WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.240 --> 00:00:06.639 Chapter one of the Wonderful History of Peter Schlimil by 2 00:00:07.120 --> 00:00:14.080 Adelbert von Camisso, translated by Frederic H. Hedge. This is 3 00:00:14.119 --> 00:00:18.960 a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. 4 00:00:19.559 --> 00:00:24.440 For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. 5 00:00:25.440 --> 00:00:31.320 Read by Christoph Stengenberg. The Wonderful History of Peter Schlimil 6 00:00:32.079 --> 00:00:41.320 by Adelbert von Camisso, translated by Frederic H. Hedge. Chapter one. 7 00:00:41.759 --> 00:00:45.759 After a fortunate but for me very troublesome voyage, we 8 00:00:45.920 --> 00:00:50.640 finally reached the port the instant that I touched land 9 00:00:50.679 --> 00:00:54.320 in the boat, I loaded myself with my few effects, and, 10 00:00:54.679 --> 00:00:58.159 passing through the swarming people, I entered the first and 11 00:00:58.280 --> 00:01:02.039 most modest house, before which I saw a sign hang. 12 00:01:02.719 --> 00:01:06.439 I requested a room. The boots measured me with a 13 00:01:06.439 --> 00:01:10.359 look and conducted me into the garret. I caused fresh 14 00:01:10.400 --> 00:01:13.719 water to be brought and made him exactly described to 15 00:01:13.799 --> 00:01:18.319 me where I should find mister Thomas John. He replied 16 00:01:18.359 --> 00:01:22.319 to my inquiry before the north gate. The first country 17 00:01:22.319 --> 00:01:25.200 house on the right hand, a large new house of 18 00:01:25.239 --> 00:01:30.280 red and white marble with many columns. Good. It was 19 00:01:30.319 --> 00:01:33.000 still early in the day. I opened at once. My 20 00:01:33.040 --> 00:01:37.400 bundle took thence my new black cloth coat, clad myself 21 00:01:37.439 --> 00:01:40.879 cleanly in my best apparel, put my letter of introduction 22 00:01:40.959 --> 00:01:44.000 into my pocket, and immediately set out on the way 23 00:01:44.040 --> 00:01:48.680 to the man who was to promote my modest expectations. 24 00:01:49.480 --> 00:01:52.879 When I had ascended the long North street and reached 25 00:01:52.920 --> 00:01:57.959 the gate, I soon saw the pillars glimmer through the foliage. Here, 26 00:01:58.000 --> 00:02:01.319 it is then thought I. I wiped the dust from 27 00:02:01.359 --> 00:02:05.079 my shoes with my pocket handkerchief, put my neckcloth in order, 28 00:02:05.239 --> 00:02:09.479 and in God's name, rung the bell. The door flew 29 00:02:09.599 --> 00:02:13.159 open in the hall, I had an examination to undergo. 30 00:02:13.560 --> 00:02:17.000 The porter, however, permitted me to be announced, and I 31 00:02:17.039 --> 00:02:20.240 had the honor to be called into the park where 32 00:02:20.240 --> 00:02:24.599 mister John was walking with the select party. I recognized 33 00:02:24.599 --> 00:02:27.360 the man at once by the luster of his corpulent 34 00:02:27.479 --> 00:02:32.080 self complacency. He received me very well, as a Richmond 35 00:02:32.120 --> 00:02:36.520 receives a poor devil. Even turned toward me without turning 36 00:02:36.560 --> 00:02:39.879 from the rest of the company, and took the offered 37 00:02:39.960 --> 00:02:44.800 letter from my hand. So so from my brother. I 38 00:02:44.840 --> 00:02:47.759 have heard nothing from him for a long time, but 39 00:02:48.159 --> 00:02:53.360 he is well. There, continued he, addressing the company without 40 00:02:53.400 --> 00:02:56.199 waiting for an answer, and pointing with the letter to 41 00:02:56.280 --> 00:02:59.919 a hill. There I am going to erect the new building. 42 00:03:00.680 --> 00:03:04.159 He broke the seal without breaking off the conversation, which 43 00:03:04.199 --> 00:03:08.120 turned upon riches. He that is not a master of 44 00:03:08.199 --> 00:03:12.719 a million, at least, he observed, is pardon me the 45 00:03:12.800 --> 00:03:18.199 word a wretch? Oh? How true, I exclaimed, with a 46 00:03:18.280 --> 00:03:23.159 rush of overflowing feeling that pleased him. He smiled at 47 00:03:23.199 --> 00:03:27.080 me and said, stay here, my good friend. In a 48 00:03:27.159 --> 00:03:29.639 while I shall perhaps have time to tell you what 49 00:03:29.680 --> 00:03:33.319 I think about this. He pointed to the letter, which 50 00:03:33.319 --> 00:03:36.520 he then thrust into his pocket, and turned again to 51 00:03:36.599 --> 00:03:39.919 the company. He offered his arm to a young lady. 52 00:03:40.280 --> 00:03:44.319 The other gentlemen addressed themselves to other fair ones. Each 53 00:03:44.599 --> 00:03:48.199 found what suited him, and all proceeded toward the rose 54 00:03:48.319 --> 00:03:54.639 blossomed mound. I slid into the rear without troubling anyone, 55 00:03:54.919 --> 00:03:58.719 for no one troubled himself any further about me. The 56 00:03:58.800 --> 00:04:04.759 company was excess lively. There were dallians and playfulness. Trifles 57 00:04:04.800 --> 00:04:09.360 were sometimes discussed with an important tone, but oftener important 58 00:04:09.439 --> 00:04:14.120 matters with levity, and especially pleasantly flew the wit over 59 00:04:14.280 --> 00:04:18.920 absent friends and their circumstances. I was too strange to 60 00:04:19.000 --> 00:04:22.879 understand much of all this, too anxious and introverted to 61 00:04:22.920 --> 00:04:27.639 take an interest in such riddles. We had reached the rosary. 62 00:04:28.720 --> 00:04:32.519 The lovely Fanny, the bell of the day, as it appeared, would, 63 00:04:32.720 --> 00:04:37.759 out of obstinacy, herself break off a blooming bow. She 64 00:04:37.920 --> 00:04:40.879 wounded herself on a thorn, and as if from the 65 00:04:41.000 --> 00:04:45.160 dark roses, flowed the purple on her tender hand. This 66 00:04:45.480 --> 00:04:49.839 circumstance put the whole party into a flutter. English plaster 67 00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:54.519 was sought for. A still thin, lanky, longish Oldish man, 68 00:04:54.600 --> 00:04:58.160 who stood near, and whom I had not hitherto remarked, 69 00:04:58.439 --> 00:05:02.199 put his hand instantly into the close lying breast pocket 70 00:05:02.279 --> 00:05:06.680 of his old French gray taffety coat, produced thens a 71 00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:10.480 little pocket book, opened it, and presented to the lady, 72 00:05:10.839 --> 00:05:15.920 with a profound obeisance the required article. She took it, 73 00:05:16.040 --> 00:05:19.480 without noticing the giver, and without thanks. The wound was 74 00:05:19.560 --> 00:05:22.439 bound up, and we went forward over the hill, from 75 00:05:22.480 --> 00:05:26.240 whose back the company could enjoy the white prospect, over 76 00:05:26.279 --> 00:05:29.879 the green labyrinth of the park to the boundless ocean. 77 00:05:31.199 --> 00:05:35.439 The view was in reality vast and splendid. A light 78 00:05:35.639 --> 00:05:38.800 point appeared on the horizon, between the dark flood and 79 00:05:38.839 --> 00:05:42.800 the blue of the heaven. A telescope here, cried John, 80 00:05:43.160 --> 00:05:46.519 And already before the servants who appeared at the call 81 00:05:46.600 --> 00:05:50.920 were in motion, the gray Man, modestly bowing, had thrust 82 00:05:50.959 --> 00:05:54.279 his hand into his coat pocket and drawn thence a 83 00:05:54.319 --> 00:05:59.439 beautiful dollund and handed it to John, bringing it immediately 84 00:05:59.519 --> 00:06:02.360 to his eye. The latter informed the company that it 85 00:06:02.480 --> 00:06:05.720 was the ship which went out yesterday and was detained 86 00:06:05.759 --> 00:06:10.639 in view of port by contrary winds. The telescope passed 87 00:06:10.639 --> 00:06:13.560 from hand to hand, but not again into that of 88 00:06:13.600 --> 00:06:18.040 its owner. I, however, gazed in wonder at the man, 89 00:06:18.439 --> 00:06:21.560 and could not conceive how the great machine had come 90 00:06:21.639 --> 00:06:24.519 out of the narrow pocket. But this seemed to have 91 00:06:24.560 --> 00:06:28.040 struck no one else, and nobody troubled himself any farther 92 00:06:28.199 --> 00:06:33.879 about the gray man than about myself. Refreshments were handed round, 93 00:06:34.279 --> 00:06:38.480 the choicest fruits of every zone in the costliest vessels. 94 00:06:39.040 --> 00:06:42.000 Mister John did the honors with the easy grace, and 95 00:06:42.079 --> 00:06:45.920 the second time addressed a word to me, help yourself. 96 00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:50.079 You have not had the like at sea. I bowed, 97 00:06:50.480 --> 00:06:53.279 but he saw it not. He was already speaking with 98 00:06:53.399 --> 00:06:57.439 some one else. The company would fain have reclined upon 99 00:06:57.519 --> 00:07:00.319 the sword on the slope of the hill opposite to 100 00:07:00.439 --> 00:07:04.399 the outstretched landscape, had they not feared the dampness of 101 00:07:04.480 --> 00:07:09.079 the earth. It were divine, observed one of the party, 102 00:07:09.360 --> 00:07:12.920 had we but a turkey carpet to spread here. The 103 00:07:12.959 --> 00:07:16.639 wish was scarcely expressed when the man in the gray 104 00:07:16.720 --> 00:07:20.000 coat had his hand in his pocket and was busied 105 00:07:20.560 --> 00:07:24.959 in drawing. Thence, with a modest and even humble deportment, 106 00:07:25.439 --> 00:07:30.920 a rich turkey carpet interwoven with gold. The servants received 107 00:07:30.920 --> 00:07:33.959 it as a matter of cause, and opened it on 108 00:07:34.040 --> 00:07:38.639 the required spot. The company, without ceremony, took their places 109 00:07:38.720 --> 00:07:42.560 upon it. For myself, I looked again in amazement on 110 00:07:42.680 --> 00:07:45.959 the man at the pocket, at the carpet, which measured 111 00:07:46.040 --> 00:07:50.360 above twenty paces long and ten in breadth, and rubbed 112 00:07:50.399 --> 00:07:53.800 my eyes, not knowing what to think of it, especially 113 00:07:53.879 --> 00:07:58.920 as nobody saw anything extraordinary in it. I would fain 114 00:07:59.040 --> 00:08:02.000 have had some ex nation regarding the man and have 115 00:08:02.199 --> 00:08:05.399 asked who he was, But I knew not to whom 116 00:08:05.439 --> 00:08:08.920 to address myself, for I was almost more afraid of 117 00:08:08.959 --> 00:08:13.560 the gentleman's servants than of the served gentleman. At length, 118 00:08:13.879 --> 00:08:17.120 I took courage and stepped up to a young man 119 00:08:17.160 --> 00:08:19.959 who appeared to me to be of less consideration than 120 00:08:20.000 --> 00:08:24.160 the rest, and who had often stood alone. I begged 121 00:08:24.199 --> 00:08:26.839 him softly to tell me who the agreeable man in 122 00:08:26.879 --> 00:08:31.560 the graycoat. There was he there, who looks like an 123 00:08:31.680 --> 00:08:35.879 end of threat that has escaped out of a tailor's needle. Yes, 124 00:08:36.240 --> 00:08:40.120 he who stands alone. I don't know him, he replied, And, 125 00:08:40.600 --> 00:08:43.440 as it seemed, in order to avoid a longer conversation 126 00:08:43.559 --> 00:08:47.279 with me, he turned away and spoke of indifferent matters 127 00:08:47.320 --> 00:08:51.720 to another. The sun began now to shine more powerfully, 128 00:08:52.120 --> 00:08:57.000 and to inconvenience the ladies. The lovely Fanny addressed carelessly 129 00:08:57.039 --> 00:08:59.720 to the gray man, whom, as far as I am aware, 130 00:09:00.080 --> 00:09:03.480 no one had yet spoken to the trifling question whether 131 00:09:03.559 --> 00:09:07.480 he had not perchance also a tent by him? He 132 00:09:07.600 --> 00:09:11.440 answered her by an obeisance most profound, as if an 133 00:09:11.519 --> 00:09:14.919 unmerited honor were done him, and had already his hand 134 00:09:14.960 --> 00:09:21.200 in his pocket, out of which I saw come canvas, poles, cordage, ironwork, 135 00:09:21.360 --> 00:09:25.200 in short, everything which belongs to the most splendid pleasure tent. 136 00:09:26.200 --> 00:09:29.960 The young gentleman helped to expand it, and it covered 137 00:09:30.039 --> 00:09:33.480 the whole extent of the carpet, and nobody found anything 138 00:09:33.559 --> 00:09:39.360 remarkable in it. I had already become uneasy, nay horrified 139 00:09:39.480 --> 00:09:44.000 at heart, but how completely so, as at the very 140 00:09:44.080 --> 00:09:47.320 next wish expressed I saw him yet pull out of 141 00:09:47.360 --> 00:09:52.639 his pocket three roadsters. I tell THEE, three beautiful, great 142 00:09:52.720 --> 00:09:59.720 black horses with saddle and caparison. Bethink THEE, for God's sake, 143 00:10:00.360 --> 00:10:04.240 three saddled horses, still out of the same pocket, from 144 00:10:04.320 --> 00:10:08.639 which already a pocket book, a telescope, an embroidered carpet, 145 00:10:08.720 --> 00:10:12.399 twenty paces long and ten broad, a pleasure tent of 146 00:10:12.519 --> 00:10:16.720 equal dimensions, and all the requisite poles and irons had 147 00:10:16.759 --> 00:10:20.159 come forth. If I did not protest to THEE that 148 00:10:20.279 --> 00:10:23.840 I saw it myself with my own eyes, thou couldst 149 00:10:24.000 --> 00:10:29.399 not possibly believe it. Embarrassed and obsequious as the man 150 00:10:29.480 --> 00:10:33.080 himself appeared to be, little as was the attention which 151 00:10:33.120 --> 00:10:37.240 had been bestowed upon him, Yet to me his grisly aspect, 152 00:10:37.519 --> 00:10:40.759 from which I could not turn my eyes became so 153 00:10:41.000 --> 00:10:45.919 fearful that I could bear it no longer. I resolved 154 00:10:46.120 --> 00:10:49.799 to steal away from the company which from the insignificant 155 00:10:49.919 --> 00:10:53.120 part I played in it seemed to me an easy affair. 156 00:10:53.440 --> 00:10:56.360 I proposed to myself to return to the city to 157 00:10:56.399 --> 00:10:58.960 try my luck again on the morrow with mister John, 158 00:10:59.279 --> 00:11:02.440 and if I could muster the necessary courage to question 159 00:11:02.639 --> 00:11:07.000 him about the singular gray man. Had I only had 160 00:11:07.039 --> 00:11:11.679 the good fortune to escape so well. I had already 161 00:11:11.759 --> 00:11:16.440 actually succeeded in stealing through the rosary, and in descending 162 00:11:16.480 --> 00:11:19.240 the hill, found myself on a piece of lawn. When 163 00:11:19.639 --> 00:11:22.720 fearing to be encountered in crossing the grass out of 164 00:11:22.840 --> 00:11:27.159 the path, I cast an inquiring glance round me. What 165 00:11:27.440 --> 00:11:29.759 was my terror to behold the man in the gray 166 00:11:29.799 --> 00:11:34.639 coat behind me and making toward me. In the next moment, 167 00:11:34.720 --> 00:11:37.480 he took off his hat before me and bowed so 168 00:11:37.679 --> 00:11:39.960 low as no one had ever yet done to me. 169 00:11:40.840 --> 00:11:44.080 There was no doubt but that he wished to address me, 170 00:11:44.399 --> 00:11:48.320 and without being rude, I could not prevent it. I 171 00:11:48.399 --> 00:11:52.480 also took off my hat, bowed also, and stood there 172 00:11:52.480 --> 00:11:55.240 in the sun with bare head, as if rooted to 173 00:11:55.320 --> 00:11:58.279 the ground. I stared at him full of terror, and 174 00:11:58.480 --> 00:12:01.200 was like a bird which is served and has fascinated. 175 00:12:01.840 --> 00:12:05.720 He himself appeared very much embarrassed, he raised not his 176 00:12:05.840 --> 00:12:10.799 eyes again both repeatedly, drew nearer and addressed me with 177 00:12:10.879 --> 00:12:15.399 a soft, tremulous voice, almost in a tone of supplication. 178 00:12:18.080 --> 00:12:21.720 May I hope, sir, that you will pardon my boldness 179 00:12:21.759 --> 00:12:25.360 in venturing in so unusual a manner to approach you, 180 00:12:25.840 --> 00:12:30.919 But I would ask a favor, permit me most condescendingly. 181 00:12:31.960 --> 00:12:35.519 But in God's name, exclaimed I, in my trepidation. What 182 00:12:35.639 --> 00:12:38.720 can I do for a man who we both started and, 183 00:12:39.159 --> 00:12:43.679 as I believe, reddened. After a moment's silence, he again 184 00:12:43.840 --> 00:12:47.919 resumed during the short time that I had the happiness 185 00:12:47.960 --> 00:12:51.559 to find myself near you. I have, sir, many times. 186 00:12:51.960 --> 00:12:55.519 Allow me to say it to you, really contemplated with 187 00:12:55.720 --> 00:13:01.960 inexpressible admiration, the beautiful, beautiful shadow, which, as it were, 188 00:13:02.279 --> 00:13:06.960 with a certain noble disdain, and without yourself remarking it, 189 00:13:07.360 --> 00:13:12.159 you cast from you in the sunshine, the noble shadow 190 00:13:12.279 --> 00:13:16.399 at your feet. There, pardon me the bold supposition, but 191 00:13:16.960 --> 00:13:20.519 possibly you might not be indisposed to make the shadow 192 00:13:20.600 --> 00:13:25.080 over to me. He was silent, and the mill wheel 193 00:13:25.200 --> 00:13:29.720 seemed to whirl around in my head. What was I 194 00:13:29.840 --> 00:13:33.600 to make of this singular proposition to sell my own shadow. 195 00:13:34.440 --> 00:13:37.519 He must be mad, thought I, and with an altered 196 00:13:37.639 --> 00:13:41.799 tone which was more assimilated to that of his own humility, 197 00:13:42.120 --> 00:13:46.279 I answered, thus, ha, ha, good friend, have not you 198 00:13:46.440 --> 00:13:49.320 then enough of your own shadow? I take this for 199 00:13:49.399 --> 00:13:54.360 a business of a very singular sort, he hastily interrupted me. 200 00:13:55.159 --> 00:13:58.360 I have many things in my pocket, which, sir, might 201 00:13:58.519 --> 00:14:02.600 not appear worthless to you, And for this inestimable shadow, 202 00:14:02.919 --> 00:14:07.679 I hold the very highest price too small. It struck 203 00:14:07.759 --> 00:14:10.919 cold through me again, as I was reminded of the pocket. 204 00:14:11.240 --> 00:14:14.000 I knew not how I could have called him good friend. 205 00:14:14.320 --> 00:14:18.240 I resumed the conversation and sought, if possible, to set 206 00:14:18.240 --> 00:14:23.559 all right again by excessive politeness. But sir, pardon your 207 00:14:23.679 --> 00:14:27.279 most humble servant, I do not understand your meaning. How 208 00:14:27.320 --> 00:14:32.200 indeed could my shadow? He interrupted me. I beg your permission, 209 00:14:32.279 --> 00:14:34.840 only here on the spot, to be allowed to take 210 00:14:34.960 --> 00:14:37.600 up this noble shadow and put it in my pocket. 211 00:14:38.039 --> 00:14:41.000 How I shall do that? Be my care? On the 212 00:14:41.039 --> 00:14:44.759 other hand, as a testimony of my grateful acknowledgment to you, 213 00:14:45.159 --> 00:14:48.000 I give you the choice of all the treasures which 214 00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:51.759 I carry in my pocket, the genuine spring root, the 215 00:14:51.799 --> 00:14:56.000 mandrake root, the change penny, the rob dollar, the napkin 216 00:14:56.120 --> 00:14:59.919 of Rowland's page, a mandrake man at your own prime. 217 00:15:00.840 --> 00:15:05.440 But these probably don't interest you. Rather, Fortunatus wishing cap, 218 00:15:05.639 --> 00:15:09.320 newly and stoutly repaired, and a lucky bag such as 219 00:15:09.360 --> 00:15:14.960 he had, the lucky purse of Fortunatus, I exclaimed, interrupting him. 220 00:15:15.240 --> 00:15:18.720 And great as my anxiety was, with that one word, 221 00:15:18.799 --> 00:15:22.720 he had taken my whole mind captive. A dizziness seized me, 222 00:15:23.039 --> 00:15:28.120 and double du cards seemed to glitter before my eyes. Ahnd, sir, 223 00:15:28.399 --> 00:15:30.600 will you do me the favor to view and to 224 00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:34.600 make trial of this purse. He thrust his hand into 225 00:15:34.639 --> 00:15:38.919 his pocket and drew out a tolerably large, well sued 226 00:15:39.039 --> 00:15:44.240 purse of stout cordorn leather with two strong strings, and 227 00:15:44.320 --> 00:15:47.159 handed it to me. I plunged my hand into it 228 00:15:47.559 --> 00:15:51.440 and drew out ten gold pieces, and again ten, and 229 00:15:51.480 --> 00:15:55.679 again ten, and again ten. I extended him eagerly, my 230 00:15:55.799 --> 00:15:59.679 hand agreed. The business is done. For the purse, you 231 00:15:59.759 --> 00:16:05.720 have my shadow, He closed with me, kneeled instantly down 232 00:16:05.759 --> 00:16:10.399 before me, and I beheld him with an admirable dexterity, 233 00:16:10.759 --> 00:16:14.559 gently loosen my shadow from top to toe from the grass, 234 00:16:15.159 --> 00:16:20.120 lift it up, roll it together, fold it, and finally 235 00:16:20.559 --> 00:16:25.879 pocket it. He arose, made me another obeisance, and retreated 236 00:16:26.039 --> 00:16:29.720 toward the rosary. I fancied that I heard him there 237 00:16:29.759 --> 00:16:33.480 softly laughing to himself. But I held the purse fast 238 00:16:33.519 --> 00:16:37.519 by the strings. All round me lay the clear sunshine, 239 00:16:37.960 --> 00:16:44.960 and within me was yet no power of reflection. End 240 00:16:45.080 --> 00:16:54.879 of chapter one Chapter two of The Wonderful History of 241 00:16:55.000 --> 00:17:03.279 Peter Schlimil by Adelbert von Camisso translated by Frederick H. Hedge. 242 00:17:03.480 --> 00:17:11.160 This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter two. 243 00:17:11.279 --> 00:17:14.519 At length, I came to myself and hastened to quit 244 00:17:14.640 --> 00:17:17.880 the place where I had nothing more to expect. In 245 00:17:17.920 --> 00:17:21.440 the first place, I filled my pockets with gold. Then 246 00:17:21.599 --> 00:17:24.640 I secured the strings of the purse fast round my neck, 247 00:17:24.960 --> 00:17:29.599 and concealed the purse itself in my bosom. I passed 248 00:17:29.680 --> 00:17:34.160 unobserved out of the park, reached the highway, and took 249 00:17:34.200 --> 00:17:38.200 the road to the city. As sunk in thought, I 250 00:17:38.279 --> 00:17:43.799 approached the gate, I heard a cry behind me, Young gentlemen, Eh, 251 00:17:44.039 --> 00:17:47.960 young gentlemen, hear you. I looked round. An old woman 252 00:17:48.279 --> 00:17:52.119 called after me. Do take care, sir, you have lost 253 00:17:52.160 --> 00:17:55.960 your shadow. Thank you, good mother. I threw her a 254 00:17:56.000 --> 00:17:59.559 gold piece for her well meant information, and stopped under 255 00:17:59.599 --> 00:18:04.640 the tree at the city gate. I was compelled to 256 00:18:04.720 --> 00:18:08.720 hear again from the sentinel, where has the gentleman left 257 00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:13.640 his shadow? And immediately again from some women Jesus Maria, 258 00:18:14.039 --> 00:18:18.640 the poor fellow has no shadow? That began to irritate me, 259 00:18:18.920 --> 00:18:22.119 and I became especially careful not to walk in the sun. 260 00:18:22.920 --> 00:18:27.480 This could not, however, be accomplished everywhere, for instance, over 261 00:18:27.519 --> 00:18:31.720 the broad street which a next must cross. Actually, as 262 00:18:31.839 --> 00:18:34.880 mischief would have it, at the very moment that the 263 00:18:34.920 --> 00:18:39.920 boys came out of school, a cursed hunchbacked rogue I 264 00:18:39.960 --> 00:18:43.559 see him, yet spied out instantly that I had no shadow. 265 00:18:43.920 --> 00:18:46.720 He proclaimed the fact with a loud outcry to the 266 00:18:46.759 --> 00:18:50.759 whole assembled literary street youth of the suburb, who began 267 00:18:50.880 --> 00:18:54.640 forthwith to criticize me and to pelt me with mud. 268 00:18:55.880 --> 00:18:58.960 Decent people are accustomed to take their shadows with them 269 00:18:59.119 --> 00:19:02.880 when they go into the sunshine. To defend myself from them, 270 00:19:03.079 --> 00:19:07.039 I threw whole handfuls of gold amongst them, and sprang 271 00:19:07.079 --> 00:19:11.160 into a hackney coach, which some compassionate soul procured for me. 272 00:19:12.599 --> 00:19:15.920 As soon as I found myself alone in the rolling carriage, 273 00:19:16.039 --> 00:19:20.480 I began to weep bitterly. The presentiment must already have 274 00:19:20.559 --> 00:19:24.519 arisen in me, that far as gold on earth transcends 275 00:19:24.559 --> 00:19:28.759 in estimation, merit and virtue, so much higher than gold 276 00:19:28.839 --> 00:19:32.839 itself is the shadow valued. And as I had earlier 277 00:19:32.920 --> 00:19:37.599 sacrificed wealth to conscience, I had now thrown away the 278 00:19:37.720 --> 00:19:41.960 shadow for mere gold. What in the world could and 279 00:19:42.160 --> 00:19:47.000 would become of me? I was still greatly discomposed. As 280 00:19:47.000 --> 00:19:50.920 the carriage stopped before my old inn. I was horrified 281 00:19:50.920 --> 00:19:54.119 that the bare idea of entering that wretched cock loft. 282 00:19:54.440 --> 00:19:57.720 I ordered my things to be brought down, received my 283 00:19:57.839 --> 00:20:01.799 miserable bundle with contempt, threw down some gold pieces, and 284 00:20:02.000 --> 00:20:05.160 ordered the coachman to drive to the most fashionable hotel. 285 00:20:05.920 --> 00:20:08.559 The house faced the north, and I had not the 286 00:20:08.599 --> 00:20:12.519 sun to fear. I dismissed the driver with gold, caused 287 00:20:12.559 --> 00:20:15.200 the best front rooms to be assigned to me, and 288 00:20:15.240 --> 00:20:18.279 shut myself up in them as quickly as I could. 289 00:20:19.839 --> 00:20:24.680 What thinketh do I now began, Oh, my dear Camissau. 290 00:20:25.119 --> 00:20:29.480 To confess it even to thee makes me blush. I 291 00:20:29.599 --> 00:20:32.279 drew the unlucky purse from my bosom, and with a 292 00:20:32.400 --> 00:20:36.759 kind of rage which like a rushing conflagration, grew in 293 00:20:36.839 --> 00:20:41.720 me with a self increasing growth, I extracted gold, and gold, 294 00:20:42.000 --> 00:20:45.119 and gold and even more gold, and strewed it on 295 00:20:45.240 --> 00:20:49.720 the floor, and strode amongst it, and made it ring again, 296 00:20:49.920 --> 00:20:53.200 and feeding my poor heart on the splendor, and the 297 00:20:53.240 --> 00:20:58.079 sound flung continually more metal to metal, till in my 298 00:20:58.200 --> 00:21:03.160 weariness I sank down on the rich heap, and rioting thereon, 299 00:21:03.599 --> 00:21:08.279 rolled and reveled upon it. So passed the day. The 300 00:21:08.400 --> 00:21:12.519 evening I opened not my door. The night found me 301 00:21:12.720 --> 00:21:17.839 lying on my gold, and then sleep overcame me. I 302 00:21:17.960 --> 00:21:21.720 dreamt of THEE. I seemed to stand behind the glass 303 00:21:21.759 --> 00:21:24.680 door of thy little room, and to see THEE sitting 304 00:21:24.720 --> 00:21:27.720 there at thy work table, between a skeleton and a 305 00:21:27.759 --> 00:21:33.160 bundle of dried plants. Before THEE lay open, holla, humboled, 306 00:21:33.519 --> 00:21:37.839 and linaus on thy sofa, a volume of Gerte and 307 00:21:37.920 --> 00:21:42.519 the magic ring. I regarded THEE long and everything in 308 00:21:42.599 --> 00:21:46.640 thy room, and then THEE again. Thou didst not move, 309 00:21:47.400 --> 00:21:54.319 Thou drewest no breath, Thou wert dead. I awoke. It 310 00:21:54.359 --> 00:21:57.960 appeared still to be very early. My watch stood. I 311 00:21:58.119 --> 00:22:02.680 was sore all over, and hurry too. I had taken 312 00:22:02.759 --> 00:22:07.200 nothing since the morning before. I pushed from me with 313 00:22:07.319 --> 00:22:10.640 loathing and indignation. The gold on which I had before 314 00:22:10.799 --> 00:22:14.519 sated my foolish heart. In my vexation, I knew not 315 00:22:14.720 --> 00:22:17.559 what I should do with it. It must not lie there. 316 00:22:18.000 --> 00:22:22.400 I tried whether the purse would swallow it again, but no, 317 00:22:22.400 --> 00:22:25.599 none of my windows opened upon the sea. I found 318 00:22:25.599 --> 00:22:29.519 myself compelled laboriously to drag it to a great cupboard, 319 00:22:29.720 --> 00:22:33.640 which stood in a cabinet, and there to pilot. I 320 00:22:33.759 --> 00:22:37.480 left only some handfuls of it lying. When I had 321 00:22:37.559 --> 00:22:41.559 finished the work, I threw myself, exhausted into an easy chair, 322 00:22:41.920 --> 00:22:44.759 and waited for the stirring of the people in the house. 323 00:22:45.680 --> 00:22:48.559 As soon as possible. I ordered food to be brought, 324 00:22:48.839 --> 00:22:54.079 and the landlord to come to me. I fixed, in 325 00:22:54.160 --> 00:22:57.920 consultation with this man the future arrangements of my house. 326 00:22:58.559 --> 00:23:02.160 He recommended for the servant at my person a certain Bendle, 327 00:23:02.480 --> 00:23:08.200 whose honest and intelligent physiognomy immediately captivated me. He it 328 00:23:08.440 --> 00:23:12.599 was whose attachment has since accompanied me consolingly through the 329 00:23:12.640 --> 00:23:15.920 wretchedness of life, and has helped me to support my 330 00:23:16.000 --> 00:23:19.279 gloomy lot. I spent the whole day in my room 331 00:23:19.559 --> 00:23:24.799 among masterless servants, shoemakers, tailors, and tradespeople. I fitted myself 332 00:23:24.839 --> 00:23:28.759 out and purchased besides a great many jewels and valuables, 333 00:23:28.759 --> 00:23:30.799 for the sake of getting rid of some of the 334 00:23:30.880 --> 00:23:34.160 vast heap of hoarded up gold. But it seemed to 335 00:23:34.240 --> 00:23:38.839 me as if it were impossible to diminish it. In 336 00:23:38.920 --> 00:23:42.480 the meantime, I brooded over my situation in the most 337 00:23:42.640 --> 00:23:46.599 agonizing doubts. I dared not venture a step out of 338 00:23:46.680 --> 00:23:50.720 my doors, and at evening I caused forty wax lights 339 00:23:50.759 --> 00:23:53.440 to be lit in my room. Before I issued from 340 00:23:53.480 --> 00:23:57.240 the shade. I thought with horror on the terrible scene 341 00:23:57.240 --> 00:24:01.240 with the schoolboys. Yet I resolved much courage, as it 342 00:24:01.319 --> 00:24:04.920 demanded once more to make a trial of public opinion. 343 00:24:05.640 --> 00:24:09.680 The nights were then moonlight. Late in the evening, I 344 00:24:09.759 --> 00:24:13.279 threw on a white cloak, pressed my head over my eyes, 345 00:24:13.519 --> 00:24:17.279 and stole, trembling like a criminal, out of the house. 346 00:24:17.680 --> 00:24:20.759 I stepped first out of the shade in whose protection 347 00:24:20.880 --> 00:24:24.559 I had arrived so far in a remote square, into 348 00:24:24.599 --> 00:24:28.839 the full moonlight, determined to learn my fate. Out of 349 00:24:28.960 --> 00:24:34.480 the mouths of the passers. By spare me, dear friend, 350 00:24:35.079 --> 00:24:38.480 the painful repetition of all that I had to endure. 351 00:24:39.000 --> 00:24:42.640 The women often testified the deepest compassion with which I 352 00:24:42.720 --> 00:24:47.279 inspired them, declarations which no less transpierced me than the 353 00:24:47.279 --> 00:24:50.640 mockery of the youth and the proud contempt of the men, 354 00:24:51.039 --> 00:24:55.799 especially of those fat, well fetched fellows, who themselves cast 355 00:24:55.799 --> 00:25:00.200 a broad shadow. A lovely and sweet girl, who, as 356 00:25:00.240 --> 00:25:04.559 it seemed, accompanied her parents, while these discreetly only looked 357 00:25:04.559 --> 00:25:08.559 before their feet, turned by chance her flashing eyes upon me. 358 00:25:09.319 --> 00:25:13.519 She was obviously terrified. She observed my want of a shadow, 359 00:25:13.839 --> 00:25:17.880 let fall her veil over her beautiful countenance, and dropping 360 00:25:17.920 --> 00:25:23.680 her head, passed in silence. I could bear it no longer. 361 00:25:24.200 --> 00:25:28.839 Briny streams started from my eyes and cut to the heart. 362 00:25:29.079 --> 00:25:33.319 I staggered back into the shade. I was obliged to 363 00:25:33.440 --> 00:25:37.680 support myself against the houses, to steady my steps, and 364 00:25:37.759 --> 00:25:44.000 wearily and lad reached my dwelling. I spent a sleepless night. 365 00:25:44.880 --> 00:25:47.720 The next morning. It was my first care to have 366 00:25:47.839 --> 00:25:51.880 the man in the great coat everywhere sought after. Possibly 367 00:25:51.920 --> 00:25:55.319 I might succeed in finding him again, And how joyful 368 00:25:55.559 --> 00:25:58.680 if he repented of the foolish bargain as heartily as 369 00:25:58.720 --> 00:26:02.160 I did. I ordered Bendel to me, for he appeared 370 00:26:02.240 --> 00:26:05.839 to possess dress and tuct. I described to him exactly 371 00:26:05.880 --> 00:26:08.960 the man in whose possession lay a treasure without which 372 00:26:09.039 --> 00:26:12.640 my life was only a misery. I told him the time, 373 00:26:12.920 --> 00:26:15.920 the place in which I had seen him, I described 374 00:26:16.000 --> 00:26:19.799 to him all who had been present, and added moreover 375 00:26:20.119 --> 00:26:25.319 this token he should particularly inquire after a dolon's telescope, 376 00:26:25.640 --> 00:26:30.720 after a gold interwoven Turkish carpet, after a splendid pleasure tent, 377 00:26:31.119 --> 00:26:35.720 and finally after the black chargers, whose story we knew 378 00:26:35.759 --> 00:26:39.279 not how was connected with that of the mysterious man, 379 00:26:39.519 --> 00:26:43.640 who seemed of no consideration amongst them, and whose appearance 380 00:26:43.839 --> 00:26:49.640 had destroyed the quiet and happiness of my life. When 381 00:26:49.680 --> 00:26:53.000 I had done speaking, I fetched out gold such a 382 00:26:53.119 --> 00:26:55.880 load that I was scarcely able to carry it, and 383 00:26:56.000 --> 00:26:59.200 added there to precious stones and jewels for a far 384 00:26:59.279 --> 00:27:04.519 greater value. Bendel said, I these level many ways, and 385 00:27:04.640 --> 00:27:09.000 make easy many things which appeared quite impossible. Don't be 386 00:27:09.119 --> 00:27:12.240 stingy with it, as I am not, but go and 387 00:27:12.400 --> 00:27:16.079 rejoice thy master, with the intelligence on which his only 388 00:27:16.200 --> 00:27:23.119 hope depends he went. He returned late and sorrowful. None 389 00:27:23.119 --> 00:27:26.319 of the people of mister John, none of his guests, 390 00:27:26.359 --> 00:27:29.680 and he had spoken with all, were able in the 391 00:27:29.799 --> 00:27:33.799 remotest degree to recollect the men in the gray coat. 392 00:27:34.440 --> 00:27:37.519 The new telescope was there, and no one knew whence 393 00:27:37.559 --> 00:27:40.559 it had come. The carpet the tent were still there, 394 00:27:40.559 --> 00:27:43.960 spread and pitched on the self same hill. The servants 395 00:27:44.079 --> 00:27:47.359 boasted of the affluence of their master, and no one 396 00:27:47.440 --> 00:27:50.960 knew whence these new valuables had come to him. He 397 00:27:51.079 --> 00:27:54.519 himself took his pleasure in them, and did not trouble himself, 398 00:27:54.559 --> 00:27:57.839 because he did not know whence he had them. The 399 00:27:57.920 --> 00:28:00.720 young gentlemen had the horses which they had ridden in 400 00:28:00.799 --> 00:28:04.559 their stables, and they praised the liberality of mister John, 401 00:28:04.799 --> 00:28:07.400 who on that day made them a present of them. 402 00:28:08.319 --> 00:28:12.240 Thus much was clear from the circumstantial relation of Bendal, 403 00:28:12.480 --> 00:28:17.480 whose active zeal and able proceeding, although with such fruitless result, 404 00:28:17.839 --> 00:28:22.759 received from me their merited commendation. I gloomily motioned him 405 00:28:22.880 --> 00:28:27.799 to leave me alone. I have began he again given 406 00:28:27.839 --> 00:28:30.480 my master an account of the matter which was most 407 00:28:30.480 --> 00:28:33.599 important to him. I have yet a message to deliver, 408 00:28:33.920 --> 00:28:36.160 which a person gave me, whom I met at the 409 00:28:36.200 --> 00:28:38.559 door as I went out on the business in which 410 00:28:38.559 --> 00:28:42.240 I have been so unfortunate. The very words of the 411 00:28:42.279 --> 00:28:46.839 man were these, tell mister Peter Schlemer, he will not 412 00:28:47.079 --> 00:28:51.119 see me here again, as I am going oversea, and 413 00:28:51.359 --> 00:28:55.039 a favorable wind calls me at this moment to the harbor. 414 00:28:55.920 --> 00:28:58.799 But in a year and a day I will have 415 00:28:58.880 --> 00:29:02.559 the honor to seek him myself, and then to propose 416 00:29:02.599 --> 00:29:07.519 to him another and probably to him agreeable transaction. Present 417 00:29:07.720 --> 00:29:11.160 my most humble compliments to him, and assure him of 418 00:29:11.240 --> 00:29:14.960 my thanks. I asked him who he was, but he 419 00:29:15.079 --> 00:29:20.920 replied that your honor knew him already. What was the 420 00:29:21.000 --> 00:29:27.160 man's appearance? Cried I, filled with foreboding, and Bendel sketched 421 00:29:27.200 --> 00:29:30.319 me the man in the gray coat, trade by trade, 422 00:29:30.559 --> 00:29:33.920 word for word, as he had accurately described in his 423 00:29:34.079 --> 00:29:39.680 former relation, the man after whom he had inquired. Unhappy one, 424 00:29:39.839 --> 00:29:44.119 I exclaimed, wringing my hands, that was the very man. 425 00:29:45.039 --> 00:29:49.119 And there fell, as it were, scales from his eyes. 426 00:29:50.279 --> 00:29:55.039 Yes it was he, it was, positively, cried he in horror, 427 00:29:55.559 --> 00:30:00.640 and I blind and imbecile wretch have not recognized, have 428 00:30:00.839 --> 00:30:06.240 not recognized them, and have betrayed my master. He broke 429 00:30:06.319 --> 00:30:11.319 out into violent weeping, heaped the bitterest reproaches on himself, 430 00:30:11.680 --> 00:30:15.119 and the despair in which he was inspired even me 431 00:30:15.480 --> 00:30:20.599 with compassion. I spoke comfort to him, assured him repeatedly 432 00:30:20.759 --> 00:30:24.440 that I entertained not the slightest doubt of his fidelity, 433 00:30:24.880 --> 00:30:28.200 and sent him instantly to the port, if possible, to 434 00:30:28.279 --> 00:30:32.279 follow the traces of the singular man. But in the morning, 435 00:30:32.559 --> 00:30:35.920 a great number of ships, which the contrary winds had 436 00:30:35.920 --> 00:30:39.920 detained in the harbor, had run out bound to different 437 00:30:40.000 --> 00:30:44.559 climbs and different shorts, and the gray Man had vanished, 438 00:30:44.759 --> 00:30:58.039 as tracelessly as a dream. End of chapter two Chapter 439 00:30:58.119 --> 00:31:04.319 three of The Wonderful History of Peter Schlimil by Adelbert 440 00:31:04.519 --> 00:31:11.559 fon camisso translated by Frederic H. Heth. This Liberox recording 441 00:31:11.960 --> 00:31:18.039 is in the public domain. Chapter three of What a 442 00:31:18.160 --> 00:31:21.720 vail are wings to him who is fast bound in 443 00:31:21.839 --> 00:31:27.359 iron Fetus, He is compelled only the more fearfully to despair. 444 00:31:28.559 --> 00:31:33.240 I lay, like Faffner by his treasure, far from every constellation, 445 00:31:33.640 --> 00:31:37.559 starving in the midst of my gold. But my heart 446 00:31:37.640 --> 00:31:40.920 was not in it. On the contrary, I cursed it 447 00:31:41.559 --> 00:31:45.599 because I saw myself through it, cut off from all life. 448 00:31:46.440 --> 00:31:50.759 Brooding over my gloomy secret alone, I trembled before the 449 00:31:50.839 --> 00:31:53.759 meanest of my servants, whom, at the same time I 450 00:31:53.839 --> 00:31:57.519 was forced to envy, for he had a shadow he 451 00:31:57.640 --> 00:32:01.759 might show himself in the sun. I wore away days 452 00:32:01.799 --> 00:32:06.160 and nights and solitary sorrow in my chamber, and anguish 453 00:32:06.279 --> 00:32:11.599 gnawed at my heart. There was another who pined away 454 00:32:11.599 --> 00:32:15.880 before my eyes. My faithful Bendle never ceased to torture 455 00:32:15.960 --> 00:32:19.880 himself with silent reproaches that he had betrayed the trust 456 00:32:20.000 --> 00:32:24.039 reposed in him by his master, and had not recognized 457 00:32:24.119 --> 00:32:27.160 him after whom he was despatched, and with whom he 458 00:32:27.240 --> 00:32:32.319 must believe that my sorrowful fate was intimately interwoven. I 459 00:32:32.359 --> 00:32:35.759 could not lay the fault to his charge. I recognized, 460 00:32:35.839 --> 00:32:40.359 in the event the mysterious nature of the unknown, that 461 00:32:40.440 --> 00:32:44.240 I might leave nothing untried. I one time sent Bendel 462 00:32:44.319 --> 00:32:48.039 with a valuable, brilliant ring to the most celebrated painter 463 00:32:48.200 --> 00:32:51.160 of the city, and begged that he would pay me 464 00:32:51.200 --> 00:32:55.200 a visit. He came. I ordered my people to retire 465 00:32:55.519 --> 00:32:59.759 closed the door, seated myself by the man, and after 466 00:33:00.279 --> 00:33:03.440 praised his art, I came with a heavy heart to 467 00:33:03.519 --> 00:33:08.559 the business, causing him before that to promise the strictest secrecy. 468 00:33:09.960 --> 00:33:14.799 Mister professor, I said, could not you think you paint 469 00:33:15.160 --> 00:33:19.559 a false shadow for one who, by the most unlucky 470 00:33:19.680 --> 00:33:23.160 chance in the world, has become deprived of his own 471 00:33:23.480 --> 00:33:27.880 You mean a personal shadow? That is precisely my meaning, 472 00:33:28.599 --> 00:33:33.759 But continued he through what awkwardness, through what negligence, could 473 00:33:33.839 --> 00:33:38.119 he then lose his proper shadow? How it happened, replied 474 00:33:38.119 --> 00:33:41.319 I is now of very little consequence. But thus far, 475 00:33:41.559 --> 00:33:45.680 I may say, added I lying shamelessly to him in Russia, 476 00:33:45.960 --> 00:33:50.160 whither he made a journey last winter in an extraordinary cold, 477 00:33:50.440 --> 00:33:53.799 His shadow froze so fast to the ground that he could, 478 00:33:53.839 --> 00:33:58.160 by no means lose it again. The false shadow that 479 00:33:58.279 --> 00:34:01.640 I could paint him, replied the Professor, would only be 480 00:34:01.799 --> 00:34:04.480 such a one as by the slightest movement he might 481 00:34:04.519 --> 00:34:08.840 lose again, Especially a person who, as appears by urilation, 482 00:34:09.159 --> 00:34:12.719 has so little adhesion to his own native shadow. He 483 00:34:12.960 --> 00:34:16.239 who has no shadow, Let him keep out of the sunshine. 484 00:34:16.559 --> 00:34:19.840 That is the safest and most sensible thing for him. 485 00:34:20.519 --> 00:34:24.719 He arose and withdrew, casting at me a trans piercing 486 00:34:24.840 --> 00:34:28.639 glance which mine could not support. I sunk back in 487 00:34:28.760 --> 00:34:33.880 my seat and covered my face with my hands. Thus 488 00:34:33.960 --> 00:34:38.039 Bendal found me. As he at length entered. He saw 489 00:34:38.079 --> 00:34:41.760 the grief of his master, and was desirous, silently and 490 00:34:41.960 --> 00:34:46.079 reverently to withdraw. I looked up. I succumbed under the 491 00:34:46.079 --> 00:34:51.519 burden of my trouble. I must communicate it, Bendel, cried I. Bendel, 492 00:34:51.800 --> 00:34:55.360 though only one who seized my affliction and respectest it, 493 00:34:55.639 --> 00:34:59.360 seekest not to pry into it, but appearest silently and 494 00:34:59.440 --> 00:35:03.360 kindly to sympathize. Come to me, Bendel, and be the 495 00:35:03.480 --> 00:35:06.960 nearest to my heart. I have not locked from thee 496 00:35:07.039 --> 00:35:09.880 the treasure of my gold, neither will I lock from 497 00:35:09.960 --> 00:35:14.840 THEE the treasure of my grief. Bendel, forsake me not, Bendel, 498 00:35:15.159 --> 00:35:20.000 Thou beholdest me rich liberal kind. Thou imaginest that the 499 00:35:20.079 --> 00:35:23.360 world ought to honor me, and thou seest me fly 500 00:35:23.559 --> 00:35:27.320 the world and hide myself from it. Bendel, the world 501 00:35:27.400 --> 00:35:31.960 has passed judgment and cast me from it. And perhaps 502 00:35:32.159 --> 00:35:35.119 thou too wilt turn from me. When thou knowest my 503 00:35:35.199 --> 00:35:42.119 fearful secret. Bendel, I am rich, liberal kind, But O God, 504 00:35:42.880 --> 00:35:48.199 I have no shadow. No shadow, cried the good youth 505 00:35:48.280 --> 00:35:51.199 with horror, and the bright tears gushed from his eyes. 506 00:35:51.599 --> 00:35:54.159 Woe is me that I was born to serve a 507 00:35:54.239 --> 00:35:58.199 shadow as master. He was silent, and I held my 508 00:35:58.360 --> 00:36:04.880 face buried in my hands. Bendle, added I at length, tremblingly. 509 00:36:05.599 --> 00:36:09.360 No hast thou my confidence, and no counst thou betray it. 510 00:36:09.880 --> 00:36:13.960 Go forth and testify against me. He appeared to be 511 00:36:14.079 --> 00:36:17.719 in a heavy conflict with himself. At length, he flung 512 00:36:17.800 --> 00:36:21.440 himself before me and seized my hand, which he bathed 513 00:36:21.440 --> 00:36:25.920 with his tears. No exclaimed he think the world as 514 00:36:25.960 --> 00:36:29.119 it will. I cannot and will not, on account of 515 00:36:29.159 --> 00:36:33.239 a shadow, abandon my kind. Master. I will act justly 516 00:36:33.440 --> 00:36:36.880 and not with policy. I will continue with you, lend 517 00:36:36.960 --> 00:36:39.960 you my shadow, help you when I can, and when 518 00:36:40.000 --> 00:36:43.960 I cannot, weep with you. I fell on his neck, 519 00:36:44.440 --> 00:36:49.320 astonished at such unusual sentiment, for I was convinced that 520 00:36:49.400 --> 00:36:53.559 he did it not for gold. From that time, my 521 00:36:53.719 --> 00:36:57.320 fate and my mode of life were in some degree changed. 522 00:36:58.000 --> 00:37:02.360 It is indescribable how pro Evidently Bendel continued to conceal 523 00:37:02.440 --> 00:37:05.679 my defect. He was everywhere before me and with me, 524 00:37:06.320 --> 00:37:12.639 foreseeing everything, hitting on contrivances, and where unforeseen danger threatened, 525 00:37:13.079 --> 00:37:16.760 covering me quickly with his shadow, since he was taller 526 00:37:16.800 --> 00:37:21.400 and bulkier than I. Thus I ventured myself again among men, 527 00:37:21.599 --> 00:37:24.880 and begun to play a part in the world I 528 00:37:24.960 --> 00:37:30.039 was obliged. It is true to assume many peculiarities and humors, 529 00:37:30.400 --> 00:37:33.559 but such become the rich, And so long as the 530 00:37:33.679 --> 00:37:37.519 truth continued to be concealed, I enjoyed all the honor 531 00:37:37.599 --> 00:37:41.000 and respect which were paid to my wealth. I looked 532 00:37:41.039 --> 00:37:44.800 more calmly forward to the promised visit of the mysterious 533 00:37:44.880 --> 00:37:47.880 Unknown at the end of the year, and the day 534 00:37:49.199 --> 00:37:52.239 I felt, indeed that I must not remain long in 535 00:37:52.280 --> 00:37:55.079 a place where I had once been seen without a shadow, 536 00:37:55.320 --> 00:37:59.000 and where I might easily be betrayed. Perhaps I yet 537 00:37:59.079 --> 00:38:01.119 thought too much of the manner in which I had 538 00:38:01.159 --> 00:38:05.480 introduced myself to Thomas John, and it was a mortifying recollection. 539 00:38:06.320 --> 00:38:09.920 I would, therefore hear merely make an experiment to present 540 00:38:10.000 --> 00:38:14.199 myself with more ease and self reliance elsewhere. But that 541 00:38:14.400 --> 00:38:17.480 now occurred, which held me a long time, riveted to 542 00:38:17.519 --> 00:38:20.599 my vanity, For there it is in the man that 543 00:38:20.679 --> 00:38:25.920 the unchor bites the firmest ground. Even the lovely Fanny, 544 00:38:26.320 --> 00:38:30.119 whom I, in this place again encountered, honored me with 545 00:38:30.320 --> 00:38:33.880 some notice, without recollecting ever to have seen me before. 546 00:38:34.159 --> 00:38:38.000 For I now had wit and sense. As I spoke, 547 00:38:38.199 --> 00:38:41.000 people listened, and I could not, for the life of 548 00:38:41.039 --> 00:38:44.400 me comprehend myself how I had arrived at the art 549 00:38:44.519 --> 00:38:50.239 of maintaining and engrossing so easily the conversation, The impression 550 00:38:50.400 --> 00:38:52.920 which I perceived that I had made on the fair 551 00:38:52.960 --> 00:38:56.320 one made of me just what she desired, a fool, 552 00:38:56.840 --> 00:39:00.000 And I thenceforward followed her through shade and twilight way 553 00:39:00.000 --> 00:39:03.559 wherever I could. I was only so far vain that 554 00:39:03.679 --> 00:39:07.199 I wished to make her vain of myself, and found 555 00:39:07.199 --> 00:39:11.400 it impossible, even with the very best intentions, to force 556 00:39:11.639 --> 00:39:15.880 the intoxication from my head to my heart. But why 557 00:39:16.000 --> 00:39:19.920 repeat to thee the absolutely every day story at length, 558 00:39:20.480 --> 00:39:23.400 though thyself has often related it to me of other 559 00:39:23.519 --> 00:39:27.400 honorable people, to the old well known play in which 560 00:39:27.480 --> 00:39:31.320 I good naturally undertook a worn out part, there came 561 00:39:31.360 --> 00:39:35.440 in truth to her and me and everybody unexpectedly a 562 00:39:35.480 --> 00:39:41.400 most peculiarly thought out catastrophe, as according to my wont 563 00:39:41.840 --> 00:39:44.719 I had assembled on a beautiful evening a party in 564 00:39:44.760 --> 00:39:48.079 a garden. I wandered with the lady arm in arm, 565 00:39:48.199 --> 00:39:52.079 at some distance from the other guests, and exerted myself 566 00:39:52.119 --> 00:39:55.760 to strike out pretty speeches for her. She cast her 567 00:39:55.760 --> 00:40:00.039 eyes down modestly and returned gently the pressure of my hand, 568 00:40:00.119 --> 00:40:03.760 when suddenly the moon broke through the clouds behind us, 569 00:40:04.079 --> 00:40:08.599 and she saw only her own shadow thrown forward before her. 570 00:40:09.239 --> 00:40:12.840 She started and glanced wildly at me, then again on 571 00:40:12.920 --> 00:40:15.800 the earth, seeking my shadow with her eyes, and what 572 00:40:16.039 --> 00:40:20.199 passed within her painted itself so singularly on her countenance 573 00:40:20.480 --> 00:40:23.280 that I should have burst into a loud laugh, if 574 00:40:23.280 --> 00:40:26.679 it had not itself run ice cold over my back. 575 00:40:28.079 --> 00:40:30.440 I let her fall from my arms in a swoon, 576 00:40:30.800 --> 00:40:35.000 shot like an arrow through the terrified guests, reached the door, 577 00:40:35.239 --> 00:40:38.320 flung myself into the first chairs which I saw on 578 00:40:38.360 --> 00:40:41.599 the stand, and drove back to the city, where, this time, 579 00:40:41.800 --> 00:40:45.880 to my cost, I had left the circumspect bundle. He 580 00:40:46.039 --> 00:40:49.719 was terrified as he saw me. One word revealed to him. 581 00:40:49.760 --> 00:40:54.079 All post horses were immediately fetched. I took only one 582 00:40:54.079 --> 00:40:57.320 of my people with me, an arrant knave called Rascal, 583 00:40:57.519 --> 00:41:00.639 who had contrived to make himself necessary to me by 584 00:41:00.639 --> 00:41:04.159 his cleverness, and who could suspect nothing of today's occurrence. 585 00:41:04.679 --> 00:41:07.880 That night I left upward of thirty miles behind me. 586 00:41:08.519 --> 00:41:12.920 Bendel remained behind me to discharge my establishment, to pay money, 587 00:41:13.079 --> 00:41:16.079 and to bring me what I most required. When he 588 00:41:16.119 --> 00:41:20.000 overtook me next day, I threw myself into his arms 589 00:41:20.159 --> 00:41:23.159 and swore to him never again to run into the 590 00:41:23.400 --> 00:41:27.239 like folly, but in future, to be more cautious. We 591 00:41:27.320 --> 00:41:31.639 continued our journey without pause over the frontiers and the mountains, 592 00:41:32.079 --> 00:41:34.880 and it was not till we began to descend, and 593 00:41:34.920 --> 00:41:39.000 had placed those lofty bulkwards between us and our former, 594 00:41:39.159 --> 00:41:43.360 unlucky abode, that I allowed myself to be persuaded to 595 00:41:43.480 --> 00:41:46.880 rest from the fatigues I had undergone in a neighboring 596 00:41:47.000 --> 00:41:59.519 and little frequented bathing place. End of chapter three, Chapter 597 00:41:59.599 --> 00:42:05.480 four of The Wonderful History of Peter Schlimel by Adelbert 598 00:42:05.599 --> 00:42:12.199 von Camissel, translated by Frederic H. Hedge. This LibriVox recording 599 00:42:12.480 --> 00:42:19.519 is in the public domain. Chapter four, I must pass 600 00:42:19.559 --> 00:42:22.360 in my relation hastily over a time in which how 601 00:42:22.480 --> 00:42:25.519 gladly would I linger? Could I but conjure up the 602 00:42:25.559 --> 00:42:29.400 living spirit of it with the recollection? But the color 603 00:42:29.440 --> 00:42:33.480 which vivified it, and alone can vivify it again, is 604 00:42:33.599 --> 00:42:36.800 extinguished in me. And when I seek in my bosom, 605 00:42:36.840 --> 00:42:40.800 what then so mightily animated it? The grief and the joy, 606 00:42:41.199 --> 00:42:45.480 the innocent illusion? Then do I vainly smite a rock 607 00:42:45.639 --> 00:42:49.000 in which no living spring now dwells, and the God 608 00:42:49.400 --> 00:42:54.079 is departed from me? How changed does this past time 609 00:42:54.159 --> 00:42:57.280 now appear to me? I would act in the watering 610 00:42:57.320 --> 00:43:01.920 place a heroic character ill studied, and myself a novice 611 00:43:01.960 --> 00:43:04.639 on the boards, and my gaze was lured from my 612 00:43:04.840 --> 00:43:09.199 part by a pair of blue eyes. The parents, deluded 613 00:43:09.280 --> 00:43:12.599 by the play, offer everything only to make the business 614 00:43:12.679 --> 00:43:17.360 quickly secure, and the poor farce closes in mockery. And 615 00:43:17.440 --> 00:43:20.760 that is all all that presents itself now to me, 616 00:43:20.960 --> 00:43:25.079 so absurd and commonplace. And yet it is terrible that 617 00:43:25.079 --> 00:43:27.960 that can thus appear to me, which then so richly, 618 00:43:28.360 --> 00:43:33.320 so luxuriantly swelled my bosom. Mina as I wept at 619 00:43:33.360 --> 00:43:36.719 losing thee, so weep by still to have lost thee 620 00:43:36.800 --> 00:43:41.960 also in myself. Am I then become so old? Oh 621 00:43:42.039 --> 00:43:46.760 melancholy reason, Oh, but for one pulsation of that time, 622 00:43:47.400 --> 00:43:51.400 one moment of that illusion. But no alone on the 623 00:43:51.480 --> 00:43:55.599 high waste sea of thy bitter flood, and long out 624 00:43:55.599 --> 00:43:59.199 of the last cup of Champagne, the alphin has vanished. 625 00:44:01.039 --> 00:44:04.000 I had sent forward Bendel with some purses of gold 626 00:44:04.199 --> 00:44:06.559 to procure for me in the little town a dwelling 627 00:44:06.599 --> 00:44:11.000 adapted to my needs. He had there scattered about much money, 628 00:44:11.199 --> 00:44:16.960 and expressed himself somewhat indefinitely, respecting the distinguished stranger whom 629 00:44:17.039 --> 00:44:20.599 he served for I would not be named, and that 630 00:44:20.719 --> 00:44:25.079 filled the good people with extraordinary fancies. As soon as 631 00:44:25.079 --> 00:44:28.760 my house was ready, Bendal returned to conduct me thither. 632 00:44:29.679 --> 00:44:34.480 We set out about three miles from the place, on 633 00:44:34.519 --> 00:44:38.159 a sunny plain. Our progress was obstructed by a gay 634 00:44:38.320 --> 00:44:44.559 festal throng. The carriage stopped. Music, sound of bells, discharge 635 00:44:44.559 --> 00:44:49.239 of cannon were heard aloud, vivat rent the air. Before 636 00:44:49.280 --> 00:44:52.360 the door of the carriage appeared, clad in white, a 637 00:44:52.440 --> 00:44:57.320 troop of damsels of extraordinary beauty, but who were eclipsed 638 00:44:57.360 --> 00:45:01.119 by one in particular as the star of night. By 639 00:45:01.119 --> 00:45:05.000 the sun. She stepped forth from the midst of her sisters. 640 00:45:05.320 --> 00:45:09.239 The tall and delicate figure kneeled blushing before me, and 641 00:45:09.320 --> 00:45:13.119 presented to me on a silken cushion, a garland woven 642 00:45:13.159 --> 00:45:17.280 of laurel, olive branches and roses. While she uttered some 643 00:45:17.400 --> 00:45:21.840 words about majesty, veneration, and love, which I did not understand, 644 00:45:22.119 --> 00:45:26.559 but whose bewitching silver tone intoxicated in my ear and heart. 645 00:45:27.000 --> 00:45:30.119 It seemed as if the heavenly apparition had some time 646 00:45:30.239 --> 00:45:34.800 previously passed before me. The chorus struck in and sung 647 00:45:34.920 --> 00:45:37.480 the praises of a good king and the happiness of 648 00:45:37.519 --> 00:45:41.360 his people. And this scene, my dear friend, in the 649 00:45:41.400 --> 00:45:45.519 face of the sun. She kneeled still only two paces 650 00:45:45.519 --> 00:45:49.239 from me, and I without a shadow, could not spring 651 00:45:49.320 --> 00:45:52.400 over the gulf, could not also fall on the knee 652 00:45:52.400 --> 00:45:56.039 before the angel. Oh what would I then have given 653 00:45:56.079 --> 00:45:59.400 for a shadow? I was compelled to hide my shame, 654 00:45:59.679 --> 00:46:03.239 my anguish, my despair deep in the bottom of my carriage. 655 00:46:04.679 --> 00:46:08.639 At length, bendal recollected himself on my behalf. He leaped 656 00:46:08.719 --> 00:46:11.039 out of the carriage on the other side. I called 657 00:46:11.119 --> 00:46:13.559 him back and gave him out of my jewel case. 658 00:46:13.599 --> 00:46:16.960 Which lay at hand a splendid diamond crown, which had 659 00:46:16.960 --> 00:46:19.679 been made to adorn the brows of the lovely fanny. 660 00:46:20.280 --> 00:46:22.800 He stepped forward and spoke in the name of his master, 661 00:46:23.239 --> 00:46:26.960 who could not and would not receive such tokens of homage. 662 00:46:27.360 --> 00:46:29.920 There must be some mistake, but the people of the 663 00:46:30.000 --> 00:46:32.760 city should be thanked for their good will. As he 664 00:46:32.800 --> 00:46:36.000 said this, he took up the proffered wreath and laid 665 00:46:36.000 --> 00:46:40.159 the brilliant coronet in its place. He then respectfully extended 666 00:46:40.159 --> 00:46:43.039 his hand to the lovely maiden that she might arise, 667 00:46:43.360 --> 00:46:48.320 and dismissed with a sign clergy, magistrates, and all the deputations. 668 00:46:48.880 --> 00:46:52.119 No one else was allowed to approach. He ordered the 669 00:46:52.199 --> 00:46:55.159 throng to divide and make way for the horses. Sprang 670 00:46:55.199 --> 00:46:58.559 again into the carriage, and on we went, at full gallop, 671 00:46:58.599 --> 00:47:02.559 through a festive archway, foliage and flowers, toward the city. 672 00:47:03.199 --> 00:47:08.039 The discharges of cannon continued. The carriage stopped before my house. 673 00:47:08.480 --> 00:47:11.639 I sprang hastily in at the door, dividing the crowd 674 00:47:11.679 --> 00:47:14.840 which the desire to see me had collected. The mob 675 00:47:15.000 --> 00:47:18.880 hurad under my window, and I let double ducats rein 676 00:47:19.000 --> 00:47:23.239 out of it. In the evening the city was voluntarily illuminated. 677 00:47:24.440 --> 00:47:27.119 And yet I did not at all know what all 678 00:47:27.159 --> 00:47:29.480 this could mean, and who I was supposed to be. 679 00:47:30.000 --> 00:47:33.280 I sent out Rascal to make inquiry. He brought word 680 00:47:33.400 --> 00:47:37.239 to this effect that the people had received reliable intelligence 681 00:47:37.239 --> 00:47:39.880 that the good King of Prussia traveled through the country 682 00:47:39.960 --> 00:47:43.960 under the name of Account, that my adjutant had been recognized, 683 00:47:44.079 --> 00:47:47.679 thus betraying himself and me. And finally, how great the 684 00:47:47.760 --> 00:47:50.599 joy was as they became certain that they really had 685 00:47:50.639 --> 00:47:54.239 me in the place they now tis true, saw clearly 686 00:47:54.599 --> 00:47:59.039 that I evidently desired to maintain the strictest incognito. And 687 00:47:59.119 --> 00:48:03.280 how very wrong it had been to attempt so importunately 688 00:48:03.719 --> 00:48:07.440 to lift the veil. But I had resented it so graciously, 689 00:48:07.599 --> 00:48:12.639 so kindly I should certainly pardon their good heartedness. The 690 00:48:12.679 --> 00:48:15.280 thing appeared so amusing to the rogue that he did 691 00:48:15.360 --> 00:48:19.039 his best by reproving words to strengthen for the present 692 00:48:19.159 --> 00:48:21.800 the good folk in their belief. He gave a very 693 00:48:21.840 --> 00:48:24.559 comical report of all this to me, and as he 694 00:48:24.679 --> 00:48:27.440 found that it diverted me, he made a joke to 695 00:48:27.480 --> 00:48:30.920 me of his own wickedness. Shall I confess it? It 696 00:48:31.000 --> 00:48:34.159 flattered me even by such means to be taken for 697 00:48:34.360 --> 00:48:38.679 that honored head. I commanded a feast to be prepared 698 00:48:38.719 --> 00:48:41.679 for the evening of the next day, beneath the trees 699 00:48:41.760 --> 00:48:45.039 which overshadowed the open space before my house, and the 700 00:48:45.079 --> 00:48:49.079 whole city to be invited to it. The mysterious power 701 00:48:49.119 --> 00:48:53.000 of my purse, the exertions of Bendel, and the inventiveness 702 00:48:53.039 --> 00:48:57.719 of Rascal succeeded in triumphing over time itself. It is 703 00:48:58.039 --> 00:49:02.239 really astonishing how richly and beautifully everything was arranged in 704 00:49:02.280 --> 00:49:07.360 those few hours. The splendor and abundance which exhibited themselves, 705 00:49:07.559 --> 00:49:12.039 and the ingenious lighting up so admirably contrived that I 706 00:49:12.119 --> 00:49:16.440 felt myself quite secure, left me nothing to desire. I 707 00:49:16.480 --> 00:49:23.360 could not but praise my servants. The evening grew dark, 708 00:49:23.599 --> 00:49:27.599 the guests appeared and were presented to me. Nothing more 709 00:49:27.679 --> 00:49:31.559 was said about majesty. I was styled with deep reverence 710 00:49:31.599 --> 00:49:36.400 and obeissance. Count what was to be done. I allowed 711 00:49:36.400 --> 00:49:40.039 the title to stand, and remained from that hour, Count Peter, 712 00:49:40.960 --> 00:49:44.559 in the midst of festive multitudes, my soul yearned alone. 713 00:49:44.639 --> 00:49:49.519 After one she entered late, she was and wore the crown. 714 00:49:50.719 --> 00:49:53.960 She followed modestly her parents, and seemed not to know 715 00:49:54.119 --> 00:49:57.320 that she was the loveliest of all. They were presented 716 00:49:57.320 --> 00:50:01.159 to me as mister forest master, lady and their daughter. 717 00:50:02.400 --> 00:50:05.360 I found many agreeable and obliging things to say to 718 00:50:05.440 --> 00:50:08.039 the old people. Before the daughter, I stood like a 719 00:50:08.079 --> 00:50:11.760 rebuked boy and could not bring out one word. I 720 00:50:11.800 --> 00:50:15.119 begged her at length, with a faltering tone, to honor 721 00:50:15.119 --> 00:50:18.840 this feast by assuming the office whose insignia she grazed. 722 00:50:19.840 --> 00:50:23.360 She entreated, with blushes and a moving look to be excused, 723 00:50:23.360 --> 00:50:27.000 but blushing still more than herself in her presence, I 724 00:50:27.079 --> 00:50:31.159 paid her as her first subject my homage with a 725 00:50:31.199 --> 00:50:34.719 most profound respect, and the hint of the count became 726 00:50:34.760 --> 00:50:38.039 to all the guests a command which every one, with 727 00:50:38.280 --> 00:50:44.159 emulous joy hastened to obey. Majesty, innocence, and grace presided 728 00:50:44.199 --> 00:50:48.880 an alliance with beauty over a rapturous feast. Mina's happy 729 00:50:48.960 --> 00:50:52.920 parents believed their child thus exalted only in honor of them. 730 00:50:53.480 --> 00:50:58.480 I myself was in an indescribable intoxication. I caused all 731 00:50:58.519 --> 00:51:01.199 the jewels which yet remit, of those which I had 732 00:51:01.239 --> 00:51:04.800 formerly purchased, in order to get rid of burthensome gold 733 00:51:05.320 --> 00:51:08.559 or the pearls or the precious stones to be laid 734 00:51:08.559 --> 00:51:12.079 in two covered dishes and at the table in the 735 00:51:12.159 --> 00:51:15.559 name of the Queen, to be distributed round to her 736 00:51:15.599 --> 00:51:19.800 companions and to all the ladies. Gold in the meantime 737 00:51:20.480 --> 00:51:25.760 was incessantly strewed over the encompassing robes among the exulting people. 738 00:51:27.400 --> 00:51:30.920 Bendel the next morning revealed to me in confidence that 739 00:51:31.000 --> 00:51:34.760 the suspicion which he had long entertained of Rascal's honesty, 740 00:51:35.199 --> 00:51:39.719 was now become certainty that he had yesterday embezzled whole 741 00:51:39.880 --> 00:51:44.880 purses of gold. Let us permit, replied, I, the poor 742 00:51:44.920 --> 00:51:49.480 scoundrel to enjoy the petty plunder I spent willingly on everybody, 743 00:51:49.639 --> 00:51:52.840 why not on him? Yesterday? He and all the fresh 744 00:51:52.880 --> 00:51:56.639 people you have brought me served me honestly. They helped 745 00:51:56.719 --> 00:52:01.760 me joyfully to celebrate the joyful feast. There was no 746 00:52:01.880 --> 00:52:05.599 further mention of it. Rascal remained the first of my servants, 747 00:52:05.920 --> 00:52:09.559 but Bendel was my friend and my confidant. The latter 748 00:52:09.719 --> 00:52:13.480 was accustomed to regard my wealth as inexhaustible, and he 749 00:52:13.639 --> 00:52:17.559 pried not after its sources. Entering into my humor, he 750 00:52:17.639 --> 00:52:21.960 assisted me rather to discover opportunities to exercise it and 751 00:52:22.079 --> 00:52:26.679 to spend my gold of that unknown one, that pale sneak. 752 00:52:26.960 --> 00:52:30.320 He knew only this, that I could alone, through him, 753 00:52:30.360 --> 00:52:33.519 be absolved from the curse which weighed on me, and 754 00:52:33.599 --> 00:52:37.360 that I feared him, on whom my sole hope reposed 755 00:52:37.960 --> 00:52:40.920 that for the rest I was convinced that he could 756 00:52:40.920 --> 00:52:45.760 discover me anywhere I him nowhere, and that, therefore, awaiting 757 00:52:45.800 --> 00:52:52.679 the promised day, I abandoned every vain inquiry. The magnificence 758 00:52:52.719 --> 00:52:55.880 of my feast and my behavior at it held at 759 00:52:55.880 --> 00:52:59.440 first the credulous inhabitants of the city firmly to their 760 00:52:59.519 --> 00:53:04.199 preconcceived opinion. True. It was soon stated in the newspapers 761 00:53:04.280 --> 00:53:06.360 that the whole story of the journey of the King 762 00:53:06.400 --> 00:53:09.960 of Prussia had been a mere groundless rumor. But a king, 763 00:53:10.079 --> 00:53:14.199 I know, was, and must, spite of everything, a king remain, 764 00:53:14.639 --> 00:53:17.639 and truly one of the most rich and royal who 765 00:53:17.639 --> 00:53:21.760 had ever existed. Only people did not rightly know what king. 766 00:53:22.519 --> 00:53:25.559 The world has never had reason to complain of the 767 00:53:25.599 --> 00:53:29.840 scarcity of monarchs, at least in our time. The good people, 768 00:53:29.880 --> 00:53:33.519 who had never seen any of them, pitched with equal correctness, 769 00:53:33.559 --> 00:53:37.559 first on one, and then on another count Peter still 770 00:53:37.599 --> 00:53:42.559 remained who he was. At one time appeared among the 771 00:53:42.599 --> 00:53:45.960 guests at the bath, a tradesman who had made himself 772 00:53:46.000 --> 00:53:50.679 bankrupt in order to enrich himself, and who enjoyed universal esteem, 773 00:53:50.960 --> 00:53:55.239 and had a broad, though somewhat pale shadow. The property 774 00:53:55.360 --> 00:53:58.360 which he had scraped together he resolved to lay out 775 00:53:58.400 --> 00:54:01.679 in ostentation, and it even occurred to him to enter 776 00:54:01.719 --> 00:54:05.639 into rivalry with me. I had recourse to my purse, 777 00:54:05.840 --> 00:54:09.000 and soon brought the poor devil to such a pass, that, 778 00:54:09.239 --> 00:54:11.800 in order to save his credit, he was obliged to 779 00:54:11.840 --> 00:54:15.880 become bankrupt a second time, and hasten over the frontier. 780 00:54:16.599 --> 00:54:19.800 Thus I got rid of him. In this neighborhood I 781 00:54:19.880 --> 00:54:25.159 made many idlers and good for nothing fellows, with all 782 00:54:25.199 --> 00:54:28.519 the rows, splendor and expenditure by which I made all 783 00:54:28.599 --> 00:54:31.639 succumb to me. I still in my own house, lived 784 00:54:31.760 --> 00:54:36.199 very simply and retired. I had established the strictest circumspection. 785 00:54:36.320 --> 00:54:40.920 As a rule. No one except Bendel, under any pretense whatever, 786 00:54:41.280 --> 00:54:44.440 was allowed to enter the rooms which I inhabited. So 787 00:54:44.599 --> 00:54:47.440 long as the sun shone, I kept myself shut up there. 788 00:54:48.039 --> 00:54:51.440 And it was said the Countess employed with his cabinet. 789 00:54:52.599 --> 00:54:56.960 With this employment, numerous couriers stood in connection whom I, 790 00:54:57.039 --> 00:55:01.599 for every trifle sent out and received, I received company 791 00:55:01.639 --> 00:55:04.559 in the evening only under my trees or in my hall, 792 00:55:04.760 --> 00:55:09.519 arranged and lighted according to Bendle's plan. When I went out, 793 00:55:09.719 --> 00:55:12.400 on which occasions it was necessary that I should be 794 00:55:12.480 --> 00:55:15.840 constantly watched by the argus eyes of Bendel. It was 795 00:55:15.920 --> 00:55:19.199 only to the forester's garden for the sake of one alone. 796 00:55:19.719 --> 00:55:24.960 For my love was the innermost heart of my life. Oh, 797 00:55:25.119 --> 00:55:28.519 my good camisso I will hope that thou hast not 798 00:55:28.639 --> 00:55:32.320 yet forgotten what love is. I leave much unmentioned here 799 00:55:32.400 --> 00:55:37.320 to thee. Mina was really an amiable, kind, good child. 800 00:55:37.960 --> 00:55:41.320 I had taken her whole imagination captive. She could not, 801 00:55:41.840 --> 00:55:45.559 in her humility, conceive how she could be worthy that 802 00:55:45.639 --> 00:55:48.760 I should alone have fixed my regard on her. And 803 00:55:48.840 --> 00:55:52.320 she returned love for love with all the youthful power 804 00:55:52.440 --> 00:55:56.880 of an innocent heart. She loved like a woman, offering 805 00:55:56.920 --> 00:56:01.400 herself wholly up self forgetting, living, holy and solely for 806 00:56:01.519 --> 00:56:05.519 him who was her life, regardless if she herself perished. 807 00:56:05.880 --> 00:56:10.880 That is to say, she really loved. But I, oh 808 00:56:10.920 --> 00:56:14.679 what terrible hours, terrible and yet worthy that I should 809 00:56:14.760 --> 00:56:18.519 wish them back again? Have I often wept on Bendal's bosom, 810 00:56:18.880 --> 00:56:23.960 when after the first unconscious intoxication, I recollected myself, looked 811 00:56:24.000 --> 00:56:29.079 sharply into myself, I without a shadow, with knavish selfishness, 812 00:56:29.119 --> 00:56:33.519 destroying this angel, this pure soul which I had deceived 813 00:56:33.880 --> 00:56:38.719 and stolen. Then did I resolve to reveal myself to her? 814 00:56:39.239 --> 00:56:42.719 Then did I swear with a most passionate oath to 815 00:56:42.880 --> 00:56:46.679 tear myself from her and to fly? Then did I 816 00:56:46.760 --> 00:56:50.519 burst out into tears and concert with Bendel howe in 817 00:56:50.559 --> 00:56:53.599 the evening I should visit her in the forester's garden. 818 00:56:54.800 --> 00:56:58.519 At other times I flattered myself with great expectations from 819 00:56:58.519 --> 00:57:02.519 their rapidly approaching view of the gray Man, and wept again. 820 00:57:02.599 --> 00:57:05.159 When I had, in vain tried to believe in it. 821 00:57:05.760 --> 00:57:08.559 I had calculated the day on which I expected again 822 00:57:08.639 --> 00:57:11.440 to see the fearful One, For he had said in 823 00:57:11.480 --> 00:57:14.880 a year and a day, and I believed his word. 824 00:57:16.400 --> 00:57:20.719 The parents, good honorable old people who loved their only 825 00:57:20.800 --> 00:57:25.440 child extremely, were amazed at the connection as it already stood, 826 00:57:25.760 --> 00:57:28.800 and they knew not what to do in it. Earlier 827 00:57:28.840 --> 00:57:31.599 they could not have believed that Count Peter could think 828 00:57:31.760 --> 00:57:35.239 only of their child, But now he really loved her 829 00:57:35.280 --> 00:57:39.320 and was beloved again. The mother was probably vain enough 830 00:57:39.320 --> 00:57:41.960 to believe in the probability of a union and to 831 00:57:42.000 --> 00:57:45.880 seek for it. The sound masculine understanding of the father 832 00:57:46.239 --> 00:57:50.320 did not give way to such overstretched imaginations. Both were 833 00:57:50.360 --> 00:57:53.199 persuaded of the purity of my love. They could do 834 00:57:53.320 --> 00:57:57.679 nothing more than pray for their child. I have laid 835 00:57:57.679 --> 00:57:59.880 my hand on a letter from Mina of this date, 836 00:58:00.119 --> 00:58:04.400 which I still retain. Yes, this is her own writing. 837 00:58:05.239 --> 00:58:10.079 I transcribe it for THEE. I am a weak, silly 838 00:58:10.119 --> 00:58:14.079 maiden and cannot believe that my beloved because I love 839 00:58:14.159 --> 00:58:19.039 him dearly dearly, will make the poor girl unhappy. Ah, 840 00:58:19.239 --> 00:58:23.719 Thou art so kind, so inexpressibly kind, But do not 841 00:58:23.920 --> 00:58:28.800 misunderstand me. Thou shalt sacrifice nothing for me, desire to 842 00:58:28.880 --> 00:58:33.039 sacrifice nothing for me? O God, I should hate myself 843 00:58:33.039 --> 00:58:37.280 if thou didst No, thou hast made me immeasurably happy. 844 00:58:37.559 --> 00:58:40.800 Hast taught me to love thee away. I know my 845 00:58:40.880 --> 00:58:44.480 own fate. Count Peter belongs not to me. He belongs 846 00:58:44.519 --> 00:58:47.239 to the world. I will be proud when I hear 847 00:58:47.760 --> 00:58:50.960 that was he, and that was he again, and that 848 00:58:51.360 --> 00:58:55.079 has he accomplished. There they have worshiped him, and there 849 00:58:55.119 --> 00:58:59.000 they have defied him. See when I think of this, 850 00:58:59.559 --> 00:59:02.760 then am I angry with THEE that with a simple child, 851 00:59:02.880 --> 00:59:06.960 Thou canst forget thy highest destiny away, or the thought 852 00:59:07.039 --> 00:59:10.920 will make me miserable. I, oh who through THEE, am 853 00:59:11.039 --> 00:59:14.800 so happy, so blessed? Have I not woven too an 854 00:59:14.800 --> 00:59:18.079 olive branch and a rose put into thy life, as 855 00:59:18.119 --> 00:59:21.239 into the wreath which I was allowed to present to THEE? 856 00:59:21.800 --> 00:59:24.519 I have THEE in my heart, my beloved, fear not 857 00:59:24.719 --> 00:59:28.480 to leave me. I will die, oh so happy, so 858 00:59:28.800 --> 00:59:34.079 ineffably happy through THEE. Thou canst imagine how the words 859 00:59:34.199 --> 00:59:37.440 must cut through my heart. I explained to her that 860 00:59:37.480 --> 00:59:39.960 I was not what people believed me, that I was 861 00:59:40.039 --> 00:59:44.400 only a rich but infinitely miserable man, That a curse 862 00:59:44.480 --> 00:59:47.800 rested on me, which must be the only secret between us, 863 00:59:48.119 --> 00:59:50.639 since I was not yet without hope, that I should 864 00:59:50.639 --> 00:59:54.000 be solved, that this was the poison of my days. 865 00:59:54.280 --> 00:59:57.079 That I might drag her down with me into the gulf. 866 00:59:57.480 --> 01:00:01.159 She who was the sole light to sole happiness, the 867 01:00:01.199 --> 01:00:06.239 sole heart of my life. Then wept she again because 868 01:00:06.400 --> 01:00:10.960 I was unhappy. Ah, she was so loving, so kind 869 01:00:11.599 --> 01:00:15.159 to spare me, but one tear she and with what transport, 870 01:00:15.280 --> 01:00:20.960 would have sacrificed herself without reserve. She was, however, far 871 01:00:21.039 --> 01:00:24.920 from rightly comprehending my words. She conceived in me some 872 01:00:25.079 --> 01:00:28.559 prince on whom had fallen a heavy ban, some high 873 01:00:28.599 --> 01:00:33.480 and honored head, and her imagination, amidst heroic pictures, limbed 874 01:00:33.599 --> 01:00:38.119 forth her lover gloriously. Once I said to her, Mina, 875 01:00:38.440 --> 01:00:40.559 the last day in the next month may change my 876 01:00:40.639 --> 01:00:44.079 fate and decide it. If not, I must die, for 877 01:00:44.199 --> 01:00:48.119 I will not make thee unhappy. Weeping, she hid her 878 01:00:48.159 --> 01:00:51.599 head in my bosom. If thy fortune changes, let me 879 01:00:51.719 --> 01:00:54.480 know that thou art happy, I have no claim on 880 01:00:54.599 --> 01:00:58.760 thee art Thou wretched. Bind me to thy wretchedness that 881 01:00:58.880 --> 01:01:04.280 I may help thee to bear it. Maiden, Maiden, take 882 01:01:04.320 --> 01:01:08.800 it back that quick word, that foolish word which escaped 883 01:01:08.840 --> 01:01:13.920 thy lips. And knowest thou this wretchedness, knowest thou this curse, 884 01:01:14.639 --> 01:01:18.960 knowest who thy lover what he seized, Though not that 885 01:01:19.039 --> 01:01:23.079 I convulsively shrink together and have a secret from thee. 886 01:01:23.400 --> 01:01:26.880 She fell sobbing to my feet, and repeated with oath 887 01:01:27.039 --> 01:01:31.719 her entreaty. I announced to the forest master, who entered, 888 01:01:31.920 --> 01:01:34.119 that it was my intention, on the first of the 889 01:01:34.199 --> 01:01:37.639 approaching month, to solicit the hand of his daughter. I 890 01:01:37.719 --> 01:01:41.480 fixed precisely this time, because in the interim many things 891 01:01:41.559 --> 01:01:45.920 might occur which might influence my fortunes. But I insisted 892 01:01:46.159 --> 01:01:48.960 that I was unchangeable in my love to his daughter. 893 01:01:50.239 --> 01:01:52.920 The good man was quite startled as he heard such 894 01:01:52.960 --> 01:01:55.880 words out of the mouth of Count Peter. He fell 895 01:01:55.920 --> 01:01:58.880 on my neck and again became quite ashamed to have 896 01:01:59.079 --> 01:02:02.639 thus forgotten him. Then he began to doubt, to weigh, 897 01:02:03.079 --> 01:02:06.719 and to inquire. He spoke of dowry, security, and the 898 01:02:06.760 --> 01:02:10.159 future of his beloved child. I thanked him for reminding 899 01:02:10.199 --> 01:02:13.039 me of these things. I told him that I desired 900 01:02:13.119 --> 01:02:16.000 to settle down in this neighborhood where I seemed to 901 01:02:16.039 --> 01:02:19.559 be beloved, and to lead a care free life. I 902 01:02:19.599 --> 01:02:22.840 begged him to purchase the finest estates that the country 903 01:02:22.840 --> 01:02:25.400 had to offer in the name of his daughter, and 904 01:02:25.480 --> 01:02:28.800 to charge the cost to me. A father could in 905 01:02:28.840 --> 01:02:32.199 such matter best serve a lover. It gave him enough 906 01:02:32.239 --> 01:02:35.760 to do, for everywhere a stranger was before him, and 907 01:02:35.840 --> 01:02:39.960 he could only purchase for about a million my Thus 908 01:02:40.000 --> 01:02:43.320 employing him was at the bottom an innocent scheme to 909 01:02:43.400 --> 01:02:46.800 remove him to a distance. And I had employed him 910 01:02:46.800 --> 01:02:51.679 similarly before, for I must confess that he was rather wearisome. 911 01:02:52.159 --> 01:02:55.159 The good Mother was, on the contrary, somewhat deaf and 912 01:02:55.280 --> 01:02:58.719 not like him. Jealous of the honor of entertaining the count, 913 01:02:59.679 --> 01:03:03.159 the mother joined us. The happy people pressed me to 914 01:03:03.199 --> 01:03:06.599 stay longer with them. That evening, I dared not remain 915 01:03:06.679 --> 01:03:09.960 another minute. I saw already the rising moon glimmer on 916 01:03:10.039 --> 01:03:14.719 the horizon. My time was up. The next evening, I 917 01:03:14.760 --> 01:03:18.000 went again to the forester's garden. I had thrown my 918 01:03:18.119 --> 01:03:21.039 cloak over my shoulders and pulled my hat over my eyes. 919 01:03:21.760 --> 01:03:25.960 I advanced to Mina. As she looked up and beheld me, 920 01:03:26.480 --> 01:03:30.599 she gave an involuntary start, and there stood again, clear 921 01:03:30.639 --> 01:03:34.079 before my soul, the apparition of that terrible night. When 922 01:03:34.079 --> 01:03:37.360 I showled myself in the moonlight without a shadow, it 923 01:03:37.480 --> 01:03:41.760 was actually she. But had she also recognized me again? 924 01:03:42.360 --> 01:03:45.880 She was silent and thoughtful. On my bosom lay a 925 01:03:45.960 --> 01:03:50.119 hundred way pressure. I arose from my seat. She threw 926 01:03:50.159 --> 01:03:56.320 herself silently, weeping on my bosom I went. I now 927 01:03:56.360 --> 01:03:59.800 found her often in tears. It grew darker and darker 928 01:03:59.840 --> 01:04:04.199 in my soul. The parents swam only in supreme felicity. 929 01:04:04.559 --> 01:04:08.840 The faith day passed on, sad and sullen as a thundercloud. 930 01:04:09.400 --> 01:04:13.760 The eve of the day was come. I could scarcely breathe. 931 01:04:14.159 --> 01:04:18.360 I had, in precaution, filled several chests with gold. I 932 01:04:18.400 --> 01:04:23.800 watched the midnight hour approach it struck. I now sat 933 01:04:24.159 --> 01:04:27.400 my eye fixed on the fingers of the clock, counting 934 01:04:27.440 --> 01:04:32.440 the seconds, the minutes, like dagger strokes, at every noise 935 01:04:32.480 --> 01:04:37.199 which arose. I started up. The day broke, The leaden 936 01:04:37.320 --> 01:04:43.880 hours crowded one upon another. It was noon, evening night. 937 01:04:45.039 --> 01:04:49.840 As the clock fingers sped on, hope withered. It struck 938 01:04:49.840 --> 01:04:54.639 eleven and nothing appeared. The last minutes of the last 939 01:04:54.679 --> 01:05:00.239 hour fell, and nothing appeared. It struck the first stroke, 940 01:05:00.440 --> 01:05:04.800 the last stroke of the twelfth hour, and I sank, 941 01:05:05.079 --> 01:05:09.280 hopeless and in boundless tears upon my bed. On the 942 01:05:09.400 --> 01:05:15.239 morrow I should forever shadowless, solicit the hand of my beloved. 943 01:05:16.480 --> 01:05:23.280 Toward morning, an anxious sleep pressed down my eyelids. End 944 01:05:23.480 --> 01:05:34.400 of chapter four, Chapter five of the Wonderful History of 945 01:05:34.719 --> 01:05:42.559 Peter Schlimihl by Adelbert Fon Camissau, translated by Frederick H. Hedge. 946 01:05:43.000 --> 01:05:48.000 This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter five. 947 01:05:51.360 --> 01:05:54.719 It was still early morning when voices which were raised 948 01:05:54.760 --> 01:05:59.280 in my antechamber in violent dispute, awoke me. I listened 949 01:06:00.039 --> 01:06:04.280 Kendal forbade entrance. Rascal swore high and hotly that he 950 01:06:04.320 --> 01:06:08.199 would receive no commands from his equal, and insisted on 951 01:06:08.320 --> 01:06:12.039 forcing his way into my room. The good Bendle warned 952 01:06:12.119 --> 01:06:15.840 him that such words came they to my ear, would 953 01:06:15.880 --> 01:06:20.760 turn him out of his most advantageous service. Rascal threatened 954 01:06:20.760 --> 01:06:23.719 to lay hands on him if he any longer obstructed 955 01:06:23.719 --> 01:06:27.880 his entrance. I had half dressed myself. I flung the 956 01:06:28.000 --> 01:06:33.760 door wrathfully open and advanced to Rascal what wants though villain? 957 01:06:34.320 --> 01:06:39.199 He stepped two strides backward and replied, quite coolly, the 958 01:06:39.320 --> 01:06:43.559 request you most humbly count for once to allow me 959 01:06:43.760 --> 01:06:47.519 to see your shadow. The sunshines at this moment so 960 01:06:47.679 --> 01:06:52.039 beautifully in the court. I was struck as with thunder. 961 01:06:52.719 --> 01:06:55.119 It was some time before I could recover my speech. 962 01:06:56.039 --> 01:07:00.159 How can a servant toward his master. He interrupted, did 963 01:07:00.280 --> 01:07:03.000 very calmly my speech. A servant may be a very 964 01:07:03.039 --> 01:07:06.320 honorable man and not be willing to serve as shadow. 965 01:07:06.400 --> 01:07:11.480 As master, I demand my discharge. It was necessary to 966 01:07:11.559 --> 01:07:15.760 try other chords. But honest, dear rascal, who has put 967 01:07:15.800 --> 01:07:19.159 that unlucky idea into your head? How const thou believe? 968 01:07:20.000 --> 01:07:23.119 He proceeded in the same tone, people will assert that 969 01:07:23.199 --> 01:07:26.159 you have no shadow, And in short, ye show me 970 01:07:26.280 --> 01:07:32.400 your shadow, or give me my discharge. Bendel, pale and trembling, 971 01:07:32.639 --> 01:07:36.280 but more discreet than I gave me a sign. I 972 01:07:36.360 --> 01:07:39.800 sought refuge in the all silencing gold, but that too 973 01:07:40.079 --> 01:07:43.039 had lost its power. He threw it at my feet 974 01:07:43.559 --> 01:07:47.039 from a shadow as men. I accept nothing. He turned 975 01:07:47.039 --> 01:07:50.199 his back upon me and went most deliberately out of 976 01:07:50.239 --> 01:07:53.199 the room, with his hat upon his head and whistling 977 01:07:53.239 --> 01:07:57.440 a tune. I stood there with Bendel as one turned 978 01:07:57.480 --> 01:08:04.519 to stone, thoughtless, motionless, gazing after him, heavily sighing, and 979 01:08:04.599 --> 01:08:07.559 with death in my heart. I prepared myself at last 980 01:08:07.800 --> 01:08:11.679 to redeem my promise, and, like a criminal before his judge, 981 01:08:11.760 --> 01:08:15.719 to appear in the forest master's garden. I alighted in 982 01:08:15.800 --> 01:08:19.079 the dark arbor, which was named after me, and where 983 01:08:19.079 --> 01:08:22.039 they would be sure also this time to await me. 984 01:08:22.600 --> 01:08:26.560 The mother met me carefree and joyous. Mina sat there, 985 01:08:26.680 --> 01:08:30.079 pale and lovely as the first snow, which often in 986 01:08:30.119 --> 01:08:34.239 the autumn kisses the last flowers and then instantly dissolves 987 01:08:34.279 --> 01:08:39.439 into bitter water. The forest master went agitatedly to and 988 01:08:39.600 --> 01:08:42.720 fro a written paper in his hand, and appeared to 989 01:08:42.840 --> 01:08:47.079 force down many things in himself, which painted themselves with 990 01:08:47.279 --> 01:08:53.000 rapidly alternating flushes and paleness on his otherwise immovable countenance. 991 01:08:53.560 --> 01:08:55.840 He came up to me as I entered, and with 992 01:08:55.960 --> 01:09:00.439 frequently choked words, begged to speak with me alone. The 993 01:09:00.479 --> 01:09:03.439 path in which he invited me to follow him led 994 01:09:03.520 --> 01:09:07.000 us toward an open, sunny part of the garden. I 995 01:09:07.079 --> 01:09:11.319 sank speechless on a seat, and then followed a long 996 01:09:11.600 --> 01:09:17.479 silence which even the good mother dared not interrupt. The 997 01:09:17.640 --> 01:09:21.920 forest master raged continually with unequal steps to and fro 998 01:09:22.119 --> 01:09:26.359 in the arbor, and, suddenly halting before me, glanced on 999 01:09:26.479 --> 01:09:29.239 the paper which he held, and demanded of me with 1000 01:09:29.279 --> 01:09:34.279 a searching look. May not count a certain Peter schleme, 1001 01:09:34.319 --> 01:09:37.560 You'll be not quite unknown to you. I was silent, 1002 01:09:38.159 --> 01:09:42.920 a man of superior character and singular attainments. He paused 1003 01:09:42.960 --> 01:09:48.039 for an answer, And suppose I were the same man 1004 01:09:49.079 --> 01:09:55.199 who added, he vehemently has by some means lost his shadow. Oh, 1005 01:09:55.239 --> 01:10:00.560 my foreboding, My foreboding, exclaimed Mina. Yes, I have long 1006 01:10:00.680 --> 01:10:04.479 known it. He has no shadow. And she flung herself 1007 01:10:04.520 --> 01:10:09.600 into the arms of her mother, who terrified clasped her convulsively, 1008 01:10:10.000 --> 01:10:13.600 and upbraided her that, to her own hurt, she had 1009 01:10:13.680 --> 01:10:18.520 kept to herself such a secret. But she, like Arethusa, 1010 01:10:18.680 --> 01:10:21.840 was changed into a fountain of tears, which, at the 1011 01:10:21.880 --> 01:10:26.079 sound of my voice flowed still more copiously, and at 1012 01:10:26.119 --> 01:10:33.079 my approach, burst forth in torrents. And you again grimly 1013 01:10:33.119 --> 01:10:38.319 began the forest master. And you, with unparalleled impudence, have 1014 01:10:38.520 --> 01:10:43.039 made no scruple to deceive these and myself. And you 1015 01:10:43.079 --> 01:10:45.920 give out that you love her whom you brought into 1016 01:10:45.960 --> 01:10:52.239 this predicament. See there how she weeps and rise. Oh horrible, horrible, 1017 01:10:53.560 --> 01:10:56.039 I had to such a degree lost my composure that, 1018 01:10:56.359 --> 01:11:00.560 talking like one crazed, I began, after all, my shadow 1019 01:11:00.600 --> 01:11:03.159 is nothing but a shadow. One can do very well 1020 01:11:03.159 --> 01:11:05.880 without that, and it is not worth while to make 1021 01:11:05.960 --> 01:11:09.840 such a riot about it. But I felt so sharply 1022 01:11:09.880 --> 01:11:13.199 the baselessness of what I was saying that I stopped 1023 01:11:13.239 --> 01:11:17.840 of myself without disdaining me an answer. And I then added, 1024 01:11:18.399 --> 01:11:21.319 what one has lost at one time may be found 1025 01:11:21.319 --> 01:11:26.960 again at another. He fiercely rebuked me. Confess to me, sir, 1026 01:11:27.159 --> 01:11:31.239 confess to me, how became you deprived of your shadow? 1027 01:11:32.279 --> 01:11:35.680 I was compelled again to lie. A rude fellow one 1028 01:11:35.760 --> 01:11:38.479 day trod so heavily on my shadow that you rent 1029 01:11:38.520 --> 01:11:41.239 a great hole in it. I have only sent it 1030 01:11:41.359 --> 01:11:43.960 to be mended, for money can do much, and I 1031 01:11:44.119 --> 01:11:49.159 was to have received it back yesterday. Good, sir, very good, 1032 01:11:49.359 --> 01:11:53.680 replied the forest master. You solicit my daughter's hand. Others 1033 01:11:53.760 --> 01:11:56.880 do the same. I have as her father to care 1034 01:11:56.920 --> 01:11:59.720 for her. I give you three days in which you 1035 01:11:59.800 --> 01:12:02.960 may seek for a shadow. If you appear before me 1036 01:12:03.119 --> 01:12:06.560 within these three days with a good, well fitting shadow, 1037 01:12:06.960 --> 01:12:10.159 you shall be welcome to me. But on the fourth day, 1038 01:12:11.000 --> 01:12:15.000 I tell you plainly, my daughter is the wife of another. 1039 01:12:16.279 --> 01:12:19.039 I would yet attempt to speak a word to Mina, 1040 01:12:19.119 --> 01:12:23.800 but she clung sobbing violently, only closer to her mother's breast, 1041 01:12:24.159 --> 01:12:28.880 who silently motioned me to withdraw I reeled away, and 1042 01:12:28.960 --> 01:12:35.159 the world seemed to close itself behind me. Escaped from 1043 01:12:35.239 --> 01:12:40.560 Bendal's affectionate oversight, I traversed in erring cares, woods and fields. 1044 01:12:41.239 --> 01:12:45.119 The perspiration of my agony dropped from my brow. A 1045 01:12:45.159 --> 01:12:50.960 hollow groaning convulsed my bosom. Madness raged within me. I 1046 01:12:51.039 --> 01:12:53.920 know not how long this had continued. When on a 1047 01:12:53.960 --> 01:12:58.359 sunny heath, I felt myself plucked by the sleeve. I 1048 01:12:58.359 --> 01:13:01.920 stood still and looked round. It was the man in 1049 01:13:01.960 --> 01:13:05.399 the gray coat, who seemed to have run himself quite 1050 01:13:05.399 --> 01:13:08.680 out of breath in pursuit of me. He immediately began. 1051 01:13:10.319 --> 01:13:12.640 I had announced myself for to day, but you could 1052 01:13:12.720 --> 01:13:16.600 not wait the time. There is nothing amiss, however, yet 1053 01:13:17.039 --> 01:13:20.359 you consider the matter, receive your shadder again in exchange 1054 01:13:20.720 --> 01:13:24.600 which is at your service, and turn immediately back. You 1055 01:13:24.720 --> 01:13:27.800 shall be welcome in the forest master's garden. The whole 1056 01:13:27.840 --> 01:13:31.520 has been only a joke. Rascal who has betrayed you, 1057 01:13:31.760 --> 01:13:34.199 and who seeks the hand of your bride. I will 1058 01:13:34.239 --> 01:13:39.880 take charge of the fellow is ripe. I stood there, 1059 01:13:39.920 --> 01:13:43.920 as if in a dream, announced for to day. I 1060 01:13:44.039 --> 01:13:48.039 counted over again the time he was right. I had 1061 01:13:48.079 --> 01:13:52.000 constantly miscalculated a day. I saw it with the right 1062 01:13:52.000 --> 01:13:54.920 hand in my bosom for my purse. He guessed my 1063 01:13:55.000 --> 01:13:59.840 meaning and stepped two paces backwards. No count, that isn't 1064 01:13:59.840 --> 01:14:03.319 two good hands keep you that? I stared at him 1065 01:14:03.319 --> 01:14:07.640 with eyes of inquiring wonder, and he proceeded. I request 1066 01:14:07.680 --> 01:14:11.039 only a trifle as memento, you be so good as 1067 01:14:11.079 --> 01:14:14.039 to set your name to this paper. On the parchment 1068 01:14:14.119 --> 01:14:18.720 stood the words, by virtue of this my signature, I 1069 01:14:18.800 --> 01:14:22.319 make over my soul to the holder of this, after 1070 01:14:22.520 --> 01:14:28.880 its natural separation from the body. I gazed with speechless amazement, 1071 01:14:29.359 --> 01:14:34.359 alternately at the writing and the gray unknown. Meanwhile, with 1072 01:14:34.479 --> 01:14:37.039 a new cut quill, he had taken up a drop 1073 01:14:37.079 --> 01:14:40.239 of blood which flowed from a fresh thorn scratch on 1074 01:14:40.319 --> 01:14:45.119 my hand, and presented it to me. Who are you? 1075 01:14:45.399 --> 01:14:49.199 After all? At length I asked him, what does it matter? 1076 01:14:49.359 --> 01:14:52.199 He replied, and is it not plainly written on me? 1077 01:14:52.560 --> 01:14:56.239 A poor devil, A sort of learned man and doctor, who, 1078 01:14:56.439 --> 01:15:00.720 in return for precious odds, receives from his friend's things, 1079 01:15:01.239 --> 01:15:04.720 and for himself has no other amusement on earth but 1080 01:15:04.840 --> 01:15:09.640 to make his little experiments. But however, sign to the 1081 01:15:09.720 --> 01:15:14.439 right there Peter Schlemiel. I shook my head and said, 1082 01:15:14.680 --> 01:15:18.520 pardon me, sir, I do not sign that. No, replied 1083 01:15:18.520 --> 01:15:21.760 he in a maze. And why not? It seems to 1084 01:15:21.800 --> 01:15:25.199 me to a certain degree serious to stake my soul 1085 01:15:25.279 --> 01:15:30.039 on a shadow, so so repeated he serious, and he 1086 01:15:30.119 --> 01:15:33.840 laughed almost in my face. And if I might venture 1087 01:15:33.920 --> 01:15:36.760 to ask, what sort of a thing is that soul 1088 01:15:36.840 --> 01:15:39.720 of yours? Have you ever seen it? And what do 1089 01:15:39.760 --> 01:15:41.880 you think of doing with it? When you are dead? 1090 01:15:42.640 --> 01:15:45.279 Be glad that you have found an amateur who, in 1091 01:15:45.359 --> 01:15:48.319 your lifetime is willing to pay you for the bequest 1092 01:15:48.399 --> 01:15:52.760 of this x, of this galvanic power or polarized activity, 1093 01:15:53.039 --> 01:15:56.840 or whatever this silly thing may be, with something actual, 1094 01:15:57.159 --> 01:16:00.600 that is to say, with your real shadow, through which 1095 01:16:00.640 --> 01:16:03.039 you may arrive at the hand of your beloved and 1096 01:16:03.199 --> 01:16:07.640 at the accomplishment of all your desires. Will you rather 1097 01:16:07.720 --> 01:16:11.000 push forth and deliver up that poor young creature to 1098 01:16:11.079 --> 01:16:15.720 that low bred scoundrel rascal. No, you must witness that 1099 01:16:15.840 --> 01:16:19.600 with your own eyes. Here I lent you the magic cap. 1100 01:16:19.960 --> 01:16:22.760 He drew it from his pocket, and we will proceed 1101 01:16:22.960 --> 01:16:27.800 unseen to the forester's garden. I must confess that I 1102 01:16:27.920 --> 01:16:31.840 was excessively ashamed of being derided by this man, I 1103 01:16:31.960 --> 01:16:35.159 detested him from the bottom of my heart, and I 1104 01:16:35.239 --> 01:16:39.439 believe that this personal antipathy withheld me more than principle 1105 01:16:39.520 --> 01:16:43.720 or prejudice from purchasing my shadow, essential as it was 1106 01:16:43.800 --> 01:16:48.119 by the required signature. The thought also was intolerable to 1107 01:16:48.199 --> 01:16:52.680 me of making the excursion which he proposed in his company. 1108 01:16:53.359 --> 01:16:57.960 To see this abhurrid sneak, this mocking cobalt step between 1109 01:16:58.000 --> 01:17:02.560 me and my beloved, too torn and bleeding hearts, revolted 1110 01:17:02.640 --> 01:17:08.439 my innermost feeling. I regarded what was past as predestined 1111 01:17:08.920 --> 01:17:13.399 and my wretchedness as unchangeable. And turning to the man, 1112 01:17:13.520 --> 01:17:17.399 I said to him, Sir, I have sold you my 1113 01:17:17.520 --> 01:17:21.800 shadow for this in itself most excellent purse, and I 1114 01:17:21.840 --> 01:17:25.760 have sufficiently repented of it. If the bargain can be 1115 01:17:25.800 --> 01:17:29.079 broken off, then in God's name. He shook his head 1116 01:17:29.239 --> 01:17:33.399 and made a very gloomy face, I continued, I will 1117 01:17:33.439 --> 01:17:36.560 then sell you nothing further of mine, even for this 1118 01:17:36.680 --> 01:17:40.800 offered price of my shadow, and therefore I shall sign 1119 01:17:40.880 --> 01:17:44.640 nothing from this. You may understand that the muffling up 1120 01:17:44.720 --> 01:17:47.800 to which you invite me must be much more amusing, 1121 01:17:47.880 --> 01:17:51.680 for you than for me. Excuse me therefore, and as 1122 01:17:51.720 --> 01:17:57.239 it cannot now be otherwise, let us part. It grieves me, 1123 01:17:57.600 --> 01:18:01.600 Miss Schleiml, that you obstinately decline the business which I 1124 01:18:01.680 --> 01:18:05.239 proposed to you as a friend. Perhaps another time I 1125 01:18:05.279 --> 01:18:11.119 may be more fortunate till our speedy meeting again, Apropos, 1126 01:18:11.560 --> 01:18:14.359 permit me yet to show you that the things which 1127 01:18:14.399 --> 01:18:17.720 I purchase, I by no means suffer to grow moldy, 1128 01:18:18.319 --> 01:18:21.840 but honorably preserve, and that they are well taken care 1129 01:18:21.920 --> 01:18:26.119 of by me. With that, he drew my shadow out 1130 01:18:26.159 --> 01:18:29.359 of his pocket, and, with a dexterous throw, unfolding it 1131 01:18:29.439 --> 01:18:32.079 on the heath, spread it out on the sunny side 1132 01:18:32.079 --> 01:18:36.239 of his feet, so that he walked between two attendant shadows, 1133 01:18:36.439 --> 01:18:40.319 his own and mine. For mine must equally obey him 1134 01:18:40.600 --> 01:18:45.720 and accommodate itself to and follow all his movements. When 1135 01:18:45.760 --> 01:18:48.640 I once saw my poor shadow again after so long 1136 01:18:48.640 --> 01:18:52.640 an absence, and beheld it degraded to so vile a service, 1137 01:18:52.960 --> 01:18:57.119 whilst I, on its account, was in such unspeakable trouble, 1138 01:18:57.800 --> 01:19:02.720 my heart broke and began bitterly to weep. The detested 1139 01:19:02.800 --> 01:19:08.239 wretch swaggered with plunders snatched from me, and impudently renewed 1140 01:19:08.319 --> 01:19:12.079 his proposal. You can yet have it a stroke of 1141 01:19:12.119 --> 01:19:15.279 the pen, and you snatched there, with the poor, unhappy mina, 1142 01:19:15.359 --> 01:19:17.520 from the claws of the villain into the arms of 1143 01:19:17.560 --> 01:19:21.880 the most honored count As observed only a stroke of 1144 01:19:21.880 --> 01:19:28.560 the pen. My tears burst forth with fresh impetuosity. But 1145 01:19:28.680 --> 01:19:32.880 I turned away and motioned to him to withdraw himself. Bendal, 1146 01:19:33.000 --> 01:19:36.479 who filled with anxiety, had traced me to this spot 1147 01:19:36.720 --> 01:19:40.800 at this moment, arrived. When the kind good soul found 1148 01:19:40.800 --> 01:19:43.680 me weeping and saw my shadow, which could not be 1149 01:19:43.760 --> 01:19:47.760 mistaken in the power of the mysterious gray man, he 1150 01:19:47.840 --> 01:19:52.119 immediately resolved, was it even by force to restore to 1151 01:19:52.159 --> 01:19:54.880 me the possession of my property? And as he did 1152 01:19:54.920 --> 01:19:57.479 not understand how to deal with such a tender thing, 1153 01:19:57.880 --> 01:20:02.399 he immediately assaulted the man with words, and without much asking, 1154 01:20:02.800 --> 01:20:06.520 ordered him bluntly to return my property to me. Instead 1155 01:20:06.560 --> 01:20:09.159 of an answer, he turned his back to the innocent 1156 01:20:09.239 --> 01:20:14.279 young fellow and went but Bendel up with his buckthorn cudgel, 1157 01:20:14.319 --> 01:20:18.399 which he carried, and following on his heels, without mercy, 1158 01:20:18.800 --> 01:20:22.319 and with reiterated commands to give up the shadow made 1159 01:20:22.399 --> 01:20:26.279 him feel the full force of his vigorous arm. He 1160 01:20:26.640 --> 01:20:31.039 as accustomed to such handling, ducked his head, rounded his shoulders, 1161 01:20:31.279 --> 01:20:34.600 and with silent and deliberate steps, pursued his way over 1162 01:20:34.640 --> 01:20:37.640 the heath. At once, going off with my shadow and 1163 01:20:37.800 --> 01:20:41.600 my faithful servant. I long heard the heavy sounds roll 1164 01:20:41.600 --> 01:20:45.279 over the waist till they were finally lost in the distance. 1165 01:20:46.439 --> 01:20:53.560 I was alone, as before, with my misery. End of 1166 01:20:53.720 --> 01:21:04.199 chapter five Chapter six of The Wonderful History of Peter 1167 01:21:04.279 --> 01:21:10.960 Schlemehl by Adelbert fon camisso translated by Frederick H. Hedge. 1168 01:21:11.760 --> 01:21:16.520 This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter six. 1169 01:21:19.640 --> 01:21:22.680 Left alone on the wild heath, I gave free current 1170 01:21:22.920 --> 01:21:27.439 to my countless tears, relieving my heart from an ineffably 1171 01:21:27.520 --> 01:21:31.760 weary weight. But I saw no bound, no outlet, no 1172 01:21:32.159 --> 01:21:35.840 end to my intolerable misery. And I drank besides with 1173 01:21:36.039 --> 01:21:39.800 savage thirst of the fresh poison which the unknown had 1174 01:21:39.840 --> 01:21:43.439 poured into my wounds. When I called the image of 1175 01:21:43.520 --> 01:21:47.760 Mina before my soul, and the dear sweet form appeared, 1176 01:21:47.840 --> 01:21:51.000 pale and in tears as I saw her last in 1177 01:21:51.039 --> 01:21:56.800 my shame. Then stepped, impudent and mocking rascals shadow between 1178 01:21:56.800 --> 01:22:01.119 her and me. I covered my face and fled through 1179 01:22:01.159 --> 01:22:05.640 the wild. Yet the hideous apparition left me not but 1180 01:22:05.800 --> 01:22:09.600 pursued me in my flight till I sank breathless on 1181 01:22:09.680 --> 01:22:13.479 the ground and moistened it with a fresh torrent of tears. 1182 01:22:14.720 --> 01:22:19.720 And all for a shadow, and this shadow, a penstroke 1183 01:22:19.760 --> 01:22:23.439 could have obtained for me. I thought over the strange proposition, 1184 01:22:23.560 --> 01:22:27.760 and my refusal, all was chaos in me. I had 1185 01:22:27.800 --> 01:22:33.000 no longer either discernment or faculty of comprehension. The day 1186 01:22:33.199 --> 01:22:36.880 went along, I stilled my hunger with wild fruits, my 1187 01:22:37.039 --> 01:22:41.079 thirst in the nearest mountain stream. The night fell, I 1188 01:22:41.159 --> 01:22:45.079 lay down beneath a tree. The damp morning awoke me 1189 01:22:45.159 --> 01:22:48.039 out of a heavy sleep, in which I heard myself 1190 01:22:48.159 --> 01:22:52.039 rattle in the throat, as in death. Bendal must have 1191 01:22:52.159 --> 01:22:55.399 lost all trace of me, and it rejoiced me to 1192 01:22:55.520 --> 01:22:59.640 think so I would not return again amongst men before 1193 01:22:59.680 --> 01:23:02.800 whom I fled in terror, like the timid game of 1194 01:23:02.880 --> 01:23:08.479 the mountains. Thus I lived through three weary days. On 1195 01:23:08.600 --> 01:23:11.720 the fourth morning, I found myself on a sandy plain 1196 01:23:12.199 --> 01:23:14.560 bright with the sun, and set on a rock in 1197 01:23:14.600 --> 01:23:17.960 its beams For I loved now to enjoy its long 1198 01:23:18.000 --> 01:23:22.399 withheld countenance. I silently fed my heart with its despair. 1199 01:23:23.079 --> 01:23:26.840 A light rustle startled me ready for flight. I threw 1200 01:23:26.920 --> 01:23:31.079 round me a hurried glance. I saw no one, but 1201 01:23:31.279 --> 01:23:35.600 in the sunny sand, there glided past me a human shadow, 1202 01:23:36.079 --> 01:23:40.359 not unlike my own, which, wandering there alone, seemed to 1203 01:23:40.399 --> 01:23:44.319 have escaped from its possessor. There awoke in me a 1204 01:23:44.439 --> 01:23:49.640 mighty yearning shadow, said, I dost thou seek thy master, 1205 01:23:50.119 --> 01:23:53.159 I will be he? And I sprang forward to seize it. 1206 01:23:53.560 --> 01:23:56.520 I thought that if I succeeded in treading on it 1207 01:23:56.720 --> 01:24:00.159 so that its feet touched mine, it probably would remain 1208 01:24:00.279 --> 01:24:05.199 hanging there, and in time accommodated itself to me. The shadow, 1209 01:24:05.439 --> 01:24:08.720 on my moving fled before me, and I was compelled 1210 01:24:08.800 --> 01:24:11.840 to begin a strenuous chase of the light fugitive, for 1211 01:24:11.920 --> 01:24:15.119 which the thought of rescuing myself from my fearful condition 1212 01:24:15.159 --> 01:24:18.840 could alone have endowed me with a requisite vigor. It 1213 01:24:18.880 --> 01:24:21.720 flew toward a wood at a great distance, in which 1214 01:24:21.840 --> 01:24:25.560 I must, of necessity have lost it. I perceived this 1215 01:24:26.239 --> 01:24:30.199 a horror, convulsed my heart. Inflamed My desire added wings 1216 01:24:30.239 --> 01:24:33.800 to my speed I gained evidently on the shadow. I 1217 01:24:33.840 --> 01:24:38.680 came continually nearer. I must certainly reach it. Suddenly it 1218 01:24:38.760 --> 01:24:43.039 stopped and turned toward me, like a lion on its prey. 1219 01:24:43.279 --> 01:24:46.760 I shot with a mighty spring forward to make seizure 1220 01:24:46.840 --> 01:24:53.000 of it, and dashed unexpectedly against a hard and bodily object. Invisibly, 1221 01:24:53.079 --> 01:24:56.239 I received the most unprecedented blows on the ribs that 1222 01:24:56.359 --> 01:25:00.560 mortal men probably ever received. The effect of the terror 1223 01:25:00.560 --> 01:25:03.960 in me was convulsively to close my arms and firmly 1224 01:25:04.039 --> 01:25:08.039 to inclose that which stood unseen before me. In the 1225 01:25:08.159 --> 01:25:11.720 rapid transaction, I plunged forward to the ground. But backward 1226 01:25:11.800 --> 01:25:14.279 and under me was a man whom I had embraced, 1227 01:25:14.319 --> 01:25:18.640 and who now first became visible. The whole occurrence then 1228 01:25:18.680 --> 01:25:22.239 became very naturally explicable to me. The man must have 1229 01:25:22.319 --> 01:25:26.199 carried the invisible bird's nest, which renders him who holds it, 1230 01:25:26.359 --> 01:25:30.399 but not his shadow imperceptible, and had now cast it away. 1231 01:25:31.079 --> 01:25:34.479 I glanced round, soon discovered the shadow of the invisible 1232 01:25:34.520 --> 01:25:37.800 nest itself, leaped up and toward it, and did not 1233 01:25:38.000 --> 01:25:42.640 miss the precious prize. Invisible and shadowless. I held the 1234 01:25:42.760 --> 01:25:47.079 nest in my hand. The man swiftly springing up, gazing 1235 01:25:47.159 --> 01:25:51.119 round instantly after his fortunate conqueror descried on the white 1236 01:25:51.159 --> 01:25:54.359 sunny plain, neither him nor his shadow, for which he 1237 01:25:54.479 --> 01:25:59.960 sought with especial avidity. For that I was myself entirely shadowless. 1238 01:26:00.159 --> 01:26:03.399 He had no leisure to remark, nor could he imagine 1239 01:26:03.439 --> 01:26:08.119 such a thing. Having convinced himself that every trace had vanished, 1240 01:26:08.479 --> 01:26:11.359 he turned his hand against himself and tore his hair 1241 01:26:11.439 --> 01:26:16.000 in great despair. To me, however, the acquired treasure had 1242 01:26:16.039 --> 01:26:20.640 given the power and desire to mix again amongst men, 1243 01:26:21.560 --> 01:26:24.880 I did not want for self satisfying palliatives for my 1244 01:26:25.000 --> 01:26:29.359 base robbery, or rather I had not need of them, 1245 01:26:29.520 --> 01:26:32.239 And to escape from every thought of the kind, I 1246 01:26:32.319 --> 01:26:35.920 hastened away, not even looking round at the unhappy one, 1247 01:26:36.119 --> 01:26:41.000 whose deploring voice I long heard resounding behind me. Thus 1248 01:26:41.039 --> 01:26:44.479 at least appeared to me the circumstances at the time. 1249 01:26:46.039 --> 01:26:48.920 I was on fire to proceed to the forester's garden, 1250 01:26:49.159 --> 01:26:52.039 and there myself to discern the truth of what the 1251 01:26:52.159 --> 01:26:56.399 detested one had told me. I knew not, however, where 1252 01:26:56.439 --> 01:26:59.279 I was. I climbed in the next hill in order 1253 01:26:59.319 --> 01:27:02.199 to look round over the country and perceived from its 1254 01:27:02.199 --> 01:27:05.319 summit the near city and the forester's garden lying at 1255 01:27:05.399 --> 01:27:09.359 my feet. My heart beat violently, and tears of another 1256 01:27:09.479 --> 01:27:12.680 kind than what I had till now shed rushed into 1257 01:27:12.720 --> 01:27:17.760 my eyes. I should see her again. Anxious desire hastened 1258 01:27:17.760 --> 01:27:22.039 my steps. Down the most direct path, I passed unseen 1259 01:27:22.199 --> 01:27:25.000 some peasants who came out of the city. They were 1260 01:27:25.039 --> 01:27:28.119 talking of me, of Rascal and the forest master. I 1261 01:27:28.119 --> 01:27:32.439 would hear nothing, I hurried past. I entered the garden, 1262 01:27:32.720 --> 01:27:36.079 all the tremor of expectation in my bosom. I seemed 1263 01:27:36.079 --> 01:27:40.199 to hear laughter near me. I shuddered, threw a rapid 1264 01:27:40.239 --> 01:27:44.680 glance round me, but could discover nobody. I advanced farther. 1265 01:27:46.680 --> 01:27:49.720 I seemed to perceive as sound as of man's steps 1266 01:27:49.760 --> 01:27:52.600 near me, but there was nothing to be seen. I 1267 01:27:52.680 --> 01:27:56.399 believed myself deceived by my ear. It was yet early 1268 01:27:56.680 --> 01:27:59.960 no one in Count Peter's arbor, the garden still empty. 1269 01:28:01.279 --> 01:28:05.239 I traversed the well known paths. I penetrated to the 1270 01:28:05.359 --> 01:28:09.680 very front of the dwelling. The same noise more distinctly 1271 01:28:09.800 --> 01:28:14.000 followed me. I seated myself with an agonized heart, on 1272 01:28:14.039 --> 01:28:17.159 a bench which stood in the sunny space before the 1273 01:28:17.199 --> 01:28:20.199 house door. It seemed as if I had heard the 1274 01:28:20.319 --> 01:28:25.359 unseen Cobbalt laughing in mockery, seat himself near me. The 1275 01:28:25.439 --> 01:28:28.239 key turned in the door, it opened, and the forest 1276 01:28:28.319 --> 01:28:32.119 master issued forth with papers in his hand. A mist 1277 01:28:32.279 --> 01:28:37.359 seemed to envelope my head. I looked up and horror. 1278 01:28:37.760 --> 01:28:40.600 The man in the gray coat sat by me, gazing 1279 01:28:40.640 --> 01:28:44.039 on me with a satanic leer. He had drawn his 1280 01:28:44.199 --> 01:28:47.359 magic cup at once over his head and mine at 1281 01:28:47.359 --> 01:28:51.560 his feet. Lay his and my shadow peaceably by each other. 1282 01:28:52.319 --> 01:28:55.600 He played negligently with the well known parchment which he 1283 01:28:55.600 --> 01:28:58.960 held in his hand, And as the forest master busied 1284 01:28:59.000 --> 01:29:01.560 with his documents and to and fro in the shadow 1285 01:29:01.640 --> 01:29:05.920 of the arbor, he stooped familiarily to my ear and 1286 01:29:06.039 --> 01:29:11.720 whispered in it these words. So then you have notwithstanding 1287 01:29:12.199 --> 01:29:16.399 accepted my invitation, and here sit we for once two 1288 01:29:16.479 --> 01:29:20.760 heads under one cap. All right, all right, but now 1289 01:29:20.960 --> 01:29:24.039 give me my bird's nest again. You have no further 1290 01:29:24.119 --> 01:29:26.720 need of it, and are too honest the men to 1291 01:29:26.760 --> 01:29:30.279 wish to withhold it from me. But there needs no thanks. 1292 01:29:30.600 --> 01:29:32.920 I assure you that I have lent it to you 1293 01:29:33.039 --> 01:29:37.199 with the most hearty, good will. He took it unceremoniously 1294 01:29:37.239 --> 01:29:39.720 out of my hand, put it in his pocket, and 1295 01:29:39.840 --> 01:29:43.039 laughed at me again, And that so loud that the 1296 01:29:43.119 --> 01:29:46.439 forest master himself looked round at the noise. I sat 1297 01:29:46.479 --> 01:29:51.159 there as if changed to stone. But you must admit, 1298 01:29:51.359 --> 01:29:54.640 continued he, that such a cap is much more convenient. 1299 01:29:55.000 --> 01:29:57.680 It covers not only your person, but your shadow at 1300 01:29:57.720 --> 01:30:00.359 the same time, and as many others as you have 1301 01:30:00.439 --> 01:30:05.079 a mind to take with you. See you again to day. 1302 01:30:05.399 --> 01:30:10.039 I conduct two of them. He laughed again. Mark this schleimeel. 1303 01:30:10.319 --> 01:30:12.720 What we at first won't do with a good will, 1304 01:30:13.039 --> 01:30:16.239 that will we in the end be compelled to. I 1305 01:30:16.279 --> 01:30:18.920 still fancy you will buy that thing from me, take 1306 01:30:18.960 --> 01:30:22.039 back the bride, for it is yet time, and we 1307 01:30:22.119 --> 01:30:25.159 leave Rascal dangling on the gallows, an easy thing for us, 1308 01:30:25.239 --> 01:30:28.640 so long as robest to be had here you, I 1309 01:30:28.720 --> 01:30:32.960 will give you also my cap into the bargain. The 1310 01:30:33.039 --> 01:30:37.720 mother came forth, and the conversation began. Oh goes it 1311 01:30:37.760 --> 01:30:43.199 with me? Now, she weeps, silly child. It cannot be altered, 1312 01:30:44.039 --> 01:30:46.680 certainly not, but to give her to another so soon, 1313 01:30:47.359 --> 01:30:51.760 Oh man, thou art cruel to thy own child. No mother, 1314 01:30:52.159 --> 01:30:55.600 that though quite mistakest when she, even before she has 1315 01:30:55.640 --> 01:30:58.640 wept out her childish tears, finds herself the wife of 1316 01:30:58.680 --> 01:31:01.920 a very rich and honorable man. She will awake, comforted 1317 01:31:02.039 --> 01:31:04.359 out of a trouble as out of a dream, and 1318 01:31:04.600 --> 01:31:09.600 thank God and us that shalt thou see God. Granted 1319 01:31:10.640 --> 01:31:15.600 she possesses now indeed a very respectable property. But after 1320 01:31:15.680 --> 01:31:19.119 the stir that this unlucky affair with the adventurer has made, 1321 01:31:19.359 --> 01:31:22.439 canst thou believe that a partner so suitable as mister 1322 01:31:22.600 --> 01:31:26.119 Rascal could be readily found for her? Dost thou know 1323 01:31:26.479 --> 01:31:30.239 what a fortune mister Rascal possesses. He has paid six 1324 01:31:30.359 --> 01:31:34.079 millions for estates here in the country, free from all debts. 1325 01:31:34.479 --> 01:31:36.920 I have had the title deeds in my own hands. 1326 01:31:37.520 --> 01:31:40.439 He it was who everywhere had the start of me. 1327 01:31:40.960 --> 01:31:44.760 And besides this has in his possession bills of Thomas 1328 01:31:44.840 --> 01:31:49.359 John for about three and a half millions. He must 1329 01:31:49.359 --> 01:31:53.600 have stolen enormously. What talk is that? Again? He has 1330 01:31:53.680 --> 01:31:57.600 wisely saved what would otherwise have been lavished away a 1331 01:31:57.680 --> 01:32:01.880 man that has worn livery stupid. He has, however, an 1332 01:32:02.000 --> 01:32:07.560 unblemished shadow. Thou art right, But the man in the 1333 01:32:07.600 --> 01:32:10.720 great coat laughed and looked at me. The door opened, 1334 01:32:10.960 --> 01:32:14.479 and Mina came forth. She supported herself on the arm 1335 01:32:14.560 --> 01:32:17.960 of a chamber maid, sign and tears rolling down her 1336 01:32:18.000 --> 01:32:21.680 lovely pale cheeks. She seated herself on a stool which 1337 01:32:21.760 --> 01:32:24.520 was placed for her under the lime trees, and her 1338 01:32:24.520 --> 01:32:28.319 father took a chair by her. He tenderly took her 1339 01:32:28.359 --> 01:32:32.119 hand and addressed her with tender words, while she began 1340 01:32:32.279 --> 01:32:37.600 violently to weep. Though art, my good dear child, and 1341 01:32:37.720 --> 01:32:41.479 thou wilt be reasonable, will not wish to distress thy 1342 01:32:41.560 --> 01:32:45.520 old father, who seeks only thy happiness. I can well 1343 01:32:45.560 --> 01:32:49.119 conceive it, dear heart, that it has sadly shaken thee 1344 01:32:49.640 --> 01:32:54.439 Thou art wonderfully escaped from thy misfortunes. Before we discovered 1345 01:32:54.520 --> 01:32:58.800 the scandalous imposition, Thou hadst loved this unworthy one greatly. 1346 01:32:59.600 --> 01:33:03.239 See I know it, and upbright thee not for it, 1347 01:33:03.800 --> 01:33:07.720 I myself, dear child, also loved him so long as 1348 01:33:07.760 --> 01:33:10.880 I looked upon him as a great gentleman. But now 1349 01:33:10.960 --> 01:33:15.079 thou seest how different all has turned out? What every 1350 01:33:15.119 --> 01:33:18.319 poodle has his own shadow? And should my dear child 1351 01:33:18.359 --> 01:33:23.960 have a husband? No, thou thinkest indeed know more about him. Listen, Mina, 1352 01:33:24.399 --> 01:33:27.479 Now a man solicits thy hand, who does not shun 1353 01:33:27.600 --> 01:33:31.640 the sunshine, an honorable man who truly is no prince, 1354 01:33:31.680 --> 01:33:35.840 but who possesses ten millions, ten times more than though, 1355 01:33:36.279 --> 01:33:39.720 a man who will make my dear child happy. Answer me, 1356 01:33:39.800 --> 01:33:44.399 not make no opposition, be my good, dutiful daughter. Let 1357 01:33:44.520 --> 01:33:48.439 thy loving father care for thee and dry thy tears. 1358 01:33:49.079 --> 01:33:52.199 Promise me to give thy hand to mister Rascal. Say 1359 01:33:52.600 --> 01:33:57.079 wilt thou promise me this? She answered, with a faint voice. 1360 01:33:57.800 --> 01:34:02.000 I have no will nor wish for upon earth happen 1361 01:34:02.119 --> 01:34:07.279 with me white my father will. At this moment, mister 1362 01:34:07.399 --> 01:34:12.880 Rascal was announced and stepped impudently into the circle. Mina 1363 01:34:13.000 --> 01:34:18.239 lay in a swoon. My detested companion glanced angrily at 1364 01:34:18.319 --> 01:34:22.760 me and whispered in hurried words, and that can you endure? 1365 01:34:23.600 --> 01:34:27.159 What then flows instead of blood in your veins? He 1366 01:34:27.319 --> 01:34:30.479 scratched with a hasty movement, a slight wound in my hand. 1367 01:34:30.840 --> 01:34:36.880 Blood flowed, and he continued, actually red blood. So signed. 1368 01:34:36.960 --> 01:34:41.960 Then I had the parchment and the pen in my hand. 1369 01:34:43.920 --> 01:34:55.000 End of chapter six Chapter seven of the Wonderful History 1370 01:34:55.159 --> 01:35:02.479 of Peter Schlemil by Adelbert von Camissau translate by Frederick H. Hedge. 1371 01:35:03.319 --> 01:35:08.319 This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter seven. 1372 01:35:11.680 --> 01:35:15.439 My wish, Dear Commissal, is merely to submit myself to 1373 01:35:15.520 --> 01:35:19.479 thy judgment, not to endeavor to bias it. I have 1374 01:35:19.640 --> 01:35:23.359 long passed the severest sentence on myself, for I have 1375 01:35:23.600 --> 01:35:29.039 nourished the tormenting worm in my heart. It hovered during 1376 01:35:29.039 --> 01:35:32.399 this solemn moment of my life, incessantly before my soul, 1377 01:35:32.920 --> 01:35:35.520 and I could only lift my eyes to it with 1378 01:35:35.600 --> 01:35:41.840 a doubting glance, with humility and contrition. Dear friend, he 1379 01:35:42.159 --> 01:35:44.960 who in levity only sets his foot out of the 1380 01:35:45.039 --> 01:35:49.960 right road, is unawares conducted into other paths which draw 1381 01:35:50.079 --> 01:35:54.199 him downward and ever downward. He then sees in vain 1382 01:35:54.520 --> 01:35:58.399 the guiding stars glitter in heaven. There remains to him 1383 01:35:58.439 --> 01:36:04.119 no choice. He must dissent, unpausingly the declivity and become 1384 01:36:04.279 --> 01:36:10.119 a voluntary sacrifice to Nemesis. After the hasty false step 1385 01:36:10.279 --> 01:36:14.079 which had laid the curs upon me, I had, sinning 1386 01:36:14.119 --> 01:36:18.119 through love, forced myself into the fortunes of another being. 1387 01:36:18.760 --> 01:36:21.520 And what remained for me but that where I had 1388 01:36:21.600 --> 01:36:26.199 sowed destruction, where speedy salvation was demanded of me, I 1389 01:36:26.199 --> 01:36:30.079 should blindly rush forward to the rescue for the last 1390 01:36:30.119 --> 01:36:33.840 I was struck. Think not so meanly of me, my Adelbert, 1391 01:36:34.399 --> 01:36:37.359 as to imagine that I should have regarded any price 1392 01:36:37.439 --> 01:36:40.600 that was demanded as too high, that I should have 1393 01:36:40.680 --> 01:36:46.520 begrudged anything that was mine even more than my gold. No, Adelbert, 1394 01:36:47.000 --> 01:36:51.000 but my soul was possessed with the most unconquerable hatred 1395 01:36:51.199 --> 01:36:55.319 of this mysterious sneaker Along crooked paths. I might do 1396 01:36:55.479 --> 01:37:00.399 him injustice, but every degree of association with him revolved me. 1397 01:37:01.119 --> 01:37:04.960 And here stepped forth, as so frequently in my life, 1398 01:37:05.399 --> 01:37:08.520 and as in general, so often in the history of 1399 01:37:08.600 --> 01:37:13.439 the world, an event instead of an action. Since then 1400 01:37:13.720 --> 01:37:17.720 I have achieved reconciliation with myself. I have learned, in 1401 01:37:17.760 --> 01:37:21.800 the first place, to reverence necessity, and what is more 1402 01:37:21.840 --> 01:37:27.399 than the action performed, the event accomplished her propriety. Then 1403 01:37:27.439 --> 01:37:31.279 I have learned to venerate this necessity as a wise providence, 1404 01:37:31.720 --> 01:37:34.760 which lives through that great collective machine in which we 1405 01:37:34.840 --> 01:37:41.239 officiate simply as co operating impelling and impelled wields. What 1406 01:37:41.399 --> 01:37:45.960 shall be must be, what should be happened, and not 1407 01:37:46.079 --> 01:37:50.239 without that providence, which I ultimately learned to reverence in 1408 01:37:50.279 --> 01:37:53.560 my own fate and in the fate of those on 1409 01:37:53.680 --> 01:37:58.520 whom mine thus impinged. I know not whether I shall 1410 01:37:58.560 --> 01:38:01.359 ascribe it to the excile of my soul under the 1411 01:38:01.399 --> 01:38:05.520 impulse of such mighty sensations, or to the exhaustion of 1412 01:38:05.520 --> 01:38:10.640 my physical strength, which, during the last days such unwonted 1413 01:38:10.760 --> 01:38:16.239 privations had enfeebled, or whether finally to the desolating commotion 1414 01:38:16.760 --> 01:38:19.960 which the presence of this gray fiend excited in my 1415 01:38:20.039 --> 01:38:23.680 whole nature. Be that as it may. As I was 1416 01:38:23.680 --> 01:38:26.960 on the point of signing, I fell into a deep 1417 01:38:27.119 --> 01:38:30.800 swoon and lay a long time as in the arms 1418 01:38:30.840 --> 01:38:35.039 of death. Stamping of feet and curses were the first 1419 01:38:35.159 --> 01:38:38.520 sounds which struck my ear. As I returned to consciousness, 1420 01:38:39.279 --> 01:38:43.479 I opened my eyes. It was dark. My detested attendant 1421 01:38:43.880 --> 01:38:48.000 was busied scolding me. Is not that to behave like 1422 01:38:48.039 --> 01:38:51.720 an old woman? Up with you, man, and complete off 1423 01:38:51.760 --> 01:38:54.640 hand what you have resolved on if you have not 1424 01:38:54.800 --> 01:38:59.239 taken another thought and had rather blubber. I raised myself 1425 01:38:59.279 --> 01:39:02.720 with difficulty from the ground and gazed in silence around. 1426 01:39:03.359 --> 01:39:07.359 It was late in the evening. Festive music resounded from 1427 01:39:07.359 --> 01:39:12.720 the brightly illuminated Forester's house. Various groups of people wandered 1428 01:39:12.720 --> 01:39:16.600 through the garden walks. One couple came near in conversation 1429 01:39:16.800 --> 01:39:20.079 and seated themselves on the bench which I had just quitted. 1430 01:39:20.560 --> 01:39:23.800 They talked of the union this morning solemnized between the 1431 01:39:23.880 --> 01:39:28.039 rich mister Rascal and the daughter of the house. So 1432 01:39:28.239 --> 01:39:33.159 then it had taken place. I tore the magic cap 1433 01:39:33.199 --> 01:39:37.359 of the already vanished unknown from my head and hastened 1434 01:39:37.479 --> 01:39:42.359 in brooding silence toward the garden gate, plunging myself into 1435 01:39:42.359 --> 01:39:45.640 the deepest night of the thicket, and striking along the 1436 01:39:45.680 --> 01:39:51.720 path past Count Peter's arbor. But invisibly my tormenting spirit 1437 01:39:51.840 --> 01:39:57.119 accompanied me, pursuing me with keenest reproaches. These are now 1438 01:39:57.239 --> 01:40:00.039 one's thanks for the pains which one has taken to 1439 01:40:00.039 --> 01:40:04.680 support monsieur who has weak nerves through the long precious day. 1440 01:40:05.079 --> 01:40:08.239 And one shall act the fool in the play. Good 1441 01:40:08.600 --> 01:40:12.159 mister wronghead, fly you from me if you please, but 1442 01:40:12.319 --> 01:40:17.359 we are nevertheless inseparable. You have my gold and I 1443 01:40:17.600 --> 01:40:21.880 your shadow, and this will allow us no repose. Did 1444 01:40:21.920 --> 01:40:26.399 anybody ever hear of a shadow forsaking its master yours? 1445 01:40:26.520 --> 01:40:29.880 Draws me after you, till you take it back again graciously, 1446 01:40:30.199 --> 01:40:33.479 and I get rid of it what you have hesitated 1447 01:40:33.520 --> 01:40:37.119 to do out of fresh pleasure, Will you, only too late, 1448 01:40:37.279 --> 01:40:41.520 be compelled to seek through new weariness and disgust. One 1449 01:40:41.840 --> 01:40:47.159 cannot escape one's fate, he continued, speaking in the same tone. 1450 01:40:47.600 --> 01:40:52.399 I fled in vain. He relaxed, not, but ever present, 1451 01:40:52.560 --> 01:40:56.239 mockingly talked of gold and shadow. I could come to 1452 01:40:56.359 --> 01:41:01.279 no single thought of my own. I struck through empty 1453 01:41:01.319 --> 01:41:05.039 streets toward my house. When I stood before it and 1454 01:41:05.159 --> 01:41:08.840 gazed at it, I could scarcely recognize it. No light 1455 01:41:08.960 --> 01:41:12.680 shone through the dashed in windows, the doors were closed, 1456 01:41:13.319 --> 01:41:16.640 no throng of servants was moving therein there was a 1457 01:41:16.760 --> 01:41:20.880 laugh near me. Ah, so goes it. But you'll probably 1458 01:41:20.920 --> 01:41:23.399 find your Bendle at home, For he was the other 1459 01:41:23.479 --> 01:41:27.039 day providently sent back, so weary that he has most 1460 01:41:27.119 --> 01:41:31.199 likely kept his bed since he laughed again, he will 1461 01:41:31.239 --> 01:41:34.199 have a story to tell. Well. Then, for the present, 1462 01:41:34.439 --> 01:41:39.439 good night we meet again speedily. I had rung the 1463 01:41:39.439 --> 01:41:44.199 bell repeatedly, light appeared. Bendle demanded from within, who rung? 1464 01:41:45.119 --> 01:41:48.279 When the good man recognized my voice, he could scarcely 1465 01:41:48.319 --> 01:41:52.159 restrain his joy. The door flew open, and we stood, 1466 01:41:52.239 --> 01:41:56.319 weeping in each other's arms. I found him greatly changed, 1467 01:41:56.600 --> 01:42:00.319 weak and ill, but for me my hair had come 1468 01:42:00.439 --> 01:42:04.920 quite gray. He conducted me through the desolated rooms to 1469 01:42:04.960 --> 01:42:08.479 an inner apartment which had been spared. He brought food 1470 01:42:08.560 --> 01:42:12.479 and wine, and we seated ourselves, and he again began 1471 01:42:12.560 --> 01:42:16.039 to weep. He related to me that he the other 1472 01:42:16.159 --> 01:42:19.520 day had cudgeled the great clad men whom he had 1473 01:42:19.600 --> 01:42:22.640 encountered with my shadow, so long and so far, that 1474 01:42:22.760 --> 01:42:25.399 he had lost all trace of me, and had sunk 1475 01:42:25.439 --> 01:42:28.920 to the earth in utter fatigue. That after this, as 1476 01:42:28.960 --> 01:42:32.920 he could not find me, he returned home whither Presently, 1477 01:42:33.079 --> 01:42:37.840 the mob, at Rascal's instigation, came rushing in fury, dashed 1478 01:42:37.880 --> 01:42:41.039 in the windows, and gave full play to their lust 1479 01:42:41.239 --> 01:42:46.720 of demolition. Thus did they to their benefactor. The servants 1480 01:42:46.760 --> 01:42:50.279 had fled various ways. The police had ordered me, as 1481 01:42:50.319 --> 01:42:53.880 a suspicious person, to quit the city, and had allowed 1482 01:42:54.000 --> 01:42:57.439 only four and twenty hours in which to evacuate their 1483 01:42:57.560 --> 01:43:01.119 jurisdiction to that which are already He knew of Rascal's 1484 01:43:01.119 --> 01:43:05.840 affluence and marriage. He had yet much to add this scoundrel, 1485 01:43:06.199 --> 01:43:09.800 from whom all had proceeded that had been done against me, 1486 01:43:10.439 --> 01:43:13.960 must from the beginning have been in possession of my secret. 1487 01:43:14.600 --> 01:43:18.439 It appeared that, attracted by gold, he had contrived to 1488 01:43:18.600 --> 01:43:21.800 thrust himself upon me, and at the very first had 1489 01:43:21.840 --> 01:43:24.800 procured a key to the gold cupboard, where he had 1490 01:43:24.880 --> 01:43:28.479 laid the foundation of that fortune, whose augmentation he could 1491 01:43:28.520 --> 01:43:33.319 now afford to despise. All this, Bendle narrated to me 1492 01:43:33.479 --> 01:43:36.920 with abundant tears, and then wept for joy that he 1493 01:43:37.000 --> 01:43:40.800 again beheld me, again had me, and that after he 1494 01:43:40.880 --> 01:43:44.079 had long doubted whither this misfortune might have led me, 1495 01:43:44.680 --> 01:43:48.159 he saw me bear it so calmly and collectedly. For 1496 01:43:48.319 --> 01:43:52.439 such an aspect had despair now assumed in me. My 1497 01:43:52.560 --> 01:43:58.119 misery stood before me, in its enormity and unchangeableness. I 1498 01:43:58.159 --> 01:44:01.640 had wept my last tear. Not another cry could be 1499 01:44:01.760 --> 01:44:05.359 extorted from my heart. I presented to my fate my 1500 01:44:05.479 --> 01:44:11.720 bare head with chill indifference. Bendel, I said, thou knowest 1501 01:44:11.720 --> 01:44:15.680 my lot, not without earlier blame, has my heavy punishment 1502 01:44:15.760 --> 01:44:20.319 befallen me. Though innocent man shallt no longer bind thy 1503 01:44:20.359 --> 01:44:24.199 destiny to mine. I do not desire it. I leave 1504 01:44:24.279 --> 01:44:28.479 this very night, saddle, mere horse, I ride alone. Thou 1505 01:44:28.760 --> 01:44:33.239 remainest it is my will here still must remain some 1506 01:44:33.479 --> 01:44:37.720 chests of gold that retain, though, But I will alone 1507 01:44:38.159 --> 01:44:42.399 wander unsteadily through the world. But if ever a happier 1508 01:44:42.479 --> 01:44:45.760 hour should smile upon me, and fortune look at me 1509 01:44:45.880 --> 01:44:50.279 with reconciled eyes, then will I remember THEE. For I 1510 01:44:50.319 --> 01:44:54.920 have wept upon thy firmly, faithful bosom, in heavy and 1511 01:44:55.079 --> 01:44:59.920 agonizing hours, with a broken heart. Was this honest man 1512 01:45:00.079 --> 01:45:03.840 man compelled to obey this last command of his master, 1513 01:45:04.600 --> 01:45:08.840 at which his soul shrunk with terror. I was deaf 1514 01:45:09.039 --> 01:45:14.000 to his prayers, to his representations, blind to his tears. 1515 01:45:14.920 --> 01:45:18.680 He brought me out my steed once more. I pressed 1516 01:45:18.760 --> 01:45:22.039 the weeping men to my bosom, sprang into the saddle, 1517 01:45:22.399 --> 01:45:25.520 and under the shroud of night, hastened from the grave 1518 01:45:25.600 --> 01:45:29.720 of my existence, regardless which way my horse conducted me, 1519 01:45:30.279 --> 01:45:34.079 since I had longer on earth, no aim, no wish, 1520 01:45:35.000 --> 01:45:46.800 no hope. End of chapter seven Chapter eight of The 1521 01:45:46.880 --> 01:45:53.560 Wonderful History of Peter Schlemiel by Adelbert von Camissaou, translated 1522 01:45:53.640 --> 01:45:58.479 by Frederick H. Hedge. This LibriVox recording is in the 1523 01:45:58.520 --> 01:46:08.800 public domain. Chapter eight A pedestrian soon joined me, who begged, 1524 01:46:08.880 --> 01:46:11.279 after he had walked for some time by the side 1525 01:46:11.319 --> 01:46:14.359 of my horse, that as we went the same way, 1526 01:46:14.760 --> 01:46:17.479 he might be allowed to lay a cloak, which he 1527 01:46:17.600 --> 01:46:21.960 carried on the steed behind me. I permitted it in silence. 1528 01:46:22.640 --> 01:46:26.119 He thanked me with easy politeness for the trifling service, 1529 01:46:26.600 --> 01:46:30.239 praised my horse, and thence took occasion to extol the 1530 01:46:30.279 --> 01:46:33.800 happiness and power of the rich, and let himself, I 1531 01:46:33.880 --> 01:46:37.159 know not how, fall into a kind of monolog in 1532 01:46:37.199 --> 01:46:41.279 which he had me now merely for a listener. He 1533 01:46:41.399 --> 01:46:44.600 unfolded his views of life and of the world, and 1534 01:46:44.680 --> 01:46:48.800 came very soon upon metaphysics, whose task is to discover 1535 01:46:48.880 --> 01:46:53.159 the word that should solve all riddles. He stated his 1536 01:46:53.319 --> 01:46:58.239 thesis with great clearness, and proceeded onward to the proofs. 1537 01:46:59.039 --> 01:47:03.119 Thou knowest, my friend, that I have clearly discovered, since 1538 01:47:03.119 --> 01:47:06.000 I have run through the schools of the philosophers, that 1539 01:47:06.199 --> 01:47:09.720 I have by no means a turn for philosophical speculations, 1540 01:47:10.199 --> 01:47:13.199 and that I have totally renounced for myself this field. 1541 01:47:14.079 --> 01:47:18.159 Since then I have left many things to themselves, abandoned 1542 01:47:18.199 --> 01:47:21.479 the desire to know and to comprehend many things and 1543 01:47:21.560 --> 01:47:25.279 as though thy self advised me have trusting to my 1544 01:47:25.319 --> 01:47:28.119 common sense, followed as far as I was able the 1545 01:47:28.199 --> 01:47:32.640 voice within me in my own way. Now, this rhetorician 1546 01:47:32.920 --> 01:47:35.920 seemed to me to raise with great talent a firmly 1547 01:47:36.000 --> 01:47:40.359 constructed fabric, which was at once self based and self supported, 1548 01:47:40.680 --> 01:47:45.199 and stood as by an innate necessity. I missed in 1549 01:47:45.239 --> 01:47:48.880 it completely, however, what most of all I was desirous 1550 01:47:48.920 --> 01:47:51.560 to find, and so it became for me merely a 1551 01:47:51.640 --> 01:47:55.880 work of art whose elegant, compactness and completeness served to 1552 01:47:56.119 --> 01:48:00.319 charm the eye. Only. Nevertheless, I listened willing le to 1553 01:48:00.399 --> 01:48:03.439 the eloquent man who drew my attention from my grief 1554 01:48:03.640 --> 01:48:07.319 to him, And I would have gladly yielded myself wholly 1555 01:48:07.439 --> 01:48:10.720 up to him, had he captivated my heart as much 1556 01:48:10.760 --> 01:48:16.560 as my understanding. Meanwhile, the time had passed, and unobserved, 1557 01:48:16.720 --> 01:48:20.560 the dawn had already enlightened the heaven. I was horrified 1558 01:48:20.600 --> 01:48:23.199 as I looked up suddenly and saw the glory of 1559 01:48:23.279 --> 01:48:27.079 colors unfold itself in the east, which announced the approach 1560 01:48:27.159 --> 01:48:29.760 of the sun. While at this hour in which the 1561 01:48:29.840 --> 01:48:34.520 shadows ostentatiously display themselves in their greatest extent. There was 1562 01:48:34.560 --> 01:48:38.119 no protection from it, no refuge in the open country 1563 01:48:38.119 --> 01:48:41.279 to be discret and I was not alone. I cast 1564 01:48:41.319 --> 01:48:44.640 a glance at my companion and was again terror stricken. 1565 01:48:45.079 --> 01:48:48.399 It was no other than the man in the gray coat. 1566 01:48:50.439 --> 01:48:53.600 He smiled at my alarm and went on without allowing 1567 01:48:53.640 --> 01:48:57.960 me a single word. Let However, as is the way 1568 01:48:58.000 --> 01:49:01.359 of the world, our mutual advantage for a while, unitus, 1569 01:49:02.159 --> 01:49:05.119 it is all in good time for separating the road 1570 01:49:05.199 --> 01:49:08.159 here along the mountain range, though you have not yet 1571 01:49:08.199 --> 01:49:11.199 thought of it, is nevertheless the only one into which 1572 01:49:11.239 --> 01:49:14.720 you could logically have struck down into the valley you 1573 01:49:14.800 --> 01:49:17.800 cannot venture, and still less will you desire to return 1574 01:49:17.840 --> 01:49:21.720 again over the heights whenceday came. And this also happens 1575 01:49:21.720 --> 01:49:24.680 to be my way. I see that you already turn 1576 01:49:24.760 --> 01:49:28.239 pale before the rising sun. I will, for the time 1577 01:49:28.279 --> 01:49:31.720 we keep company, lend you your shadow, and you, in 1578 01:49:31.840 --> 01:49:36.159 exchange tolerate me in your society. You have no longer 1579 01:49:36.199 --> 01:49:39.079 your bndle with you. I will do you good service. 1580 01:49:40.079 --> 01:49:42.560 You do not like me, and I am sorry for it, 1581 01:49:42.800 --> 01:49:47.359 But notwithstanding, you can make use of me. The devil 1582 01:49:47.439 --> 01:49:51.520 is not so black as he is painted yesterday you 1583 01:49:51.720 --> 01:49:55.079 vexed me. It is true. I will not upbraid you 1584 01:49:55.159 --> 01:49:58.479 with it today, and I have already shortened the way 1585 01:49:58.560 --> 01:50:03.000 hitherfore you that you must admit, only just take your 1586 01:50:03.039 --> 01:50:07.119 shadow again. A while on trial, the sun had ascended, 1587 01:50:07.520 --> 01:50:12.720 people appeared on the road. I accepted, though with internal repugnance, 1588 01:50:12.840 --> 01:50:17.399 the proposal. Smiling, he let my shadow glide to the ground, 1589 01:50:17.520 --> 01:50:20.439 which immediately took its place on that of the horse, 1590 01:50:20.880 --> 01:50:24.880 and trotted gaily by my side. I was in the 1591 01:50:24.920 --> 01:50:28.720 stranger's state of mind. I rode past a group of 1592 01:50:28.760 --> 01:50:31.880 country people, who made way for a man of consequence, 1593 01:50:32.239 --> 01:50:36.199 reverently and with bad heads. I rode on and gazed 1594 01:50:36.239 --> 01:50:39.760 with greedy eyes and a palpitating heart on this my 1595 01:50:39.960 --> 01:50:44.399 quandrum shadow, which I had now borrowed from a stranger, Yes, 1596 01:50:44.880 --> 01:50:49.479 from an enemy. The man went carelessly near me and 1597 01:50:49.600 --> 01:50:53.399 even whistled a tune. He on foot, I on horseback. 1598 01:50:53.800 --> 01:50:57.760 A dizziness seized me. The temptation was too great. I 1599 01:50:57.840 --> 01:51:01.520 suddenly turned the reins, clapped spurs to the horse, and 1600 01:51:01.680 --> 01:51:05.199 struck at full speed into a side path. But I 1601 01:51:05.279 --> 01:51:08.600 carried not off the shadow, which at the turning glided 1602 01:51:08.640 --> 01:51:11.720 from the horse and awaited its lawful possessor on the 1603 01:51:11.800 --> 01:51:15.600 high road. I was compelled with shame to turn back. 1604 01:51:16.520 --> 01:51:18.920 The man in the gray coat. When he had calmly 1605 01:51:19.000 --> 01:51:22.680 finished his tune, laughed at me, set the shadow right 1606 01:51:22.720 --> 01:51:25.880 again for me, and informed me that it would hang 1607 01:51:26.039 --> 01:51:29.199 fast and remain with me only when I was disposed 1608 01:51:29.199 --> 01:51:34.359 to become the rightful proprietor. I hold you continuity fast 1609 01:51:34.439 --> 01:51:37.920 by the shadow, and you cannot escape me. A rich 1610 01:51:38.000 --> 01:51:41.479 man like you needs a shadow. It cannot be otherwise, 1611 01:51:41.760 --> 01:51:44.199 and you only are to blame that you did not 1612 01:51:44.359 --> 01:51:49.319 perceive that. Sooner, I continued my journey on the same road. 1613 01:51:49.800 --> 01:51:52.920 The comforts and the splendor of life again surrounded me. 1614 01:51:53.479 --> 01:51:56.800 I could move about free and conveniently, since I possessed 1615 01:51:56.800 --> 01:52:01.079 a shadow, although only a borrowed one, and I everywhere 1616 01:52:01.119 --> 01:52:06.000 inspired the respect which riches command. But I carried death 1617 01:52:06.119 --> 01:52:10.319 in my heart. My strange companion, who gave himself out 1618 01:52:10.399 --> 01:52:13.600 as the unworthy servant of the richest man in the world, 1619 01:52:14.000 --> 01:52:19.920 possessed an extraordinary professional readiness, prompt and clever beyond comparison, 1620 01:52:20.640 --> 01:52:23.199 the very model of a valet for a rich man. 1621 01:52:23.760 --> 01:52:28.199 But he stirred not from my side perpetually debating with me, 1622 01:52:28.319 --> 01:52:32.199 and ever manifesting his confidence that, at length, were it 1623 01:52:32.279 --> 01:52:34.680 only to be rid of him, I would resolve to 1624 01:52:34.720 --> 01:52:39.039 settle the affair of the shadow. He had become as 1625 01:52:39.159 --> 01:52:43.439 burdensome to me as he was hateful, I was even 1626 01:52:43.520 --> 01:52:47.600 in fear of him. He had made me dependent on him. 1627 01:52:48.399 --> 01:52:51.760 He held me after he had conducted me back into 1628 01:52:51.800 --> 01:52:54.079 the glory of the world from which I had fled. 1629 01:52:54.760 --> 01:52:59.000 I was almost obliged to tolerate his eloquence, and felt 1630 01:52:59.119 --> 01:53:02.159 that he was in the ight. A rich man must 1631 01:53:02.279 --> 01:53:05.680 have a shadow, And as I desired to command the 1632 01:53:05.800 --> 01:53:09.199 rank which he had contrived again to make necessary to me, 1633 01:53:09.720 --> 01:53:15.159 I saw but one issue by this. However, I stood fast, 1634 01:53:15.760 --> 01:53:20.159 after having sacrificed my love, after my life had been blighted, 1635 01:53:20.800 --> 01:53:23.760 I would never sign away my soul to this creature. 1636 01:53:24.199 --> 01:53:27.319 For all the shadows in the world, I knew not 1637 01:53:27.640 --> 01:53:31.239 how it would end. We set one day before a 1638 01:53:31.279 --> 01:53:35.800 cave which the strangers who frequent these mountains are accustomed 1639 01:53:35.840 --> 01:53:39.880 to visit. When he is there, the rush of subterranean 1640 01:53:39.960 --> 01:53:45.279 strings roaring up from immeasurable depth, and the stone cast 1641 01:53:45.479 --> 01:53:50.479 in seemed in its resounding fall to find no bottom. 1642 01:53:50.720 --> 01:53:53.359 He painted to me, as he often did, with a 1643 01:53:53.479 --> 01:53:57.479 vivid power of imagination, and in the lustrous charms of 1644 01:53:57.520 --> 01:54:02.279 the most brilliant colors, the most carefully finished pictures of 1645 01:54:02.319 --> 01:54:04.920 what I might achieve in the world by virtue of 1646 01:54:05.000 --> 01:54:08.119 my purse. If I had but once again my shadow 1647 01:54:08.199 --> 01:54:12.000 in my possession, With my elbows resting on my knees, 1648 01:54:12.079 --> 01:54:15.560 I kept my face concealed in my hands and listened 1649 01:54:15.600 --> 01:54:19.399 to the false one. My heart divided between his seduction 1650 01:54:19.840 --> 01:54:23.840 and my own strong will. I could no longer stand 1651 01:54:23.920 --> 01:54:30.800 such an inward conflict, and the deciding strife began. You appear, sir, 1652 01:54:31.079 --> 01:54:34.960 to forget that I have indeed allowed you, upon certain conditions, 1653 01:54:35.279 --> 01:54:38.760 to remain in my company, but that I have reserved 1654 01:54:38.840 --> 01:54:43.319 my perfect freedom. If you commanded I pack up, he 1655 01:54:43.479 --> 01:54:47.760 was accustomed to this menace, I was silent. He begun 1656 01:54:47.920 --> 01:54:51.560 immediately to roll up my shadow. I turned pale, but 1657 01:54:51.680 --> 01:54:55.960 I let it proceed. There followed a long pause. He 1658 01:54:56.079 --> 01:55:01.239 first broke it. You cannot bear me, sir, I know it. 1659 01:55:01.600 --> 01:55:04.439 Yet why do you hate me? Is it because you 1660 01:55:04.479 --> 01:55:07.439 attacked me on the highway and sought to deprive me 1661 01:55:07.560 --> 01:55:10.800 by violence of my bird's nest or. Is it because 1662 01:55:10.800 --> 01:55:14.000 you have endeavored in a thievish manner to cheat me 1663 01:55:14.039 --> 01:55:17.039 out of my property, the shadow which was entrusted to 1664 01:55:17.119 --> 01:55:20.520 you entirely on your honor. I, for my part, do 1665 01:55:20.600 --> 01:55:24.000 not hate you. In spite of all this. I find 1666 01:55:24.000 --> 01:55:26.880 it quite natural that you should seek to avail yourself 1667 01:55:26.920 --> 01:55:31.560 of all your advantages, cunning and power. Neither do I 1668 01:55:31.600 --> 01:55:34.720 object to your very strict principles and to your fancy 1669 01:55:34.760 --> 01:55:38.560 to think like honesty itself. In fact, I think not 1670 01:55:38.800 --> 01:55:42.039 so strictly as you. I merely act as you think. 1671 01:55:43.119 --> 01:55:45.840 Or have I at any time pressed my finger on 1672 01:55:45.920 --> 01:55:48.520 your throat in order to bring to me your most 1673 01:55:48.560 --> 01:55:52.159 precious soul, for which I have a fancy. Have I, 1674 01:55:52.279 --> 01:55:55.279 on the account of my bartered purse, let a servant 1675 01:55:55.359 --> 01:55:59.039 lose on you? Have I sought to swindle you out 1676 01:55:59.079 --> 01:56:02.119 of it? I had nothing to oppose to this, and 1677 01:56:02.159 --> 01:56:06.520 he proceeded. Very good, sir, very good. You cannot endure me. 1678 01:56:06.920 --> 01:56:09.520 I know that very well, and am by no means 1679 01:56:09.560 --> 01:56:13.119 angry with you for it. We must part. That is clear, 1680 01:56:13.359 --> 01:56:16.159 and in fact you begin to be very wearisome to me. 1681 01:56:16.800 --> 01:56:19.479 In order then to rid you of my continued shame 1682 01:56:19.560 --> 01:56:23.840 inspiring presence. I counsel you once more to purchase this 1683 01:56:24.079 --> 01:56:28.760 thing from me. I extended to him the purse at 1684 01:56:28.800 --> 01:56:34.319 that price. No, I sighed deeply, and added, be it so, then, 1685 01:56:35.079 --> 01:56:38.239 I insist, sir, that we part, and that you no 1686 01:56:38.279 --> 01:56:41.279 longer obstruct my path in the world, which it is 1687 01:56:41.359 --> 01:56:44.319 to be hoped, has room enough in it for us both. 1688 01:56:45.399 --> 01:56:49.199 He smiled and replied, I go, sir, but first let 1689 01:56:49.199 --> 01:56:51.760 me instruct you how you may ring for me. When 1690 01:56:51.760 --> 01:56:55.520 you desire to see again your most devoted servant. You 1691 01:56:55.600 --> 01:56:58.760 have only to shake your purse so that the eternal 1692 01:56:58.840 --> 01:57:03.079 gold pieces therein jingle. The sound will instantly attract me. 1693 01:57:03.960 --> 01:57:07.319 Everyone thinks of his own advantage in this world. You 1694 01:57:07.399 --> 01:57:10.720 see that I at the same time, am thoughtful of yours, 1695 01:57:11.119 --> 01:57:15.600 since I revealed to you a new power. Oh this purse. 1696 01:57:16.319 --> 01:57:19.600 Had the muff already devoured your shadow, that would still 1697 01:57:19.640 --> 01:57:24.199 constitute a strong bond between us. Enough, you have me 1698 01:57:24.279 --> 01:57:27.720 in your gold, should you have any commands, even when 1699 01:57:27.800 --> 01:57:30.520 far off for your servant, you know that I can 1700 01:57:30.560 --> 01:57:33.760 show myself very active in the service of my friends 1701 01:57:34.199 --> 01:57:37.600 and the rich stent particularly well with me. You have 1702 01:57:37.680 --> 01:57:41.600 seen it yourself only a shadow, Sir, allow me to 1703 01:57:41.640 --> 01:57:46.359 tell you that never again, except on one soul condition 1704 01:57:47.279 --> 01:57:51.000 forms of the past time swept before my soul. I 1705 01:57:51.079 --> 01:57:56.159 demanded hastily, had you a signature from mister John? He 1706 01:57:56.279 --> 01:57:59.680 smiled with so good a friend. It was by no 1707 01:57:59.800 --> 01:58:03.720 means means necessary. Where is he? By God? I wish 1708 01:58:03.800 --> 01:58:07.760 to know it? He hesitatingly plunged his hand into his 1709 01:58:07.880 --> 01:58:13.239 pocket and dragged thence by the hair appeared Thomas John's 1710 01:58:13.359 --> 01:58:18.039 gastly disfigured form, and the blue death lips moved themselves 1711 01:58:18.359 --> 01:58:27.600 with heavy words gusto judicio d judica tusum justo judicio 1712 01:58:27.920 --> 01:58:33.560 d condemnatus sum. I shudered with horror, and dashing the 1713 01:58:33.680 --> 01:58:36.359 ringing purse into the abyss, I spoke to him the 1714 01:58:36.479 --> 01:58:41.199 last words, I adjure thee horrible one, in the name 1715 01:58:41.319 --> 01:58:46.039 of God, take thyself hens, and never again show thyself 1716 01:58:46.119 --> 01:58:52.399 in my sight. He arose gloomily and instantly vanished behind 1717 01:58:52.520 --> 01:58:57.439 the masses of rock which bounded this wild overground spot. 1718 01:58:59.399 --> 01:59:11.199 And Chapter eight chapter nine of the Wonderful History of 1719 01:59:11.359 --> 01:59:18.760 Peter Schlimel by Adelbert fon camisso translated by Frederick H. Hedge. 1720 01:59:19.600 --> 01:59:24.560 This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter nine. 1721 01:59:27.359 --> 01:59:30.920 I sat there without shadow and without money, but a 1722 01:59:31.000 --> 01:59:34.399 heavy weight was taken from her bosom. I was calm. 1723 01:59:35.199 --> 01:59:38.039 Had I not also lost my love? Or had I, 1724 01:59:38.319 --> 01:59:41.760 in that loss felt myself free from blame. I believed 1725 01:59:41.800 --> 01:59:44.560 that I should have been happy, but I knew not 1726 01:59:44.800 --> 01:59:49.359 what I should do. I examined my pockets. I found 1727 01:59:49.439 --> 01:59:53.239 yet several gold pieces there. I counted them and laughed. 1728 01:59:53.720 --> 01:59:56.439 I had my horses below at the inn. I was 1729 01:59:56.479 --> 02:00:00.439 ashamed of returning thither. I must at least wait till 1730 02:00:00.479 --> 02:00:03.199 the sun was gone down. It stood yet high in 1731 02:00:03.279 --> 02:00:06.520 the heavens. I laid myself down in the shade of 1732 02:00:06.600 --> 02:00:12.399 the nearest trees, and calmly fell asleep. Lovely shapes blended 1733 02:00:12.439 --> 02:00:16.079 themselves before me in charming dance into a pleasing dream. 1734 02:00:17.239 --> 02:00:20.479 Mina with a flower wreath in her hair floated by 1735 02:00:20.600 --> 02:00:25.479 me and smiled kindly upon me. The noble Bendle also 1736 02:00:25.880 --> 02:00:30.079 was crowned with flowers, and went past with a friendly greeting. 1737 02:00:31.279 --> 02:00:35.000 I saw many besides, and I believe thee too comes. 1738 02:00:35.479 --> 02:00:39.560 In the distant throng, a bright light appeared, but no 1739 02:00:39.680 --> 02:00:43.359 one had a shadow, And what was stranger. It had 1740 02:00:43.439 --> 02:00:47.760 by no means a bad effect. Flowers and songs, love 1741 02:00:47.840 --> 02:00:51.800 and joy under grooves of palm. I could neither hold 1742 02:00:51.960 --> 02:00:57.039 fast nor interpret the moving, lightly floating, lovable forms. But 1743 02:00:57.199 --> 02:00:59.920 I knew that I dreamed such a dream with joy, 1744 02:01:00.479 --> 02:01:05.039 and was careful to avoid waking. I was already awake, 1745 02:01:05.359 --> 02:01:08.119 but still kept my eyes closed in order to retain 1746 02:01:08.199 --> 02:01:13.840 the fading apparition longer before my soul. I finally opened 1747 02:01:13.920 --> 02:01:17.279 my eyes. The sun stood still high in the heavens, 1748 02:01:17.760 --> 02:01:20.840 but in the east I had slept through the night. 1749 02:01:21.800 --> 02:01:23.479 I took it for a sign that I should not 1750 02:01:23.720 --> 02:01:27.359 return to the inn. I gave up readily, as lost 1751 02:01:27.520 --> 02:01:31.239 what I yet possessed there, and determined to strike on 1752 02:01:31.399 --> 02:01:34.520 foot into a branch road which led along the wood 1753 02:01:34.600 --> 02:01:38.079 grown feet of the mountains, leaving it to fate to 1754 02:01:38.239 --> 02:01:41.680 fulfill what it had yet in store for me. I 1755 02:01:41.760 --> 02:01:45.159 looked not behind me, and thought not even of applying 1756 02:01:45.199 --> 02:01:48.840 to Brindle, whom I left rich behind me, and which 1757 02:01:48.880 --> 02:01:53.159 I could readily have done. I considered the new character 1758 02:01:53.279 --> 02:01:56.359 which I should support in the world. My dress was 1759 02:01:56.560 --> 02:02:00.600 very modest. I had on an old black polonaise, which 1760 02:02:00.640 --> 02:02:03.439 I had already worn in Berlin, and which I know 1761 02:02:03.720 --> 02:02:06.560 not how had first come again into my hands for 1762 02:02:06.720 --> 02:02:10.279 this journey. I had also a traveling cap on my head, 1763 02:02:10.640 --> 02:02:14.159 a pair of old booths on my feet. I arose 1764 02:02:14.319 --> 02:02:17.079 and cut me on the spot a knotty stick as 1765 02:02:17.159 --> 02:02:21.319 a memorial, and pursued my wandering. I met in the 1766 02:02:21.359 --> 02:02:25.079 wood an old peasant who friendly greeted me, and with 1767 02:02:25.239 --> 02:02:30.159 whom I entered into conversation. I inquired, like an inquisitive traveler, 1768 02:02:30.359 --> 02:02:33.720 first the way, then about the country and its inhabitants, 1769 02:02:34.119 --> 02:02:37.960 the productions of the mountains, and many such things. He 1770 02:02:38.119 --> 02:02:42.279 answered my question sensibly and loquaciously. We came to the 1771 02:02:42.359 --> 02:02:46.239 bed of a mountain torrent, which had spread its devastations 1772 02:02:46.319 --> 02:02:50.760 over a wide tract of the forest. I shuddered involuntarily 1773 02:02:50.920 --> 02:02:54.319 at the sun bright space, and allowed the countryman to 1774 02:02:54.439 --> 02:02:57.800 go first. But in the midst of this dangerous spot, 1775 02:02:58.079 --> 02:03:00.760 he stood still and turned to will relate to me 1776 02:03:00.920 --> 02:03:05.319 the history of this desolation. He saw immediately my defect, 1777 02:03:05.600 --> 02:03:09.960 and paused in the midst of his discourse. But how 1778 02:03:10.079 --> 02:03:15.920 does that happen? The gentleman has actually no shadow alas Alas, 1779 02:03:16.039 --> 02:03:21.239 replied I, sighing, During a long and severe illness. My hair, nails, 1780 02:03:21.279 --> 02:03:25.479 and shadow fell off. See father, at my age, my hair, 1781 02:03:25.720 --> 02:03:30.039 which is renewed again, is quite white, the nails very short, 1782 02:03:30.159 --> 02:03:35.159 and the shadow that will not grow again. Aye aye, 1783 02:03:35.359 --> 02:03:39.239 responded the old man, shaking his head. No shadow, that 1784 02:03:39.439 --> 02:03:42.960 is bad. That was a bad illness that the gentleman had. 1785 02:03:43.640 --> 02:03:46.359 But he did not continue his narrative, and at the 1786 02:03:46.479 --> 02:03:50.800 next cross way, which presented itself, left me without saying 1787 02:03:50.840 --> 02:03:55.960 a word. Bitter tears trembled anew upon my cheeks, and 1788 02:03:56.159 --> 02:04:01.079 my cheerfulness was gone. I sued my way with a 1789 02:04:01.159 --> 02:04:04.960 sorrowful heart, and sought no further the society of men. 1790 02:04:05.800 --> 02:04:08.720 I kept myself in the darkest wood. It was many 1791 02:04:08.800 --> 02:04:11.920 a time compelled in order to pass over a space 1792 02:04:11.960 --> 02:04:15.800 where the sun shone, to wait for whole hours lest 1793 02:04:16.039 --> 02:04:19.920 some human eye should forbid me the transit. In the evening, 1794 02:04:20.039 --> 02:04:23.680 I sought shelter in the villages. I went particularly in 1795 02:04:23.840 --> 02:04:26.720 quest of a mine in the mountains, where I hoped 1796 02:04:26.800 --> 02:04:30.600 to get work under the earth. Since besides that, my 1797 02:04:30.800 --> 02:04:34.079 present situation made it imperative that I should provide for 1798 02:04:34.199 --> 02:04:37.880 my support. I had discovered that the most active labor 1799 02:04:37.960 --> 02:04:43.079 alone could protect me from my own annihilating thoughts. A 1800 02:04:43.159 --> 02:04:46.399 few rainy days advanced me well on the way, but 1801 02:04:46.600 --> 02:04:49.600 at the expense of my boots, whose souls had been 1802 02:04:49.720 --> 02:04:53.600 calculated for Count Peter and not for the pedestrian laborer. 1803 02:04:54.680 --> 02:04:57.720 I was already barefoot and had to procure a pair 1804 02:04:57.840 --> 02:05:01.920 of new boots. The next morning. I transacted this business 1805 02:05:02.039 --> 02:05:05.479 with much gravity, in a village where o'wake was being held, 1806 02:05:06.039 --> 02:05:08.880 and wherein a booth old and new boots were sold. 1807 02:05:09.720 --> 02:05:13.680 I selected and bargained long. I was forced to deny 1808 02:05:13.800 --> 02:05:16.880 myself a new pair, which I would gladly have had, 1809 02:05:17.239 --> 02:05:22.199 for the extravagant price frightened me. I therefore contented myself 1810 02:05:22.319 --> 02:05:25.560 with an old pair, which were yet good and strong, 1811 02:05:25.680 --> 02:05:28.600 and which the handsome blonde haired boy who kept the 1812 02:05:28.720 --> 02:05:32.159 stall for present cash payment, handed to me with a 1813 02:05:32.239 --> 02:05:35.239 friendly smile and wished me good luck on my journey. 1814 02:05:35.840 --> 02:05:38.199 I put them on at once and left the place 1815 02:05:38.319 --> 02:05:42.359 by the northern gate. I was deeply absorbed in my 1816 02:05:42.520 --> 02:05:45.640 thoughts and scarcely saw where I set my feet, for 1817 02:05:45.840 --> 02:05:48.520 I was pondering on the mine which I hoped to 1818 02:05:48.640 --> 02:05:51.960 reach by evening, where I hardly knew how I should 1819 02:05:52.000 --> 02:05:56.960 introduce myself. I had not advanced two hundred strides when 1820 02:05:57.039 --> 02:05:59.640 I observed that I had gone out of the way. 1821 02:06:00.359 --> 02:06:03.359 I therefore looked round me, and found myself in a 1822 02:06:03.479 --> 02:06:07.359 wild and ancient forest, where the axe appeared never to 1823 02:06:07.479 --> 02:06:11.600 have been wielded. I still pressed forward a few steps, 1824 02:06:12.119 --> 02:06:15.560 and beheld myself in the midst of desert rocks, which 1825 02:06:15.600 --> 02:06:19.880 were overgrown only with moss and leashes, and between which 1826 02:06:20.000 --> 02:06:24.880 lay fields of snow and ice. The air was intensely cold. 1827 02:06:25.479 --> 02:06:29.479 I looked round. The wood had vanished behind me. I 1828 02:06:29.560 --> 02:06:32.920 took a few strides more, and around me reigned the 1829 02:06:33.119 --> 02:06:38.560 silence of death. The ice, whereon I stood boundlessly extended itself, 1830 02:06:39.079 --> 02:06:43.600 and on it rested a thick, heavy fog. The sun 1831 02:06:43.880 --> 02:06:47.479 stood blood red on the edge of the horizon. The 1832 02:06:47.680 --> 02:06:52.800 cold was insupportable. I knew not what had happened to me. 1833 02:06:53.399 --> 02:06:57.119 The benumbing frost compelled me to hasten my steps. I 1834 02:06:57.199 --> 02:07:01.039 heard only the roar of distant waters. Step, and I 1835 02:07:01.199 --> 02:07:06.039 was on the icy margin of an ocean. Innumerable herds 1836 02:07:06.079 --> 02:07:10.079 of seals plunged rushing before me in the flood. I 1837 02:07:10.239 --> 02:07:14.439 pursued this shore. I saw naked rocks, land birch and 1838 02:07:14.640 --> 02:07:18.640 pine forests. I now advanced for a few minutes. Right onward, 1839 02:07:19.319 --> 02:07:23.680 it became stifling hot. I looked around. I stood amongst 1840 02:07:23.840 --> 02:07:29.520 beautifully cultivated rice fields and beneath mulberry trees. I seated 1841 02:07:29.600 --> 02:07:33.359 myself in their shade. I looked at my watch. I 1842 02:07:33.479 --> 02:07:36.319 had left the market town only a quarter of an 1843 02:07:36.359 --> 02:07:40.680 hour before. I fancied that I dreamed. I bit my 1844 02:07:40.840 --> 02:07:44.920 tongue to awake myself, but I was really awake. I 1845 02:07:45.039 --> 02:07:48.159 closed my eyes in order to collect my thoughts. I 1846 02:07:48.319 --> 02:07:52.640 heard before me singular accents pronounced through the nose. I 1847 02:07:52.720 --> 02:07:59.079 looked up. Two Chinese, unmistakable from their asiatic physiognomy, if indeed, 1848 02:07:59.119 --> 02:08:02.520 I could have given no credit to their costume, addressed 1849 02:08:02.600 --> 02:08:06.079 me in their speech with the accustomed salutations of their country. 1850 02:08:07.159 --> 02:08:10.840 I arose and stepped two paces backward. I saw them 1851 02:08:10.920 --> 02:08:16.319 no more. The landscape was totally changed, trees and forests 1852 02:08:16.359 --> 02:08:20.359 instead of rice fields. I contemplated these trees and the 1853 02:08:20.479 --> 02:08:23.800 plants which bloomed around me, which I recognized as the 1854 02:08:23.920 --> 02:08:28.560 growth of southeastern Asia. I wished to approach one of 1855 02:08:28.640 --> 02:08:34.520 these trees. One step and again, always changed. I marched 1856 02:08:34.680 --> 02:08:38.319 now like a recruit who is drilled and strode slowly 1857 02:08:38.439 --> 02:08:46.600 and with measured steps. Wonderfully diversified lands, rivers, meadows, mountain chains, steps, 1858 02:08:47.079 --> 02:08:52.960 deserts of sand unrolled themselves before my astonished eyes. There 1859 02:08:53.119 --> 02:08:56.439 was no doubt of it. I had seven league boots 1860 02:08:56.600 --> 02:09:08.359 on my feet. Of Chapter nine, Chapter ten of The 1861 02:09:08.439 --> 02:09:14.319 Wonderful History of Peter Schlimil by Adalbert von Camisso translated 1862 02:09:14.479 --> 02:09:19.319 by Frederick H. Hedge. This LibriVox recording is in the 1863 02:09:19.359 --> 02:09:27.880 public domain. Chapter ten. I fell in speechless adoration on 1864 02:09:28.039 --> 02:09:32.399 my knees and shed tears of thankfulness, for suddenly my 1865 02:09:32.560 --> 02:09:37.199 future stood clear before my soul. For earlier offense, thrust 1866 02:09:37.359 --> 02:09:40.359 out from the society of men, I was cast for 1867 02:09:40.479 --> 02:09:46.119 compensation upon nature, which I ever loved. The earth was 1868 02:09:46.239 --> 02:09:49.720 given me as a rich garden study for the object 1869 02:09:49.840 --> 02:09:54.039 and strength of my life, and science for its goal. 1870 02:09:55.159 --> 02:09:59.000 It was no resolution which I adopted. I only have since, 1871 02:09:59.159 --> 02:10:05.439 with severe, unremitted diligence, striven faithfully to represent what then 1872 02:10:05.520 --> 02:10:09.920 stood clear and perfect before my eye. And my satisfaction 1873 02:10:10.319 --> 02:10:14.800 has depended on the agreement of the representation with the original. 1874 02:10:16.640 --> 02:10:19.800 I roused myself in order, without delay, and with a 1875 02:10:19.880 --> 02:10:23.279 hasty survey to take possession of the field where I 1876 02:10:23.359 --> 02:10:27.000 should Hereafter reap, I stood on the heights of Tibet, 1877 02:10:27.439 --> 02:10:29.760 and the sun, which had risen upon me only a 1878 02:10:29.840 --> 02:10:33.880 few hours before, now already stooped to the evening sky. 1879 02:10:34.680 --> 02:10:38.920 I wandered over Asia from east to west, overtaking him 1880 02:10:39.079 --> 02:10:43.439 in his course, and entered Africa. I gazed about me 1881 02:10:43.640 --> 02:10:48.960 with eager curiosity as I repeatedly traversed it in all directions, 1882 02:10:49.680 --> 02:10:53.399 as I surveyed the ancient pyramids and temples. In passing 1883 02:10:53.520 --> 02:10:56.880 through Egypt, I descried in the desert, not far from 1884 02:10:57.000 --> 02:11:02.079 hundred gated Thebes, the caves where the Christian anchorages once dwelled. 1885 02:11:02.840 --> 02:11:06.520 It was suddenly firm and clear in me, here is 1886 02:11:06.680 --> 02:11:11.000 thy home. I selected one of the most concealed, which 1887 02:11:11.119 --> 02:11:15.319 was at the same time spacious, convenient, and inaccessible to 1888 02:11:15.439 --> 02:11:19.800 the jackals, for my future abode, and again went forward. 1889 02:11:21.119 --> 02:11:24.680 I passed at the Pillars of Hercules over to Europe, 1890 02:11:25.159 --> 02:11:28.439 and when I reviewed the southern and northern provinces, I 1891 02:11:28.560 --> 02:11:33.039 crossed from northern Asia over the polar glaciers to Greenland 1892 02:11:33.279 --> 02:11:38.039 and America. Traversed both parts of that continent and the winter, 1893 02:11:38.199 --> 02:11:41.720 which already rained in the south, drove me speedily back 1894 02:11:41.880 --> 02:11:46.119 northward from Cape Horn. I terred a while till it 1895 02:11:46.239 --> 02:11:50.920 was day in Eastern Asia, and after some repose, continued 1896 02:11:51.119 --> 02:11:55.600 my wandering. I traced through both Americas the mountain chain, 1897 02:11:55.960 --> 02:12:00.279 which constitutes the highest known acclivities on our globe. I 1898 02:12:00.439 --> 02:12:05.199 stalked slowly and cautiously from Summit to Summit, now over 1899 02:12:05.319 --> 02:12:10.960 flaming volcanoes, now snow crowned peaks, often breathing with difficulty. 1900 02:12:11.359 --> 02:12:15.880 When reaching Mount Saint Elias, I sprang across bearing straits 1901 02:12:16.039 --> 02:12:20.600 to Asia. I followed the western shores in their manifold windings, 1902 02:12:20.960 --> 02:12:25.039 and examined with especial care to ascertain which of the 1903 02:12:25.199 --> 02:12:30.000 islands were accessible to me. From the peninsula of Malacca, 1904 02:12:30.319 --> 02:12:34.760 my boots carried me to Sumatra, Java, Bali, and Lamboc. 1905 02:12:35.640 --> 02:12:39.600 I attempted, often with danger and always in vain, a 1906 02:12:39.720 --> 02:12:43.359 northwest passage over the lesser islets and rocks with which 1907 02:12:43.680 --> 02:12:47.199 the sea is studded, to Borneo and the other islands 1908 02:12:47.279 --> 02:12:52.000 of this archipelago. I was compelled to abandon the hope 1909 02:12:52.720 --> 02:12:56.000 at length. I seated myself on the extreme portion of 1910 02:12:56.159 --> 02:13:01.199 Lamboc and gazing toward the south and east. Where As 1911 02:13:01.479 --> 02:13:04.560 at the fast closed bars of my prison, that I 1912 02:13:04.720 --> 02:13:09.600 had so soon discovered my limits. New Holland, so extraordinary 1913 02:13:09.680 --> 02:13:13.279 and so essentially necessary to the comprehension of the Earth 1914 02:13:13.720 --> 02:13:17.920 and its sun woven garment, the vegetable and the animal world, 1915 02:13:18.159 --> 02:13:22.439 with the South Sea and its zoophythe islands, was interdicted 1916 02:13:22.600 --> 02:13:26.000 to me. And thus at the very outset, all that 1917 02:13:26.119 --> 02:13:29.760 I should gather and build up was destined to remain 1918 02:13:29.840 --> 02:13:35.119 a mere fragment. Oh, my Idlebert, what after all are 1919 02:13:35.199 --> 02:13:39.520 the endeavors of men? Often did I, in the severest 1920 02:13:39.600 --> 02:13:45.079 winter of the Southern Hemisphere, endeavor, passing the polar glaciers westward, 1921 02:13:45.399 --> 02:13:48.680 to leave behind me those two hundred strides out from 1922 02:13:48.760 --> 02:13:52.600 Cape Horn, which sundered me, probably from Van Diemen's Land 1923 02:13:52.880 --> 02:13:56.560 at New Holland, regardless of my return or whether this 1924 02:13:56.760 --> 02:14:00.399 dismal region should close upon me, as my coffin lid, 1925 02:14:01.079 --> 02:14:05.119 making desperate leaps from ice drift to ice drift, and 1926 02:14:05.319 --> 02:14:09.760 bidding defiance to the cold and the sea in vain. 1927 02:14:10.640 --> 02:14:14.039 I never reached New Holland, but every time I came 1928 02:14:14.119 --> 02:14:18.159 back to Lamboc, seated myself on its farthest peak, and 1929 02:14:18.359 --> 02:14:22.479 wept again, with my face turned toward the south and east, 1930 02:14:23.039 --> 02:14:27.800 as at the fast closed baths of my prison. I 1931 02:14:27.880 --> 02:14:30.800 tore myself at length from the spot and returned with 1932 02:14:30.960 --> 02:14:35.319 a sorrowful heart into inner Asia. I traversed that farther 1933 02:14:35.760 --> 02:14:39.720 pursuing the morning dawn westward, and came yet in the 1934 02:14:39.880 --> 02:14:43.319 night to my proposed home in the the bays, which 1935 02:14:43.359 --> 02:14:46.319 I had touched upon in the afternoon of the day before. 1936 02:14:48.680 --> 02:14:51.199 As soon as I was somewhat rested, and when it 1937 02:14:51.359 --> 02:14:53.920 was day again in Europe, I made it my first 1938 02:14:54.119 --> 02:14:58.159 care to procure everything which I wanted. First of all, 1939 02:14:58.399 --> 02:15:02.880 stop shoes, for I had experienced how inconvenient it was 1940 02:15:03.159 --> 02:15:06.399 when I wished to examine near objects, not to be 1941 02:15:06.520 --> 02:15:10.119 able to slacken my stride except by pulling off my boots. 1942 02:15:10.800 --> 02:15:14.319 A pair of slippers drawn over them had completely the 1943 02:15:14.399 --> 02:15:18.720 effect which I anticipated, and later I always carried two pairs, 1944 02:15:19.039 --> 02:15:21.960 since I sometimes threw them from my feet without having 1945 02:15:22.039 --> 02:15:24.920 time to pick them up again when lions, men or 1946 02:15:25.000 --> 02:15:30.039 hyenas startled me from my botanizing. My very excellent watch 1947 02:15:30.319 --> 02:15:34.520 was for the short duration of my passage a capital chronometer. 1948 02:15:35.159 --> 02:15:40.840 Besides this I needed a sextand some scientific instruments and books. 1949 02:15:42.039 --> 02:15:46.000 To procure all this, I made several anxious journeys to 1950 02:15:46.159 --> 02:15:50.880 London and Paris, which, auspiciously for me a mist just 1951 02:15:51.000 --> 02:15:55.279 then overshadowed. As the remains of my enchanted gold was 1952 02:15:55.359 --> 02:15:59.920 now exhausted. I easily accomplished the payment by gathering African eyes, 1953 02:16:00.720 --> 02:16:04.279 in which however, I was obliged to select only the 1954 02:16:04.399 --> 02:16:08.600 smallest tusks as not too heavy for me. I was 1955 02:16:08.720 --> 02:16:13.079 soon furnished and equipped with all these, and commenced immediately 1956 02:16:13.560 --> 02:16:18.760 as private philosopher, my new cause of life. I roamed 1957 02:16:18.800 --> 02:16:23.039 about the earth, now determining the altitudes of mountains, now 1958 02:16:23.199 --> 02:16:27.359 the temperature of its springs and the air. Now contemplating 1959 02:16:27.479 --> 02:16:32.559 the animal, now inquiring into the vegetable tribes. I hastened 1960 02:16:32.639 --> 02:16:35.680 from the equator to the pole, from one world to 1961 02:16:35.840 --> 02:16:40.200 the other, comparing facts with facts. The eggs of the 1962 02:16:40.280 --> 02:16:45.000 African ostrich or the northern sea fowl, and fruits, especially 1963 02:16:45.079 --> 02:16:49.239 of the tropical palms and bananas, were even my ordinary food. 1964 02:16:50.760 --> 02:16:54.440 In lieu of happiness, I had tobacco, and of human society, 1965 02:16:54.559 --> 02:16:59.440 and the ties of love. One faithful poodle which guarded 1966 02:16:59.520 --> 02:17:02.920 my cane in the bays, and when I returned home 1967 02:17:03.040 --> 02:17:06.879 with fresh treasures, sprang joyfully toward me and gave me 1968 02:17:07.040 --> 02:17:10.120 still a human feeling that I was not alone on 1969 02:17:10.239 --> 02:17:14.360 the earth. An adventure was yet destined to conduct me 1970 02:17:14.520 --> 02:17:28.440 back among mankind. End of chapter ten. Chapter eleven of 1971 02:17:29.079 --> 02:17:34.360 The Wonderful History of Peter Schlimil by Adelbert von Camisso, 1972 02:17:35.120 --> 02:17:40.879 translated by Frederick H. Hedge. This LibriVox recording is in 1973 02:17:40.959 --> 02:17:48.879 the public domain. Chapter eleven. As I once scotched my 1974 02:17:49.079 --> 02:17:52.200 boots on the shores of the North and gathered lichens 1975 02:17:52.280 --> 02:17:56.000 and seaweed, an ice bear came unawares upon me around 1976 02:17:56.040 --> 02:17:59.000 the corner of a rock. Flinging off my slippers, I 1977 02:17:59.040 --> 02:18:01.799 would step over to an opposite island, to which a 1978 02:18:01.920 --> 02:18:05.959 naked crag which protruded midway from the waves, offered mere passage. 1979 02:18:06.440 --> 02:18:08.879 I stepped with one foot firmly on the rock and 1980 02:18:09.040 --> 02:18:12.319 plunged over on the other side into the sea. One 1981 02:18:12.399 --> 02:18:15.799 of my slippers, having unobserved, remained fast on the foot. 1982 02:18:16.799 --> 02:18:21.319 The excessive cold seized on me. I with difficulty rescued 1983 02:18:21.360 --> 02:18:24.680 my life from this danger, and the moment I reached land, 1984 02:18:25.040 --> 02:18:28.000 I ran with the utmost speed to the Libyan desert 1985 02:18:28.079 --> 02:18:31.319 in order to dry myself in the sun. But as 1986 02:18:31.360 --> 02:18:34.840 I was here exposed, it burned me so furiously on 1987 02:18:34.959 --> 02:18:38.079 the head that I staggered back again, very ill, toward 1988 02:18:38.159 --> 02:18:41.799 the north. I sought to relieve myself by rapid motion, 1989 02:18:42.159 --> 02:18:46.120 and ran with swift, uncertain steps, from west to east, 1990 02:18:46.360 --> 02:18:49.760 from east to west. I found myself now in the day, 1991 02:18:50.159 --> 02:18:53.319 now in the night, now in summer, now in the 1992 02:18:53.399 --> 02:18:57.559 winter's cold. I know not how long I thus reeled 1993 02:18:57.559 --> 02:19:00.840 about on the earth. A burning fever glowed in my 1994 02:19:01.040 --> 02:19:05.559 veins with deepest distress. I felt my senses forsaking me, 1995 02:19:06.399 --> 02:19:10.399 as mischief would have it in my incautious career. I 1996 02:19:10.520 --> 02:19:13.879 now trod on someone's foot. I must have heard him. 1997 02:19:14.200 --> 02:19:17.120 I received a heavy blow and fell to the ground. 1998 02:19:18.479 --> 02:19:22.680 When I again returned to consciousness, I lay comfortably in 1999 02:19:22.760 --> 02:19:26.239 a good bed, which stood amongst many other beds in 2000 02:19:26.319 --> 02:19:30.959 a handsome hall. Someone sat at my head. People went 2001 02:19:31.040 --> 02:19:34.280 through the hall from one bed to another. They came 2002 02:19:34.360 --> 02:19:38.719 to mine and spoke together about me. They styled me 2003 02:19:39.360 --> 02:19:44.559 number twelve, and on the wall at my feet stood Yes, certainly, 2004 02:19:45.040 --> 02:19:48.360 it was no delusion, I could distinctly read on a 2005 02:19:48.479 --> 02:19:53.600 black table of marble, in great golden letters, quite correctly 2006 02:19:53.719 --> 02:20:01.600 written my name, Peter Schlemiel. The tablet beneath my name 2007 02:20:01.760 --> 02:20:04.440 were two other rows of letters, but I was too 2008 02:20:04.559 --> 02:20:08.479 weak to put them together. I again closed my eyes. 2009 02:20:10.239 --> 02:20:13.239 I heard something of which the subject was Peter Schlemier, 2010 02:20:13.360 --> 02:20:17.479 read aloud and articulately, but I could not collect the sense. 2011 02:20:18.120 --> 02:20:20.840 I saw a friendly man and a very lovely woman 2012 02:20:20.959 --> 02:20:24.479 in black dress appear at my bedside. The forms were 2013 02:20:24.559 --> 02:20:28.159 not strange to me, and yet I could not recognize them. 2014 02:20:29.520 --> 02:20:33.600 Some time went on, and I recovered my strength. I 2015 02:20:33.799 --> 02:20:37.360 was called number twelve, and number twelve on account of 2016 02:20:37.440 --> 02:20:41.559 his long beard passed for a jew, on which account, however, 2017 02:20:41.879 --> 02:20:45.440 he was not at all the less carefully treated. That 2018 02:20:45.600 --> 02:20:50.120 he had no shadow, appeared to have been unobserved. My boots, 2019 02:20:50.479 --> 02:20:53.399 as I was assured, were with all that I had 2020 02:20:53.559 --> 02:20:56.920 brought hither in good keeping in order to be restored 2021 02:20:57.040 --> 02:21:00.399 to me on my recovery. The place in which I 2022 02:21:00.520 --> 02:21:05.760 lay was called the Schlimlium. What was daily read aloud 2023 02:21:05.879 --> 02:21:09.680 concerning Peter Schlemel was an exhortation to pray for him 2024 02:21:09.920 --> 02:21:14.200 as the founder and benefactor of this institution. The friendly 2025 02:21:14.319 --> 02:21:17.239 man whom I had seen by my bed was Bendel. 2026 02:21:18.159 --> 02:21:24.520 The lovely woman was Mina. I recovered unrecognized in the 2027 02:21:24.600 --> 02:21:28.000 schli Melium, and learned yet further that I was in 2028 02:21:28.120 --> 02:21:32.200 Bendel's native city, where, with the remains of my otherwise 2029 02:21:32.399 --> 02:21:36.680 unblessed gold, he had in my name founded this hospital, 2030 02:21:37.040 --> 02:21:42.120 where the unhappy blessed me and himself maintained its superintendence. 2031 02:21:43.000 --> 02:21:47.440 Mina was a widow, an unhappy criminal process had cost 2032 02:21:47.520 --> 02:21:51.000 mister Rascal his life and her the greater part of 2033 02:21:51.159 --> 02:21:55.559 her property. Her parents were no more. She lived here 2034 02:21:55.719 --> 02:22:01.120 as a peer's widow and practiced works of mercy. Once 2035 02:22:01.280 --> 02:22:04.079 she conversed with mister Bendle at the bedside of a 2036 02:22:04.200 --> 02:22:09.399 number twelve, Why, noble lady, will you so often expose 2037 02:22:09.520 --> 02:22:13.559 yourself to the bad atmosphere which prevails here? Does fate 2038 02:22:13.719 --> 02:22:18.719 then deal so hardly with you that you wish to die? Now, 2039 02:22:18.879 --> 02:22:22.239 mister Bendle, since I have dreamt out my long dream 2040 02:22:22.319 --> 02:22:25.479 and have awoke in myself, all is well with me. 2041 02:22:26.280 --> 02:22:30.159 Since then I crave not and fear not death. Since 2042 02:22:30.239 --> 02:22:33.719 then I reflect calmly on the past and the future, 2043 02:22:34.520 --> 02:22:37.239 is it not also with the still inward happiness that 2044 02:22:37.440 --> 02:22:40.959 you know, in so devout a manner, serve your master 2045 02:22:41.120 --> 02:22:45.360 and friend. Thank God, Yes, noble lady, but we have 2046 02:22:45.559 --> 02:22:49.520 seen wonderful things. We have unwarily drunk much good and 2047 02:22:49.760 --> 02:22:53.799 bitter woes out of the full cup. Now it is empty, 2048 02:22:54.159 --> 02:22:56.680 and we may believe that the whole has been only 2049 02:22:56.760 --> 02:23:01.280 a trial, and armed with wise discernment, away the real beginning. 2050 02:23:01.959 --> 02:23:04.959 The real beginning is of another fashion, and we wish 2051 02:23:05.079 --> 02:23:08.000 not back the first jugglery, and are on the whole 2052 02:23:08.159 --> 02:23:11.200 glad such as it was, to have lived through it. 2053 02:23:12.000 --> 02:23:14.760 I feel also within me a confidence that it must 2054 02:23:14.879 --> 02:23:19.159 now be better than formerly with our old friend. Within 2055 02:23:19.280 --> 02:23:22.799 me too, replied the lovely widow, and then passed on. 2056 02:23:24.399 --> 02:23:27.799 The conversation left a deep impression upon me. But I 2057 02:23:27.959 --> 02:23:31.360 was undecided in myself whether I should make myself known 2058 02:23:31.879 --> 02:23:36.479 or depart, Hence unrecognized, I took my resolve. I requested 2059 02:23:36.639 --> 02:23:42.479 paper and pencil and wrote these words, It is indeed 2060 02:23:42.639 --> 02:23:46.159 better with your old friend now than formerly, And if 2061 02:23:46.239 --> 02:23:52.280 he does penance, it is the penance of reconciliation. Hereupon 2062 02:23:52.399 --> 02:23:55.760 I desired to dress myself as I found myself stronger. 2063 02:23:56.360 --> 02:23:59.399 The key of the small wardrobe, which stood near my bed, 2064 02:23:59.600 --> 02:24:03.040 was brought, and I found therein all that belonged to me. 2065 02:24:03.840 --> 02:24:07.520 I put on my clothes, suspended my botanical case, in 2066 02:24:07.600 --> 02:24:11.520 which I rejoiced still to find my northern leshes around 2067 02:24:11.639 --> 02:24:16.120 my black polonaise, drew on my boots, laid the written 2068 02:24:16.239 --> 02:24:20.520 paper on my bed, and as the door opened, I 2069 02:24:20.680 --> 02:24:24.920 was already far on the way to the Thebais. As 2070 02:24:25.000 --> 02:24:28.120 I took the way along the Syrian coast on which I, 2071 02:24:28.319 --> 02:24:32.200 for the last time, had wandered from home, I perceived 2072 02:24:32.360 --> 02:24:36.840 my poor Figaro coming toward me. This excellent poodle, which 2073 02:24:36.879 --> 02:24:40.680 had long expected his master at home, steamed to desire 2074 02:24:40.799 --> 02:24:44.559 to trace him out. I stood still and called to him. 2075 02:24:45.159 --> 02:24:49.799 He sprung, barking toward me with a thousand moving assurances 2076 02:24:49.959 --> 02:24:54.000 of his inmost and most extravagant joy. I took him 2077 02:24:54.079 --> 02:24:57.280 up under my arm, for in truth he could not 2078 02:24:57.479 --> 02:25:01.120 follow me, and brought him with me home again. I 2079 02:25:01.280 --> 02:25:05.520 found all in its old order, and returned gradually as 2080 02:25:05.600 --> 02:25:09.680 my strength was recruited to my former employment and mode 2081 02:25:09.719 --> 02:25:12.959 of life, except that I kept myself for a whole 2082 02:25:13.079 --> 02:25:17.120 year out of the to me wholly insupportable polar cold. 2083 02:25:17.959 --> 02:25:21.360 And thus, my dear camisso I live to this day. 2084 02:25:22.520 --> 02:25:25.440 My boots are no worse for the wear as that 2085 02:25:25.760 --> 02:25:30.760 very learned work of the celebrated Tiechius de Rebus Gestis 2086 02:25:30.879 --> 02:25:35.360 Polytzili at first led me to fear. Their force remains 2087 02:25:35.520 --> 02:25:39.879 unimpaired by strength only decays. Yet I have the comfort 2088 02:25:40.000 --> 02:25:43.159 to have exerted it in a continuous and not fruitless 2089 02:25:43.239 --> 02:25:46.840 pursuit of one object. I have, so far as my 2090 02:25:46.959 --> 02:25:51.639 boots could carry me, become more fundamentally acquainted than any 2091 02:25:51.719 --> 02:25:56.079 man before me with the Earth, its shape, its elevations, 2092 02:25:56.520 --> 02:26:02.040 its temperatures, the changes of its atmosphere, the exhibitions of 2093 02:26:02.120 --> 02:26:06.040 its magnetic power, and the life upon it, especially in 2094 02:26:06.159 --> 02:26:09.799 the vegetable world. The facts I have recorded with the 2095 02:26:09.879 --> 02:26:15.840 greatest possible exactness and in perspicuous order in several works, 2096 02:26:16.600 --> 02:26:20.639 and stated my deductions and views briefly in several treatises. 2097 02:26:21.559 --> 02:26:24.799 I have settled the geography of the interior of Africa 2098 02:26:25.200 --> 02:26:28.799 and of the northern polar regions, of the interior of 2099 02:26:28.959 --> 02:26:35.959 Asia and its eastern shores. My Historia Stirpium Plantarum Utrioske 2100 02:26:36.559 --> 02:26:42.000 orbis stands as a grand fragment of the Flora universales terree, 2101 02:26:42.680 --> 02:26:46.360 and as a branch of my systema nature. I believe 2102 02:26:46.440 --> 02:26:49.719 that I have therein not merely augmented, at a moderate 2103 02:26:49.799 --> 02:26:54.239 calculation the amount of known species more than one third, 2104 02:26:54.959 --> 02:26:58.399 but have done something for the natural system and for 2105 02:26:58.559 --> 02:27:03.719 the geography of Plass. I shall labor diligently at my fauna. 2106 02:27:04.440 --> 02:27:07.600 I shall take care that before my death my works 2107 02:27:07.680 --> 02:27:13.000 shall be deposited in the Berlin University and thee my 2108 02:27:13.120 --> 02:27:16.719 dear camisso have I selected as the preserver of my 2109 02:27:16.840 --> 02:27:21.440 singular history, which, perhaps, when I have vanished from the earth, 2110 02:27:22.079 --> 02:27:27.399 may afford valuable instruction to many of its inhabitants. But though, 2111 02:27:27.879 --> 02:27:32.200 my friend, if thou wilt live among men, learn before 2112 02:27:32.280 --> 02:27:36.639 all things to reverence the shadow and then the gold 2113 02:27:37.879 --> 02:27:41.520 wishest thou to live only for theirself and for their 2114 02:27:41.600 --> 02:27:50.399 better self. Oh, then thou needest no counsel. End of 2115 02:27:50.600 --> 02:27:57.479 chapter eleven, end of The Wonderful History of Peter Schlimel 2116 02:27:58.200 --> 02:28:03.520 by Adelbert Fon Camisso, translated by Frederick H. H.