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 Peter Schlemihl
 
 I'nri-fiT? Trrs
 
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 Peter Schlemihl 
 
 ADALBERT VON CHAMISSO 
 
 Illustrations by Marold and Mittis 
 
 BOSTON 
 JOSEPH KNIGHT COMPANY 
 
 II DCCC XCIII
 
 Wirdbttaiiyi l^ttne 
 
 John Wilson ami Son, Cainbrid^c 
 U. S. A.
 
 Annex 
 
 -~,'-\ 
 
 w 
 
 
 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. 
 
 Adalbert von Chamisso, or 
 Louis Charles Adelaide de Chamisso 
 de Boncourt, was born at the castle of 
 Boncoiirt, in Champagne. He belonged 
 to a noble French family, who derived 
 their title from the ancient town of 
 Chamesson, near Chatillon-snr-Seine. 
 In ijgo, when Adalbert was but nine 
 years old, the Revolution forced the 
 Chamissos to leave France. They set- 
 tled in Berlin; and though in after 
 years the elder members of the family 
 returned to France, Adalbert remained 
 behind in Germany, where by this time 
 were all his sympathies. By birth
 
 X BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. 
 
 and early education a Frenchman, he 
 became by adoption, bjy marriage, bj> 
 occupation, and by achievements in 
 literature, a German. 
 
 In 1 796 Chamisso was made a page 
 to the Queen of Prussia, and two 
 years later entered the Prussian ser- 
 vice with a commission as ensign. In 
 1806, however, unwilling to serve in 
 the campaign of that year against his 
 native country, he gave up the army, 
 and entered into literary life, under- 
 taking in conmction with Von Ense 
 and 'Neumann the publication of the 
 Musenalmanach. Friendly inter- 
 course with Madame de Stael at this 
 time, whom he visited at Coppet, was 
 of important bearing in shaping his 
 future life. At Coppet he first began 
 the study of natural history, to which 
 he henceforth devoted himself with 
 such assiduity and success that his
 
 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. XI 
 
 repitfation as a natitralist is a/most as 
 great as his literarv renown. In i8i 5 
 be accompanied Otto von Kot^ebiie as 
 naturalist in the scientific expedition 
 around the world originated by the 
 Russian, Count Roinan^off. On his 
 return in 18 18 he -was appointed 
 custodian of the botanical gardens at 
 Berlin. 
 
 At the same time he married a 
 charming and wealthy young lady, 
 Antonie Piaste, the marriage proving 
 a happy one. Chamisso passed the 
 next twenty years of his life in steady 
 professional labor, brightened by his 
 success as a writer and by intercourse 
 with an increasing circle of literary 
 friends, among whom were August 
 Neander, Andersen, and Freiligratb. 
 He died at Berlin, August 21, 18^8. 
 
 The poetic element in Chamisso's 
 nature was genuine and strong, and
 
 Xll BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. 
 
 he enriched his adopted language with 
 a number of lyrical poems of beautiful 
 and enduring value. His Lion's 
 Bride, Retribution, Song of Woman's 
 Devotion, and Cousin Anselmo are 
 all remarkable for their power and 
 true pathos. But it is as the author of 
 a prose story, Peter Schlemilil, the 
 man who lost his shadow, that Cham- 
 isso's fame will rest. Peter Schlemihl 
 was first published in 1814, and 
 created a sensation at once. IVhile a 
 genuine story for young people, it is 
 also to the older and sympathetic reader 
 an accurate and pathetic allegory of 
 the author's own life.
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 IT was in 1804, at Eerlin, that I 
 * used to know Peter Schlemihl. 
 He was a tall young fellow, awk- 
 ward without being clumsy, indo- 
 lent but not lazy, for the most part 
 self-contained without seeming to 
 trouble himself about what was 
 going on around him. He was 
 inoffensive, but seemed to have little 
 regard for the proprieties ; and al- 
 ways wore a black coat, so old and 
 shabby that it was said of him he 
 ought to be happy if his soul pos- 
 sessed half the immortality of his
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 cloak. He was the regular butt of 
 our set's witticisms ; but all the same 
 I liked him well. Certain traits 
 which we seemed to possess in 
 common established between us a 
 mutual affection. 
 
 In 1813 I was living in the coun- 
 try, near Berlin ; and having been 
 separated by circumstances from 
 Schlemihl for a long time, I had 
 completely lost sight of him, when 
 one foggy autumn morning, having 
 slept late, I learned upon awakening 
 that a man with a long beard, 
 dressed in a black coat, old and 
 shabby, and wearing large slippers 
 over his shoes, had inquired for me, 
 and left a package for my address. 
 This package contained the auto- 
 graph manuscript of the " Marvellous 
 History of Peter Schlemihl." 
 
 I have sadly abused the confi- 
 dence of my unfortunate friend. I
 
 showed the manuscript which I 
 ought to have kept concealed, and 
 P"ouque committed the indiscretion 
 of having it printed. Since then 
 I have been punished for my fault. 
 [ have been associated in Schlemihl's 
 shame, which I was instrumental in 
 divulging. Meanwhile I have be- 
 come old, and, withdrawn from the 
 world, the respect of mankind is 
 indifferent to me. I avow to-day, 
 without hesitation, the friendship 
 which I ever possessed for Peter 
 Schlemihl. 
 
 This history has fallen into the 
 hands of speculative people who, 
 accustomed to read only for their 
 own instruction, have been anxious 
 to know what a shade was. Many 
 have offered the most curious hypo- 
 theses on the subject, while others, 
 dohig me the honor to suppose me 
 more learned than I am, have ad-
 
 dressed themselves to me directly to 
 obtain the solution of their doubts. 
 The questions with which I have 
 been besieged have made me blush 
 at my OAvn ignorance. They have 
 caused me to include in the circle 
 of my studies a subject which up to 
 that time had remained a stranger 
 to it, and I devoted myself to re- 
 searches the result of which I record 
 below. 
 
 CONCERNING SHADE. 
 
 "An opaque body can never be 
 wholly illuminated by a luminous 
 body at one and the same time, and 
 the part devoid of light, which is 
 situated on the non-illuminated side, 
 is called shadow or shade. Shade, 
 properly so-called, therefore repre- 
 sents a solid, the form of which 
 depends at once upon that of the 
 luminous body, that of the opaque
 
 body, and upon the position of this 
 latter with regard to the luminous 
 body. 
 
 " A shadow seen upon a plane 
 situated behind the opaque body 
 which produces it, is nothing more 
 than the section of this plane 
 upon the solid which represents 
 the shadow." 
 
 Hauv.* 
 
 This, then, is the solid with which 
 we have to deal in the " Marvellous 
 History of Peter Schlemihl." The 
 science of finance sufficiently im- 
 presses upon us the importance of 
 silver; that of shades is less gener- 
 ally acknowledged. My imprudent 
 friend coveted silver, of which he 
 knew the price, and never dreamed 
 
 * Author of '" Elementary Treatise on 
 Physics" Vol. II. Sects. 1002 and 1003.
 
 of a solid. He desires that we 
 should profit by this lesson for 
 which he has paid so dearly, and 
 his experience cries out to us : 
 
 Think of the solid ! 
 
 Adelbert von Chamisso, 
 
 Berlin, November, 1837,
 
 4. 
 
 
 PETER SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 Chapter I. 
 
 A T last, after a fortunate, but to 
 me most tedious passage, we 
 reached our destined haven. As 
 soon as the boat had landed me on 
 the shore, I loaded myself with my 
 little possessions, and forcing my 
 
 7
 
 8 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 way through the swarming crowd, 
 entered the first and meanest house 
 distinguished by a sign-board. I 
 ordered a chamber; the waiter 
 measured me with a glance, and 
 sent me up to the garret. 
 
 I ordered fresh water, and inquired 
 for the abode of Mr. Thomas Jones. 
 " Near the North gate, the first 
 country house on the right-hand 
 side ; a large new house of red and 
 white marble, supported by many 
 pillars." Well, it was yet early ; I 
 opened my bundle, laid out my 
 newly-turned black coat, clad my- 
 self in my sprucest garments, put 
 my letter of introduction into my 
 pocket, and bent my way to the 
 man who I modestly hoped was 
 destined to befriend me. 
 
 After I had gone through the long 
 North-street, and reached the gate, 
 I saw the columns glimmering
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 through the green trees. " It is 
 here, then," I thought. I wiped the 
 dust from my feet with my pocket- 
 handkerchief, arranged my cravat, 
 and rung the bell. The door flew 
 open, the servants narrowly ex- 
 amined me in the hall, but the 
 porter at last announced me, and 
 I had the honour to be summoned 
 into the park, where Mr, Jones was 
 walking with a small company. I 
 knew him instantly by his portly 
 self-complacency. He received me 
 tolerably well, — as a rich man is 
 wont to receive a poor dependent 
 devil ; looked towards me, but with- 
 out turning from the rest of the 
 company, and took from me the 
 letter I held in my hand. " Aye, 
 aye ! from my brother ; I have not 
 heard from him a long time. Is 
 he well ? There," he continued, ad- 
 dressing the company without wait
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 ing for an answer, and pointed with 
 the letter to a hill, — " there I have 
 ordered a new building to be 
 erected." He broke the seal, but 
 not the conversation, of which 
 wealth became the subject. " He 
 who is not the master of at least 
 a million," he interposed, "forgive 
 the expression, is a ragamuffin." 
 " That is true, indeed," exclaimed 
 I, with full, overflowing feeling. 
 He must have been pleased with 
 the expression of my concurrence, 
 for he smiled on me and said, " Re- 
 main here, young friend; I shall 
 perhaps have time to tell you by 
 and by what I think of it." He 
 pointed to the letter, put it into his 
 pocket, and turned again to the 
 company. He then offered his arm 
 to a young lady; other gentlemen 
 were busied with other fair ones ; 
 every one found some one to whom
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 he attached himself, and they walked 
 towards the rose-encircled hill. 
 
 I lingered idly behind, for not a 
 soul deemed me worthy of notice. 
 The company was extremely cheer- 
 ful, jocular, and witty; they spoke 
 seriously of trifles, and triflingly of 
 serious matters ; and I observed 
 they unconcernedly directed their 
 satires against the persons and the 
 circumstances of absent friends. I 
 was too great a stranger to under- 
 stand much of these discussions, 
 too much distressed and self-retired 
 to enter into the full merit of these 
 enigmas. 
 
 We reached the rose-grove. The 
 lovely Fanny, the queen, as it seemed, 
 of the day, was capricious enough to 
 wish to gather for herself a bloom 
 ing branch ; a thorn pricked her, 
 and a stream as Ijright as if from 
 damask roses flowed over her deli-
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 cate hand. This accident put the 
 whole company in motion. English 
 court-plaster was instantly inquired 
 after. A silent, meagre, pale, tall, 
 elderly man, who stood next to me, 
 and whom I had not before observed, 
 instantly put his hand into the close- 
 fitting breast-pocket of his old- 
 fashioned, grey taffetan coat, took 
 out a small pocket-book, opened it, 
 and with a lowly bow gave the lady 
 what she had wished for ; she took 
 it without any attention to the giver, 
 and without a word of thanks. The 
 wound was bound up, and they as- 
 cended the hill, from whose brow 
 they admired the wide prospect over 
 the park's green labyrinth, extending 
 even to the immeasurable ocean. 
 
 It was indeed a grand and noble 
 sight. A light speck appeared on 
 the horizon between the dark waters 
 and the azure heaven. " A tele-
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 scope here ! " cried the merchant ; 
 and before any one from the crowds 
 of servants appeared to answer 
 his call, the grey man, as if he 
 had been applied to, had already 
 put his hand into his coat-pocket : 
 he had taken from it a beautiful 
 Dollond, and handed it over to 
 Mr. Jones ; who, as soon as he had 
 raised it to his eye, informed the 
 company that it was the ship which 
 had sailed yesterday, driven back 
 by contrary winds. The telescope 
 passed from hand to hand, but never 
 again reached that of its owner. I, 
 however, looked on the old man with 
 astonishment, not conceiving how 
 the large machine had come out of 
 the tiny pocket. Nobody else seemed 
 surprised, and they appeared to cai-e 
 no more about the grey man than 
 about me. 
 
 Refreshments were produced ; the
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 rarest fruits of every climate, served 
 in the richest dishes. Mr. Jones did 
 the honours with easy, dignified 
 politeness, and for the second time 
 directed a word to me : " Eat then, 
 you did not get this on your voyage." 
 I bowed, but he did not observe me ; 
 he was talking to somebody else. 
 
 They would willingly have re- 
 mained longer on the sod of the 
 sloping hill, and have stretched 
 themselves over the outspread turf, 
 had they not feared its dampness. 
 " Now it would be enchanting," said 
 somebody of the company, " if we 
 had Turkey carpets to spread here." 
 The wish was hardly expressed ere 
 the man in the grey coat had put 
 his hand into his pocket, and with 
 modest, even humble demeanour, 
 began to draw out a rich em- 
 broidered Turkey carpet. It was 
 received bv the attendants as a
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 15 
 
 matter of course, and laid down on 
 the appointed spot. Witliout fur- 
 ther ceremony the company took 
 their stand upon it. I looked with 
 new surprise on the man, the pocket, 
 and the carpet, which was about 
 twenty paces long and ten broad. 
 I rubbed my eyes, not knowing 
 what to think, and especially as 
 nobody else seemed moved by what 
 had passed. 
 
 I longed to learn something about 
 the man, and to inquire who he was ; 
 but I knew not to whom to apply, 
 for I really was more afraid of the 
 gentlemen-servants than of the 
 gentlemen served. I mustered up 
 ray spirits at last, and addressed 
 myself to a young man who seemed 
 less pretending than the rest, and 
 who had oftener been left to him- 
 self. I gently asked him who that 
 courteous gentleman was in grey
 
 l6 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 clothes. " Who ? — he that looks 
 like an end of thread blown away 
 from a tailor's needle ? " " Yes, he 
 that stands alone." " I do not 
 know him," he answered; and, 
 determined as it seemed to break 
 off the discussion \\-ith me, turned 
 away, and entered on a trifling con- 
 versation -^^ith somebody else. 
 
 The sun now began to shine more 
 intensely, and to annoy the ladies. 
 The lovely Fanny carelessly ad- 
 dressed the grey man, whom as far 
 as I know nobody had addressed 
 before, with the frivolous question, 
 " Had he a marquee ? " He answered 
 with a low reverence, as if feeling 
 an undeserved honour had been 
 done him ; his hand was already in 
 his pocket, from which I perceived 
 canvas, bars, ropes, iron-work — 
 everything, in a word, belonging to 
 the most sumptuous tent, issuing
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 17 
 
 forth. The young men helped to 
 erect it ; it covered the whole extent 
 of the carpet, and no one appeared 
 to consider all this as at all 
 extraordinary. 
 
 If my mind was confused, nay 
 terrified, with these proceedings, 
 how was I overpowered when the 
 next-breathed wish brought from his 
 pocket three riding horses. I tell 
 you, three great and noble steeds, 
 with saddles and appurtenances 1 
 Imagine for a moment, I pray you, 
 three saddled horses from the same 
 pocket which had before produced 
 a pocket-book, a telescope, an orna- 
 mented carpet twenty paces long 
 and ten broad, a pleasure-tent of 
 the same size, with bars and iron- 
 work ! If I did not solemnly assure 
 you that I had seen it with my own 
 eyes, you would certainly doubt the 
 narrative. 
 
 2
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 Though there was so much of 
 embarrassment and humility in the 
 man, and he excited so little atten- 
 tion, yet his appearance to me had 
 in it something so appalling that I 
 was not able to turn away my eyes 
 from him. At last I could bear it 
 no longer. 
 
 I determined to steal away from 
 the company ; and this was easy for 
 one who had acted a part so little 
 conspicuous. I wished to hasten 
 back to the city, and to return in 
 pursuit of my fortune the follow- 
 ing morning to Mr. J., and if I 
 could muster up courage enough, 
 to inquire something about the ex- 
 traordinary grey man. Oh, had I 
 been thus privileged to escape ! 
 
 I had hastily glided through the 
 rose-grove, descended the hill, and 
 found myself on a wide grassplot, 
 when, alarmed with the apprehen-
 
 SCHLEMIHL. I9 
 
 sion of being discovered wandering 
 from the beaten path, I looked 
 around me with enquiring apprehen- 
 sion. How was I startled when I 
 saw the old man in the grey coat 
 behind, and advancing towards me ! 
 He immediately took off his hat, 
 and bowed to me more profoundly 
 than any one had ever done before. 
 It was clear he wished to address 
 me, and without extreme rudeness 
 I could not avoid him. I in my 
 turn uncovered myself, made my 
 obeisance, and stood still with a 
 bare head in the sunshine as if 
 rooted there. I shook with terror 
 while I saw him approach ; I felt 
 like a bird fascinated by a rattle- 
 snake. He appeared sadly per- 
 plexed, kept his eyes on the ground, 
 made several bows, approached 
 nearer, and with a low and trem- 
 bling voice, as if he were asking 
 alms, thus accosted me: —
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 "Will the gentleman forgive the 
 intrusion of one who has stopt 
 him in this unusual way? I have 
 a request to make, but pray par- 
 don — " '• In the name of Heaven. 
 Sir ! " I cried out in my anguish, 
 "what can I do for one who — " 
 We both started back, and me- 
 thought both blushed deeply. 
 
 After a momentary silence he 
 again began : " During the short 
 time when I enjoyed the happiness 
 of being near you, I observed, Sir, 
 — will you allow me to say so, — I 
 observed, with unutterable admira- 
 tion, the beautiful, beautiful shadow 
 in the sun, which with a certain noble 
 contempt, and perhaps ^^•ithout being 
 aware of it, you threw off from your 
 feet ; forgive me this, I confess, too 
 daring intrusion, but should you be 
 inclined to transfer it to me ? " 
 
 He was silent, and my head turned
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 round like a water-wheel. What 
 could I make of this singular pro- 
 posal for disposing of my shadow ? 
 He is crazy, thought I ; and with an 
 altered tone, yet more forcible as 
 contrasted with the humility of his 
 own, I replied, — 
 
 " How is this, good friend ? Is 
 not your own shadow enough for 
 you ? This seems to me a whimsi- 
 cal sort of bargain indeed." He 
 began again, " I have in my pocket 
 many matters which might not be 
 quite unacceptable to the gentle- 
 man ; for this invaluable shadow I 
 deem any price too little." 
 
 A chill came over me : I remem- 
 bered what I had seen, and knew 
 not how to address him whom I 
 had just ventured to call my good 
 friend. I spoke again, and assumed 
 an extraordinary courtesy to set 
 matters in order.
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 "Pardon, Sir, pardon your most 
 humble servant, I do not quite under- 
 stand your meaning ; how can my 
 shadow — " He interrupted me: 
 " I only beg your permission to be 
 allowed to lift up your noble shadow, 
 and put it in my pocket ; how to do 
 it is my own affair. As a proof of 
 my gratitude for the gentleman, I 
 leave him the choice of all the 
 jewels which my pocket affords ; 
 the genuine divining rods, man- 
 drake roots, change pennies, money 
 extractors, the napkins of Rolando's 
 Squire, and divers other miracle- 
 workers, — a choice assortment. But 
 all this is not fit for you ; better 
 that you should have Fortunatus's 
 wishing-cap restored spick and span 
 new, and also a fortune-bag which 
 belonged to him." " Fortunatus's 
 fortune-bag ! " I exclaimed ; and 
 great as had been my terror, all my
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 23 
 
 senses were now enraptured by the 
 sound. I became dizzy, and nothing 
 but double ducats seemed sparkling 
 before my eyes. 
 
 " Condescend, Sir, to inspect and 
 make a trial of this bag." He put 
 his hand into his pocket, and drew 
 from it a moderately sized, firmly- 
 stitched purse of thick cordovan, 
 with two convenient leather cords 
 hanging to it, which he presented to 
 me. I instantly dipped into it, drew 
 from it ten pieces of gold, and ten 
 more, and ten more, and yet ten 
 more; — I stretched out my hand. 
 " Done ! the bargain is made ; I 
 give you my shadow for your purse." 
 He grasped my hand, and knelt 
 down behind me, and with wonder- 
 ful dexterity I perceived him loosen- 
 ing my shadow from the ground 
 from head to foot ; he lifted it up ; 
 he rolled it together and folded it.
 
 24 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 and at last put it into his pocket. 
 He then stood erect, bowed to me 
 again, and returned back to the 
 rose-grove. I thought I heard him 
 laughing softly to himself. I held, 
 however, the purse tight by its 
 strings — the earth was sun-bright 
 all around me, and my senses were 
 still wholly confused. 
 
 At last I came to myself, and 
 hastened from a place where ap- 
 parently I had nothing more to 
 do. I first filled my pockets with 
 gold, then firmly secured the strings 
 of the purse round my neck, taking 
 care to conceal the purse itself in 
 my bosom. I left the park unnoticed, 
 reached the high road, and bent my 
 way to the town. I was walking 
 thoughtfully towards the gate, when
 
 :tAW, 
 
 . . . Knelt down behind
 
 SCHLEMIHL. Z^ 
 
 I heard a voice behind me : " Holla ! 
 young Squire ! holla ! don't you 
 hear?" I looked round — an old 
 woman was calling after me : " Take 
 care, sir, take care — you have lost 
 your shadow ! " " Thanks, good 
 woman." I threw her a piece of 
 gold for her well-meant counsel, and 
 walked away under the trees. 
 
 At the gate I was again con- 
 demned to hear from the sentinel, 
 " Where has the gentleman left his 
 shadow ? " and immediately after- 
 wards a couple of women exclaimed, 
 " Good heavens ! the poor fellow 
 has no shadow." I began to be 
 vexed, and carefully avoided walk- 
 ing in the sun. This I could not 
 always do : for instance, in the 
 Broad-street, which I was next com- 
 pelled to cross ; and as ill-luck would 
 have it, at the very moment when 
 the boys were being released from
 
 2S SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 school. A confounded hunch-backed 
 vagabond — I see him at this moment 
 — had observed that I wanted a 
 shadow. He instantly began to 
 bawl out to the young tyros of the 
 suburbs, who first criticised me, and 
 then bespattered me with mud : 
 " Respectable people are accustomed 
 to carry their shadows with them 
 when they go into the sun." I scat- 
 tered handfuls of gold among them 
 to divert their attention ; and, with 
 the assistance of some compassionate 
 souls, sprang into a hackney coach. 
 
 As soon as I found myself alone 
 in the rolling vehicle, I began to 
 weep bitterly. My inward emotion 
 suggested to me, that even as in this 
 world gold weighs down both merit 
 and virtue, so a shadow might possi- 
 bly be more valuable than gold 
 itself ; and that as I had sacrificed 
 my riches to my integrity on other
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 29 
 
 occasions, so now I had given up 
 my shadow for mere wealth ; and 
 what ought, what could become of 
 me ? 
 
 I continued still sadly discom- 
 posed, when the coach stopped 
 before the old tavern. I was 
 shocked at the thought of again 
 entering that vile garret. I sent for 
 my baggage, took up the miserable 
 bundle with contempt, threw the 
 servants some pieces of gold, and 
 ordered to be driven to the principal 
 hotel. The house faced the north, 
 so I had nothing to fear from the 
 sun. I dismissed the driver with 
 gold, selected the best front room, 
 and locked myself in as soon as 
 possible. 
 
 And how do you imagine I em- 
 ployed myself .-* r)h, my beloved 
 Chamisso, I blush to confess it even 
 to you. I drew forth the luckless
 
 30 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 purse from my bosom, and impelled 
 by a sort of madness which burned 
 and spread within me like a furious 
 conflagration, I shook out gold, and 
 gold, and gold, and still more gold ; 
 strewed it over the floor, trampled on 
 it, and made it tinkle, and feasting 
 my weak senses on the glitter and 
 the sound, I added pile to pile, till I 
 sunk exhausted on the golden bed. 
 I rolled about, and wallowed in deli- 
 cious delirium. And so the day 
 passed by, and so the evening. My 
 door remained unopened, and night 
 found me still reposing on the gold, 
 when sleep at length overcame me. 
 
 Then I dreamed of you. I fancied 
 I was standing close to the glass 
 door of your little apartment, and 
 saw you sitting at your work-table, 
 between a skeleton and a parcel of 
 dried plants. Haller, Humboldt, 
 and Linnaeus lay open before you;
 
 nprffit 
 
 . . . Night found me still 
 reposing on the gold . . .
 
 SCHLEMIHL. ^^ 
 
 on your sofa were a volume of 
 Goethe and The Magic Ring* I 
 looked at you for a long time, then 
 at everything around you, and then 
 at you again ; but you moved not, 
 you breathed not — you were dead. 
 
 I awoke : it seemed to be yet 
 early — my watch had stopped ; I 
 felt as if I had been bastinadoed — 
 yet both hungry and thirsty, for 
 since the previous morning I had 
 eaten nothing. With weariness and 
 disgust I pushed away from me the 
 gold, which but a little time before 
 had satiated my foolish heart : I now 
 in my perplexity knew not how to 
 dispose of it. But it could not re- 
 main there. I tried to put it again 
 into the purse — no ; none of my 
 windows opened upon the sea. I 
 was obliged to content myself by 
 
 * Another novel of Fouqud. 
 
 3
 
 34 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 dragging it with immense labour 
 and difficulty to a large cupboard, 
 which stood in a recess, where I 
 packed it up. I left only a few 
 handfuls lying about. When I had 
 finished my labour, I sat dowTi ex- 
 hausted in an arm-chair, and waited 
 till the people of the house began 
 to stir. I ordered breakfast, and 
 begged the landlord to be with me 
 as soon as practicable. 
 
 With this man I arranged the 
 future management of my house- 
 hold. He recommended to me for 
 my personal servant a certain Ben- 
 del, whose honest and intelligent 
 countenance instantly interested me. 
 It was he who from that moment 
 accompanied me through life with 
 a sympathizing attachment, and 
 shared with me my gloomy destiny. 
 I passed the whole day in my apart- 
 ments %\ith servants out of place,
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 35 
 
 shoe-makers, tailors, and shop- 
 keepers ; I provided myself with all 
 necessaries, and bought large quan- 
 tities of jewels and precious stones, 
 merely to get rid of some of my 
 piles of gold ; but it seemed scarcely 
 possible to diminish the heap. 
 
 Meanwhile I contemplated my 
 situation with most anxious doubts. 
 I dared not venture one step from 
 my door, and at evening ordered 
 forty wax-lights to be kindled in my 
 saloon, before I left the dark cham- 
 ber. I thought with horror of the 
 dreadful scene with the school-boys, 
 and determined, whatever it might 
 cost, once more to sound public 
 opinion. The moon at this season 
 illumined the night. Late in the 
 evening I threw a wide cloak around 
 me, pulled down my hat over my 
 eyes, and glided out of the house 
 trembling like a criminal. I walked
 
 36 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 first along the shadows of the houses 
 to a remote open place ; I then aban- 
 doned their protection, stepped out 
 into the moonshine, resolving to 
 learn my destiny from the lips of 
 the passers-by. 
 
 But spare me, my friend, the pain- 
 ful repetition of what I was con- 
 demned to undergo ! The deepest 
 pity seemed to inspire the fairer 
 sex ; but my soul was not less 
 wounded by this than by the con- 
 tumely of the young, and the proud 
 disdain of the old, especially of 
 those stout and well-fed men, whose 
 dignified shadows seemed to do 
 them honour. A lovely, graceful 
 maiden, apparently accompanying 
 her parents, who seemed not to 
 look beyond their own footsteps, 
 accidentally fixed her sparkling eyes 
 upon me. She obviously started as 
 she remarked my shadowless figure ;
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 37 
 
 she hid her beautiful face beneath 
 her veil, hung down her head, and 
 passed silently on. 
 
 I could bear it no longer. Salt 
 streams burst forth from my eyes. 
 and with a l)roken heart I hurried 
 tremblingly back into darkness. I 
 was obliged to grope along by the 
 houses, in order to feel my steps 
 secure, and slowly and late I reached 
 my dwelling. 
 
 That night was a sleepless one. 
 My first care at daybreak was to 
 order the man in the grey coat to 
 l^e everywhere sought for. Per- 
 chance I might be lucky enough to 
 discover him — and oh, what bliss 
 if he as well as I repented of our 
 foolish bargain ! I sent for Bendel ; 
 he seemed both apt and active. I 
 described to him minutely the man 
 who held in his possession that 
 treasure, without which life was but
 
 38 SCHLExMIHL. 
 
 a torment to me. I told him the 
 time, the place where I had seen 
 him ; particularized to him all the 
 persons who could assist his in- 
 quiries ; and added, that he should 
 especially ask after a Dollond's tele- 
 scope, a gold embroidered Turkish 
 carpet, a superb tent, and also the 
 black riding horses, whose history 
 — I did not state how — was closely 
 connected with that of the unintel- 
 ligible man, whom nobody seemed 
 to notice, and whose appearance had 
 destroyed the peace and happiness 
 of my life. 
 
 When I had done, I brought out 
 as much gold as I was able to carry. 
 I laid jewels and precious stones to 
 a still greater amount upon the pile. 
 " Bendel," I said, " this levels many 
 a path, and makes many a difficult 
 thing easy ; be not sparing, you know 
 I am not ; but go and rejoice your
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 39 
 
 master with the information on 
 which his only hopes are built." 
 
 He went — he returned — and re- 
 turned late and sorrowful. None of 
 the merchant's servants, none of his 
 guests — he had spoken to all — 
 knew anything about the man in 
 the grey coat. The new telescope 
 was there, but they were all ignorant 
 whence it came. The tent and the 
 carpet were extended on the same 
 hill; the lackeys boasted of their 
 master's magnificence : but none 
 knew from what place these new 
 valuables had come. They had ad- 
 ministered to his pleasures ; and he 
 did not disturb his rest to inquire 
 into their origin. Their horses were 
 in the stalls of the young men who 
 had rode them; and they lauded the 
 generosity of the merchant, who had 
 that day requested they would keep 
 them as presents. Such was the
 
 40 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 light that Bendel threw upon this 
 extraordinary history, and for this 
 fruitless result received my grateful 
 thanks. I beckoned gloomily to 
 him that he should leave me alone. 
 But he resumed, " I have informed 
 you, Sir, of everything connected ^\ith 
 the affair which most interests you. 
 I have also a message to deliver, 
 which was given to me this morning 
 early, by a person whom I met at 
 the door, while I was going out on 
 the business in which I have been 
 so unfortunate. His own words 
 were, ' Say to Mr. Peter Schlemihl, 
 he will see me here no more, as I 
 am going to cross the sea ; and a 
 favourable wind beckons me to the 
 haven. But after a year and a day 
 I shall have the honour to seek him 
 out, and perhaps to propose to him 
 another arrangement which may then 
 be to his liking. Remember me
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 most obediently to him, and assure 
 him of my thanks.' I asked him 
 who he was ; and he replied that 
 you knew." 
 
 " What was the man's appear- 
 ance ? " I cried, full of forebodings. 
 And Eendel described the man in 
 the grey coat, feature by feature, 
 word for word, precisely as he had 
 depicted him when inquiring al)Out 
 him. 
 
 " Miserable mortal ! " exclaimed I, 
 wringing my hands, " it was he ! it 
 was he himself ! " He looked as if 
 scales had fallen from his eyes. 
 " Yes, it was he, it was indeed he ! " 
 he cried out in agony ; " and I, silly, 
 deluded one, I did not know him 
 — I did not know him — I have 
 betrayed my master ! " 
 
 He broke out into the loudest 
 reproaches against himself. He 
 wept bitterly; his despair could not
 
 42 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 but excite my pity. I ministered 
 consolation to him, assured him 
 again and again that I did not doubt 
 his fidelity, and sent him instantly 
 to the haven, to follow the strange 
 man's steps if possible. But, on that 
 very morning, many vessels which 
 had been kept by contrary wind? 
 back in port, had put to sea, all des- 
 tined to distant lands and other 
 climes ; the grey man had disap- 
 peared trackless as a shade.
 
 Chapter II. 
 
 /~^P' what use would wings be to 
 him who is fast bound in iron 
 fetters ? He must still despair, and 
 despair with deeper melancholy. I 
 lay like Taffner by his stronghold, 
 far removed from any earthly con- 
 solation, starving in the midst of 
 43
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 riches. They gave me no enjoy- 
 ment ; I cursed them ; they had cut 
 me off from mankind. Concealing 
 my gloomy secret ^^•ithin me, I trem- 
 bled before the meanest of my ser- 
 vants, whom I could not but envy ; 
 for he had his shadow, and could 
 show himself in the sun. Alone in 
 my apartments, I mourned through 
 harassing days and nights, and 
 anguish fed upon my heart. 
 
 One individual was constantly 
 sorrowing under my eyes. My faith- 
 ful Bendel ceased not to torment 
 himself with silent reproaches that 
 he had deceived the confidence of 
 his generous master, and had not 
 recognized him whom he was sent 
 to seek, and with whom my mourn- 
 ful fate seemed strongly intertwined. 
 I could not blame him ; I recognized 
 too well in that event the mysterious 
 nature of the unknown being.
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 45 
 
 But, to leave nothing untried, I 
 sent Bendel with a costly brilliant 
 ring to the most celebrated painter 
 in the city, requesting he would pay 
 me a visit. He came — I ordered 
 away my servants, locked the door, 
 sat myself by him ; and after prais- 
 ing his art, I came with a troubled 
 spirit to the great disclosure, having 
 first enjoined on him the strictest 
 secresy. 
 
 " Mr. Professor," I began, " can 
 you paint a false shadow for one 
 who in the most luckless way in the 
 world has lost his own ? " . " Vou 
 mean a reflected shadow ? " " To 
 l)e sure." " But," he added, " through 
 what awkwardness or what negli- 
 gence could he lose his own 
 shadow ? " " How it happened," 
 replied I, " that does not matter, 
 l)ut — " I impudently began again 
 with a lie, — " last winter, when he
 
 46 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 was travelling in Russia, it froze so 
 severely during the extraordinary 
 cold, that his shadow was frozen 
 to the ground, and it was impossible 
 for him to get it free." 
 
 " And I," said the professor, 
 " could only make him a sheet 
 shadow, which he would be apt to 
 lose again on the slightest motion ; 
 especially for one whose genuine 
 shadow was so badly fixed, as must 
 be inferred from your account : the 
 simplest and wisest determination 
 for him who has no shadow, is not 
 to go in the sun." He stood up 
 and walked away, after having sent 
 through me a piercing glance which 
 I could not endure. I sunk back on 
 my chair, and veiled my face with 
 my hands. 
 
 Thus Bendel found me when he 
 entered. He saw his master's sor- 
 row, and wanted silently and respect-
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 47 
 
 fully to turn back. I raised my eyes : 
 the weight of my grief was upon me ; 
 I determined to divide it. " Ben- 
 del ! " I called to him ; " Bendel ! you 
 who alone see and respect my suffer- 
 ings, not curiously prying into them, 
 but secretly and devotedly sharing 
 them with me — come to me, Ben- 
 del, be the nearest to my heart. The 
 stores of my gold I have not con- 
 cealed from you ; from you I will 
 not hide the store of my anguish. 
 Bendel, forsake me not. You know 
 I am wealthy, kind, and generous ; 
 and perhaps you think the world 
 should honour me for that : but, you 
 see, I shun the world; I hide my- 
 self from its observation. Bendel, 
 the world has judged me and con- 
 demned me ; and Bendel, too, per- 
 haps, will turn from me when he 
 possesses my dreadful secret. Ben- 
 del, I am indeed rich, liberal, and
 
 48 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 independent, but — heavens ! I have 
 no shadow." 
 
 " No shadow ! " echoed the good 
 young man in an agony, while bright 
 tears broke from his eyelids ; " alas, 
 alas, that I should have been born 
 to serve a shadowless master ! " He 
 was silent, and I hid my face in my 
 hands. 
 
 At last I tremblingly said, " Ben- 
 del, you have now my confidence, 
 — betray it if you will, — away, and 
 bear Avitness against me." He seemed 
 struggling with internal emotion ; he 
 threw himself at my feet, seized my 
 hand, and bathed it with his tears. 
 " No," he cried, " let the world say 
 what it may, I will not leave my 
 good master for the sake of a 
 shadow ; I will do what is right and 
 not what is prudent ; I will remain 
 with you, I mil lend you my shadow ; 
 I will help you where I can ; I will
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 49 
 
 weep with you." I fell on his neck, 
 overcome with such an unexpected 
 self-devotion. I felt assured he did 
 nothing for the sake of gold. 
 
 From that moment my fate and 
 my mode of life changed. It is in- 
 describable how carefully Bendel 
 sought to cover my defects. He 
 was ever before and mth me, fore- 
 seeing everything, arranging every- 
 thing, and where unexpected danger 
 threatened, covering me with his 
 shadow, for he was fortunately taller 
 and stouter than I. Again I mingled 
 with mankind, and acted my part in 
 the scenes of the world. It was 
 necessary to assume much singu- 
 larity and queerness, but these sit 
 well upon a rich man ; and while the 
 truth lay concealed, I enjoyed all the 
 honour and esteem to which wealth 
 has a claim. I looked with more 
 calmness on the advancing year and 
 ■I
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 day, whose close was to bring with 
 them the visit of the mysterious 
 unknown. 
 
 I was well aware that I could not 
 remain long in the place where I had 
 been seen without a shadow, and 
 where I might so easily be betrayed ; 
 and I thought perhaps more on this, 
 remembering how I had first shown 
 myself to the merchant, which was 
 now a sad recollection to me : con- 
 sequently I would only make an 
 experiment here, that I might learn 
 how to introduce myself hereafter 
 \\dth more ease and confidence; 
 nevertheless it happened that I was 
 momentarily bound down by my 
 vanity, which is the firm ground in 
 man where the anchor fixes itself. 
 
 The beautiful Fanny, whom I 
 again met in another situation, be- 
 stowed on me some attention, with-' 
 out recollecting that she had seen
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 51 
 
 me before ; for now I had both nit 
 and understanding. When I talked, 
 all listened ; and I could not im- 
 agine when or how I had acquired 
 the talent of leading and directing 
 the conversation. The impression 
 which I perceived I had produced 
 on the fair one, made me, as she 
 would have me, a very fool ; and 
 from this time I pursued her, where 
 only I could pursue her, through 
 shades and twilight. I was vain 
 enough to make her vain of me ; yet 
 I could not succeed, notwithstanding 
 all my efforts to drive the intoxica- 
 tion from my head to my heart. 
 
 liut why enter upon the details 
 of an every-day story ? You know, 
 and have often told me, how other 
 wealthy people spend their days. 
 From an old, well-known drama, in 
 which I, out of mere good-humour, 
 was playing a hackneyed part, arose
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 a singular and incredible catastro- 
 phe, unexpected by me, or by Fanny, 
 or by anybody. 
 
 According to my custom, one 
 lovely evening I had assembled a 
 large company in an illuminated 
 garden. I was wandering about 
 with my divinity arm-in-arm, sep- 
 arated from the rest of the guests, 
 and endeavouring to amuse her with 
 well-timed conversation ; she looked 
 modestly toward the ground, and 
 gently returned the pressure of my 
 hand. At this moment the moon 
 unexpectedly burst through the 
 clouds ; her shadow alone was there ; 
 she started, looked alarmed at me, 
 then at the earth, as if her eyes 
 were asking for my shadow. All 
 her emotions were painted so faith- 
 fully on her countenance, that I 
 should have burst into a loud laugh 
 had I not felt an icy chillness creep- 
 ing over me.
 
 r 
 
 n 
 
 % 
 
 10 
 
 . . . Then at tlie earth, as 
 if her eyes were asking for 
 my shadow . . .
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 She sunk down from my arms in a 
 swoon. I flew like an arrow through 
 the alarmed company, reached the 
 door, threw myself into the first 
 coach I found waiting there, and 
 hurried back to the city, where, to 
 my misfortune, I had left the fore- 
 sighted Bendel. He was startled at 
 seeing me — a word told all. Post- 
 horses were instantly ordered. I 
 took only one of my servants with 
 me, an interested villain called Ras- 
 cal, who had learned to make him- 
 self useful by his dexterity, and who 
 could suspect nothing of what had 
 occurred. We travelled a hundred 
 miles before night. Bendel was left 
 behind to dismiss my household, to 
 distribute my money by paying my 
 debts, and to bring away what was 
 most necessary. When he overtook 
 me the next day, I threw myself into 
 his arms, solemnly promising to com-
 
 56 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 mit no further folly, but to be more 
 discreet in future. We continued 
 our journey ^^•ithout interruption, 
 passing over the chain of mountains 
 which formed the frontier ; and only 
 when on the descent, and separated 
 by the high bastions from the land 
 so fatal to my peace, did I allow 
 myself to be comforted, and has- 
 tened away to a watering-place in 
 the vicinity, where I sought repose 
 from my disappointments and my 
 sorrows. 
 
 I must hurry rapidly over a part 
 of my histor}^, on which I should 
 rejoice to linger if I could invoke the 
 living spirit of departed time. But 
 the beautiful associations which ani- 
 mated it once, and which alone 
 could animate its memory, are now 
 extinguished within me. When I
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 57 
 
 seek them, — that mfluence which 
 ruled so mightily over my joys and 
 sorrows, my mingled destiny, — I 
 strike in vain against a rock that 
 gives out a living stream no longer ; 
 the divinity is fled Oh how changed 
 is the aspect of those days of old ! 
 My intention was now to act an 
 heroic character; but it was badly 
 studied, and I a novice on the stage 
 was forgetting my part while fasci- 
 nated by a pair of blue eyes. In the 
 intoxication of the scene, the parents 
 seem eager to close the bargain, and 
 the farce ends in a common mockery. 
 And this is all! So stale, so un- 
 profitable, and so melancholy are 
 the revisitings of what beat once 
 so nobly and proudly in my bosom. 
 Mina, as I wept when I lost thee, 
 even now I weep to have lost thee 
 within me. Am I l)ecome so old! 
 Pitiful intellect of man ! Oh for a
 
 58 SCHLEiMIHL. 
 
 pulse-beat of those days, a moment 
 of that consciousness ! But no ! I 
 am a solitary wave in the dark and 
 desolate sea ; and the sparkling glass 
 I drank was drugged uith misery. 
 
 I had previously sent Bendel with 
 bags of gold to fit out a dwelling 
 suitable for me in the town. He 
 had scattered about a great deal of 
 money, and talked mysteriously of 
 the illustrious stranger whom he had 
 the honour to serve (for I did not 
 choose to be named), and this filled 
 the good people with strange notions. 
 As soon as the house was ready for 
 me, Bendel returned to convey me 
 thither. We started immediately. 
 
 About an hour's distance from the 
 place, on a sunny plain, a great num- 
 ber of persons in gala dresses arrested 
 our progress. The coach stopped : 
 music, bell-ringing, and cannonading 
 were heard : a loud acclamation rent
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 59 
 
 the air; and a chorus of singularly 
 beautiful maidens in white robes 
 appeared at the door of the carriage, 
 one of whom, surpassing the rest as 
 the sun surpasses in brightness the 
 stars of evening, stepped forward, 
 and with graceful and modest blushes 
 knelt before me, and presented to 
 me on a silken cushion a wreath of 
 laurel, olive, and rose branches, gar- 
 landed together, while she uttered 
 some words, which I understood 
 not, of majesty, awe, and love, whose 
 soft and silver tones enchanted my 
 ear and my bosom, — it seemed to 
 me as if the heavenly apparition had 
 once glided before me in other days. 
 The chorus began, and sang the 
 praise of a good monarch and the 
 happiness of his people. 
 
 And this happened, my friend, in 
 the bright sunshine : she continued 
 to kneel some two steps before me,
 
 6o SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 and I, shadowless, dared not spring 
 over the gulf, that I might fall on 
 my knees in her angelic presence. 
 What would I not have given in 
 that moment for a shadow ! I was 
 obliged to conceal my shame, my 
 anguish, my despair, by sinking back 
 into the carriage. Bendel relieved 
 me from my embarrassment ; he 
 leaped out from the other side ; I 
 called him back, and gave him out 
 of my little casket, which lay close 
 at hand, a rich diamond crown 
 which was intended to adorn the 
 lovely Fanny. He moved forward, 
 and spoke in his master's name, 
 " who neither could," he said, " nor 
 would accept such flattering marks 
 of honour; there must have been 
 some error, though he could not but 
 thank the worthy to\ATispeople for 
 their expressions of kindness." He 
 then took the garland of flowers
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 6l 
 
 from its place, and put there instead 
 of it the crown of diamonds. His 
 hand assisted the beautiful maiden 
 to rise, and with a look of dignity 
 he sent away the clergy, magistrates, 
 and deputies. Nobody was allowed 
 a further audience. He bade the 
 crowd retire, and make room for the 
 horses, and flung himself into the 
 carriage, and off we went in a rapid 
 gallop to the town, through the 
 arches of flowers and laurels which 
 had been erected. The cannon con- 
 tinued to thunder ; the coach at 
 last reached my a]:)ode. I turned 
 hastily through the door, dividing 
 the assembly who had gathered 
 together to see me. The mob cried, 
 " God bless him ! " under my win- 
 dow; and I ordered double ducats 
 to be scattered among them. At 
 night the town was spontaneously 
 illuminated.
 
 62 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 And I knew not yet what all this 
 meant, nor who I was imagined to 
 be. I sent out Rascal to get inform- 
 ation. He discovered that the people 
 believed they had certain informa- 
 tion that the good king of Prussia 
 was travelling through the country 
 under the title of count; that my 
 adjutant had been recognized, and 
 had discovered both himself and 
 me ; in a word, that infinite joy had 
 been felt at the certainty of having 
 me among them. They had ascer- 
 tained, indeed, that as I wished to 
 preserve the strictest incognito, it 
 had been wrong to draw up the veil 
 so intrudingly ; but as I had ex- 
 pressed my displeasure with so much 
 graciousness and kindness, surely my 
 generous heart could forgive them. 
 
 It was so excellent a joke for my 
 scoundrel servant, that he did as 
 much as possible by his sharp re-
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 63 
 
 monstrances to confirm the good 
 people in their opinions. He gave 
 me a most amusing account of his 
 proceedings; and as he saw it ani- 
 mated me, he thought to add to my 
 enjoyment by a display of his o\vn 
 knavish tricks. Shall I confess it ? 
 I was not a little flattered by even 
 the illusion of being mistaken for 
 the head of the kingdom. 
 
 I ordered a feast to be provided 
 on the following evening, under the 
 trees which overshadowed the ex- 
 panse in front of my house, and the 
 whole town to be invited. The mys- 
 terious virtue of my purse, the exer- 
 tions of Bendel, and the dexterous 
 contrivances of Rascal succeeded 
 in doing wonders in the trifling 
 space of time. It is really astonish- 
 ing how richly and beautifully every- 
 thing was arranged in so short a 
 period. vSuch pomp and superfluity
 
 64 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 were exhibited there, and the richly- 
 fanciful illuminations were so ad- 
 mirably managed, that I felt quite 
 at ease ; I had nothing to find fault 
 with, and I could not but praise the 
 diligence of my servants. 
 
 Evening darkness came on ; the 
 guests appeared, and were intro- 
 duced to me. The word " majesty " 
 was no more whispered ; but I often 
 heard, uttered in deep awe and 
 humility, "the Count." What could 
 I do.-* The word count satisfied 
 me, and from that moment I was 
 Count Peter. But in the midst of 
 the festive crowd I sought but 
 one ; at last she appeared ; she was 
 the crown, and she wore it. She 
 followed her parents modestly, and 
 seemed not to know that she was 
 the loveliest of the assemblage. 
 The forest-master, his wife, and 
 daughter were introduced. I said
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 65 
 
 much that was agreeable and obli- 
 ging to the old people ; but I stood 
 before their daughter like a checked 
 boy, and could not utter a single 
 word. At last I stammered forth a 
 request that she would honour the 
 festival by undertaking that office 
 whose badge she bore. With a touch- 
 ing look she begged blushingly that 
 I would excuse her. But more 
 abashed before her than she her- 
 self, I, as her first subject, offered 
 her my humble tribute ; and my 
 glance served as a command to all 
 the guests, each of whom seemed 
 anxious to meet it. Over this joy- 
 ful festivity presided majesty, inno- 
 cence, and grace allied with beauty. 
 Mina's happy parents believed that 
 out of respect for them their child 
 had been elevated to these unex- 
 pected honours, and I was in an 
 unspeakable transport of joy. I 
 5
 
 66 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 ordered everything that was left of 
 the j ewels, pearls, and precious stones 
 which I had purchased with my per- 
 plexing piles of wealth, to be placed' 
 in two covered dishes, and distributed 
 in the name of the queen among her 
 plaj^ellows and the ladies present ; 
 and I ordered gold to be thrown 
 over the border fence among the 
 joyous crowds. 
 
 On the following morning Ben- 
 del communicated to me, in confi- 
 dence, that the suspicions he had 
 formed against Rascal's integrity 
 were fully confirmed : he had yes- 
 terday purloined several bags of 
 gold. " Let us not envy," I replied, 
 " the poor devU this trifling booty ; 
 I scatter my money about profusely, 
 — why not to him? Yesterday, he 
 and everybody else served me nobly, 
 and arranged a delightful festivity." 
 Nothing further was said about it ;
 
 SCHLE.MIUL. 67 
 
 Rascal continued to be my head- 
 servant, and Bendel my friend and 
 confidant. He had imagined my 
 wealth to be inexhaustible, and he 
 cared not to inquire into its source. 
 Entering into my feelings, he as- 
 sisted me to find out constant occa- 
 sions to display my wealth, and to 
 spend it. Of the unknown, pale, 
 sneaking fellow, he only knew that 
 without him I could not get released 
 from the curse which bound me, and 
 that I dreaded the man on whom my 
 only hope reposed. Besides, I was 
 now convinced he could discover 
 me anywhere, while I could find 
 him nowhere ; so that I determined 
 to abandon a fruitless inquiry, and 
 to await the promised day. 
 
 The magnificence of the festival, 
 and my condescension there, con- 
 firmed the obstinately-credulous in- 
 habitants in their first opinion of my
 
 68 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 dignity. It appeared very soon, not- 
 withstanding, in the newspapers, that 
 the reported journey of the king was 
 wholly without foundation. But I 
 had been a king, and a king I was 
 unfortunately compelled to remain ; 
 and certainly I was one of the richest 
 and kingliest who had ever appeared. 
 But what king could I be ? The 
 world has never had cause to com- 
 plain of any scarcity of monarchs, 
 at least in our days ; and the good 
 people, who had never seen one with 
 their own eyes, first fijced on one, 
 and then, equally happily, on 
 another; but Count Peter continued 
 to be my name. 
 
 There once appeared among the 
 visitors to the baths a merchant, 
 who had made himself a bankrupt 
 in order to get rich ; and he enjoyed 
 the general esteem. He was accom- 
 panied by a broad, palish shadow.
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 69 
 
 He wished ostentatiously to display 
 the wealth he had acquired, and he 
 determined to be my rival. I applied 
 to my bag. I drove on the poor 
 devil at such a rate that in order to 
 save himself he was obliged to be- 
 come a bankrupt a second time. 
 Thus I got rid of him ; and by sim- 
 ilar means I created in this neigh- 
 bourhood many an idler and a 
 vagabond. 
 
 Though I thus lived in apparent 
 kingly pomp and prodigality, my 
 habits at home were simple and 
 unpretending. With thoughtful fore- 
 sight, I had made it a rule that no 
 one except Bendel should on any 
 pretence enter the chamber which I 
 occupied. As long as the sun shone 
 I remained there locked in. People 
 said, " The count is engaged in his 
 cabinet." The crowds of couriers 
 were kept in communication by these
 
 70 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 occupations, for I dispatched and 
 received tliem on the most trifling 
 business. At evening, alone, I re- 
 ceived company under the trees or 
 in my saloon, which was skilfully 
 and magnificently lighted, according 
 to Bendel's arrangement. When- 
 ever I went out Bendel watched 
 round me with Argus' eyes ; my 
 steps were always tending to the 
 forester's garden, and that only for 
 the sake of her ; the inmost spirit 
 of my existence was my love. 
 
 My good Chamisso, I will hope 
 you have not forgotten what love 
 is ; I leave much to your filling up. 
 Mina was indeed a love-worthy, good, 
 and gentle girl ; I had obtained full 
 possession of her thoughts ; and in 
 her modesty she could not imagine 
 how she had become worthy of my 
 regard, and that I dwelt only upon 
 her ; but she returned love for love,
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 71 
 
 in the full youthful energy of an 
 innocent heart. She loved like a 
 woman ; all self-sacrificing, self-for- 
 getting, and living only in him who 
 was her life, careless even though 
 she should perish : in a word, she 
 truly loved. 
 
 But I — oh, what frightful mo- 
 ments ! — frightful ! yet worthy to 
 be recalled. How often did I weep 
 in Bendel's bosom, after I recovered 
 from the first inebriety of rapture ! 
 how severely did I condemn myself, 
 that I, a shadowless being, should 
 seal, with wily selfishness, the per- 
 dition of an angel, whose pure soul 
 I had attached to me by lies and 
 theft ! Now I determined to unveil 
 myself to her; now, with solemn 
 oaths, I resolved to tear myself from 
 her, and to fly ; then again I broke 
 out into tears, and arranged with 
 Bendel for visiting her in the forest- 
 garden again in the evening.
 
 72 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 Sometimes I allowed myself to be 
 flattered with the hopes of the now 
 nearly approaching visit of the un- 
 known, mysterious old man ; and 
 wept anew when I recollected that 
 I had sought him in vain. I had 
 reckoned the day when I was again 
 to expect to see that awful being. 
 He had said a year and a day, and 
 I relied on his word. 
 
 Mina's parents were good, worthy 
 old people, loving their only child 
 most tenderly ; the whole affair had 
 taken them by surprise, and, as 
 matters stood, they knew not how 
 to act. They could never have 
 dreamed that Count Peter should 
 think of their child ; but it was clear 
 he loved her passionately, and was 
 loved in return. The mother, in- 
 deed, was vain enough to think of 
 the possibility of such an alliance, 
 and to prepare for its accomplish-
 
 SCHLE.MIHL. 7^ 
 
 ment ; but the calm good sense of 
 the old man never gave such an 
 ambitious hope a moment's con- 
 sideration. But they were both con- 
 vinced of the purity of my love, and 
 could do nothing but pray for their 
 child. 
 
 A letter is now in my hand which 
 I received about this time from 
 Mina. This is her very character. 
 I will copy it for you. 
 
 "• I know I am a weak, silly girl ; 
 for I have taught myself to believe 
 my beloved would not give me pain, 
 and this because I deeply, dearly 
 love him. Alas ! thou art so kind, 
 so unutterably kind ! but do not 
 delude me. For me make no sacri- 
 fice — wish to make no sacrifice. 
 Heaven ! I could hate myself if I 
 caused thee to do so. No, thou 
 hast made me infinitely happy ; thou 
 hast taught me to love thee. But
 
 74 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 go in peace ! my destiny tells me 
 Count Peter is not mine, but the 
 whole world's ; and then I shall feel 
 proudly as I hear that it was he — 
 and he again — that he had done 
 this — that he has been adored 
 here, and deified there. When I 
 think of this, I could reproach thee 
 for forgetting thy high destinies in 
 a simple maiden. Go in peace, or 
 the thought will make me miserable, 
 — me, alas ! who am so happy, so 
 blessed through thee. And have 
 not I entwined in thy existence an 
 olive-branch and a rose-bud, as in 
 the garland which I dared to present 
 thee ? Think of thyself, my beloved 
 one ; fear not to leave me, I should 
 die so blessed — so unutterably 
 blessed, through thee." 
 
 You may well imagine how these 
 words thrilled through my bosom. 
 I told her I was not that which I
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 was supposed to be ; I was only a 
 wealthy, but an infinitely-wretched 
 man. There was, I said, a curse 
 upon me, which should be the only 
 secret between her and me ; for I 
 had not yet lost the hope of being 
 delivered from it. This was the 
 poison of my existence, that I could 
 have swept her away with me into 
 the abyss, — her, the sole light, the 
 sole bliss, the sole spirit of my life. 
 Then she wept again that I was so 
 unhappy. She was so amiable, so 
 full of love ! How blessed had she 
 felt to have offered herself up in 
 order to spare me a single tear ! 
 
 But she was far from rightly under- 
 standing my words : she sometimes 
 fancied I was a prince pursued by a 
 cruel proscription ; a high and de- 
 voted chief, whom her imagination 
 loved to depicture, and to give to 
 her beloved one all the bright hues 
 of heroism.
 
 76 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 Once I said to her, " Mina, on the 
 last day of the coming month, my 
 doom may change and be decided. 
 If that should not happen I must 
 die, for I cannot make thee miser- 
 able." She wept, and her head sunk 
 upon my bosom. " If thy doom 
 should change, let me but know 
 thou art happy ; I have no claim 
 upon thee. But shouldst thou be- 
 come miserable, bind me to thy 
 misery ; I will help thee to bear it." 
 
 " Beloved maiden ! withdraw, with- 
 draw the rash, the foolish word which 
 has escaped thy lips. Dost thou 
 know what is my misery ? dost thou 
 know what is my curse .-* That thy 
 beloved — what he — Dost thou see 
 me shuddering convulsively before 
 thee and concealing from thee — " 
 She sunk sobbing at my feet, and 
 renewed her declaration with a 
 solemn vow.
 
 SCHLEMIHL. "^ 
 
 I declared to the now approach- 
 ing forest-master my determination 
 to ask the hand of his daughter for 
 the first day of the coming month. 
 I fixed that period, because in the 
 mean while many an event might 
 occur which would have great influ- 
 ence on my fortunes. My love for 
 his daughter could not but be un- 
 changeable. 
 
 The good old man started back, 
 as it were, while the words escaped 
 from Count Peter's lips. He fell 
 upon my neck, and then blushed 
 that he had so far forgotten him- 
 self. Then he began to doubt, to 
 ponder, to inquire ; he spoke of 
 dowTy, of security for the future for 
 his beloved child. I thanked him 
 for reminding me of it. I told him 
 I wished to settle and live a life free 
 from anxiety, in a neighbourhood 
 where I appeared to be beloved. I
 
 78 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 ordered him to buy, in the name of 
 his daughter, the finest estates that 
 were offered, and refer to me for the 
 payment. A father would surely best 
 serve the lover of his child. This 
 gave him trouble enough, for some 
 stranger or other always forestalled 
 him ; but he bought for only the 
 amount of about a million florins. 
 
 The truth is, this was a sort of 
 innocent trick to get rid of him, 
 which I had already once done be- 
 fore ; for I must own he was rather 
 tedious. The good mother, on the 
 contrary, was somewhat deaf, and 
 not, like him, always jealous of the 
 honour of entertaining the noble 
 Count. 
 
 The mother pressed forward. The 
 happy people crowded around me, 
 entreating me to lengthen the even- 
 ing among them. I dared not linger 
 a moment ; the moon was rising
 
 SCHLKMIHL. 79 
 
 above the twilight of evening ; my 
 time was come. 
 
 Next evening I returned again to 
 the forest-garden. I had thrown my 
 broad mantle over my shoulders, my 
 hat was slouched over my eyes. I 
 advanced towards Mina; as she 
 lifted up her eyes and looked at me 
 an involuntary shudder came over 
 her. The frightful night in which 
 I had shown myself shadowless in 
 the moonlight returned in all its 
 brightness to my mind. It was in- 
 deed she ! Had she, too, recognized 
 me ? She was silent and full of 
 thought. I felt the oppression of a 
 nightmare on my breast. I rose 
 from my seat ; she threw herself 
 speechless on my bosom. I left 
 her. 
 
 IJut now I often found her in 
 tears ; my soul grew darker and 
 darker, while her parents seemed to
 
 So SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 revel in undisturbed joy. The day 
 so big with fate rolled onwards, 
 heavy and dark like a thunder- 
 cloud. Its eve had arrived, I could 
 scarcely breathe. I had been fore- 
 sighted enough to fill some chests 
 with gold. I waited for midnight; 
 it tolled. 
 
 And there I sat, my eyes directed 
 to the hand of the clock ; the seconds, 
 the minutes, as they tinkled, entered 
 me like a dagger. I rose up at every 
 sound I heard. The day began to 
 dawn ; the leaden hours crowded one 
 on another ; it was morning — even- 
 ing — night. The hands of the time- 
 piece moved slowly on, and hope 
 was departing. It struck eleven, and 
 nothing appeared. The last minutes 
 of the last hour vanished ; still noth- 
 ing appeared : the first stroke — the 
 last stroke of tzuelve sounded. I 
 sank hopeless on my couch in cease-
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 8l 
 
 less tears. To-morrow — shadow- 
 less forever ! to-morrow I should 
 solicit the hand of my beloved. 
 Towards morning a heavy sleep 
 closed my eyes.
 
 Chapter III. 
 
 IT was yet early when I was 
 awakened by the sound of voices 
 violently disputing in my ante-cham- 
 ber. I listened ; Bendel was forbid- 
 ding access to my door. Rascal 
 swore loudly and deeply that he 
 would take no orders from his fel- 
 82
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 lo'A--servant, and insisted on rushing 
 into my apartment. The good Ben- 
 del warned him that if such language 
 reached my ears he might perchance 
 lose a profitable place ; but Rascal 
 threatened to lay violent hands upon 
 him if he impeded his entrance any 
 longer. 
 
 I had half dressed myself. I 
 angrily flung the door open, and 
 called out to Rascal, " What dost 
 want, thou scoundrel ? " He re- 
 treated two paces, and answered 
 with perfect coldness, " Humbly to 
 request, may it please your lordship, 
 for once to show me your shadow ; 
 the sun is shining so beautifully in 
 the court." 
 
 I felt as if scathed by a thunder- 
 bolt, and it was long before I could 
 utter a word : " How can a servant 
 presume against his master that — " 
 He interrupted me with provoking
 
 84 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 calmness : " A servant may be a 
 very honest man, and yet refuse to 
 serve a shadowless master ; I must 
 have my discharge." I tried another 
 weapon. 
 
 " But Rascal, my dear Rascal, who 
 has put this wild notion into your 
 head ? How can you imagine — " 
 But he continued in the same tone, 
 " There are people who assert you 
 have no shadow ; so, in a word, 
 either show me your shadow, or give 
 me my discharge." 
 
 Bendel, pale and trembling, but 
 more discreet than I, made me a 
 sign to seek a resource in the 
 silence-imposing gold. But it had 
 lost its power ; Rascal flung it at my 
 feet : "I will take nothing from a 
 shadowless being." He turned his 
 back upon me, put his hat on his 
 head, and went slowly out of the 
 apartment whistling a tune. T stood
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 85 
 
 there like a petrifaction, looking after 
 him, vacant and motionless. 
 
 Heavy and melancholy, with a 
 deathlike feeling within me, I pre- 
 pared to redeem my promise, and, 
 like a criminal before his judges, to 
 show myself in the forester's gar- 
 den. I ascended to the dark arbour 
 which had been called by my name, 
 where an appointment had been 
 made to meet me. Mina's mother 
 came forward towards me, gay, and 
 free from care. Mina was seated 
 there, pale and lovely, as the earliest 
 snow when it kisses the last autumnal 
 flower and soon dissolves into bitter 
 drops. The forest-master, with a 
 written sheet in his hand, wandered 
 in violent agitation from side to side, 
 seemingly overcome with internal 
 feelings, which painted his usually 
 unvarying countenance with con- 
 stantly changing paleness and scar-
 
 S6 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 let. He came towards me as I 
 entered, and with broken accents 
 requested to speak to me alone. 
 The path through which he invited 
 me to follow him led to an open, 
 sunny part of the garden. I seated 
 myself down without uttering a 
 word ; a long silence followed, which 
 even our good mother dared not 
 interrupt. 
 
 With irregular steps the forest- 
 master paced the arbour backwards 
 and forwards ; he stood for a moment 
 before me, looked into the paper 
 which he held, and said A\'ith a most 
 penetrating glance, " Count, and do 
 you indeed know one Peter Schle- 
 mihl ? " I was silent. " A man of 
 reputable character, and of great 
 accomplishments." He waited for 
 my answer. " And what if I were 
 he ? " " He," added he vehe- 
 mently, " who has in some way got
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 87 
 
 rid of his shadow ! " " Oh, my 
 forebodings ! my forebodings ' '" 
 exclaimed Mina, " alas ! I knew long 
 ago that he had no shadow ! " and 
 she flung herself into her mother's 
 arms, who, alarmed, pressed her con- 
 vulsively to her bosom, reproaching 
 me with having concealed such a 
 fatal secret from her; but she, like 
 Arethusa, was bathed in a fountain 
 of tears, which flowed abundantly at 
 the sound of my voice, and at my 
 approach tempestuously burst forth. 
 
 " And so," cried the forest-master, 
 furiously, " your matchless impu- 
 dence has sought to betray that 
 poor girl and me ; and you pretended 
 to love her, — her whom you have 
 dragged to the abyss. See how she 
 weeps, how she is agonized ! Oh 
 shame ! Oh sin I " 
 
 I was so completely confused that 
 I answered incoherently, " After all,
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 'twas but a shadow, nothing but 
 a shadow — one can manage \A-ith- 
 out it; and surely it is not worth 
 making such a noise about." But 
 I felt so deeply the deception of my 
 language that I was silent before 
 he deigned to give me an answer. 
 I added, " What a man has lost to- 
 day he may find again to-morrow." 
 
 He spoke angrily : " Explain to 
 me, sir, explain how you got rid of 
 your shadow." I was compelled 
 again to lie : " A vulgar fellow trod 
 so clumsily upon my shadow that 
 he tore a great hole in it ; I sent it 
 to be mended — gold can do every- 
 thing ; I ought to have received it 
 back yesterday." 
 
 " Very well, sir, very well," he re- 
 plied. " You sue for my daughter, 
 others do the same; as her father 
 I must take care of her. I give you 
 three days' respite, which you may
 
 ,,iiiiii!i!ifiiii,fiifiiim'iiiii 
 
 "2 ' III 
 
 jii r 
 
 i 
 
 
 ^ i{ '^ \
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 91 
 
 employ in procuring a shadow. Come 
 to me after this ; and if you have one 
 that suits you, you will be welcome. 
 But if not, on the fourth day I must 
 tell you my daughter shall be the 
 wife of another." I attempted to 
 address a word to Mina ; but she 
 clung, violently agitated, closer to 
 her mother, who silently beckoned 
 to me that I should retire. I slunk 
 away as if the world's gates had 
 closed behind me. 
 
 Escaped to Eendel's affectionate 
 guidance, I wandered with erring 
 footsteps through fields and woods ; 
 sweat-drops of anguish fell from my 
 brow, deep groans broke from my 
 bosom, within me raged a wild 
 frenzy. 
 
 I know not how long it had lasted, 
 when on a sunny heath I found my- 
 self held by the sleeve. I stood still, 
 and looked around me. It was the
 
 92 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 grey-coated stranger ; he seemed to 
 have followed me till he was out of 
 breath. He instantly began, — 
 
 " I had announced myself for to- 
 day ; you have hardly been able to 
 wait so long, but all is well ; you 
 will take good counsel ; exchange 
 your shadow again, it only waits 
 your commands ; and then turn back. 
 Vou will be welcome in the forester's 
 garden: it was but a jest.. Rascal, 
 who has betrayed you, and who is 
 a suitor to your betrothed, I will 
 dispose of: the fellow is ripe." 
 
 I stood there still, as if I were 
 asleep. " Announced' for to-day ? " 
 I reckoned the time over again ; it 
 was so. I had erred in my calcula- 
 tions. I put my right hand on the 
 bag in my bosom ; he discovered my 
 meaning, and drew back two paces. 
 
 " No, Sir Count, that is in good 
 hands, that you may retain." I
 
 SCHLEMIIII.. 
 
 looked on him with staring and in- 
 quiring eyes. He spoke : " May I 
 ask for a trifling memento ? Be so 
 good as to sign this note." The 
 following words were on the parch- 
 ment he held : — 
 
 " I herel)y promise to deliver over 
 my soul to the bearer after its natural 
 separation from my body." 
 
 I looked with dumb astonishment, 
 now on the grey unknown, and now 
 on the writing. In the meantime 
 he had dipped a new pen in a drop 
 of my blood, which was flowing from 
 a scratch made by a thorn in my 
 hand. He handed the pen to me. 
 
 " Who are you, then ? " I at last 
 inquired. " What does that mat- 
 ter?" he answered. "Don't you 
 see what I am ? a poor devil ; a sort 
 of philosopher or alchemist, who 
 receives spare thanks for great 
 favours he confers on his friends :
 
 94 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 one who has no enjoyment in this 
 world except a little experimentaliz- 
 ing : but sign, I pray — ay, j ust there 
 on the right, Peter Schlemihl." 
 
 I shook my head. '" Forgive me, 
 sir, for I will not sign." " Not ! " 
 replied he, with seeming surprise, 
 " why not ? " 
 
 " 'T is an affair that requires some 
 consideration, — to add my soul to 
 my shadow in the bargain." " Oh, 
 oh," he exclaimed, " consideration ! " 
 and burst into a loud laugh. " May 
 I then be allowed to ask, what sort 
 of a thing is your soul ? Have you 
 ever seen it ? Do you know what 
 will become of it when you are once 
 departed ? Rejoice that you have 
 found somebody to take notice of 
 it ; to buy, even during your life- 
 time, the reversion of this X, this 
 galvanic power, this polarizing in- 
 fluence, or whatever the silly trifle
 
 SCHLEMIHL 
 
 may turn out to be ; to pay for it 
 with your bodily shadow, with some- 
 thing really substantial, — the hand 
 of your mistress, the fulfilment of 
 your prayers. Or will you rather 
 deliver over the sweet maiden to 
 that contemptible scoundrel, Mr. 
 Rascal ? No, no ! look to that with 
 your own eyes. Come hither ; I will 
 lend you the wishing-cap too (he 
 drew something from his pocket), 
 and we \\ill have a ramble unseen 
 through the forest-garden." 
 
 I must confess I was sadly ashamed 
 to be thus laughed at by this fellow. 
 I hated him from the bottom of my 
 soul ; and I believe this personal 
 antipathy prevented me, more than 
 my principles, from giving the re- 
 quired signature for my shadow, 
 necessary as it was to me The 
 thought was unbearable, that I 
 should undertake such a walk in
 
 96 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 his company This sneaking scoun- 
 drel, this scornful, irritating imp, 
 placing himself betwixt me and my 
 beloved, sporting with two bleeding 
 hearts, roused my deepest feelings. 
 I looked on what had passed as 
 ordained, and considered my misery 
 as irretrievable. I turned upon the 
 man and said, — 
 
 " Sir, I sold you my shadow for 
 this most estimable bag of yours : 
 I have repented it enough ; if the 
 bargain can be annulled, in the 
 
 name of " He shook his head, 
 
 looked at me with a dark frown. 
 I began again, '■ I will sell you 
 nothing more of my possessions, 
 though you may offer as high a 
 price as for my shadow ; and 
 I will sign nothing. Hence you 
 may conclude that the metamor- 
 phosis to which you invite me 
 would perhaps be more agreeable
 
 SCHLEMTHL. 97 
 
 to you than to me. Forgive me, 
 but it cannot be otherwise ; let us 
 part." 
 
 " I am sorry, Mr. Schlemihl, that 
 you so capriciously push away the 
 favours which are presented to you ; 
 but I may be more fortunate another 
 time. Farewell, till our speedy meet- 
 ing. By the way, you will allow me 
 to mention that I do not by any 
 means permit my purchases to get 
 mouldy ; I hold them in special 
 regard, and take the best possible 
 care of them." 
 
 With this he took my shadow out 
 of his pocket, and with a dexterous 
 fling it was unrolled and spread out 
 on the heath on the sunny side of 
 his feet, so that he stood between 
 the two attendant shadows, mine 
 and his, and walked away : mine 
 seemed to belong to him as much 
 as his own ; it accommodated itself 
 7
 
 9S SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 to all his movements and all his 
 necessities. 
 
 When I sa^Y my poor shadow- 
 again, after so long a separation, 
 and found it applied to such base 
 uses, at a moment when for its sake 
 I was suffering nameless anguish, 
 my heart broke within me, and I 
 began to weep most bitterly. The 
 hated one walked proudly on with 
 his spoil, and unblushingly renewed 
 his proposals. 
 
 " You may have it — 't is but a 
 stroke of the pen ; you will save, 
 too, your poor unhappy Mina from 
 the claws of the vagabond ; save her 
 for the arms of the most honour- 
 able Count. 'Tis but a stroke of 
 the pen, I say." Tears broke forth 
 with new \-iolence; but I turned 
 away, and beckoned him to be 
 gone. 
 
 Bendel, who had followed my steps
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 99 
 
 to the present spot, approached me 
 full of sadness at this instant. The 
 kind-hearted fellow perceived me 
 weeping, and observed my shadow, 
 which he could not mistake, attached 
 to the figure of the extraordinary, 
 grey, unknown one, and he en- 
 deavoured by force to put me in 
 possession of my property; but not 
 Ijeing able to lay firm hold on this 
 subtle thing, he ordered the old 
 man, in a peremptory tone, to aban- 
 don what did not belong to him. 
 He, for a reply, turned his back 
 upon my well-meaning servant, and 
 marched away. l^endel followed 
 him closely, and lifting up the stout 
 black-thorn cudgel which he carried^ 
 required the man to give up the 
 shadow, enforcing the command 
 with the strength of his nervous 
 arm ; but the man, accustomed per- 
 haps to such encounters, bowed his
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 head, raised his shoulders, and 
 walked silently and calmly over the 
 heath, accompanied by my shadow 
 and my faithful man. For a long 
 time I heard the dull sound echoed 
 over the waste. It was lost at last 
 in the distance. I stood alone with 
 my misery as before. 
 
 Thus left behind on the dreary 
 heath, I gave vent to countless tears, 
 which seemed to lighten my bosom 
 of its intolerable weight. But I saw 
 no bounds, no outlet, no term to 
 my terrible misery; and with wild 
 impatience I sucked in the poison 
 which the mysterious being had 
 poured into my wounds. When I 
 recalled the image of Mina, her soft 
 and lovely form appeared pale and 
 weeping before me, as I had seen
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 her in my hour of ignommy ; and 
 the shade of Rascal impudently and 
 contumaciously seemed to step be- 
 tween us. I veiled my face, I fled 
 across the waste; but the ghastly 
 vision still pursued me; I ran, — it 
 was close to me. I sank breathless 
 to the ground, and watered it with 
 renewed springs of tears. 
 
 And all about a shadow ! — a 
 shadow which a stroke of the pen 
 would have restored to me ! I mused 
 again on the strange proposal and 
 my refusal. All was dark and des- 
 olate within me ; T had neither 
 argument nor reason left. 
 
 The day rolled by. I calmed my 
 hunger with wild fruits, my thirst 
 with the nearest mountain stream. 
 Night approached ; I stretched my- 
 self under a tree. The damp dawn 
 awaked me from a heavy sleep, in 
 which I had heard myself groan as
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 if Struggling with death. Bendel 
 had surely lost my traces, and I 
 rejoiced to think so. I determined 
 to return no more among men, from 
 whom I fled like the shy beasts of 
 the mountain. Thus I existed 
 through three weary days. 
 
 On the morning of the fourth I 
 found myself on a shady plain, 
 where the sun was shining brightly. 
 I sat down there on the fragment of 
 rock in its beam, for I enjoyed to 
 bask again in its long-forbidden 
 glance. I nourished my heart with 
 its own despair. But I was alarmed 
 by a gentle rustling. I looked 
 eagerly round me preparing to fly ; 
 I saw no one ; but there passed 
 by on the sunny sand a man's 
 shadow not unlike my own, wander- 
 ing about alone, and which appeared 
 straying from its owner. 
 
 A mighty impulse was roused
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 within me. Shadow, thought I, art 
 thou seeking thy master ? I will be 
 he ; and I sprang forward to possess 
 myself of it. I imagined that if I 
 were lucky enough to get into its 
 track, I could so arrange that its 
 feet should just meet mine; it would 
 then attach and accommodate itself 
 to me. 
 
 The shadow on my moving fled 
 before me, and I was compelled to 
 begin an active chase after the un- 
 substantial wanderer. The eager 
 desire to be released from the per- 
 plexities in which I stood, armed me 
 with unusual strength. It fled to a 
 distant wood, in whose obscurity it 
 necessarily would have been im- 
 mediately lost. I saw it ; a terror 
 pierced my heart, kindled my burn- 
 ing desire, and gave wings to my 
 feet. I gained on the shadow, ap- 
 proached it nearer and nearer, — I
 
 104 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 was within reach of it. It stopped 
 suddenly and turned round towards 
 me ; like the lion pouncing on its 
 prey, I sprang forward upon it with 
 a mighty effort to take possession. 
 I felt most unexpectedly that I had 
 dashed against something which 
 made a bodily resistance. I received 
 from an unseen power the most vio- 
 lent thrust which a human being 
 ever felt. The working of terror 
 was acting dreadfully within me ; 
 its effect was to close my arms as 
 in a spasm, to seize on what stood 
 unseen before me. I staggered on- 
 wards, and fell prostrate on the 
 ground; beneath me on his back 
 was a man whom I held fast, and 
 who now was visible. 
 
 The whole affair was now naturally 
 explained. The man must have pos- 
 sessed the viewless charm which 
 makes the possessor, but not his
 
 1^ 
 
 
 St' «»- 
 
 
 -vW 
 
 %!J 
 
 . . I sprang forward to 
 possess myself of it . . .
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 shadow, invisible. He first held it, 
 and afterwards had thrown it away. 
 T looked round, and immediately 
 discovered the shadow of the invis- 
 ible charm. I leaped up and sprang 
 towards it, and did not miss at last 
 the valuable spoil ; unseen and 
 shadowless, I held the charm in my 
 hand. 
 
 The man rose up speedily : he 
 looked round after his fortunate 
 subduer, not being able to discover 
 in the broad sunny plain either him 
 or his shadow, which he sought with 
 the greatest anxiety ; for he had no 
 reason to suspect, and no time to 
 observe, that I was a shadowless 
 being. As soon as he discovered 
 that every trace was vanished, he 
 raised his hands against himself in 
 the wildest despair, and tore his 
 hair. But this newly-acquired trea- 
 sure gave me the means and the dis-
 
 Io8 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 position to mingle again among my 
 fellow-men No pretext was want- 
 ing for palliating to my own mind 
 this despicable robbery, or, rather, 
 it wanted no such pretext. With a 
 view of ridding myself of any inter 
 nal reproaches, I hurried away, not 
 even looking back on the unfortu- 
 nate victim, whose agonized tones 
 I heard long repeated after me. So, 
 at least, at that time I looked upon 
 the circumstances of that event. 
 
 I longed to go to the forest-gar- 
 den, in order to inform myself of 
 the truth of what the hated one had 
 announced to me ; but I knew not 
 w^here I was ; and in order to inform 
 myself as to the neighbourhood, I 
 mounted the nearest hill, and saw 
 from its brow the tower of the 
 forest-garden lying at my feet. My 
 heart beat with agitation, and tears, 
 very different from those I had be-
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 1 09 
 
 fore shed, burst into my eyes. I was 
 to see her again. An anxious, long- 
 ing desire hurried my steps down 
 the straightest path. A crowd of 
 peasants I passed unseen going from 
 town ; they were talking of me and 
 of Rascal, and of the forester. I 
 would listen to nothing; I hastened 
 by. 
 
 I walked into the garden, my 
 bosom trembling with the alarm of 
 e.xpectation. A laugh approached 
 me. I shook, looked eagerly around 
 me, but could perceive nobody. I 
 moved farther forward, and a noise 
 as of the pacing of human feet 
 seemed near me. Still I could see 
 nothing ; I thought my ears were 
 deceived ; but it was early, — nobody 
 was in Count Peter's arbour, the 
 garden was empty. I rambled over 
 the familiar paths until I came near 
 to the mansion. I heard the same
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 sound more distinctly. I sat down 
 witli a sorrow-f ul heart upon a bank 
 immediately opposite the front door, 
 in a sunny spot. It appeared to me 
 as if I heard the invisible imp laugh- 
 ing insultingly. The key was turned 
 in the door, which opened ; and the 
 forest-master walked out with papers 
 in his hand. I felt something like 
 a mist around my eyes ; I looked 
 round, and, oh horrible ! the man 
 in the grey coat was sitting close to 
 me, looking on me with a satanic 
 smile. He had drawn his wishing- 
 cap over my head. At his feet my 
 shadow and his own lay peacefully 
 one against the other ; he was play- 
 ing carelessly with the well-known 
 parchment, which he held in his 
 hand : and while the forest-master 
 was walking backwards and for- 
 wards in the shade of the arbour, 
 he bent himself familiarly to my
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 ear, and whispered to me these 
 words : — 
 
 " Now, then, you have at last ac- 
 cepted my offer, and so we set two 
 heads under one cap. Very good ! 
 very good! But pray give me my 
 charm again ; you do not want it 
 any more, and are too honourable 
 a man to keep what does not belong 
 to you. Xo thanks ; I assure you I 
 lent it to you from my heart." He 
 took it gently from my hand, put it 
 into his pocket, laughed insultingly 
 at me, and so loudly that the forest- 
 master looked round attracted by 
 the noise. I sat there as if I had 
 been petrified. 
 
 " You must agree," he rejoined, 
 " that such a cap is much more con- 
 venient. It does not cover its pos- 
 sessor alone, but his shadow also, 
 and as many people Ijesides as he 
 likes to have with him. Look, now.
 
 ^CHLEMIHL. 
 
 to-day I get two of ye." He laughed 
 again. " You must know, Schle- 
 mihl, that what is not done by fair 
 means at first, may be enforced at 
 last ; I still thought you would have 
 bought the trifle. Take back your 
 bride (there is yet time), and send 
 Rascal to swing on the gallows ; that 
 is an easy matter while we have a 
 rope at hand. Hearken, I give you 
 the cap into the bargain." 
 
 The mother came forth, and this 
 conversation followed. " What is 
 my Mina doing .'' " "Weeping." 
 " Simple child ! but can it not be 
 altered ? " " No, indeed." '• But to 
 give her so soon to another — O 
 husband ! you are cruel to your 
 own child." " Mother, you don't see 
 clearly. Even before she has wept 
 out her childish tears, when she finds 
 herself the wife of a rich and noble 
 man. she will be consoled for her
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 sorrows as if awakened from a 
 dream. She will thank lieaven and 
 us; and that you will see." "God 
 grant it ! " " She already possesses 
 a pretty handsome dowry ; but after 
 the noise made by that unfortunate 
 adventurer, do you believe that so 
 Ijrilliant a proposal as Mr. Rascal's 
 will soon or easily be found .'' Do 
 you know what wealth he possesses.^ 
 He has six million florins in landed 
 pro|)erty in this country paid for in 
 cash, free from all incumbrances. I 
 have the writings in hand. It was 
 he who forestalled me always in the 
 best purchases. Besides this, he has 
 in his portfolio bills of exchange on 
 Mr Thomas Jones for above three 
 millions and a half of florins." "He 
 must have pilfered at a pretty rate." 
 " That 's all nonsense. He has 
 hoarded wisely where others fool- 
 ishly squandered." " But a man
 
 114 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 who has worn a livery ! " " Folly ! 
 he has an irreproachable shadow ! " 
 " You are right, but — " 
 
 The man in the grey coat laughed, 
 and looked full in my face. The 
 door opened, and Mina came out ; 
 she was supporting herself on her 
 maid's arm ; silent tears were flow- 
 ing over her pale and lovely cheeks. 
 She sat down in a chair placed for 
 her under the lime-trees, and her 
 father seated himself beside her. 
 He gently seized her hand, and 
 while she wept still more bitterly, 
 addressed her in the gentlest 
 accents. 
 
 " Thou art my best, my dearest 
 child ; thou wilt be prudent too ; 
 thou wilt not grieve thy old father, 
 who thinks only of making thee 
 happy. I well understand, my sweet 
 girl, that this has sadly shaken thee; 
 thou hast wonderfully escaped from
 
 SCHLEMIHL. I15 
 
 misery. Before the shameless cheat 
 was unveiled, thou lovedst that un- 
 worthy one most affectionately. I 
 know it, Mina, but I do not reproach 
 thee. I, too, loved him, while I 
 deemed him to be a rich and noble 
 man. But thou hast seen in what 
 it ended. The veriest vagabond has 
 his own shadow ; and shall my be- 
 loved, my only daughter, be married 
 to — Oh, no ! thou thinkest of him 
 no more. Listen, my Mina; a lover 
 addresses thee, who does not dread 
 the sun,— an honourable man, who 
 is no Count indeed, but who pos- 
 sesses ten millions, ten times more 
 than thou hast ever possessed, — a 
 man who will make my beloved 
 child happy. Do not oppose me ; 
 make no reply; be my good, obe- 
 dient daughter. Let thy affectionate 
 father care for thee, and dry thy 
 tears. Promise me to give thy hand
 
 Il6 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 to Mr. Rascal ; say, wilt thou promise 
 me?" 
 
 She answered with a dying voice, 
 " I have no farther will nor wish on 
 earth ; let my father's will be accom- 
 plished ! " On this Mr. Rascal was 
 announced, and daringly joined the 
 circle. Mina lay in a swoon. My 
 hated evil genius fixed his eyes 
 angrily on me, and whispered in 
 these rapid words, " Can you bear 
 that too ? What runs in your veins 
 instead of blood ? " With a swift 
 motion he made a slight wound in 
 my hand ; blood gushed forth : he 
 cried, " Red blood, truly ! sign." 
 The parchment and the pen were 
 in my hand.

 
 Chapter IV. 
 
 I SHALL expose myself, dear 
 Chamisso, to your criticism, and 
 not seek to elude it. I have long 
 visited myself with the heaviest 
 judgment, for I have fed the de- 
 vouring worm in my heart. This 
 terrible moment of my existence is 
 everlastingly present to my soul ; 
 and I can contemplate it only in a 
 doubting glance, with humility and 
 119
 
 SCHLEMIHL 
 
 contrition. My friend, he who care- 
 lessly takes a step out of the straight 
 path, is imperceptibly impelled into 
 another course, in which he will be 
 deluded farther and farther astray. 
 For him in vain the pole-star t\dnkles 
 in the heavens; there is no choice 
 for him; he must slide down the 
 declivity, and offer himself up to 
 Nemesis, After the false and pre- 
 cipitate step which had brought 
 down the curse upon me, I had 
 daringly thrust myself upon the fate 
 of another being. What now re- 
 mained, but where I had sowed per- 
 dition, and prompt salvation was 
 urgent, — again blindly to rush for- 
 ward to save ? for the last knell had 
 tolled. Do not think so basely of 
 me, my Chamisso, as to imagine 
 that I should have thought any price 
 too dear, or should have been more 
 sparing \vith anything I possessed
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 than with my gold ? Xo i but my 
 soul was filled with unconqueral)le 
 hatred towards this mysterious 
 sneaker in crooked paths. Perhaps 
 I might be unjust to him, yet my 
 mind revolted against all communi- 
 cation with him. But here, as often 
 in my life, and generally in the his- 
 tory of the world, an accident rather 
 than an intention determined the 
 issue. Afterwards I became recon- 
 ciled to myself. I learnt, in the 
 first place, to respect necessity, and 
 those accidents which are yet more 
 the result of necessity than any will 
 of our own. Then was I also taught 
 to obey this necessity as a wise ar- 
 rangement of Providence, which sets 
 all this machinery in action, in which 
 we only co-operate by moving and 
 setting other wheels in motion. What 
 must be, will happen ; what should 
 have been, was ; and not without
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 the intervention of that Providence, 
 which I at last learnt to reverence 
 in my fate, and in the fate of her 
 who controlled mine, 
 
 I know not if I should ascribe it 
 to the strain of my soul under the 
 pressure of such mighty emotions, 
 or to the exhaustion of my physical 
 strength, weakened by the unwonted 
 abstinence of the days gone by, or 
 to that fatal agitation which the 
 approach of this grey adversary pro- 
 duced through my whole frame ; but 
 certain it is, that while preparing to 
 sign, I fell into a deep swoon, and 
 lay a long time as in the arms of 
 death. 
 
 On coming to my recollection, the 
 first tones that reached my ears were 
 the stamping of feet and cursing. I 
 opened my eyes ; it was dark ; my 
 hated companion was there holding 
 me, but scolding thus : " Now, is not
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 123 
 
 that behaving like a silly old woman ? 
 Let the gentleman rise up, con- 
 clude the business as he intended ; 
 or, perhaps he has other thoughts, 
 would like still to weep." With 
 difficulty I raised myself from the 
 ground where I lay, and looked 
 silently around me. The evening 
 was advanced ; festive music broke 
 from the brightly-lighted forest- 
 house, and groups of company were 
 scattered over the garden walks. 
 Some drew near who were engaged 
 in conversation, and seated them- 
 selves on the benches. They spoke 
 of the nuptials of the daughter of 
 the house with the rich Mr. Rascal ; 
 they had taken place in the morning. 
 All, — all was over. 
 
 I struck away with my hand from 
 my head the wishing-cap of the 
 instantly-vanishing unknown one, 
 and fled in silence to conceal myself
 
 124 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 in the deepest darkness of the wood, 
 hurrying to the garden gate before 
 Count Peter's arbour. But my evil 
 genius accompanied me unseen, pur- 
 suing me with bitter words. " This, 
 then, is the reward one is to get for 
 the trouble of taking care, through 
 the live-long day, of the nervous 
 gentleman I And I am then to he 
 fooled at last ? Very well, very w^ell, 
 Mr. Wronghead ; fly from me, but 
 we are inseparable. You have my 
 gold, and I your shadow ; they leave 
 no rest to either. Did anybody ever 
 hear of a shadow abandoning its 
 master ? Yours draws me after you, 
 till you condescend to take it again, 
 and I get rid of it. ^Vhat you have 
 sold, or neglected to do, of your own 
 free-^\'ill, that mil you be compelled 
 to repair with repugnance and weari- 
 ness ; man cannot oppose his des- 
 tiny." He continued to talk in the
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 same tone ; I fled from him in vain, 
 — he was always behind me, ever 
 present, and speaking sneeringly of 
 gold and shadow. T could not repose 
 on a single thought. 
 
 Through untrodden, vacant streets 
 1 hastened to my abode. I stood 
 before it, looked up, and hardly 
 recognized it. Behind the closed 
 windows no light was burning ; the 
 doors were shut ; no servants ap- 
 peared to be moving. He stood I)e- 
 hind me, and laughed aloud. " Ay, 
 ay ! but your Bendel is certainly at 
 home; he was sent hither so thor- 
 oughly exhausted that no doubt 
 he has carefully kept house." He 
 laughed again. " He will have some 
 stories to amuse you ; take courage. 
 Good-night for to-day, till an early 
 interview." 
 
 I rang again, and a light appeared, 
 liendel asked from within, " Who is
 
 126 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 there ? " When he heard my voice, 
 the poor fellow could scarcely con- 
 tam his joy ; the door flew open, 
 and we lay weeping in each other's 
 arms. He was greatly changed, — 
 weak and ill. ISIy hair had become 
 wholly grey. 
 
 He led me through the vacant 
 chambers to an inner apartment, 
 which remained furnished. He 
 fetched meat and drink. We sat 
 down ; he again began to weep ; he 
 then told me that he had lately 
 beaten the grey-clad, meagre man, 
 whom he had met 'n'ith my shadow, 
 so lustily and so long, that he lost 
 all trace of me, and had sunk ex- 
 hausted to the earth ; that after- 
 wards, not being able to discover 
 me, he had returned home, and that 
 the mob, excited by Rascal, had 
 raised a tumult, broken the windows 
 of the house, and given full reins to
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 127 
 
 their love of destruction. Thus they 
 had rewarded their benefactors. One 
 after another my servants had fled. 
 The police of the place had ordered 
 me to leave the town as a suspicious 
 person, allowing me a delay of only 
 four-and-twenty hours to quit their 
 territory. He had a great deal to 
 add to what I already knew of Ras- 
 cal's wealth and espousals. This 
 scoundrel, who had originated all 
 the proceedings against me, must 
 have possessed my secret from the 
 beginning. It seemed that, attracted 
 by the gold, he had forced himself 
 upon me, and had procured a key 
 for that treasure-chest where he laid 
 the foundation of his fortune, which 
 he now seemed determined to enjoy. 
 Bendel told me all with abundant 
 tears, and wept anew for joy at see- 
 ing me again, and again possessing 
 me ; and he rejoiced that, after all
 
 128 SCHLEMIHL 
 
 his fears as to what misfortune 
 might have brought me, he found 
 me bearing everything with calm- 
 ness and fortitude ; for such was 
 the form in which despair reigned 
 over me, while I saw gigantic and 
 unchangeable misery before me. I 
 had wept away all my tears ; grief 
 could force out no other accent of 
 distress from my bosom. I raised 
 against it, coldly and unconcernedly, 
 my uncovered head. 
 
 " Bendel," said I, " you know my 
 fate. Not without certain guilt does 
 the heavy penalty fall on me. You, 
 innocent being as you are, shall no 
 longer bind your destiny to mine ; I 
 will no longer let it be so. To-night 
 I will hasten away. Saddle me my 
 horse. I ride alone ; you must re- 
 main ; I require it. Some chests of 
 gold must yet be here. They are 
 now yours ; I shall wander restlessly
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 129 
 
 through the world. But if a happier 
 day should dawn, and bliss should 
 again smile upon me, I will faith 
 fully think of you ; for on your faith- 
 ful bosom I have wept in many a 
 weary, wretched, sorrowful hour." 
 
 The honest fellow obeyed with a 
 i>roken heart this last command of 
 his master. It agonized his soul ; 
 but I was deaf to his representations 
 and entreaties, and blind to his tears. 
 Me brought the horse to me; I 
 pressed him while he wept against 
 my breast, sprang into the saddle, 
 and pursued my way under the 
 mantle of night from the grave of 
 my existence, indifferent as to the 
 direction my horse might take. On 
 the earth I had no goal, no wish, no 
 hope.
 
 130 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 A foot passenger soon joined me, 
 and after walking some time by 
 my horse's side, begged me, as we 
 were bound the same way, to be 
 allowed to throw the cloak which 
 he carried on the crupper ; I quietly 
 allowed him to do so. He thanked 
 me with a graceful address for this 
 trifling service, praised my horse, and 
 thence took the opportunity of laud- 
 ing the happiness and the influence 
 of the wealthy. He went on, I know 
 not how, in a sort of soliloquy, for I 
 was only a hearer. 
 
 He unfolded his views of life and 
 the world, and soon introduced meta- 
 physics, from whence the word was 
 to emanate which should solve all 
 mysteries. He developed his theme 
 with great distinctness, and led for- 
 ward to its deductions. 
 
 Vou know very well that I have 
 often confessed, since I drove
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 through the school of philosophy, 
 that I do not consider myself as by 
 any means calculated for philosoph- 
 ical speculations, and that I have 
 altogether renounced that branch 
 of study. From that time I have 
 let many things be settled as they 
 could, renounced much which I 
 might have understood or learnt, 
 and, following your counsels by 
 trusting to my innate senses that 
 voice of the heart, I have gone for- 
 ward in my own road as far as I was 
 a!)le. This rhetorician appeared to 
 me to build his firmly-cemented 
 edifice with great ability. It seemed 
 to bear itself on its firm and solid 
 foundation, and stood, as it were, on 
 its o^vn absolute necessity. Then I 
 missed in the edifice what I particu- 
 larly sought ; and it was to me merely 
 a piece of art, whose completeness 
 and decorations served only to de-
 
 132 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 light the eye. But I listened willingly 
 to the eloquent man, who seemed to 
 transfer to himself my observations 
 on my own sorrows ; and I should 
 have cheerfully surrendered myself 
 to him, if he would have taken pos- 
 session of my soul as well as of my 
 understanding. 
 
 In the meanwhile time passed on, 
 and morning dawn had imperceptibly 
 stolen over the heaven. I trembled 
 as I looked around, and saw the 
 magnificent colours blending in the 
 east, and heralding the ascending 
 sun ; and at that hour, when the 
 shadows stretch themselves out in 
 all their extension, no shelter, no 
 protection was to be discovered — 
 and I was not alone ! I looked upon 
 my companion, and again I trembled ; 
 it was even the man in the grey 
 coat. 
 
 He smiled at my alarms, and with-
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 133 
 
 out allowing me to utter a word, 
 began, " Let us then, as is the cus- 
 tom of the world, unite our different 
 advantages for a while ; we have 
 always time to separate. The road 
 along-side the mountain, if you have 
 not already thought about it, is the 
 only one which you can prudently 
 take. Vou dare not descend into 
 the valley ; and over the hill you 
 will hardly think of returning, as it 
 would lead you whence you came ; 
 and the road in which you are is 
 just mine. I see the uprising sun 
 makes you look pale ; I will lend 
 you your shadow while we remain 
 together, and this may induce you 
 to bear my being near to you. Your 
 Kendel is no longer with you, but 
 I will do you good service. Vou do 
 not love me : I am sorry for it ; but 
 you may make use of me notwith- 
 standing. The devil is not so black
 
 134 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 as he .is represented. Yesterday you 
 vexed me, 't is true, but I will bear 
 you no grudge to-day. I have 
 shortened your way thus far, as you 
 must yourself confess ; now take 
 your shadow on trial again." 
 
 The sun had arisen ; travellers 
 were approaching us on the road ; 
 and in spite of an internal repug- 
 nance, I accepted his offer. He 
 smiled, and let my shadow fall on 
 the ground ; it took its station upon 
 that of my horse, and cheerfully 
 moved forward. My mind was in 
 a strange mood. I rode by a body 
 of country people, who were respect- 
 fully making room, with their heads 
 uncovered as for a wealthy-looking 
 man. I rode farther, and looked 
 aside from my horse with eager 
 eyes and beating heart on what was 
 once my shadow, but which I had 
 now borrowed from a stranger, ay, 
 from an enemy.
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 135 
 
 He came on carelessly by my side, 
 and whistled a tune ; he on foot, I 
 on horseback. A dizziness seized 
 me, the temptation was too great ; 
 I hastily turned the reins, drove 
 both spurs into the horse, and thus 
 went off at full speed through a 
 cross-road. I could not elope with 
 the shadow; it slipped away when 
 the horse started, and waited on the 
 road for its lawful o\\Tier I was 
 obliged to turn round ashamed, 
 the man in the grey coat, as he 
 unconcernedly finished his tune, 
 began to laugh at me, and fixing the 
 shadow again in its place, informed 
 me it would only stick to me and 
 remain with me when I had properly 
 and lawfully become possessed of 
 it. " I hold you fast," he cried, 
 " fast attached to the shadow ; you 
 cannot escape from me. A wealthy 
 man like you may want a shadow, —
 
 136 SCHLEMIHL, 
 
 likely enough ; and you are only to 
 blame for not having earlier looked 
 into the matter." 
 
 T continued my journey on the 
 same road as before. I possessed 
 all the comforts of life and all its 
 luxuries. I could move about freely 
 and easily ; and I possessed a shadow 
 too, though but a borrowed one ; and 
 I imposed everywhere that rever- 
 ence which wealth commands — but 
 death was at my heart. My mar- 
 vellous conductor, who represented 
 himself to be the unworthy slave of 
 the richest man in the world, had 
 extraordinary readiness as a servant, 
 and was exceedingly dexterous and 
 clever, the very model of a valet for 
 a wealthy gentleman ; but he never 
 separated himself from my side, and 
 incessantly plagued me, exhibiting 
 the greatest assurance, in order that 
 I should conclude the bargain with
 
 SCHLEMIHL 
 
 him respecting the shadow if it were 
 only to get rid of him. He was as 
 troublesome as hateful to me ; I 
 always stood in awe of him. I had 
 made myself dependent on him ; I 
 was still in his power, and he had 
 again driven me into the vanities of 
 the world which I had abandoned ; 
 I was compelled to allow to his elo- 
 quence full mastery over me, and 
 almost felt he was in the right. A 
 wealthy man ought to have a shadow 
 in the world ; and so long as I wished 
 to occupy that station which he had 
 induced me to fill, there was only 
 one outlet for me. But on this 1 
 determined, having sacrificed my 
 love and made my existence a curse, 
 I would not transfer my soul to this 
 being — no, not for all the shadows 
 in the world ; but I knew not how it 
 would end. 
 
 One day we were sitting before a
 
 13S SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 cave which the travellers who had 
 to cross the mountain were accus- 
 tomed to visit. There was heard 
 the noise of subterraneous streams 
 roaring from unmeasurable deeps ; 
 and the stone that was thrown into 
 the abyss seemed in its echoing fall 
 to find no bottom. He depicted to 
 me, as he had often done, mth a 
 luxuriant fancy, and in the glo\\ing 
 charms of the brightest colouring, 
 careful and detailed pictures of the 
 brilliant figure I might make in the 
 world by means of my purse if I 
 had only my shadow again in my 
 possession. My elbows were sup- 
 ported on my knees while I covered 
 my face with my hands, listening to 
 the evil one, my heart twice rent 
 between temptation and my own 
 earnest will. Such internal discord 
 I could no longer endure, and the 
 decisive struggle began.
 
 SCHLEMIIIL. 139 
 
 " You seem to forget, good sir, 
 that I have allowed you to remain 
 in my company only on certain con- 
 ditions, and that I retained for my- 
 self my unrestrained liberty." '"If 
 you order me, I shall move off : " 
 the threat was one to which he was 
 accustomed. I ceased ; he sat him- 
 self quietly down, and began to roll 
 up my shadow. I grew pale, l)ut I 
 stood dumb while he did so. There 
 was a long silence. He thus broke 
 it: — 
 
 " Vou cannot endure me, sir! you 
 hate me — I know it ; but why do 
 you hate me .' Is it because when 
 you attacked me on the highway 
 you attempted to steal my charm 
 by force .'' or is it because you en- 
 deavoured fraudulently to get pos- 
 sessed of my property, the shadow 
 which had been confided to your 
 simple honour ? For myself, I do
 
 t40 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 not hate you for that; it is quite 
 natural you should seek to turn 
 your advantages, your cunning, your 
 strength to good account. That you 
 have the most rigid principles, and 
 are honesty itself, is a hobby-horse 
 belief of your own, to which I can 
 have no objection. My notions are 
 not so strict as yours; I only act 
 according to your notions. But did 
 I ever attempt to strangle you in 
 order to possess your valuable soul, 
 to which I really have a great lik- 
 ing ? Have I, for the sake of my 
 bartered purse, let loose a servant 
 upon you, and endeavoured to run 
 away with it ? " I could answer 
 nothing to all this, and he continued, 
 " Well then, sir, well ! You cannot 
 endure me, I understand it, and am 
 not displeased with you for that. 
 It is clear we must part, and you 
 really are become very tedious to
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 141 
 
 me ; but to get rid of my perplex- 
 ing presence altogether for tlie 
 future, I will give you a piece of 
 advice, — buy the thing of me." I 
 held out the purse to him. " At the 
 price .'■ " " Xo ! " I sighed deeply, 
 and began again. " Well, then, I 
 insist upon it, we must part ; do not 
 stop up my way any longer in a 
 world which is wide enough for 
 Ijoth of us." He smiled, and re- 
 plied, " I go, sir ; l)ut I will first 
 instruct you how to summon me, 
 when you wish for the presence of 
 your most humble slave ; you need 
 only shake your purse, that its 
 exhaustless pieces may tinkle, and 
 the sound will draw me instantly to 
 you. Every])ody in this world thinks 
 of his own interests ; you see I also 
 am attending to yours, for I give 
 you spontaneously a new power. 
 Excellent purse ! and even if the
 
 142 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 moths had devoured your shadow, 
 there would be a strong bond of 
 union between us. But enough : 
 you possess me while you possess 
 my gold ; however distant, command 
 your servant. You know I am al- 
 ways ready to do honour to my 
 friends, and that I have for the 
 wealthy an especial regard ; that 
 you yourself have seen. But as for 
 your shadow, sir, allow me to assure 
 you your shadow will never be yours 
 but on one condition." 
 
 Visions of old time floated in my 
 soul. I inquired hastily, " Did Mr. 
 Jones give you his signature ? " He 
 smiled: "With so good a friend it 
 was not necessary." " Where is he 
 — where ? By Heavens, I will 
 know ! " He put his hand slowly 
 into his pocket, and drew out by the 
 hair the pale and ghastly form of 
 Thomas Jones. Its blue and deadly
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 143 
 
 lips tremljled with the dreadful 
 words, " yiisto jiidicio Dei jiidicatiis 
 sum ; jiisto jttdicio Dei condemnatiis 
 siwiT I was horror-struck. I dashed 
 the clinking purse hastily into the 
 abyss, and uttered these last words : 
 " I conjure thee, in the name of 
 God, monster, begone, and never 
 again appear before these eyes." 
 He rose up with a gloomy frown, 
 and vanished instantaneously be- 
 hind the dark masses of rock which 
 surrounded that wild and savage 
 place.
 
 •'Jfr' 
 
 ' -^^ W ij. 
 
 ■^ 
 
 '^
 
 -$■' 
 
 ^:.-i^^ 
 
 ^ ' 
 
 Chapter V. 
 
 T SAT there shadowless and penni- 
 less ; but a heavy weight had 
 iDeen removed from my bosom, and 
 I was calm. Had I not lost my 
 love, or had that loss left me free 
 from self-reproach, I believe I might 
 have been happy ; but I knew not 
 what steps I should take. I searched 
 lo 145
 
 146 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 my pockets, and found that a few 
 pieces of gold remained to me ; I 
 counted them smilingly. I had left 
 my horse at the inn below. I was 
 ashamed to return there, at least 
 till the setting of the sun — and the 
 sun was high in the heavens. I laid 
 myself down in the shade of a 
 neighbouring tree, and fell quietly 
 asleep. 
 
 The sweetest images danced cheer- 
 fully around me in my delightful 
 dreams. Mina, crowned with a gar- 
 land of flowers, hovered over me, 
 and cheered me with an affectionate 
 smile. The noble Bendel was there, 
 too, weaving a flowery wreath, and 
 approaching me with a friendly 
 greeting. Many others also were 
 there, and among them methought 
 I saw even thee, Chamisso, in the 
 distant crowd. A bright light shone, 
 but there were no shadows ; and
 
 SCHLEMTHL. 147 
 
 what was more singular, all appeared 
 happy — flowers and songs, and love 
 and joy, under groves of palms. T 
 could hardly realize, understand, or 
 point out the flitting, swiftly dis- 
 persed, and lovely forms ; but I 
 enjoyed such visions, I would fain 
 not awake. But I awoke, though I 
 kept my eyes closed, that the vanish- 
 ing dreams might play a little longer 
 round my soul. 
 
 But I opened my eyes at last. 
 The sun was in the heavens, but in 
 the east; I had slept through the 
 night. I took this for a sign that I 
 ought not to return to the inn. I 
 willingly abandoned that which I had 
 so lately left there, and determined 
 to take on foot a by-road, which led 
 through the forest-girded base of the 
 hill, leaving it to fate to determine 
 what might he my lot. I looked not 
 back ; I thought not even of apply-
 
 148 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 ing to Bendel, whom I had left hi 
 wealth behind me, which I might so 
 easily have done. I began to con- 
 sider what new character I should 
 assume in the world. My appear- 
 ance was very unpretending : I wore 
 an old black coat, which I had 
 formerly worn in Berlin, and v/hich, 
 I know not how, I had taken for 
 this journey. I had only a travel- 
 ling-cap on my head, and a pair of 
 worn-out boots on my feet. I rose 
 up, cut a knobbed stick from the 
 spot as a sort of memento, and 
 began my wanderings. 
 
 I overtook in the wood an old 
 peasant, who greeted me with great 
 kindness, and with whom I entered 
 into conversation. I first inquired, 
 like a curious traveller, about the 
 road, then about the neighbourhood 
 and its inhabitants, the productions 
 of the mountain, and such matters.
 
 SCHLEMTHL. 149 
 
 He answered my inquiries talka- 
 tively and sensibly. We came to 
 the bed of a mountain stream, which 
 had spread its devastations over a 
 wide part of the forest. I shud- 
 dered inwardly before the wide 
 sunny place, and let the country- 
 man precede me. He however 
 stood still in the middle of this 
 frightful spot, and turned round 
 towards me, in order to give me 
 the history of the overflow. He 
 soon observed what was wanting to 
 me, and stopped in the middle of 
 his narrative to say, " But how is 
 this ? the gentleman has got no 
 shadow." " Alas ! alas ! " I replied 
 with a sigh, " I had a long and 
 dreadful illness, and lost my hair, 
 my nails, and my shadow. Look, 
 father, at my time of life, my hair, 
 Avhich has growTi again, quite white, 
 my nails sadly short, and my shadow
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 is not yet springing forth." " Ay, 
 ay," said the old man, shaking his 
 head, " no shadow — that 's odd ! the 
 gentleman must have had a sad 
 illness." But he did not go on 
 with his story, and at the next cross 
 path he glided away from me mth- 
 out saying a word. Bitter tears 
 trembled again on my cheeks ; all 
 my serenity was gone. 
 
 With a heavy heart I moved for- 
 wards, and sought the society of 
 man no longer. I concealed myself 
 in the thickest of the forest, and was 
 often obliged to wait for hours in 
 order to get over sunny spots, even 
 where no human eye forbade my 
 progress ; in the evening I sought 
 a retreat in the villages. At last I 
 bent my course towards a mine in 
 the mountain, where I hoped to find 
 employment under ground; for be- 
 sides that my situation required me
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 even to procure my daily bread, I 
 clearly perceived that nothing but 
 the most laborious toil would be 
 any protection from my convulsive 
 thoughts. 
 
 A couple of rainy days helped me 
 far on my way, but at the cost of 
 my boots, whose soles were made to 
 suit Count Peter and not a running 
 footman ; I soon walked on my 
 naked feet, and was ol)liged to pro- 
 cure another pair of boots. The 
 next morning I attended earnestly 
 to this affair in a village, where a 
 fair was held, and where old and 
 new boots were exposed in a shop 
 for sale. I selected and bargained 
 for a long time. I was obliged to 
 abandon a new pair which I wished 
 to possess — I was frightened by the 
 extravagant price ; and satisfied my- 
 self therefore with old ones, which 
 were yet firm and strong, and which
 
 152 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 the fair and light-haired shop-boy 
 handed to me for my ready cash 
 with a smile, while he wished me 
 a prosperous journey. I put them 
 on immediately, and went away 
 through a door which lay to the 
 north. 
 
 I was lost in my own thoughts, 
 and hardly observed where I put my 
 foot, for I was still planning about 
 the mine, whither I hoped to arrive 
 by the evening, and hardly knew 
 how I should manage to introduce 
 myself there. I had not advanced 
 two hundred paces ere I discovered 
 that I had lost my way; I looked 
 round, and found myself in an 
 antique and desert wood of firs, to 
 the roots of which it appeared the 
 axe had never been laid. I still 
 hastened onwards a few steps, and 
 perceived I was among dreary rocks, 
 surrounded only by moss and stones.
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 between which lay piles of snow and 
 ice. The wind was extremely cold ; 
 and when I looked round, the forest 
 had wholly disappeared. Yet a few 
 paces forward, the stillness of death 
 possessed me. The ice on which I 
 stood stretched boundlessly before 
 me, — a dark mist hung over it ; the 
 red sun looked from the edge of the 
 horizon. The cold was intolerable ; 
 I knew not how it had happened; 
 but the benumbing frost forced me 
 to accelerate my steps. I heard the 
 roar of distant waters ; another be- 
 wildered step, and I was on the ice- 
 borders of the ocean. Countless 
 herds of seals dashed splashing into 
 the stream. I followed the sea- 
 shore, and saw again naked rocks, 
 land, forests of birch and pine-trees. 
 I moved forwards for a few minutes — 
 it was burning hot ; around me were 
 richly-cultivated rice-fields under
 
 154 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 mulberry-trees, in whose shadow I 
 sat dowTi, and looking at my watch, 
 I found it not less than a quarter of 
 an hour since I left the village. I 
 fancied I was dreaming; I bit my 
 tongue to awake myself, and I was 
 aroused most thoroughly. I closed 
 my eyes in order to assemble my 
 thoughts. I heard strange nasal 
 sounds: I looked around; two Chi- 
 nese, whose Asiatic countenances 
 I could not mistake, were saluting 
 me according to the custom of their 
 country and in their own language ; 
 I arose and walked back two steps. 
 I saw them no longer, the landscape 
 was wholly changed ; trees and 
 woods had succeeded to the rice- 
 fields, T looked pensively on the 
 trees and plants which were bloom- 
 ing around me, and saw that they 
 were the productions of Southeastern 
 Asia. I went towards a tree, and
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 all was again changed. I walked 
 forwards like a drilled recruit, with 
 slow paces. Wonderful varieties of 
 countries, fields, meadows, moun- 
 tains, wastes, and sandy deserts 
 rolled along before my astounded 
 sight; doubtless I had the seven- 
 leagued boots on my legs. 
 
 I fell down on my knees in speech- 
 less devotion, and shed tears of grati- 
 tude. My future destiny seemed 
 bright in my soul. vShut out from 
 human society by my early guilt, 
 -Nature, which I had ever loved, 
 was given me for my enjoyment, 
 spread out like a rich garden before 
 me, an object of study for the guide 
 and strength of my life, of which 
 science was to be the end. It was
 
 156 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 no decision of my own. What then 
 appeared bright and perfect in my 
 inner thoughts I have since en- 
 deavoured to describe with calm, 
 earnest, unremitting diligence, and 
 my happiness has depended on the 
 intensity of my recollections. 
 
 I rose up hastily, in order that by 
 a rapid survey I might take posses- 
 sion of the field in which I wished 
 to make my harvest. I stood upon 
 the mountains of Thibet, and the 
 sun, which had risen a few hours 
 before, was now sinking in the even- 
 ing sky. I journeyed from the east 
 towards the west of Asia, overtaking 
 the sun in his progress, and passed 
 the boundaries of Africa. I looked 
 round with great curiosity, and 
 crossed it in all directions. As I 
 glanced over the old pyramids and 
 temples of Egypt, I observed in the 
 deserts near the hundred-gated
 
 SCHLEMTHL. 157 
 
 Thebes the caverns once occupied 
 by Christian anchorites ; instantly 
 it occurred impressively and dis- 
 tinctly to me, — there is thy abode. 
 I chose for my future dwelling one 
 of the most secret chambers, which 
 was at the same time roomy, con- 
 venient, and inaccessible to the 
 jackals, and moved forward with 
 my staff. 
 
 I passed into Europe by the Pil- 
 lars of Hercules, and after I had 
 taken a rapid survey of its southern 
 and northern provinces I hastened 
 to North Asia, and thence over 
 the polar glaciers to Greenland 
 and America. 1 rambled through 
 both parts of that continent, and 
 the winter, which had begun to 
 reign in the south, now drove me 
 quickly back northwards from Cape 
 Horn. 
 
 1 lingered till the day dawned in
 
 158 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 Eastern Asia, and after a short re- 
 pose again entered on my wander- 
 ings. I followed the chains of 
 mountains through the two Ameri- 
 cas, some of the highest elevations 
 known in our globe. I trod slowly 
 and prudently from height to height, 
 now over flaming volcanoes, and now 
 over snowy cupolas. I was often 
 almost breathless with weariness, 
 but I reached the Elias Mountain, 
 and sprung to Asia across liehring 
 .Strait. I pursued the western 
 coast along its numerous windings, 
 and endeavoured to ascertain by 
 special observation which of the 
 islands in the neighbourhood were 
 accessible to me. From the Malacca 
 i'eninsula my boots took me to 
 Sumatra, Java, Balli, and Lamboc. 
 I endeavoured, often with peril, and 
 always in vain, to find a northwest 
 passage over the inlets and the
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 159 
 
 rocks with which the ocean is 
 -Studded, to Borneo and the other 
 islands of the Eastern Archipelago ; 
 but I was obliged to abandon the 
 hope. I sat down at last on the 
 farthest verge of Lamboc, and turn- 
 ing my eyes to the south and east, 
 I wept as if within the grates of 
 a prison that I could proceed no 
 farther. New Holland,* that ex- 
 traordinary country so essentially 
 necessary to understanding the phi- 
 losophy of the earth and its sun- 
 embroidered dress, the vegetable 
 and the animal world, and the South 
 Sea with its zoophyte islands, were 
 interdicted to me; and thus every- 
 thing on which I would have gathered 
 together and erected my hopes, was 
 condemned to be left a mere frag- 
 ment, even in its very origin. O 
 
 * Australia.
 
 l6o SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 my Adalbert, such is the reward 
 for all the labours of man ! 
 
 In the coldest winter of the south- 
 ern hemisphere I have stood on 
 Cape Horn, meditating on the two 
 hundred paces or thereabouts, which 
 divided me from New Holland and 
 Van Diemen's Land, careless about 
 the means of returning, and indif- 
 ferent even though that strange land 
 should lie over me like the cover of 
 my bier. I attempted to cross the 
 polar glaciers towards the west, and 
 with foolishly daring yet despond- 
 ing steps to pass upon the floating 
 ice, braving the frost and the waves. 
 In vain, — I have never yet been in 
 New Holland. I returned again to 
 Lamboc ; again I sat myself on the 
 outer verge, my face turned to the 
 south and east, and wept again, as 
 if at the fast-closed iron window of 
 my prison.
 
 SCHLEMIHL. i6t 
 
 I rose up at last from this spot, 
 and with a dejected heart jour- 
 neyed to the interior of Asia. I 
 hastened onwards, perceiving the 
 daybreak towards the west, and 
 at night reached my before-de- 
 scribed abode in Thebes, which I 
 had just looked into the previous 
 afternoon. 
 
 As soon as I had taken some re- 
 pose, and the day had dawned upon 
 Europe, my first care was to pro- 
 vide for my necessities. First, stop- 
 shoes; for I had discovered that, 
 however inconvenient it might be, 
 there was no way of shortening my 
 pace in order to move conveniently 
 in my immediate neighliourhood ex- 
 cept by drawing off my boots. A pair 
 of slippers, however, produced the 
 wished-for effect ; and henceforward 
 I always took care to be provided 
 with a couple of pair, as I often
 
 l62 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 threw one pair away if I had not 
 time to lay hold of them, when the 
 approach of lions, men, or hyaenas 
 interrupted my botanizing. My ex- 
 cellent watch was an admirable 
 chronometer to me for the short 
 period of my peregrinations; but I 
 required a sextant, some philosoph- 
 ical instruments, and books. 
 
 In order to obtain all these things, 
 I made some tedious journeys to 
 London and Paris, which were 
 both overshadowed by friendly 
 fogs. As I had exhausted the re- 
 mainder of my magic gold, I 
 brought with me for the purposes 
 of payment some African elephants' 
 teeth, which I easily obtained, 
 though I was obliged to choose the 
 smallest among them, that they 
 might not be too much for my 
 strength. I was soon supplied and 
 stocked with everything I required,
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 163 
 
 and began my new mode of life as 
 a retired philosopher 
 
 I journeyed over the east, now 
 measuring its mountains, now the 
 temperature of its streams and of 
 its air, now observing its animals, 
 now examining its plants. I hastened 
 from the equator to the pole, from 
 one world to another, comparing 
 experience \Aith experience. The 
 eggs of the African ostrich, or the 
 northern sea-fowl, and fruits, espe- 
 cially tropical palms and bananas, 
 were my usual refreshments. In- 
 stead of my departed fortune I en- 
 joyed my Nicotiana ; it served instead 
 of the good opinion of mankind. 
 And then as to my affections: I had 
 a love of a little dog, that watched 
 my Theban cave, and when I re- 
 turned to it laden with new trea- 
 sures, it sprang forwards to meet me, 
 making me feel the spirit of humanity
 
 1 64 
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 within me, and that I was not quite 
 alone on the earth. But, notwith- 
 standing this, calamity was yet to 
 drive me back to the haunts of 
 men.
 
 '^ 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 /^XCE, being on the northern 
 coast, having drawn on my 
 boots while I was gathering together 
 my straggling plants and seaweeds, 
 a white bear approached unawares 
 the verge of the rock on which I 
 stood. I wished to throw off my 
 slippers and move off to an adjacent 
 island, which T expected to reach
 
 l66 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 over a rock whose head towered 
 above the waves. With one foot I 
 reached the rock ; I stretched out 
 the other, and fell mto the sea ; I 
 had not observed that my foot was 
 only half -released from the slipper. 
 
 Overpowered by the tremendous 
 cold, I had the greatest difficulty in 
 rescuing my life from this peril ; but 
 as soon as I reached the land, I 
 hurried off to the wastes of Libya 
 to dry myself there in the sun. I 
 had, however, scarcely set out ere 
 the burning heat so oppressed my 
 head that I reeled back again to 
 the north very ill. I sought relief 
 in rapid movements ; and with un- 
 certain and hurried steps I hastened 
 from the west to the east and from 
 the east to the west. I placed my- 
 self in the most rapid vicissitudes of 
 day and night ; now in the heats of 
 summer, and now in the mnter's 
 cold.
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 167 
 
 I know not how long T thus wan- 
 dered over the earth. A burning 
 fever glowed through my veins, and 
 with dreadful agony I perceived my 
 intellect abandoning me. Misfor- 
 tune would have it that I should 
 carelessly tread on a traveller's heel ; 
 I must have hurt him, for I received 
 a violent blow ; I staggered and fell 
 
 When I recovered my senses I 
 was comfortably stretched on an 
 excellent bed, which stood among 
 many others in a roomy and hand- 
 some apartment. Somebody was 
 sitting near my pillow; many per- 
 sons passed through the hall, going 
 from one bed to another. They 
 stood before mine, and I was the 
 subject of their conversation. They 
 called me A^wnber Twelve ; and on 
 the wall at the foot of my bed that 
 number certainly stood. It was no 
 illusion, for I could read it most dis-
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 tinctly. There was a black marble 
 slab, on which was inscribed in large 
 golden letters my name, 
 
 litttx Sdjlnntf)!, 
 
 quite correctly written. On the 
 slab, and under my name, were two 
 lines of letters ; but I was too weak 
 to connect them, and closed my eyes 
 again. 
 
 I heard something of which Peter 
 Schlemihl was the subject, loudly 
 and distinctly uttered, but I could 
 not collect the meaning. I saw a 
 friendly man and a beautiful woman 
 in black apparel, standing before my 
 bed. Their forms were not strangers 
 to me, though I could not recognize 
 them. 
 
 Some time passed by, and I grad- 
 ually gathered strength. I was 
 called Xo. 12; and No. 12, by virtue 
 of his long l:>eard, passed off for a
 
 SCHLEMIHL. I69 
 
 Jew, but was not the less attended 
 toon that account. Xobody seemed 
 to notice that he had no shadow. 
 My boots were, as I was assured, to 
 be found, with everything else that 
 had been discovered with me, in 
 good and safe keeping, and ready 
 to be delivered to me on my re- 
 covery. The place in which I lay 
 ill was called the Schlemihlium : and 
 there was a daily exhortation to 
 pray for Peter Schlemihl, as the 
 founder and benefactor of the hos- 
 pital. The friendly man whom I 
 had seen at my bedside was Bendel ; 
 the lovely woman was Mina. 
 
 I lived peaceably in the ScJile- 
 inihliiwi, quite unknown ; but I dis- 
 covered that I was in Bendel's 
 native place, and that he had built 
 this hospital with the remainder of 
 my once unhallowed gold. The un- 
 fortunate l)lessed me daily, for he
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 had built it in ray name, and con- 
 ducted it wholly under his owti in- 
 spection. Mina was a widow; an 
 unlucky criminal process had cost 
 Mr. Rascal his life, and taken from 
 her the greater part of her property. 
 Her parents were no more. She 
 dwelt here like a pious widow, and 
 dedicated herself to works of 
 charity. 
 
 She was once conversing with Mr. 
 Bendel near the bed No. 12. " Why, 
 noble woman, expose yourself to the 
 bad air which is so prevalent here ? 
 Is your fate then so dreary that you 
 long for death?" "No, Mr. Ben- 
 del ; since I have dreamt out my 
 long dreams, and my inner self was 
 awakened, all is well, — death is the 
 object of neither my hopes nor my 
 fears. Since then, I think calmly 
 of the past and of the future. And 
 you — do you not yet serve your
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 master and friend in this godlike 
 manner, with sweet and silent satis- 
 faction ? " " Yes, noble woman — 
 God be praised ! Ours has been a 
 marvellous destiny. From our full 
 cup we have thoughtlessly drunk 
 much joy and much bitter sorrow : 
 't is empty now. Hitherto we have 
 had only a trial ; now, with prudent 
 solicitude, we wait for the real intro- 
 duction to substantial things. Far 
 different is the true beginning ; but 
 who would play over again the early 
 game of life, though it is a blessing, 
 on the whole, to have lived ? I am 
 supported by the conviction that 
 our old friend is ])etter provided for 
 now than then." " T feel it too," 
 answered the lovely widow ; and 
 they left me. 
 
 This conversation had produced 
 a deep impression within me ; but 
 I doubted in niv mind if T should
 
 172 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 discover myself, or set out unknown 
 from the place. I decided, how- 
 ever ; I ordered paper and pencil to 
 be brought to me, and wrote these 
 words : — 
 
 " Your old friend, too, is better 
 provided for than formerly; and if 
 he do penance, it is the penance of 
 reconciliation." 
 
 On this, finding myself better, I 
 desired to dress myself. The keys 
 were deposited on the little trunk 
 which stood close to my bed. I 
 found in it everything that belonged 
 to me. I put on my clothes, and 
 hung over my black coat my botan- 
 ical case, where I found again, with 
 transport, my northern plants I 
 drew on my boots, laid the note 
 which I had written on my bed, and 
 when the door opened was far on 
 my way towards Thebes. 
 
 A long time ago, as I was tracing
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 173 
 
 back my way homewards along the 
 Syrian coast, the last time I had 
 wandered from my dwelling, I saw 
 my poor Figaro approaching me. 
 This charming spaniel seemed to 
 wish to follow the steps of his mas- 
 ter, for whom he must have so long 
 waited. I stood still, and called him 
 to me. He sprang barking towards 
 me, with a thousand expressions of 
 his innocent and extravagant joy. 
 I took him under my arm, for, in 
 truth, he could not follow me, and 
 brought him with me safely home. 
 
 I found everything thus in order, 
 and returned again, as my strength 
 returned, to my former engagements 
 and habits of life. And now for a 
 whole twelvemonth I have refrained 
 from exposing myself to the un- 
 bearable winter's cold. 
 
 And thus, my beloved Chamisso, 
 — thus do I yet live. My boots
 
 74 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 have not lost their virtues, as the 
 very learned tome of Tieckius, De 
 relnis gestis Pollicilli, gave me reason 
 to apprehend. Their power is un- 
 broken : but my strength is failing, 
 though I have confidence I have 
 applied them to their end, and not 
 fruitlessly. I have learned more 
 profoundly than any man before me 
 everything respecting the earth : its 
 figure, heights, temperature ; its at- 
 mosphere in all its changes ; the 
 appearance of its magnetic strength ; 
 its productions, especially of the 
 vegetable world, — all in every part 
 whither my boots would carry me. 
 I have published the facts, clearly 
 arranged with all possible accuracy, 
 in different works, with my ideas 
 and conclusions set down in various 
 treatises. I have established the 
 geography of interior Africa and of 
 the North Pole, of central Asia and
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 175 
 
 its eastern coasts. My Historia 
 Stirpiutn Pliuitarum titriusqtie Orbis 
 has appeared, being but a large 
 fragment of my Flora universalis 
 TerrcE and a companion to my 
 Systenia Natures. In that I believe 
 I have not only increased the num- 
 ber of known species more than a 
 third (moderately speaking), but 
 have thrown some light on the gen- 
 eral system of nature and the geog- 
 raphy of plants. I am now busily 
 engaged with my Fauna. I will 
 take care before my death that my 
 MSS. be disposed in the Berlyi 
 university. 
 
 And you, my beloved Chamisso, 
 you have I chosen for the keeper 
 of my marvellous history, which, 
 when I shall have vanished from 
 the earth, may tend to the improve- 
 ment of many of its inhabitants. 
 But, my friend, while you live among
 
 176 
 
 SCHLEMIHL. 
 
 mankind, learn above all things fir.st 
 to reverence your shadow, and next 
 your money. If you will only live 
 for Chamisso and his better self, 
 you need no counsel of mine.
 
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