anything but pleasant. I rode through groups +of country people, who respectfully made way for the well-mounted +stranger. Thus I proceeded, occasionally stealing a +sidelong glance with a beating heart from my horse at the shadow +once my own, but now, alas, accepted as a loan from a stranger, +or rather a fiend. He moved on carelessly at my side, +whistling a song. He being on foot, and I on horseback, the +temptation to hazard a silly project occurred to me; so, suddenly +turning my bridle, I set spurs to my horse, and at full gallop +struck into a by-path; but my shadow, on the sudden movement of +my horse, glided away, and stood on the road quietly awaiting the +approach of its legal owner. I was obliged to return +abashed towards the grey man; but he very coolly finished his +song, and with a laugh set my shadow to rights again, reminding +me that it was at my option to have it irrevocably fixed to me, +by purchasing it on just and equitable terms. “I hold +you,” said he, “by the shadow; and you seek in vain +to get rid of me. A rich man like you requires a shadow, +unquestionably; and you are to blame for not having seen this +sooner.”</p> +<p>I now continued my journey on the same road; every convenience +and even luxury of life was mine; I moved about in peace and +freedom, for I possessed a shadow, though a borrowed one; and all +the respect due to wealth was paid to me. But a deadly +disease preyed on my heart. My extraordinary companion, who +gave himself out to be the humble attendant of the richest +individual in the world, was remarkable for his dexterity; in +short, his singular address and promptitude admirably fitted him +to be the very <i>beau ideal</i> of a rich man’s +lacquey. But he never stirred from my side, and tormented +me with constant assurances that a day would most certainly come +when, if it were only to get rid of him, I should gladly comply +with his terms, and redeem my shadow. Thus he became as +irksome as he was hateful to me. I really stood in awe of +him—I had placed myself in his power. Since he had +effected my return to the pleasures of the world, which I had +resolved to shun, he had the perfect mastery of me. His +eloquence was irresistible, and at times I almost thought he was +in the right. A shadow is indeed necessary to a man of +fortune; and if I chose to maintain the position in which he had +placed me, there was only one means of doing so. But on one +point I was immovable: since I had sacrificed my love for Minna, +and thereby blighted the happiness of my whole life, I would not +now, for all the shadows in the universe be induced to sign away +my soul to this being—I knew not how it might end.</p> +<p>One day we were sitting by the entrance of a cavern, much +visited by strangers, who ascended the mountain: the rushing +noise of a subterranean torrent resounded from the fathomless +abyss, the depths of which exceeded all calculation. He +was, according to his favourite custom, employing all the powers +of his lavish fancy, and all the charm of the most brilliant +colouring, to depict to me what I might effect in the world by +virtue of my purse, when once I had recovered my shadow. +With my elbows resting on my knees, I kept my face concealed in +my hands, and listened to the false fiend, my heart torn between +the temptation and my determined opposition to it. Such +indecision I could no longer endure, and resolved on one decisive +effort.</p> +<p>“You seem to forget,” said I, “that I +tolerate your presence only on certain conditions, and that I am +to retain perfect freedom of action.”</p> +<p>“You have but to command, I depart,” was all his +reply.</p> +<p>The threat was familiar to me; I was silent. He then +began to fold up my shadow. I turned pale, but allowed him +to continue. A long silence ensued, which he was the first +to break.</p> +<p>“You cannot endure me, Mr. Schlemihl—you hate +me—I am aware of it—but why?—is it, perhaps, +because you attacked me on the open plain, in order to rob me of +my invisible bird’s nest? or is it because you thievishly +endeavoured to seduce away the shadow with which I had entrusted +you—my own property—confiding implicitly in your +honour! I, for my part, have no dislike to you. It is +perfectly natural that you should avail yourself of every means, +presented either by cunning or force, to promote your own +interests. That your principles also should be of the +strictest sort, and your intentions of the most honourable +description,—these are fancies with which I have nothing to +do; I do not pretend to such strictness myself. Each of us +is free, I to act, and you to think, as seems best. Did I +ever seize you by the throat, to tear out of your body that +valuable soul I so ardently wish to possess? Did I ever set +my servant to attack you, to get back my purse, or attempt to run +off with it from you?”</p> +<p>I had not a word to reply.</p> +<p>“Well, well,” he exclaimed, “you detest me, +and I know it; but I bear you no malice on that account. We +must part—that is clear; also I must say that you begin to +be very tiresome to me. Once more let me advise you to free +yourself entirely from my troublesome presence by the purchase of +your shadow.”</p> +<p>I held out the purse to him.</p> +<p>“No, Mr. Schlemihl; not at that price.”</p> +<p>With a deep sigh, I said, “Be it so, then; let us part, +I entreat; cross my path no more. There is surely room +enough in the world for us both.”</p> +<p>Laughing, he replied, “I go; but just allow me to inform +you how you may at any time recall me whenever you have a mind to +see your most humble servant: you have only to shake your purse, +the sound of the gold will bring me to you in an instant. +In this world every one consults his own advantage; but you see I +have thought of yours, and clearly confer upon you a new +power. Oh this purse! it would still prove a powerful bond +between us, had the moth begun to devour your shadow.—But +enough: you hold me by my gold, and may command your servant at +any distance. You know that I can be very serviceable to my +friends; and that the rich are my peculiar care—this you +have observed. As to your shadow, allow me to say, you can +only redeem it on one condition.”</p> +<p>Recollections of former days came over me; and I hastily asked +him if he had obtained Mr. Thomas John’s signature.</p> +<p>He smiled, and said, “It was by no means necessary from +so excellent a friend.”</p> +<p>“Where is he? for God’s sake tell me: I insist +upon knowing.”</p> +<p>With some hesitation, he put his hand into his pocket; and +drew out the altered and pallid form of Mr. John by the hair of +his head, whose livid lips uttered the awful words, +“<i>Justo judicio Dei judicatus sum</i>; <i>justo judicio +Dei condemnatus sum</i>”—“I am judged and +condemned by the just judgment of God.” I was +horror-struck; and instantly throwing the jingling purse into the +abyss, I exclaimed, “Wretch! in the name of Heaven, I +conjure you to be gone!—away from my sight!—never +appear before me again!” With a dark expression on +his countenance, he arose, and immediately vanished behind the +huge rocks which surrounded the place.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER V.</h3> +<p>I <span class="smcap">was</span> now left equally without gold +and without shadow; but a heavy load was taken from my breast, +and I felt cheerful. Had not my Minna been irrecoverably +lost to me, or even had I been perfectly free from self-reproach +on her account, I felt that happiness might yet have been +mine. At present I was lost in doubt as to my future +course. I examined my pockets, and found I had a few gold +pieces still left, which I counted with feelings of great +satisfaction. I had left my horse at the inn, and was +ashamed to return, or at all events I must wait till the sun had +set, which at present was high in the heavens. I laid +myself down under a shady tree and fell into a peaceful +sleep.</p> +<p>Lovely forms floated in airy measures before me, and filled up +my delightful dreams. Minna, with a garland of flowers +entwined in her hair, was bending over me with a smile of +goodwill; also the worthy Bendel was crowned with flowers, and +hastened to meet me with friendly greetings. Many other +forms seemed to rise up confusedly in the distance: thyself among +the number, Chamisso. Perfect radiance beamed around them, +but none had a shadow; and what was more surprising, there was no +appearance of unhappiness on this account. Nothing was to +be seen or heard but flowers and music; and love and joy, and +groves of never-fading palms, seemed the natives of that happy +clime.</p> +<p>In vain I tried to detain and comprehend the lovely but +fleeting forms. I was conscious, also, of being in a dream, +and was anxious that nothing should rouse me from it; and when I +did awake, I kept my eyes closed, in order if possible to +continue the illusion. At last I opened my eyes. The +sun was now visible in the east; I must have slept the whole +night: I looked upon this as a warning not to return to the +inn. What I had left there I was content to lose, without +much regret; and resigning myself to Providence, I decided on +taking a by-road that led through the wooded declivity of the +mountain. I never once cast a glance behind me; nor did it +ever occur to me to return, as I might have done, to Bendel, whom +I had left in affluence. I reflected on the new character I +was now going to assume in the world. My present garb was +very humble—consisting of an old black coat I formerly had +worn at Berlin, and which by some chance was the first I put my +hand on before setting out on this journey, a travelling-cap, and +an old pair of boots. I cut down a knotted stick in memory +of the spot, and commenced my pilgrimage.</p> +<p>In the forest I met an aged peasant, who gave me a friendly +greeting, and with whom I entered into conversation, requesting, +as a traveller desirous of information, some particulars relative +to the road, the country, and its inhabitants, the productions of +the mountain, &c. He replied to my various inquiries +with readiness and intelligence. At last we reached the bed +of a mountain-torrent, which had laid waste a considerable tract +of the forest; I inwardly shuddered at the idea of the open +sunshine. I suffered the peasant to go before me. In +the middle of the very place which I dreaded so much, he suddenly +stopped, and turned back to give me an account of this +inundation; but instantly perceiving that I had no shadow, he +broke off abruptly, and exclaimed, “How is this?—you +have no shadow!”</p> +<p>“Alas, alas!” said I, “in a long and serious +illness I had the misfortune to lose my hair, my nails, and my +shadow. Look, good father; although my hair has grown +again, it is quite white; and at my age, my nails are still very +short; and my poor shadow seems to have left me, never to +return.”</p> +<p>“Ah!” said the old man, shaking his head; +“no shadow! that was indeed a terrible illness, +sir.”</p> +<p>But he did not resume his narrative; and at the very first +cross-road we came to, left me without uttering a syllable. +Fresh tears flowed from my eyes, and my cheerfulness had +fled. With a heavy heart I travelled on, avoiding all +society. I plunged into the deepest shades of the forest; +and often, to avoid a sunny tract of country, I waited for hours +till every human being had left it, and I could pass it +unobserved. In the evenings I took shelter in the +villages. I bent my steps to a mine in the mountains, where +I hoped to meet with work underground; for besides that my +present situation compelled me to provide for my own support, I +felt that incessant and laborious occupation alone could divert +my mind from dwelling on painful subjects. A few rainy days +assisted me materially on my journey; but it was to the no small +detriment of my boots, the soles of which were better suited to +Count Peter than to the poor foot-traveller. I was soon +barefoot, and a new purchase must be made. The following +morning I commenced an earnest search in a marketplace, where a +fair was being held; and I saw in one of the booths new and +second-hand boots set out for sale. I was a long time +selecting and bargaining; I wished much to have a new pair, but +was frightened at the extravagant price; and so was obliged to +content myself with a second-hand pair, still pretty good and +strong, which the beautiful fair-haired youth who kept the booth +handed over to me with a cheerful smile, wishing me a prosperous +journey. I went on, and left the place immediately by the +northern gate.</p> +<p>I was so lost in my own thoughts, that I walked along scarcely +knowing how or where. I was calculating the chances of my +reaching the mine by the evening, and considering how I should +introduce myself. I had not gone two hundred steps, when I +perceived I was not in the right road. I looked round, and +found myself in a wild-looking forest of ancient firs, where +apparently the stroke of the axe had never been heard. A +few steps more brought me amid huge rocks covered with moss and +saxifragous plants, between which whole fields of snow and ice +were extended. The air was intensely cold. I looked +round, and the forest had disappeared behind me; a few steps +more, and there was the stillness of death itself. The icy +plain on which I stood stretched to an immeasurable distance, and +a thick cloud rested upon it; the sun was of a red blood-colour +at the verge of the horizon; the cold was insupportable. I +could not imagine what had happened to me. The benumbing +frost made me quicken my pace. I heard a distant sound of +waters; and, at one step more, I stood on the icy shore of some +ocean. Innumerable droves of sea-dogs rushed past me and +plunged into the waves. I continued my way along this +coast, and again met with rocks, plains, birch and fir forests, +and yet only a few minutes had elapsed. It was now +intensely hot. I looked around, and suddenly found myself +between some fertile rice-fields and mulberry-trees; I sat down +under their shade, and found by my watch that it was just one +quarter of an hour since I had left the village market. I +fancied it was a dream; but no, I was indeed awake, as I felt by +the experiment I made of biting my tongue. I closed my eyes +in order to collect my scattered thoughts. Presently I +heard unintelligible words uttered in a nasal tone; and I beheld +two Chinese, whose Asiatic physiognomies were not to be mistaken, +even had their costume not betrayed their origin. They were +addressing me in the language and with the salutations of their +country. I rose, and drew back a couple of steps. +They had disappeared; the landscape was entirely changed; the +rice-fields had given place to trees and woods. I examined +some of the trees and plants around me, and ascertained such of +them as I was acquainted with to be productions of the southern +part of Asia. I made one step towards a particular tree, +and again all was changed. I now moved on like a recruit at +drill, taking slow and measured steps, gazing with astonished +eyes at the wonderful variety of regions, plains, meadows, +mountains, steppes, and sandy deserts, which passed in succession +before me. I had now no doubt that I had seven-leagued +boots on my feet.</p> +<p>I fell on my knees in silent gratitude, shedding tears of +thankfulness; for I now saw clearly what was to be my future +condition. Shut out by early sins from all human society, I +was offered amends for the privation by Nature herself, which I +had ever loved. The earth was granted me as a rich garden; +and the knowledge of her operations was to be the study and +object of my life. This was not a mere resolution. I +have since endeavoured, with anxious and unabated industry, +faithfully to imitate the finished and brilliant model then +presented to me; and my vanity has received a check when led to +compare the picture with the original. I rose immediately, +and took a hasty survey of this new field, where I hoped +afterwards to reap a rich harvest.</p> +<p>I stood on the heights of Thibet; and the sun I had lately +beheld in the east was now sinking in the west. I traversed +Asia from east to west, and thence passed into Africa, which I +curiously examined at repeated visits in all directions. As +I gazed on the ancient pyramids and temples of Egypt, I descried, +in the sandy deserts near Thebes of the hundred gates, the caves +where Christian hermits dwelt of old.</p> +<p>My determination was instantly taken, that here should be my +future dwelling. I chose one of the most secluded, but +roomy, comfortable, and inaccessible to the jackals.</p> +<p>I stepped over from the pillars of Hercules to Europe; and +having taken a survey of its northern and southern countries, I +passed by the north of Asia, on the polar glaciers, to Greenland +and America, visiting both parts of this continent; and the +winter, which was already at its height in the south, drove me +quickly back from Cape Horn to the north. I waited till +daylight had risen in the east of Asia, and then, after a short +rest, continued my pilgrimage. I followed in both the +Americas the vast chain of the Andes, once considered the +loftiest on our globe. I stepped carefully and slowly from +one summit to another, sometimes over snowy heights, sometimes +over flaming volcanoes, often breathless from fatigue. At +last I reached Elias’s mountain, and sprang over +Behring’s Straits into Asia; I followed the western coast +in its various windings, carefully observing which of the +neighbouring isles was accessible to me. From the peninsula +of Malacca, my boots carried me to Sumatra, Java, Bali, and +Lombok. I made many attempts—often with danger, and +always unsuccessfully—to force my way over the numerous +little islands and rocks with which this sea is studded, wishing +to find a north-west passage to Borneo and other islands of the +Archipelago.</p> +<p>At last I sat down at the extreme point of Lombok, my eyes +turned towards the south-east, lamenting that I had so soon +reached the limits allotted to me, and bewailing my fate as a +captive in his grated cell. Thus was I shut out from that +remarkable country, New Holland, and the islands of the southern +ocean, so essentially necessary to a knowledge of the earth, and +which would have best assisted me in the study of the animal and +vegetable kingdoms. And thus, at the very outset, I beheld +all my labours condemned to be limited to mere fragments.</p> +<p>Ah! Chamisso, what is the activity of man?</p> +<p>Frequently in the most rigorous winters of the southern +hemisphere I have rashly thrown myself on a fragment of drifting +ice between Cape Horn and Van Dieman’s Land, in the hope of +effecting a passage to New Holland, reckless of the cold and the +vast ocean, reckless of my fate, even should this savage land +prove my grave.</p> +<p>But all in vain—I never reached New Holland. Each +time, when defeated in my attempt, I returned to Lombok; and +seated at its extreme point, my eyes directed to the south-east, +I gave way afresh to lamentations that my range of investigation +was so limited. At last I tore myself from the spot, and, +heartily grieved at my disappointment, returned to the interior +of Asia. Setting out at morning dawn, I traversed it from +east to west, and at night reached the cave in Thebes which I had +previously selected for my dwelling-place, and had visited +yesterday afternoon.</p> +<p>After a short repose, as soon as daylight had visited Europe, +it was my first care to provide myself with the articles of which +I stood most in need. First of all a drag, to act on my +boots; for I had experienced the inconvenience of these whenever +I wished to shorten my steps and examine surrounding objects more +fully. A pair of slippers to go over the boots served the +purpose effectually; and from that time I carried two pairs about +me, because I frequently cast them off from my feet in my +botanical investigations, without having time to pick them up, +when threatened by the approach of lions, men, or hyenas. +My excellent watch, owing to the short duration of my movements, +was also on these occasions an admirable chronometer. I +wanted, besides, a sextant, a few philosophical instruments, and +some books. To purchase these things, I made several +unwilling journeys to London and Paris, choosing a time when I +could be hid by the favouring clouds. As all my ill-gotten +gold was exhausted, I carried over from Africa some ivory, which +is there so plentiful, in payment of my purchases—taking +care, however, to pick out the smallest teeth, in order not to +over-burden myself. I had thus soon provided myself with +all that I wanted, and now entered on a new mode of life as a +student—wandering over the globe—measuring the height +of the mountains, and the temperature of the air and of the +springs—observing the manners and habits of +animals—investigating plants and flowers. From the +equator to the pole, and from the new world to the old, I was +constantly engaged in repeating and comparing my experiments.</p> +<p>My usual food consisted of the eggs of the African ostrich or +northern sea-birds, with a few fruits, especially those of the +palm and the banana of the tropics. The tobacco-plant +consoled me when I was depressed; and the affection of my spaniel +was a compensation for the loss of human sympathy and +society. When I returned from my excursions, loaded with +fresh treasures, to my cave in Thebes, which he guarded during my +absence, he ever sprang joyfully forward to greet me, and made me +feel that I was indeed not alone on the earth. An adventure +soon occurred which brought me once more among my +fellow-creatures.</p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p>One day, as I was gathering lichens and algæ on the +northern coast, with the drag on my boots, a bear suddenly made +his appearance, and was stealing towards me round the corner of a +rock. After throwing away my slippers, I attempted to step +across to an island, by means of a rock, projecting from the +waves in the intermediate space, that served as a +stepping-stone. I reached the rock safely with one foot, +but instantly fell into the sea with the other, one of my +slippers having inadvertently remained on. The cold was +intense; and I escaped this imminent peril at the risk of my +life. On coming ashore, I hastened to the Libyan sands to +dry myself in the sun; but the heat affected my head so much, +that, in a fit of illness, I staggered back to the north. +In vain I sought relief by change of place—hurrying from +east to west, and from west to east—now in climes of the +south, now in those of the north; sometimes I rushed into +daylight, sometimes into the shades of night. I know not +how long this lasted. A burning fever raged in my veins; +with extreme anguish I felt my senses leaving me. Suddenly, +by an unlucky accident, I trod upon some one’s foot, whom I +had hurt, and received a blow in return which laid me +senseless.</p> +<p>On recovering, I found myself lying comfortably in a good bed, +which, with many other beds, stood in a spacious and handsome +apartment. Some one was watching by me; people seemed to be +walking from one bed to another; they came beside me, and spoke +of me as <i>Number Twelve</i>. On the wall, at the +foot of my bed—it was no dream, for I distinctly read +it—on a black-marble tablet was inscribed my name, in large +letters of gold:—</p> +<blockquote><p style="text-align: center">PETER SCHLEMIHL</p> +</blockquote> +<p>Underneath were two rows of letters in smaller characters, +which I was too feeble to connect together, and closed my eyes +again.</p> +<p>I now heard something read aloud, in which I distinctly noted +the words, “Peter Schlemihl,” but could not collect +the full meaning. I saw a man of benevolent aspect, and a +very beautiful female dressed in black, standing near my bed; +their countenances were not unknown to me, but in my weak state I +could not remember who they were. Some time elapsed, and I +began to regain my strength. I was called <i>Number +Twelve</i>, and, from my long beard, was supposed to be a Jew, +but was not the less carefully nursed on that account. No +one seemed to perceive that I was destitute of a shadow. My +boots, I was assured, together with everything found on me when I +was brought here, were in safe keeping, and would be given up to +me on my restoration to health. This place was called the +SCHLMEIHLIUM: the daily recitation I had heard, was an +exhortation to pray for Peter Schlemihl as the founder and +benefactor of this institution. The benevolent-looking man +whom I had seen by my bedside was Bendel; the beautiful lady in +black was Minna.</p> +<p>I had been enjoying the advantages of the Schlemihlium without +being recognised; and I learned, further, that I was in +Bendel’s native town, where he had employed a part of my +once unhallowed gold in founding an hospital in my name, under +his superintendence, and that its unfortunate inmates daily +pronounced blessings on me. Minna had become a widow: an +unhappy lawsuit had deprived Rascal of his life, and Minna of the +greater part of her property. Her parents were no more; and +here she dwelt in widowed piety, wholly devoting herself to works +of mercy.</p> +<p>One day, as she stood by the side of Number Twelve’s bed +with Bendel, he said to her, “Noble lady, why expose +yourself so frequently to this unhealthy atmosphere? Has +fate dealt so harshly with you as to render you desirous of +death?”</p> +<p>“By no means, Mr. Bendel,” she replied; +“since I have awoke from my long dream, all has gone well +with me. I now neither wish for death nor fear it, and +think on the future and on the past with equal serenity. Do +you not also feel an inward satisfaction in thus paying a pious +tribute of gratitude and love to your old master and +friend?”</p> +<p>“Thanks be to God, I do, noble lady,” said +he. “Ah, how wonderfully has everything fallen +out! How thoughtlessly have we sipped joys and sorrows from +the full cup now drained to the last drop; and we might fancy the +past a mere prelude to the real scene for which we now wait armed +by experience. How different has been the reality! +Yet let us not regret the past, but rather rejoice that we have +not lived in vain. As respects our old friend also, I have +a firm hope that it is now better with him than +formerly.”</p> +<p>“I trust so, too,” answered Minna; and so saying +she passed by me, and they departed.</p> +<p>This conversation made a deep impression on me; and I +hesitated whether I should discover myself or depart +unknown. At last I decided; and, asking for pen and paper, +wrote as follows:—</p> +<p>“Matters are indeed better with your old friend than +formerly. He has repented; and his repentance has led to +forgiveness.”</p> +<p>I now attempted to rise, for I felt myself stronger. The +keys of a little chest near my bed were given me; and in it I +found all my effects. I put on my clothes; fastened my +botanical case round me—wherein, with delight, I found my +northern lichens all safe—put on my boots, and leaving my +note on the table, left the gates, and was speedily far advanced +on the road to Thebes.</p> +<p>Passing along the Syrian coast, which was the same road I had +taken on last leaving home, I beheld my poor Figaro running to +meet me. The faithful animal, after vainly waiting at home +for his master’s return, had probably followed his +traces. I stood still, and called him. He sprang +towards me with leaps and barks, and a thousand demonstrations of +unaffected delight. I took him in my arms—for he was +unable to follow me—and carried him home.</p> +<p>There I found everything exactly in the order in which I had +left it; and returned by degrees, as my increasing strength +allowed me, to my old occupations and usual mode of life, from +which I was kept back a whole year by my fall into the Polar +Ocean. And this, dear Chamisso, is the life I am still +leading. My boots are not yet worn out, as I had been led +to fear would be the case from that very learned work of +Tieckius—<i>De rebus gestis Pollicilli</i>. Their +energies remain unimpaired; and although mine are gradually +failing me, I enjoy the consolation of having spent them in +pursuing incessantly one object, and that not fruitlessly.</p> +<p>So far as my boots would carry me, I have observed and studied +our globe and its conformation, its mountains and temperature, +the atmosphere in its various changes, the influences of the +magnetic power; in fact, I have studied all living +creation—and more especially the kingdom of +plants—more profoundly than any one of our race. I +have arranged all the facts in proper order, to the best of my +ability, in different works. The consequences deducible +from these facts, and my views respecting them, I have hastily +recorded in some essays and dissertations. I have settled +the geography of the interior of Africa and the Arctic regions, +of the interior of Asia and of its eastern coast. My +<i>Historia stirpium plantarum utriusque orbis</i> is an +extensive fragment of a <i>Flora universalis terræ</i> and +a part of my <i>Systema naturæ</i>. Besides +increasing the number of our known species by more than a third, +I have also contributed somewhat to the natural system of plants +and to a knowledge of their geography. I am now deeply +engaged on my <i>Fauna</i>, and shall take care to have my +manuscripts sent to the University of Berlin before my +decease.</p> +<p>I have selected thee, my dear Chamisso, to be the guardian of +my wonderful history, thinking that, when I have left this world, +it may afford valuable instruction to the living. As for +thee, Chamisso, if thou wouldst live amongst thy +fellow-creatures, learn to value thy shadow more than gold; if +thou wouldst only live to thyself and thy nobler part—in +this thou needest no counsel.</p> +<h3>APPENDIX.</h3> +<p style="text-align: center">[<i>From the prefatory matter +prefixed to time Berlin edition</i>, 1839, <i>from which the +present translation is made</i>.]</p> +<h4>PREFACE BY THE EDITOR.</h4> +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> origin of “Peter +Schlemihl” is to be ascribed in a great degree to +circumstances that occurred in the life of the writer. +During the eventful year of 1813, when the movement broke out +which ultimately freed Germany from the yoke of her oppressor, +and precipitated his downfall, Chamisso was in Berlin. +Everyone who could wield a sword hastened then to employ it on +behalf of Germany and of the good cause. Chamisso had not +only a powerful arm, but a heart also of truly German mould; and +yet he was placed in a situation so peculiar as to isolate him +among millions. As he was of French parentage, the question +was, not merely whether he should fight on behalf of Germany, +but, also, whether he should fight against the people with whom +he was connected by the ties of blood and family +relationship. Hence arose a struggle in his breast. +“I, and I alone, am forbidden at this juncture to wield a +sword!” Such was frequently his exclamation; and +instead of meeting with sympathy on account of his peculiar +situation, he was frequently doomed to hear, in the capital of +Prussia, the head-quarters of the confederation against France +and Napoleon, expressions of hatred and scorn directed against +his countrymen. He was himself too equitable to mistake the +cause of such expressions, which were perfectly natural under the +circumstances, but they nevertheless deeply afflicted him when +they reached his ears. In this state of things his friends +resolved to remove him from such a scene of excitement, and to +place him amid the quiet scenery of the country. An asylum +was offered him in the family of Count Itzenplitsch, where he was +sufficiently near to become acquainted with the gradual +development of the all-important crisis, and yet free from any +unpleasant personal contact with it. Here, at the +family-seat of Cunersdorf, scarcely a day’s journey from +Berlin, wholly devoted to botany and other favourite pursuits, +Chamisso conceived the idea of “Peter Schlemihl,” and +with rapid pen finished off the story. Chamisso’s +letters of this date (in the first volume of his Life, by the +writer of this notice) afford evidence of this.</p> +<p>The first edition of the incomparable story appeared in 1814, +with a dedication dated May 27, 1813; and it was just beginning +to be known in the world at the commencement of 1815, when the +author left Germany on a voyage round the world, of which the +story contains a remarkable anticipation. “Peter +Schlemihl” was his parting salutation to his second +fatherland, and the first foundation-stone of his future +fame.</p> +<p>Chamisso was often pestered with questions respecting what he +really meant by the story of Schlemihl. These questions +amused as well as annoyed him. The truth is, that his +intention in writing it was perhaps scarcely of so precise a +nature as to admit of his giving a formal account of it. +The story sprang into being of itself, like every work of genius, +prompted by a self-creating power. In a letter to the +writer of this notice, after he had just commenced the story, he +says, “A book was the last thing you would have expected +from me! Place it before your wife this evening, if you +have time; should she be desirous to know Schlemihl’s +further adventures, and particularly who the man in the grey +cloak is—send me back the MS. immediately, that I may +continue the story; but if you do not return it, I shall know the +meaning of the signal perfectly.” Is it possible for +any writer to submit himself to the scrutiny of the public more +good-naturedly?</p> +<p>In the preface to the new French translation (which appeared +in 1838) of this story, Chamisso amuses himself in his own +peculiar way, over the prying curiosity of those who want to know +what his real object was in writing this tale:—“The +present story,” he says, “has fallen into the hands +of thoughtful people, who, being accustomed to read only for +instruction’s sake, have been at a loss to know what the +shadow signifies. On this point several have formed curious +hypotheses; others, who do me the honour to believe that I am +more learned than I really am, have addressed themselves to me +for the solution of their doubts. The questions with which +they have besieged me have made me blush on account of my +ignorance. I have therefore been induced to devote myself +to the investigation of a matter not hitherto the subject of my +studies; and I now beg to submit to the world the result of my +learned researches.</p> +<p>“‘<i>Concerning Shadows</i>.—A dark body can +only be partially illuminated by a bright one. The dark +space which lies in the direction of the unilluminated part is +what we call a <i>shadow</i>. Properly speaking, shadow +signifies a bodily space, the form of which depends upon the form +of the illuminating body, and upon their opposite position with +regard to each other. The shadow thrown on a surface, +situated before the shadow-projecting body, is, therefore, +nothing else than the intersection of this surface by the bodily +space (in French, <i>le solide</i>, on which word <i>solid</i> +the whole force of the humour turns), which we before designated +by the word shadow.’</p> +<p>“The question in this wonderful history of Peter +Schlemihl relates entirely to the last-mentioned quality, +<i>solidity</i>. The science of finance instructs us +sufficiently as to the value of money: the value of a shadow is +less generally acknowledged. My thoughtless friend was +covetous of money, of which he knew the value, and forgot to +think on solid substance. It was his wish that the lesson +which he had paid for so dearly should be turned to our profit; +and his bitter experience calls to us with a loud voice, Think on +the solid—the substantial!” So far +Chamisso.</p> +<p>“Peter Schlemihl” has been translated into almost +all the languages of Europe. Of the Dutch, Spanish, and +Russian translations we do not possess any copies. The +French and Italian are as follows:—</p> +<p class="gutindent"><i>Pierre Schlemihl</i>. <i>Paris</i>, +<i>chez Ladvocat</i>, 1822.—This was revised by Chamisso in +manuscript, who added a preface to it; but the translation was +afterwards capriciously altered by the same publisher.</p> +<p class="gutindent"><i>Un Roman du Poète Allemand +contemporain</i>, <i>Adelbert de Chamisso</i>; <i>traduit par N. +Martin</i>. <i>Histoire merveilleuse de Pierre +Schlemihl</i>. <i>Dunquerque</i>, 1837.—At the end +the translator has added a letter to a friend, with the Greek +motto, “Life is the dream of a shadow.” The +translator, while laughing in this letter at the Germans, who, he +says, ought to write three folio volumes of explanatory notes on +the little volume, falls into the error of being very diffuse +himself in the attempt to elucidate his author. His long +letter concludes not inappropriately with these words: “I +have just observed, although certainly rather late, that I have +written a letter full of shadows, and instead of lighting a torch +to illuminate the darkness, have, I fear, only deepened the +gloom. Should this be the case, the reader at any rate will +not withhold from me the praise of having preserved the colours +of the original.”</p> +<p class="gutindent"><i>Merveilleuse Histoire de Pierre +Schlemihl</i>. <i>Enrichie d’une savente +préface</i>, <i>où les curieux pourront apprendre +ce que c’est que l’ombre</i>. <i>Paris et +Nurnberg</i>, 1838. <i>With illustrations</i>.—This +translation was revised by Chamisso.</p> +<p class="gutindent"><i>L’Uomo senz’ Ombra</i>. +<i>Dono di simpatia al gentil sesso</i>. <i>Milano</i>, +1838. Published as an Annual, with a Calendar, and +Engravings.—The editor is pleased not only to withhold the +author’s name, but manages so to word his own preface as to +lead his readers to conclude that he himself is the author of the +book.</p> +<p>“Schlemihl” was also brought on the stage, but +without giving the honours of authorship to the true +source. This took place at Vienna, in February, 1819. +The announcement ran thus:—“Pulzlivizli, or the Man +without a Shadow: a comic, enchanted drama, in three acts, +adapted from De la Motte Fouqué, by Ferdinand +Rosenau.” Among the characters were the grey man, and +a certain Albert, probably intended for Schlemihl. Of the +contents of the piece we know nothing.</p> +<p>In England two editions have appeared [previous to the +present,—<i>Tr.</i>]; one of which was reprinted at Boston +in 1825. Of the popularity of “Peter Schlemihl” +in Great Britain we have a striking proof, from a caricature that +appeared shortly after the coronation of William IV. On the +celebration of this solemnity, a brother of the King—the +Duke of Cumberland—arrived from the Continent to be present +on the occasion; and as he was well known to be an ardent Tory, +his reception on the part of the people was not of the most +flattering description. As a consequence of this, and +owing, perhaps, to an expression that fell from the Duke, that +“popularity is only a shadow,” the caricature made +its appearance. In the foreground of the print is seen a +striking likeness of the royal Duke in the costume of the Order +of the Garter. On his right stands the King, with the crown +on his head, and reflecting a goodly shadow on the wall. +Between the King and his brother are some courtiers, who exclaim, +in a tone of commiseration, “Lost, or stolen, a +gentleman’s shadow.” At the bottom of the print +is the following inscription:—</p> +<blockquote><p style="text-align: center"><span +class="GutSmall">“PETER SCHLEMIHL AT THE +CORONATION.</span></p> +<p>Granted that popularity is nothing but a shadow, it is still +far from pleasant to be without that shadow.”</p> +</blockquote> +<h3>BRIEF SKETCH OF CHAMISSO’S LIFE.</h3> +<p>Louis Adelbert de Chamisso was born January 27, 1781, at +Beaucourt, in Champagne. At the Revolution, he left France +with his parents, and came to Berlin, where, in 1796, he was +appointed page to the King, and soon after had a commission given +him in the army. He applied himself with much ardour to +acquire the German language, and felt great interest in the study +of its literature, particularly its poetry and philosophy, and +was most attracted by those writers whose character presented the +greatest contrast to that of his own countrymen. By +intercourse with the learned, and by the friendships which he +formed, he soon became thoroughly German, which he proved by his +poems, which were distinguished above the crowd of such +compositions by the originality of their style, and peculiar +vigour. From 1804 to 1806 he published the “Almanack +of the Muses,” in conjunction with Varnhagen von +Ense. At the peace of Tilsit he left the army, and visited +France, when his family obtained back part of their +possessions. At this time he held, for a short period, a +situation as Professor at the school of Napoleonville, but soon +returned to Germany, devoting himself wholly to a literary life, +and in particular to the study of natural history. During +his visit to France, he spent some time with Madame de +Staël, whom he also visited in Switzerland. In 1811 he +returned to Berlin; and in 1813 he wrote his “Peter +Schlemihl,” which marked him out as a man of distinguished +and original genius. It was published in 1814 by his friend +Fouqué. When Count Runnjanzow resolved on +undertaking a voyage round the world, he invited Chamisso to +accompany him as naturalist to the expedition—an invitation +which he gladly embraced. The ships left Cronstadt in 1815, +and returned in 1818; and although the discovery of a North-West +passage—the great object of the expedition—was not +attained, yet extensive acquisitions were made in every +department of scientific research. Chamisso’s share +in the voyage is recorded in the third volume of the account of +it published at Weimar in 1821, and does honour to his spirit of +careful observation and his accuracy. He now again fixed +his residence at Berlin, from whose university he received the +degree of doctor in philosophy. An appointment at the +Botanic Garden allowed him full liberty to follow up his +favourite pursuit of natural history, and bound him by still +stronger ties to his second fatherland. He now wrote an +account of the principal plants of the North of Germany, with +views respecting the vegetable kingdom and the science of botany: +this work appeared at Berlin in 1827. Poetry, however, had +still some share of his attention; and he continued, during the +latter years of his life, to maintain his claims to an honourable +place among the poets of Germany. Several of his ballads +and romances rank with the most distinguished of modern times in +this branch of composition. Surrounded by a circle of +attached and admiring friends, Chamisso continued thus entirely +engaged till his death, in 1839, leaving behind him a name and +works which posterity “will not willingly let +perish.”</p> +<h3>FROM THE BARON DE LA MOTTE FOUQUÉ TO JULIUS EDWARD +HITZIG.</h3> +<p style="text-align: center">[<i>From the first +edition</i>.]</p> +<p>We should take care, my dear Edward, not to expose the history +of poor Schlemihl to eyes unfit to look upon it. That would +be a bad experiment. Of such eyes there are plenty; and who +is able to predict what may befal a <i>manuscript</i>, which is +almost more difficult to guard than spoken language? Like a +person seized with vertigo, therefore, who, in the paroxysm of +his feelings, leaps into the abyss, I commit the story to the +press.</p> +<p>And yet there are better and more serious reasons for the step +I have taken. If I am not wholly deceived, there are in our +dear Germany many hearts both capable and worthy of comprehending +poor Schlemihl, although a smile will arise on the countenance of +many among our honest countrymen at the bitter sport which was +death to him and to the innocent being whom he drew along with +him. And you, Edward, when you have seen the estimable +work, and reflected on the number of unknown and sympathising +bosoms who, with ourselves, will learn to love it,—you +will, then, perhaps, feel that some drops of consolation have +been instilled into those wounds inflicted on you, and on all who +love you, by death.</p> +<p>To conclude: I have become convinced, by repeated experience, +that a guardian angel watches over books, places them in proper +hands, and if not always, yet often, prevents them from falling +into improper. In any case, he exercises an invisible +guardianship over every work of true genius and genuine feeling, +and with unfailing tact and skill opens or shuts its pages as he +sees fit.</p> +<p>To this guardian angel I commit our +“Schlemihl.” And so, adieu!</p> +<p style="text-align: right">FOUQUÉ.</p> +<p><i>Neunhausen</i>, <i>May</i>, 1814.</p> +<h2>THE STORY WITHOUT AN END.</h2> +<h3>TO MY DAUGHTER</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">My Dear Child</span>,</p> +<p>The story you love so much in German I dedicate to you in +English. It was in compliance with your earnest wish that +other children might share the delight it has so often afforded +you, that I translated it; so that it is, in some sort, yours of +right. Let us hope that your confident expectations of +sympathy in your pleasure may not be disappointed; or that, if +others think the story less beautiful than you do, they may find +compensation in the graceful designs it has inspired.</p> +<p>You have often regretted that it left off so soon, and would, +I believe, “have been glad to hear more and more, and for +ever.” The continuation you have longed for lies in a +wide and magnificent book, which contains more wonderful and +glorious things than all our favourite fairy tales put +together. But to read in that book, so as to discover all +its beautiful meanings, you must have pure, clear eyes, and an +humble, loving heart; otherwise you will complain, as some do, +that it is dim and puzzling; or, as others that it is dull and +monotonous.</p> +<p>May you continue to read in it with new curiosity, new +delight, and new profit; and to find it, as long as you live, the +untiring “Story without an End.”</p> +<p style="text-align: center">Your affectionate mother,</p> +<p style="text-align: right">S. A.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER I.</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">There</span> was once a Child who lived in +a little hut, and in the hut there was nothing but a little bed +and a looking-glass which hung in a dark corner. Now the +Child cared nothing at all about the looking-glass; but as soon +as the first sunbeam glided softly through the casement, and +kissed his sweet eyelids, and the finch and the linnet waked him +merrily with their morning songs, he arose, and went out into the +green meadow. And he begged flour of the primrose, and +sugar of the violet, and butter of the buttercup; he shook +dewdrops from the cowslip into the cup of a harebell; spread out +a large lime-leaf, set his little breakfast upon it, and feasted +daintily. Sometimes he invited a humming-bee, oftener a gay +butterfly, to partake his feast; but his favourite guest was the +blue dragon-fly. The bee murmured a good deal, in a solemn +tone, about his riches; but the Child thought that if he were a +bee, heaps of treasure would not make him gay and happy; and that +it must be much more delightful and glorious to float about in +the free and fresh breezes of spring, and to hum joyously in the +web of the sunbeams, than, with heavy feet and heavy heart, to +stow the silver wax and the golden honey into cells.</p> +<p>To this the Butterfly assented; and he told how once on a +time, he too had been greedy and sordid; how he had thought of +nothing but eating, and had never once turned his eyes upwards to +the blue heavens. At length, however, a complete change had +come over him; and instead of crawling spiritless about the dirty +earth, half dreaming, he all at once awaked as out of a deep +sleep. And now he would rise into the air;—and it was +his greatest joy sometimes to play with the light, and to reflect +the heavens in the bright eyes of his wings; sometimes to listen +to the soft language of the flowers, and catch their +secrets. Such talk delighted the Child, and his breakfast +was the sweeter to him, and the sunshine on leaf and flower +seemed to him more bright and cheering.</p> +<p>But when the Bee had flown off to beg from flower to flower, +and the Butterfly had fluttered away to his playfellows, the +Dragon-fly still remained, poised on a blade of grass. Her +slender and burnished body, more brightly and deeply blue than +the deep blue sky, glistened in the sun beam; and her net-like +wings laughed at the flowers because <i>they</i> could not fly, +but must stand still and abide the wind and the rain. The +Dragon-fly sipped a little of the Child’s clear dew-drops +and blue violet-honey, and then whispered her winged words. +And the Child made an end of his repast, closed his dark blue +eyes, bent down his beautiful head, and listened to the sweet +prattle.</p> + +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p>Then the Dragon-fly told much of the merry life in the green +wood; how sometimes she played hide-and-seek with her playfellows +under the broad leaves of the oak and the beech trees; or +hunt-the-hare along the surface of the still waters; sometimes +quietly watched the sunbeams, as they flew busily from moss to +flower and from flower to bush, and shed life and warmth over +all. But at night, she said, the moonbeams glided softly +around the wood, and dropped dew into the mouths of all the +thirsty plants; and when the dawn pelted the slumberers with the +soft roses of heaven, some of the half-drunken flowers looked up +and smiled; but most of them could not so much as raise their +heads for a long, long time.</p> +<p>Such stories did the Dragon-fly tell; and as the Child sat +motionless with his eyes shut, and his head rested on his little +hand, she thought he had fallen asleep; so she poised her double +wings and flew into the rustling wood.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER II.</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">But</span> the Child was only sunk into a +dream of delight, and was wishing <i>he</i> were a sunbeam or a +moonbeam; and he would have been glad to hear more and more, and +for ever. But at last, as all was still, he opened his eyes +and looked around for his dear guest; but she was flown far away; +so he could not bear to sit there any longer alone, and he rose +and went to the gurgling brook. It gushed and rolled so +merrily, and tumbled so wildly along as it hurried to throw +itself head over heels into the river, just as if the great massy +rock out of which it sprang were close behind it, and could only +be escaped by a break-neck leap.</p> +<p>Then the Child began to talk to the little waves, and asked +them whence they came. They would not stay to give him an +answer, but danced away, one over another; till at last, that the +sweet Child might not be grieved, a drop of water stopped behind +a piece of rock. From her the Child heard strange +histories, but he could not understand them all, for she told him +about her former life, and about the depths of the mountain.</p> +<p>“A long while ago,” said the Drop of Water, +“I lived with my countless sisters in the great ocean, in +peace and unity. We had all sorts of pastimes; sometimes we +mounted up high into the air, and peeped at the stars; then we +sank plump down deep below, and looked how the coral builders +work till they are tired, that they may reach the light of day at +last. But I was conceited, and thought myself much better +than my sisters. And so one day, when the sun rose out of +the sea, I clung fast to one of his hot beams, and thought that +now I should reach the stars, and become one of them. But I +had not ascended far, when the sunbeam shook me off, and in spite +of all I could say or do, let me fall into a dark cloud. +And soon a flash of fire darted through the cloud, and now I +thought I must surely die; but the whole cloud laid itself down +softly upon the top of a mountain, and so I escaped with my +fright, and a black eye. Now I thought I should remain +hidden, when all on a sudden I slipped over a round pebble, fell +from one stone to another, down into the depths of the mountain, +till at last it was pitch dark, and I could neither see nor hear +anything. Then I found, indeed, that ‘pride goeth +before a fall,’ resigned myself to my fate, and, as I had +already laid aside all my unhappy pride in the cloud, my portion +was now the salt of humility; and after undergoing many +purifications from the hidden virtues of metals and minerals, I +was at length permitted to come up once more into the free +cheerful air; and now will I run back to my sisters, and there +wait patiently till I am called to something better.”</p> +<p>But hardly had she done when the root of a forget-me-not +caught the drop of water by her hair and sucked her in, that she +might become a floweret, and twinkle brightly as a blue star on +the green firmament of earth.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER III.</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> Child did not very well know +what to think of all this: he went thoughtfully home and laid +himself on his little bed; and all night long he was wandering +about on the ocean, and among the stars, and over the dark +mountain. But the moon loved to look on the slumbering +Child as he lay with his little head softly pillowed on his right +arm. She lingered a long time before his little window, and +went slowly away to lighten the dark chamber of some sick +person.</p> +<p>As the moon’s soft light lay on the Child’s +eyelids, he fancied he sat in a golden boat, on a great, great +water; countless stars swam glittering on the dark mirror. +He stretched out his hand to catch the nearest star, but it had +vanished, and the water sprayed up against him. Then he saw +clearly that these were not the real stars; he looked up to +heaven, and wished he could fly thither.</p> +<p>But in the meantime the moon had wandered on her way; and now +the Child was led in his dream into the clouds, and he thought he +was sitting on a white sheep, and he saw many lambs grazing +around him. He tried to catch a little lamb to play with, +but it was all mist and vapour; and the Child was sorrowful, and +wished himself down again in his own meadow, where his own lamb +was sporting gaily about.</p> +<p>Meanwhile the moon was gone to sleep behind the mountains, and +all around was dark. Then the Child dreamt that he fell +down into the dark, gloomy caverns of the mountain, and at that +he was so frightened, that he suddenly awoke, just as morning +opened her clear eye over the nearest hill.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER IV.</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> Child started up, and, to +recover himself from his fright, went into the little +flower-garden behind his cottage, where the beds were surrounded +by ancient palm-trees, and where he knew that all the flowers +would nod kindly at him. But, behold, the Tulip turned up +her nose, and the Ranunculus held her head as stiffly as +possible, that she might not bow good-morrow to him. The +Rose, with her fair round cheeks, smiled and greeted the Child +lovingly; so he went up to her and kissed her fragrant +mouth. And then the Rose tenderly complained that he so +seldom came into the garden, and that she gave out her bloom and +her fragrance the live-long day in vain; for the other flowers +could not see her, because they were too low, or did not care to +look at her, because they themselves were so rich in bloom and +fragrance. But she was most delighted when she glowed in +the blooming head of a child, and could pour out all her +heart’s secrets to him in sweet odours. Among other +things, the Rose whispered in his ear that she was the fulness of +beauty.</p> +<p>And in truth the Child, while looking at her beauty, seemed to +have quite forgotten to go on; till the Blue Larkspur called to +him, and asked whether he cared nothing more about his faithful +friend; she said that she was unchanged, and that even in death +she should look upon him with eyes of unfading blue.</p> +<p>The Child thanked her for her true-heartedness, and passed on +to the Hyacinth, who stood near the puffy, full-cheeked, gaudy +Tulips. Even from a distance the Hyacinth sent forth kisses +to him, for she knew not how to express her love. Although +she was not remarkable for her beauty, yet the Child felt himself +wondrously attracted by her, for he thought no flower loved him +so well. But the Hyacinth poured out her full heart and +wept bitterly, because she stood so lonely; the Tulips indeed +were her countrymen, but they were so cold and unfeeling that she +was ashamed of them. The Child encouraged her, and told her +he did not think things were so bad as she fancied. The +Tulips spoke their love in bright looks, while she uttered hers +in fragrant words; that these, indeed, were lovelier and more +intelligible, but that the others were not to be despised.</p> +<p>Then the Hyacinth was comforted, and said she would be +content; and the Child went on to the powdered Auricula, who, in +her bashfulness, looked kindly up to him, and would gladly have +given him more than kind looks, had she had more to give. +But the Child was satisfied with her modest greeting; he felt +that he was poor too, and he saw the deep, thoughtful colours +that lay beneath her golden dust. But the humble flower, of +her own accord, sent him to her neighbour, the Lily, whom she +willingly acknowledged as her queen. And when the Child +came to the Lily, the slender flower waved to and fro and bowed +her pale head with gentle pride and stately modesty, and sent +forth a fragrant greeting to him. The Child knew not what +had come to him: it reached his inmost heart, so that his eyes +filled with soft tears. Then he marked how the lily gazed +with a clear and steadfast eye upon the sun, and how the sun +looked down again into her pure chalice, and how, amid this +interchange of looks, the three golden threads united in the +centre. And the Child heard how one scarlet Lady-bird at +the bottom of the cup said to another, “Knowest thou not +that we dwell in the flower of heaven?” and the other +replied, “Yes; and now will the mystery be +fulfilled.” And as the Child saw and heard all this, +the dim image of his unknown parents, as it were veiled in a holy +light, floated before his eyes: he strove to grasp it, but the +light was gone, and the Child slipped, and would have fallen, had +not the branch of a currant bush caught and held him; and he took +some of the bright berries for his morning’s meal, and went +back to his hut and stripped the little branches.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER V.</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">But</span> in the hut he stayed not long, +all was so gloomy, close, and silent within, and abroad +everything seemed to smile, and to exult in the clear and +unbounded space. Therefore the Child went out into the +green wood, of which the Dragon-fly had told him such pleasant +stories. But he found everything far more beautiful and +lovely even than she had described it; for all about, wherever he +went, the tender moss pressed his little feet, and the delicate +grass embraced his knees, and the flowers kissed his hands, and +even the branches stroked his cheeks with a kind and refreshing +touch, and the high trees threw their fragrant shade around +him.</p> +<p>There was no end to his delight. The little birds +warbled and sang, and fluttered and hopped about, and the +delicate wood-flowers gave out their beauty and their odours; and +every sweet sound took a sweet odour by the hand, and thus walked +through the open door of the Child’s heart, and held a +joyous nuptial dance therein. But the Nightingale and the +Lily of the Valley led the dance; for the Nightingale sang of +nought but love, and the Lily breathed of nought but innocence, +and he was the bridegroom and she was the bride. And the +Nightingale was never weary of repeating the same thing a hundred +times over, for the spring of love which gushed from his heart +was ever new—and the Lily bowed her head bashfully, that no +one might see her glowing heart. And yet the one lived so +solely and entirely in the other, that no one could see whether +the notes of the Nightingale were floating lilies, or the lilies +visible notes, falling like dewdrops from the Nightingale’s +throat.</p> +<p>The Child’s heart was full of joy even to the +brim. He set himself down, and he almost thought he should +like to take root there, and live for ever among the sweet plants +and flowers, and so become a true sharer in all their gentle +pleasures. For he felt a deep delight in the still, +secluded, twilight existence of the mosses and small herbs, which +felt not the storm, nor the frost, nor the scorching sunbeam; but +dwelt quietly among their many friends and neighbours, feasting +in peace and good fellowship on the dew and cool shadows which +the mighty trees shed upon them. To them it was a high +festival when a sunbeam chanced to visit their lowly home; whilst +the tops of the lofty trees could find joy and beauty only in the +purple rays of morning or evening.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER VI.</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">And</span> as the Child sat there, a +little Mouse rustled from among the dry leaves of the former +year, and a Lizard half glided from a crevice in the rock, and +both of them fixed their bright eyes upon the little stranger; +and when they saw that he designed them no evil, they took +courage and came nearer to him.</p> +<p>“I should like to live with you,” said the Child +to the two little creatures, in a soft, subdued voice, that he +might not frighten them. “Your chambers are so snug, +so warm, and yet so shaded, and the flowers grow in at your +windows, and the birds sing you their morning song, and call you +to table and to bed with their clear warblings.”</p> +<p>“Yes,” said the Mouse, “it would be all very +well if all the plants bore nuts and mast, instead of those silly +flowers; and if I were not obliged to grub under ground in the +spring, and gnaw the bitter roots, whilst they are dressing +themselves in their fine flowers and flaunting it to the world, +as if they had endless stores of honey in their +cellars.”</p> +<p>“Hold your tongue,” interrupted the Lizard, +pertly; “do you think, because you are grey, that other +people must throw away their handsome clothes, or let them lie in +the dark wardrobe under ground, and wear nothing but grey +too? I am not so envious. The flowers may dress +themselves as they like for me; they pay for it out of their own +pockets, and they feed bees and beetles from their cups; but what +I want to know is, of what use are birds in the world? Such +a fluttering and chattering, truly, from morning early to evening +late, that one is worried and stunned to death, and there is +never a day’s peace for them. And they do nothing; +only snap up the flies and the spiders out of the mouths of such +as I. For my part, I should be perfectly satisfied, +provided all the birds in the world were flies and +beetles.”</p> +<p>The Child changed colour, and his heart was sick and saddened +when he heard their evil tongues. He could not imagine how +anybody could speak ill of the beautiful flowers, or scoff at his +beloved birds. He was waked out of a sweet dream, and the +wood seemed to him lonely and desert, and he was ill at +ease. He started up hastily, so that the Mouse and the +Lizard shrank back alarmed, and did not look around them till +they thought themselves safe out of the reach of the stranger +with the large, severe eyes.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER VII.</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">But</span> the Child went away from the +place; and as he hung down his head thoughtfully, he did not +observe that he took the wrong path, nor see how the flowers on +either side bowed their heads to welcome him, nor hear how the +old birds from the boughs, and the young from the nests, cried +aloud to him, “God bless thee, our dear little +prince!” And he went on and on, farther and farther, +into the deep wood; and he thought over the foolish and heartless +talk of the two selfish chatterers, and could not understand +it. He would fain have forgotten it, but he could +not. And the more he pondered, the more it seemed to him as +if a malicious spider had spun her web around him, and as if his +eyes were weary with trying to look through it.</p> +<p>And suddenly he came to a still water, above which young +beeches lovingly entwined their arms. He looked in the +water, and his eyes were riveted to it as if by +enchantment. He could not move, but stood and gazed in the +soft, placid mirror, from the bosom of which the tender green +foliage, with the deep blue heavens between, gleamed so +wondrously upon him. His sorrow was all forgotten, and even +the echo of the discord in his little heart was hushed. +That heart was once more in his eyes; and fain would he have +drunk in the soft beauty of the colours that lay beneath him, or +have plunged into the lovely deep.</p> +<p>Then the breeze began to sigh among the treetops. The +Child raised his eyes and saw overhead the quivering green, and +the deep blue behind it, and he knew not whether he were waking +or dreaming: which were the real leaves and the real +heaven—those in the depths above or in the depths +beneath? Long did the Child waver, and his thoughts floated +in a delicious dreaminess from one to the other, till the +Dragon-fly flew to him in affectionate haste, and with rustling +wings greeted her kind host. The Child returned her +greeting, and was glad to meet an acquaintance with whom he could +share the rich feast of his joy. But first he asked the +Dragon-fly if she could decide for him between the Upper and the +Nether—the height and the depth? The Dragon-fly flew +above, and beneath, and around; but the Water +spake:—“The foliage and the sky above are not the +true ones: the leaves wither and fall; the sky is often overcast, +and sometimes quite dark.” Then the Leaves and the +Sky said, “The water only apes us; it must change its +pictures at our pleasure, and can retain none.” Then +the Dragon-fly remarked that the height and the depth existed +only in the eyes of the Child, and that the Leaves and the Sky +were true and real only in his thoughts; because in the mind +alone the picture was permanent and enduring, and could be +carried with him whithersoever he went.</p> +<p>This she said to the Child; but she immediately warned him to +return, for the leaves were already beating the tattoo in the +evening breeze, and the lights were disappearing one by one in +every corner. Then the Child confessed to her with alarm +that he knew not how he should find the way back, and that he +feared the dark night would overtake him if he attempted to go +home alone; so the Dragon-fly flew on before him, and showed him +a cave in the rock where he might pass the night.</p> +<p>And the Child was well content; for he had often wished to try +if he could sleep out of his accustomed bed.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER VIII.</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">But</span> the Dragon-fly was fleet, and +gratitude strengthened her wings to pay her host the honour she +owed him. And truly, in the dim twilight good counsel and +guidance were scarce. She flitted hither and thither +without knowing rightly what was to be done; when, by the last +vanishing sunbeam, she saw hanging on the edge of the cave some +strawberries who had drunk so deep of the evening-red, that their +heads were quite heavy. Then she flew up to a Harebell who +stood near, and whispered in her ear that the lord and king of +all the flowers was in the wood, and ought to be received and +welcomed as beseemed his dignity. Aglaia did not need that +this should be repeated. She began to ring her sweet bells +with all her might; and when her neighbour heard the sound, she +rang hers also; and soon all the Harebells, great and small, were +in motion, and rang as if it had been for the nuptials of their +Mother Earth herself with the Prince of the Sun. The tone +of the Bluebells was deep and rich, and that of the white, high +and clear, and all blended together in a delicious harmony.</p> +<p>But the birds were fast asleep in their high nests, and the +ears of the other animals were not delicate enough, or were too +much overgrown with hair, to hear them. The Fire-flies +alone heard the joyous peal, for they were akin to the flowers, +through their common ancestor, Light. They inquired of +their nearest relation, the Lily of the Valley, and from her they +heard that a large flower had just passed along the footpath more +blooming than the loveliest rose, and with two stars more +brilliant than those of the brightest fire-fly, and that it must +needs be their King. Then all the Fire-flies flew up and +down the footpath, and sought everywhere, till at length they +came, as the Dragon-fly had hoped they would, to the cave.</p> +<p>And now, as they looked at the Child, and every one of them +saw itself reflected in his clear eyes, they rejoiced +exceedingly, and called all their fellows together, and alighted +on the bushes all around; and soon it was so light in the cave, +that herb and grass began to grow as if it had been broad +day. Now, indeed, was the joy and triumph of the Dragon-fly +complete. The Child was delighted with the merry and +silvery tones of the bells, and with the many little bright-eyed +companions around him, and with the deep red strawberries which +bowed down their heads to his touch.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER IX.</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">And</span> when he had eaten his fill, he +sat down on the soft moss, crossed one little leg over the other, +and began to gossip with the Fire-flies. And as he so often +thought on his unknown parents, he asked them who were their +parents. Then the one nearest to him gave him answer; and +he told how that they were formerly flowers, but none of those +who thrust their rooty hands greedily into the ground and draw +nourishment from the dingy earth, only to make themselves fat and +large withal; but that the light was dearer to them than +anything, even at night; and while the other flowers slept, they +gazed unwearied on the light, and drank it in with eager +adoration—sun, and moon, and star light. And the +light had so thoroughly purified them, that they had not sucked +in poisonous juices like the yellow flowers of the earth, but +sweet odours for sick and fainting hearts, and oil of potent +ethereal virtue for the weak and the wounded; and at length, when +their autumn came, they did not, like the others, wither and sink +down, leaf and flower, to be swallowed up by the darksome earth, +but shook off their earthly garment and mounted aloft, into the +clear air. But there it was so wondrously bright, that +sight failed them; and when they came to themselves again, they +were fire-flies, each sitting on a withered flower-stalk.</p> +<p>And now the Child liked the bright-eyed flies better than +ever; and he talked a little longer with them, and inquired why +they showed themselves so much more in spring. They did it, +they said, in the hope that their gold-green radiance might +allure their cousins, the flowers, to the pure love of light.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER X.</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">During</span> this conversation the +dragon-fly had been preparing a bed for her host. The moss +upon which the Child sat had grown a foot high behind his back, +out of pure joy; but the dragon-fly and her sisters had so +revelled upon it, that it was now laid at its length along the +cave. The dragon-fly had awakened every spider in the +neighbourhood out of her sleep, and when they saw the brilliant +light, they had set to work spinning so industriously that their +web hung down like a curtain before the mouth of the cave. +But as the Child saw the ant peeping up at him, he entreated the +fire-flies not to deprive themselves any longer of their merry +games in the wood on his account. And the dragon-fly and +her sisters raised the curtain till the Child had laid him down +to rest, and then let it fall again, that the mischievous gnats +might not get in to disturb his slumbers.</p> +<p>The Child laid himself down to sleep, for he was very tired; +but he could not sleep, for his couch of moss was quite another +thing than his little bed, and the cave was all strange to +him.</p> +<p>He turned himself on one side and then on the other, and, as +nothing would do, he raised himself and sat upright to wait till +sleep might choose to come. But sleep would not come at +all; and the only wakeful eyes in the whole wood were the +Child’s. For the harebells had rung themselves weary, +and the fire-flies had flown about till they were tired, and even +the dragon-fly, who would fain have kept watch in front of the +cave, had dropped sound asleep.</p> +<p>The wood grew stiller and stiller; here and there fell a dry +leaf which had been driven from its old dwelling place by a fresh +one; here and there a young bird gave a soft chirp when its +mother squeezed it in the nest; and from time to time a gnat +hummed for a minute or two in the curtain, till a spider crept on +tip-toe along its web, and gave him such a gripe in the wind-pipe +as soon spoiled his trumpeting.</p> +<p>And the deeper the silence became, the more intently did the +Child listen, and at last the slightest sound thrilled him from +head to foot. At length, all was still as death in the +wood; and the world seemed as if it never would wake again. +The Child bent forward to see whether it were as dark abroad as +in the cave, but he saw nothing save the pitch-dark night, who +had wrapped everything in her thick veil. Yet as he looked +upwards his eyes met the friendly glance of two or three stars, +and this was a most joyful surprise to him, for he felt himself +no longer so entirely alone. The stars were, indeed, far, +far away, but yet he knew them, and they knew him; for they +looked into his eyes.</p> +<p>The Child’s whole soul was fixed in his gaze; and it +seemed to him as if he must needs fly out of the darksome cave, +thither where the stars were beaming with such pure and serene +light; and he felt how poor and lowly he was, when he thought of +their brilliancy; and how cramped and fettered, when he thought +of their free unbounded course along the heavens.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER XI.</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">But</span> the stars went on their course, +and left their glittering picture only a little while before the +Child’s eyes. Even this faded, and then vanished +quite away. And he was beginning to feel tired, and to wish +to lay himself down again, when a flickering +Will-o’-the-wisp appeared from behind a bush—so that +the Child thought, at first, one of the stars had wandered out of +its way, and had come to visit him, and to take him with +it. And the Child breathed quick with joy and surprise, and +then the Will-o’-the-wisp came nearer, and sat himself down +on a damp mossy stone in front of the cave, and another fluttered +quickly after him, and sat down over against him and sighed +deeply, “Thank God, then, that I can rest at +last!”</p> +<p>“Yes,” said the other, “for that you may +thank the innocent Child who sleeps there within; it was his pure +breath that freed us.”</p> +<p>“Are you, then,” said the Child, hesitatingly, +“not of yon stars which wander so brightly there +above?”</p> +<p>“Oh, if we were stars,” replied the first, +“we should pursue our tranquil path through the pure +element, and should leave this wood and the whole darksome earth +to itself.”</p> +<p>“And not,” said the other, “sit brooding on +the face of the shallow pool.”</p> +<p>The Child was curious to know who these could be who shone so +beautifully, and yet seemed so discontented. Then the first +began to relate how he had been a child too, and how, as he grew +up, it had always been his greatest delight to deceive people and +play them tricks, to show his wit and cleverness. He had +always, he said, poured such a stream of smooth words over +people, and encompassed himself with such a shining mist, that +men had been attracted by it to their own hurt. But once on +a time there appeared a plain man, who only spoke two or three +simple words, and suddenly the bright mist vanished, and left him +naked and deformed, to the scorn and mockery of the whole +world. But the man had turned away his face from him in +pity, while he was almost dead with shame and anger. And +when he came to himself again, he knew not what had befallen him, +till, at length, he found that it was his fate to hover, without +rest or change, over the surface of the bog as a +Will-o’-the-wisp.</p> +<p>“With me it fell out quite otherwise,” said the +first: “instead of giving light without warmth, as I now +do, I burned without shining. When I was only a child, +people gave way to me in everything, so that I was intoxicated +with self-love. If I saw any one shine, I longed to put out +his light; and the more intensely I wished this, the more did my +own small glimmering turn back upon myself, and inwardly burn +fiercely while all without was darker than ever. But if any +one who shone more brightly would have kindly given me of his +light, then did my inward flame burst forth to destroy him. +But the flame passed through the light and harmed it not; it +shone only the more brightly, while I was withered and +exhausted. And once upon a time I met a little smiling +child, who played with a cross of palm branches, and wore a beamy +coronet around his golden locks. He took me kindly by the +hand and said, ‘My friend, you are now very gloomy and sad, +but if you will become a child again, even as I am, you will have +a bright circlet such as I have.’ When I heard that, +I was so angry with myself and with the child, that I was +scorched by my inward fire. Now would I fain fly up to the +sun to fetch rays from him, but the rays drove me back with these +words:</p> +<p>‘Return thither whence thou camest, thou dark fire of +envy, for the sun lightens only in love; the greedy earth, +indeed, sometimes turns his mild light into scorching fire. +Fly back, then, for with thy like alone must thou +dwell.’ I fell, and when I recovered myself I was +glimmering coldly above the stagnant waters.”</p> +<p>While they were talking the Child had fallen asleep, for he +knew nothing of the world nor of men, and he could make nothing +of their stories. Weariness had spoken a more intelligible +language to him—<i>that</i> he understood, and he had +fallen asleep.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER XII.</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">Softly</span> and soundly he slept till +the rosy morning clouds stood upon the mountain, and announced +the coming of their lord, the sun. But as soon as the +tidings spread over field and wood, the thousand-voiced echo +awoke, and sleep was no more to be thought of.</p> +<p>And soon did the royal sun himself arise; at first his +dazzling diadem alone appeared above the mountains; at length he +stood upon their summit in the full majesty of his beauty, in all +the charms of eternal youth, bright and glorious, his kindly +glance embracing every creature of earth, from the stately oak to +the blade of grass bending under the foot of the wayfaring +man. Then arose from every breast, from every throat, the +joyous song of praise; and it was as if the whole plain and wood +were become a temple, whose roof was the heaven, whose altar the +mountain, whose congregation all creatures, whose priest the +sun.</p> +<p>But the Child walked forth and was glad, for the birds sang +sweetly, and it seemed to him as if everything sported and danced +out of mere joy to be alive. Here flew two finches through +the thicket, and, twittering, pursued each other; there, the +young buds burst asunder, and the tender leaves peeped out and +expanded themselves in the warm sun, as if they would abide in +his glance for ever; here, a dewdrop trembled, sparkling and +twinkling on a blade of grass, and knew not that beneath him +stood a little moss who was thirsting after him; there, troops of +flies flew aloft, as if they would soar far, far over the wood: +and so all was life and motion, and the Child’s heart joyed +to see it.</p> +<p>He sat down on a little smooth plot of turf, shaded by the +branches of a nut-bush, and thought he should now sip the cup of +his delight, drop by drop. And first he plucked down some +brambles which threatened him with their prickles; then he bent +aside some branches which concealed the view; then he removed the +stones, so that he might stretch out his feet at full length on +the soft turf; and when he had done all this, he bethought +himself what was yet to do; and as he found nothing, he stood up +to look for his acquaintance the dragon-fly, and to beg her to +guide him once more out of the wood into the open fields. +About midway he met her, and she began to excuse herself for +having fallen asleep in the night. The Child thought not of +the past, were it even but a minute ago, so earnestly did he now +wish to get out from among the thick and close trees; for his +heart beat high, and he felt as if he should breathe freer in the +open ground. The dragon-fly flew on before and showed him +the way as far as the outermost verge of the wood, whence the +Child could espy his own little hut, and then flew away to her +playfellows.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER XIII.</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> Child walked forth alone upon +the fresh dewy cornfield. A thousand little suns glittered +in his eyes, and a lark soared warbling above his head. And +the lark proclaimed the joys of the coming year, and awakened +endless hopes, while she soared circling higher and higher, till, +at length, her song was like the soft whisper of an angel holding +converse with the spring, under the blue arch of heaven. +The Child had seen the earth-coloured little bird rise up before +him, and it seemed to him as if the earth had sent her forth from +her bosom as a messenger to carry her joy and her thanks up to +the sun, because he had turned his beaming countenance again upon +her in love and bounty. And the lark hung poised above the +hope-giving field, and warbled her clear and joyous song.</p> +<p>She sang of the loveliness of the rosy dawn, and the fresh +brilliancy of the earliest sunbeams; of the gladsome springing of +the young flowers, and the vigorous shooting of the corn; and her +song pleased the Child beyond measure.</p> +<p>But the lark wheeled in higher and higher circles, and her +song sounded softer and sweeter.</p> +<p>And now she sang of the first delights of early love; of +wanderings together on the sunny fresh hilltops, and of the sweet +pictures and visions that arise out of the blue and misty +distance. The Child understood not rightly what he heard, +and fain would he have understood, for he thought that even in +such visions must be wondrous delight. He gazed aloft after +the unwearied bird, but she had disappeared in the morning +mist.</p> +<p>Then the Child leaned his head on one shoulder to listen if he +could no longer hear the little messenger of spring; and he could +just catch the distant and quivering notes in which she sang of +the fervent longing after the clear element of freedom, after the +pure all-present light, and of the blessed foretaste of this +desired enfranchisement, of this blending in the sea of celestial +happiness.</p> +<p>Yet longer did he listen, for the tones of her song carried +him there, where, as yet, his thoughts had never reached, and he +felt himself happier in this short and imperfect flight than ever +he had felt before. But the lark now dropped suddenly to +the earth, for her little body was too heavy for the ambient +ether, and her wings were not large nor strong enough for the +pure element.</p> +<p>Then the red corn-poppies laughed at the homely looking bird, +and cried to one another and to the surrounding blades of corn in +a shrill voice, “Now, indeed, you may see what comes of +flying so high, and striving and straining after mere air; people +only lose their time, and bring back nothing but weary wings and +an empty stomach. That vulgar-looking ill-dressed little +creature would fain raise herself above us all, and has kept up a +mighty noise. And now there she lies on the ground and can +hardly breathe, while we have stood still where we are sure of a +good meal, and have stayed, like people of sense, where there is +something substantial to be had; and in the time she has been +fluttering and singing, we have grown a good deal taller and +fatter.”</p> +<p>The other little redcaps chattered and screamed their assent +so loud that the Child’s ears tingled, and he wished he +could chastise them for their spiteful jeers; when a cyane said, +in a soft voice, to her younger playmates, “Dear friends, +be not led astray by outward show, nor by discourse which regards +only outward show. The lark is, indeed, weary, and the +space into which she has soared is void; but the void is not what +the lark sought, nor is the seeker returned empty home. She +strove after light and freedom, and light and freedom has she +proclaimed. She left the earth and its enjoyments, but she +has drunk of the pure air of heaven, and has seen that it is not +the earth, but the sun that is steadfast. And if earth has +called her back, it can keep nothing of her but what is its +own. Her sweet voice and her soaring wings belong to the +sun, and will enter into light and freedom long after the foolish +prater shall have sunk and been buried in the dark prison of the +earth.”</p> +<p>And the lark heard her wise and friendly discourse, and with +renewed strength she sprang once more into the clear and +beautiful blue.</p> +<p>Then the Child clapped his little hands for joy, that the +sweet bird had flown up again, and that the redcaps must hold +their tongues for shame.</p> +<h3>CHAPTER XIV.</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">And</span> the Child was become happy and +joyful, and breathed freely again, and thought no more of +returning to his hut, for he saw that nothing returned inwards, +but rather that all strove outwards into the free air; the rosy +apple blossoms from their narrow buds, and the gurgling notes +from the narrow breast of the lark. The germs burst open +the folding doors of the seeds, and broke through the heavy +pressure of the earth in order to get at the light; the grasses +tore asunder their bands, and their slender blades sprung +upward. Even the rocks were become gentle, and allowed +little mosses to peep out from their sides, as a sign that they +would not remain impenetrably closed for ever. And the +flowers sent out colour and fragrance into the whole world, for +they kept not their best for themselves, but would imitate the +sun and the stars, which poured their warmth and radiance over +the spring. And many a little gnat and beetle burst the +narrow cell in which it was enclosed and crept out slowly, and, +half asleep, unfolded and shook its tender wings, and soon gained +strength, and flew off to untried delights. And as the +butterflies came forth from their chrysalids in all their gaiety +and splendour, so did every humbled and suppressed aspiration and +hope free itself, and boldly launch into the open and flowing sea +of spring.</p> +<h2>HYMNS TO NIGHT.</h2> +<p style="text-align: center">(<i>Translated from the German of +Novalis</i>.)</p> +<h3>I.</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">Who</span> that has life and intelligence, +loves not, before all the surrounding miracles of space, +ever-joyous light with its tints, its beams, and its waves, its +mild omnipresence, when it comes as the waking day. Like +the inmost soul of life, it is inhaled by the giant universe of +gleaming stars, that dance as they swim in its blue flood; it is +inhaled by the glittering, eternally motionless stone, by the +living plant that drinks it in, by the wild and impetuous beast +in its many forms; but above all, by the glorious stranger, with +eyes of intellect, majestic step, with lips melodious, and gently +closed. As a king over earthly nature, it calls forth to +countless changes every power, binds and loosens bonds +unnumbered, and hangs around every earthly being its heavenly +picture. Alone its presence declares the wondrous glory of +the kingdoms the world.</p> +<p>I turn aside to the holy, the inexpressible, the mysterious +Night. Afar off lies the world, buried in some deep chasm: +desolate and lonely is the spot it filled. Through the +chords of the breast sighs deepest sorrow. I will sink down +into the dewdrops, and with ashes will I be commingled. The +distant lines of memory, desires of youth, the dreams of +childhood, a whole life’s short joys and hopes vain, +unfulfilled, come clothed in grey, like evening mists, when the +sun’s glory has departed. Elsewhere has the light +broken upon habitations of gladness. What, should it never +return again to its children, who with the faith of innocence +await its coming?</p> +<p>What fount is thus suddenly opened within the heart, so full +of forethought, that destroys the soft breath of sorrow? +Thou also—dost thou love us, gloomy Night? What +holdest thou concealed beneath thy mantle that draws my soul +towards thee with such mysterious power? Costly balsam +raineth from thy hand; from thy horn pourest thou out manna; the +heavy wings of the spirit liftest thou. Darkly and +inexpressibly do we feel ourselves moved: a solemn countenance I +behold with glad alarm, that bends towards me in gentle +contemplation, displaying, among endless allurements of the +mother, lovely youth! How poor and childish does the light +now seem! How joyous and how hallowed is the day’s +departure!—Therefore then only, because Night dismissed thy +vassals, hast thou sown in the infinity of space those shining +balls to declare thine almighty power, and thy return in the +season of absence? More heavenly than those glittering +stars seem the unnumbered eyes that Night has opened within +us. Farther can they see than beyond the palest of that +countless host; without need of light can they pierce the depths +of a spirit of love, that fills a yet more glorious space with +joy beyond expression. Glory to the world’s Queen, +the high declarer of spheres of holiness, the nurse of hallowed +love! Thee, thou tenderly beloved one, doth she send to +me—thee, lovely sun of the Night. Now I awaken, for I +am thine and mine: the Night hast thou given as a sign of life, +and made me man. Devour with glowing spiritual fire this +earthly body, that I ethereal may abide with thee in union yet +more perfect, and then may the bridal Night endure for ever.</p> +<h3>II.</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">Must</span> ever the morn return? Is +there no end to the sovereignty of earth? Unhallowed +occupation breaks the heavenly pinion of the Night. Shall +the secret offering of love at no time burn for ever? To +the Light is its period allotted; but beyond time and space is +the empire of the Night. Eternal is the duration of +sleep. Thou holy sleep! bless not too rarely the +Night’s dedicated son in this earth’s daily +work! Fools alone recognise thee not, and know of no sleep +beyond the shadow which in that twilight of the actual Night thou +throwest in compassion over us. They feel thee not in the +vine’s golden flood, in the almond-tree’s marvel oil, +and in the brown juice of the manna; they know not that it is +thou that enhaloest the tender maiden’s breast, and makest +a heaven of her bosom; conceive not that out of histories of old +thou steppest forth an opener of heaven, and bearest the key to +the abodes of the blessed, the silent messenger of unending +mysteries.</p> +<h3>III.</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">Once</span>, when I was shedding bitter +tears, when my hope streamed away dissolved in sorrow, and I +stood alone beside the barren hill, that concealed in narrow +gloomy space the form of my existence—alone, as never +solitary yet hath been, urged by an agony beyond expression, +powerless, no more than a mere thought of sorrow; as I looked +around me there for aid, could not advance, could not retire, and +hung with incessant longing upon fleeting, failing +life;—then came there from the blue distance, from the +heights of my former happiness, a thin veil of the twilight +gloom, and in a moment burst the bondage of the fetters of the +birth of light. Then fled the glories of the earth, and all +my sorrow with them; sadness melted away in a new, an +unfathomable world; thou, inspiration of the Night, slumber of +heaven, camest over me; the spot whereon I stood rose insensibly +on high; above the spot soared forth my released and new-born +spirit. The hill became a cloud of dust; through the cloud +I beheld the revealed features of my beloved one. In her +eyes eternity reposed; I grasped her hands, and my tears formed a +glittering, inseparable bond. Ages were swept by like +storms into the distance; on her neck I wept tears of ecstasy for +life renewed. It was my first, my only dream; and from that +time I feel an eternal and unchanging faith in the heaven of the +Night, and in its light, the Loved One.</p> +<h3>IV.</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">Now</span> do I know when the last morn +will be; when the light shall no more give alarm to the night and +to love; when the slumber shall be without end, and there shall +be but one exhaustless dream. Heavenly weariness do I feel +within me. Long and wearisome had become the pilgrimage to +the holy grave—the cross a burthen. He who hath +tasted of the crystal wave that gushes forth, unknown to common +eye, in the dark bosom of that hill, against whose foot the flood +of earthly waves is dashed and broken; he who hath stood upon the +summit of the world’s mountain bounds, and hath looked +beyond them down into that new land, into the abode of Night; he, +well I ween, turns not back into the turmoil of the +world—into the land where the light, and eternal unrest, +dwells.</p> +<p>There, above, does he erect his huts—his huts of peace; +there longs and loves, until comes the most welcome of all hours +to draw him down into that fountain’s source. Upon +the surface floats all that is earthly—it is hurried back +by storms; but that which was hallowed by the breath of love, +freely streams it forth, through hidden paths, into that realm +beyond the mountain chain, and there, exhaled as incense, becomes +mixed with loves that have slept. Still, cheerful light, +dost thou waken the weary to his toil, still pourest thou glad +life into my breast; but from the mossy monument that memory has +raised, thence canst thou not allure me. Willingly will I +employ my hands in industry and toil; I will look around me at +thy bidding; I will celebrate the full glory of thy splendour; +trace out, untired, the beauteous consistency of thy wondrous +work; willingly will I mark the marvellous course of thy mighty, +glowing timepiece; observe the balance of gigantic powers, and +the laws of the wondrous play of countless spaces and their +periods. But true to the Night remains my heart of hearts, +and to creative Love, her daughter. Canst thou show me a +heart for ever faithful? Hath thy sun fond eyes that know +me? Do thy stars clasp my proffered hand? Do they +return the tender pressure, the caressing word? Hast thou +clothed her with fair hues and pleasing outline? Or was it +she who gave thine ornament a higher, dearer meaning? What +pleasure, what enjoyment, can thy life afford, that shall +overweigh the ecstasies of death? Bears not everything that +inspires us the colours of the Night? Thee she cherishes +with a mother’s care; to her thou owest all thy +majesty. Thou hadst melted in thyself, hadst been dissolved +in endless space, had she not restrained and encircled thee, so +that thou wert warm, and gavest life to the world. Verily I +was, before thou wert: the mother sent me with my sisters to +inhabit thy world, to hallow it with love, so that it might be +gazed on as a memorial for ever, to plant it with unfading +flowers. As yet they have borne no fruit, these godlike +thoughts; but few as yet are the traces of our revelation. +The day shall come when thy timepiece pointeth to the end of +time, when thou shalt be even as one of us; and, filled with +longing and ardent love, be blotted out and die. Within my +soul I feel the end of thy distracted power, heavenly freedom, +hailed return. In wild sorrow I recognise thy distance from +our home, thy hostility towards the ancient glorious +heaven. In vain are thy tumult and thy rage. +Indestructible remains the cross—a victorious banner of our +race.</p> +<p class="poetry">“I wander over,<br /> + And every tear<br /> +To gem our pleasure<br /> + Will then appear.<br /> +A few more hours,<br /> + And I find my rest<br /> +In maddening bliss,<br /> + On the loved one’s breast.<br /> +Life, never ending,<br /> + Swells mighty in me;<br /> +I look from above down—<br /> + Look back upon thee.<br /> +By yonder hillock<br /> + Expires thy beam;<br /> +And comes with a shadow,<br /> + The cooling gleam.<br /> +Oh, call me, thou loved one,<br /> + With strength from above;<br /> +That I may slumber,<br /> + And wake to love.<br /> +I welcome death’s<br /> + Reviving flood;<br /> +To balm and to ether<br /> + It changes my blood.<br /> +I live through each day,<br /> + Filled with faith and desire;<br /> +And die when the Night comes<br /> + In heaven-born fire.”</p> +<h3>V.</h3> +<p><span class="smcap">Over</span> the widely-spreading races of +mankind, ruled aforetime an iron Destiny with silent power. +A dark and heavy band was around man’s anxious soul; +without end was the earth; the home of the gods and their +abode. Throughout eternities had her mysterious structure +stood. Beyond the red mountains of the morning, in the holy +bosom of the sea, there dwelt the Sun, the all-inflaming, living +light. A hoary giant bare the sacred world. Securely +prisoned, beneath mountains, lay the first sons of the mother +Earth, powerless in their destructive fury against the new and +glorious race of the gods, and their kindred, joyous men. +The dark, green ocean’s depth was the bosom of a +goddess. In the crystal grottoes rioted a voluptuous +tribe. Rivers, trees, flowers, and brute beasts had human +understanding. Sweeter was the wine poured forth by +youth’s soft bloom; a god in the vine’s clusters; a +loving, a maternal goddess, shooting forth among the full, golden +sheaves; love’s holy flame, a delicious service to the most +beauteous of the goddesses. An ever gay and joyous festival +of heaven’s children and the dwellers upon earth, life +rustled on as a spring, through centuries. All races +venerated, like children, the tender, thousand-fold flame, as the +highest of the world; one thought only was there, one hideous +vision of a dream:—</p> +<p class="poetry">“That fearful to the joyous tables +came,<br /> + And the gay soul in wild distraction shrouded.<br /> +Here could the gods themselves no counsel frame,<br /> + That might console the breast with sorrow +clouded.<br /> +This monster’s path mysterious, still the same,<br /> + Unstilled his rage, though prayers on gifts were +crowded.<br /> +His name was Death, who with distress of soul,<br /> +Anguish and tears, on the hour of pleasure stole.</p> +<p class="poetry">For ever now from everything departed<br /> + That here can swell the heart with sweet delight,<br +/> +Torn now from the beloved one, who, sad-hearted,<br /> + On earth could but desire and grief excite,<br /> +A feeble dream seemed to the dead imparted,<br /> + Powerless striving made man’s only right;<br +/> +And broken was enjoyment’s heaving billow,<br /> +Upon the rock of endless care, its pillow.</p> +<p class="poetry">With daring mind, as heavenly fancy glows,<br +/> + Man masks the fearful shape with fair resembling:<br +/> +His torch put out, a mild youth doth repose;<br /> + Soft is the end as the lyre’s mournful +trembling.<br /> +Remembrance fades i’ the gloom a shadow throws:<br /> + So sang the song, a dreadful doom dissembling.<br /> +Yet undefined remained eternal Night,<br /> +The stern reminder of some distant might.”</p> +<p>At length the old world bowed its head. The gay gardens +of the young race were withered; beyond into the freer, desert +space aspired less childish and maturing man. The gods then +vanished with their train. Lonely and lifeless, Nature +stood. The scanty number and the rigid measure bound her +with fetters of iron. As into dust and air melted the +inconceivable blossoms of life into mysterious words. Fled +was the magic faith, and phantasy the all-changing, all-uniting +friend from heaven. Over the rigid earth, unfriendly, blew +a cold north wind, and the wonder-home, now without life, was +lost in ether; the recesses of the heavens were filled with +beaming worlds. Into a holier sphere, into the mind’s +far higher space, did the world draw the soul with its powers, +there to wander until the break of the world’s dawning +glory. No longer was the light the gods’ abode, their +token in the heavens: the veil of the night did they cast over +them. The night was the mighty bosom of revelations; in it +the gods returned, and slumbered there, to go forth in new and in +more glorious forms over the altered world.</p> +<p>Among the people above all despised, too soon matured, and +wilful strangers to the blessed innocence of youth; among them, +with features hitherto unseen, the new world came, in the +poet’s hut of poverty, a son of the first virgin mother, +endless fruit of a mysterious embrace. The boding, budding +wisdom of the East first recognised another Time’s +beginning; to the humble cradle of the monarch their star +declared the way. In the name of the distant future, with +splendour and with incense, did they make offering to him, the +highest wonder of the world. In solitude did the heavenly +heart unfold to a flowery chalice of almighty love, bent towards +the holy countenance of the father, and resting on the +happily-expectant bosom of the lovely pensive mother. With +divine ardour did the prophetic eye of the blooming child look +forth into the days of the future, towards his beloved, the +offspring of the race of God, careless for his day’s +earthly destiny. The most child-like spirits, wondrously +seized with a deep, heart-felt love, collected soon around him; +as flowers, a new and unknown life budded forth upon his +path. Words inexhaustible, the gladdest tidings fell, as +sparks from a heavenly spirit, from his friendly lips. From +a distant coast, born under Hellas’ cheerful sky, a +minstrel came to Palestine, and yielded his whole heart to the +wondrous child:—</p> +<p class="poetry">“The youth art thou, who for uncounted +time,<br /> + Upon our graves hast stood with hidden meaning;<br +/> +In hours of darkness a consoling sign,<br /> + Of higher manhood’s joyous, hailed +beginning;<br /> +That which hath made our soul so long to pine,<br /> + Now draws us hence, sweet aspirations winning.<br /> +In Death, eternal Life hath been revealed:<br /> +And thou art Death, by thee we first are healed.”</p> +<p>The minstrel wandered, full of joy, towards Hindostan, the +heart elated with the sweetest love, which, beneath yonder +heavens, he poured forth in fiery songs, so that a thousand +hearts inclined towards him, and with a thousand branches grew +towards heaven the joyous tidings. Soon after the +minstrel’s departure, the precious life became a sacrifice +to the deep guilt of man: he died in youthful years, torn from +the world he loved, from the weeping mother and lamenting +friends. His mouth of love emptied the dark cup of +inexpressible affliction. In fearful anguish approached the +hour of the new world’s birth. Deeply was he touched +with the old world’s fearful death—the weight of the +old world fell heavily upon him. Once more he gazed +placidly upon the mother, then came the loosening hand of eternal +love, and he slumbered. Few days only hung a deep veil over +the swelling sea, over the quaking land; the beloved ones wept +countless tears; the mystery was unsealed: the ancient stone +heavenly spirits raised from the dark grave. Angels sat +beside the slumberer, tenderly formed out of his dreams. +Awakened in the new glory of a god, he ascended the height of the +new-born world; and with his own hand buried within the deserted +sepulchre the old one’s corpse, and with almighty hand +placed over it the stone no power can raise.</p> +<p>Yet do thy dear ones weep rich tears of joy, tears of emotion, +and of eternal gratitude beside thy grave; even yet, with glad +alarm, do they behold thee rise, themselves with thee; behold +thee weeping, with sweet feeling, on the happy bosom of thy +mother, solemnly walking with thy friends, speaking words as if +broken from the tree of life; see thee hasten, full of longing, +to thy Father’s arms, bringing the young race of man, and +the cup of a golden future, which shall never be exhausted. +The mother soon followed thee in heavenly triumph; she was the +first to join thee in the new home. Long ages have flown by +since then, and ever in yet higher glory hath thy new creation +grown, and thousands from out of pain and misery have, full of +faith and longing, followed thee; roam with thee and the heavenly +virgin in the realm of love, serve in the temple of heavenly +Death, and are in eternity thine.</p> +<p class="poetry">“Lifted is the stone,<br /> + Manhood hath arisen:<br /> +Still are we thine own,<br /> + Unharmed by bond or prison.<br /> +When earth—life—fade away<br /> + In the last meal’s solemn gladness,<br /> +Around thy cup dare stray<br /> + No trace of grief or sadness.</p> +<p class="poetry">To the marriage, Death doth call,<br /> + The brilliant lamps are lighted;<br /> +The virgins come, invited,<br /> + And oil is with them all.<br /> +Space now to space is telling<br /> + How forth thy train hath gone,<br /> +The voice of stars is swelling<br /> + With human tongue and tone!</p> +<p class="poetry">To thee, Maria, hallowed,<br /> + A thousand hearts are sent;<br /> +In this dark life and shadowed,<br /> + On thee their thoughts are bent:<br /> +The soul’s releasement seeing<br /> + They, longing, seek its rest;<br /> +By thee pressed, holy being,<br /> + Upon thy faithful breast.</p> +<p class="poetry">How many who, once glowing,<br /> + Earth’s bitterness have learned,<br /> +Their souls with grief o’erflowing,<br /> + To thee have sadly turned;<br /> +Thou pitying hast appearéd,<br /> + In many an hour of pain;<br /> +We come to thee now, wearied,<br /> + There ever to remain.</p> +<p class="poetry">By no cold grave now weepeth<br /> + A faithful love, forlorn;<br /> +Each still love’s sweet rights keepeth,<br /> + From none will they be torn.<br /> +To soften his sad longing<br /> + Her fires doth Night impart;<br /> +From heaven cherubs thronging,<br /> + Hold watch upon his heart.</p> +<p class="poetry">Content, our life advancing<br /> + To a life that shall abide,<br /> +Each flame its worth enhancing,<br /> + The soul is glorified.<br /> +The starry host shall sink then<br /> + To bright and living wine,<br /> +The golden draught we drink then,<br /> + And stars ourselves shall shine.</p> +<p class="poetry">Love released, lives woundless,<br /> + No separation more;<br /> +While life swells free and boundless<br /> + As a sea without a shore.<br /> +One night of glad elation,<br /> + One joy that cannot die,<br /> +And the sun of all creation<br /> + Is the face of the Most High.”</p> +<h3>VI.<br /> +<span class="GutSmall">LONGING FOR DEATH.</span></h3> +<p class="poetry"><span class="smcap">Below</span>, within the +earth’s dark breast,<br /> + From realms of light departing,<br /> +There sorrow’s pang and sigh oppressed<br /> + Is signal of our starting.<br /> +In narrow boat we ferry o’er<br /> +Speedily to heaven’s shore.</p> +<p class="poetry">To us be hallowed endless Night,<br /> + Hallowed eternal slumber!<br /> +The day hath withered us with light,<br /> + And troubles beyond number.<br /> +No more ’mong strangers would we roam;<br /> +We seek our Father, and our home.</p> +<p class="poetry">Upon this world, what do we here,<br /> + As faithful, fond, and true men?<br /> +The Old but meets with scorn and sneer:—<br /> + What care we for the New, then?<br /> +Oh, lone is he, and sadly pines,<br /> +Who loves with zeal the olden times!</p> +<p class="poetry">Those old times when the spirits light<br /> + To heaven as flame ascended;<br /> +The Father’s hand and features bright<br /> + When men yet comprehended;<br /> +When many a mortal, lofty-souled,<br /> +Yet bore the mark of heavenly mould.</p> +<p class="poetry">Those olden times when budded still<br /> + The stems of ancient story,<br /> +And children, to do Heaven’s will,<br /> + In pain and death sought glory;<br /> +Those times when life and pleasure spoke,<br /> +Yet many a heart with fond love broke.</p> +<p class="poetry">Those old times when in fires of youth<br /> + Was God himself revealéd,<br /> +And early death, in love and truth,<br /> + His sweet existence sealéd,<br /> +Who put not from him care and pain,<br /> +That dear to us he might remain.</p> +<p class="poetry">With trembling longing these we see,<br /> + By darkness now belated,<br /> +In Time’s dominions ne’er will be<br /> + Our ardent thirsting sated.<br /> +First to our home ’tis need we go,<br /> +Seek we these holy times to know.</p> +<p class="poetry">And our return what still can stay?<br /> + Long have the best-loved slumbered;<br /> +Their grave bounds for us life’s drear way,<br /> + Our souls with grief are cumbered.<br /> +All that we have to seek is gone,<br /> +The heart is full—the world is lone.</p> +<p class="poetry">Unending, with mysterious flame,<br /> + O’er us sweet awe is creeping;<br /> +Methought from viewless distance came<br /> + An echo to our weeping;<br /> +The loved ones long for us on high,<br /> +And sent us back their pining sigh.</p> +<p class="poetry">Below, to seek the tender bride,<br /> + To Jesus, whom we cherish!<br /> +Good cheer! lo, greys the even-tide,—<br /> + Love’s agonies shall perish.—<br /> +A dream—our fetters melt, at rest<br /> +We sink upon the Father’s breast.</p> + +<div class="gapmediumline"> </div> +<p style="text-align: center"><span class="GutSmall">Printed by +Cassell & Company, Limited, La Bell Sauvage, London, +E.C.</span><br /> +<span class="GutSmall">30,590</span></p> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PETER SCHLEMIHL ETC.***</p> +<pre> + + +***** This file should be named 5339-h.htm or 5339-h.zip****** + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/5/3/3/5339 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without 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