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 lauding 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
metaphysics, from whence the word was to emanate which should solve all
mysteries. He developed his theme with great distinctness, and led
forward to its deductions.
You know very well that I have often confessed, since I drove through the
school of philosophy, that I do not consider myself as by any means
calculated for philosophical 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 forward in my own road as far as I
was able. 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 own absolute necessity.
Then I missed in the edifice what I particularly sought; and it was to me
merely a piece of art, whose completeness and decorations served only to
delight the eye; but I listened 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
possession of my soul as well as of my understanding.
In the mean while 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 without allowing me to utter a word, began:
"Let us then, as is the custom of the world, unite our different
advantages for a while! we have always time to separate. The road along-
side the mountain, if you have not already thought about it, is the only
one which you can prudently take. You dare not descend into the valley;
and over the hill you will hardly think of returning as it would lead you
whence you came; and the road in which you are is just mine. I see the
uprising sun makes you look pale; I will lend you your shadow while we
remain together, and this may induce you to bear my being near to you.
Your Bendel is no longer with you, but I will do you good service. You
do not love me: I am sorry for it; but you may make use of me
notwithstanding. The devil is not so black as he is represented.
Yesterday, you vexed me, 'tis true, but I will bear you no grudge to-day.
I have shortened your way thus far, as you must yourself confess; now
take your shadow on trial again."
The sun had arisen; travellers were approaching us on the road, and in
spite of an internal repugnance, I accepted his offer. He smiled, and
let my shadow fall on the ground; it took its station upon that of my
horse, and cheerfully moved forward. My mind was in a strange mood. I
rode by a body of country people, who were respectfully making room with
their heads uncovered as for a wealthy-looking man. I rode farther, and
looked aside 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.
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 owner. 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: likely enough--and you are only to blame for not having earlier
looked into the matter."
I continued my journey on the same road as before. I possessed all the
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 reverence which wealth commands; but death was at
my heart. My marvellous 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 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 eloquence 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 I 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 cave, which the travellers who had to
cross the mountain were accustomed 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, with a luxuriant fancy,
and in the glowing 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 supported 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.
"You seem to forget, good sir, that I have allowed you to remain in my
company only on certain conditions, and that I retained for myself my
unrestrained liberty."--"If you order me, I shall move off:" the threat
was one to which he was accustomed.--I ceased: he sat himself quietly
down, and began to roll up my shadow. I grew pale, but I stood dumb
while he did so. There was a long silence. He thus broke it:
"You cannot endure me, sir! you hate me--I know it: but why do you hate
me? Is it because, when you attacked me on the highway, you attempted to
steal my charm by force? or is it because you endeavoured fraudulently to
get possessed of my property, the shadow, which had been confided to your
simple honour? For myself, I do 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
liking? 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 me; but
to get rid of my perplexing presence altogether for the future, I will
give you a piece of advice--buy the thing of me!" I held out the purse
to him. "At the price?"--"No!"--I sighed deeply, and began again.--"Well,
then, I insist upon it, we must part,--do not stop up my way any longer
in a world which is wide enough for both of us." He smiled, and
replied:--"I go, sir; but 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. Everybody 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 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 always 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 lips trembled with the
dreadful words: "_Justo judicio Dei judicatus sum_; _justo judicio Dei
condemnatus sum_." 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
behind the dark masses of rock which surrounded that wild and savage
place.