looked into the paper which he
held, and said with a most penetrating glance, "Count, and do you indeed
know one Peter Schlemihl?" I was silent--"a man of reputable character,
and of great accomplishments." He waited for my answer. "And what if I
were he?"--"He!" added he vehemently, "who has in some way got rid of his
shadow!"--"Oh, my forebodings! my forebodings!" exclaimed Mina, "alas! I
knew long ago that he had no shadow!" and she flung herself into her
mother's arms, who, alarmed, pressed her convulsively to her bosom,
reproaching me with having concealed such a fatal secret from her:--but
she, like Arethusa, was bathed in a fountain of tears, which flowed
abundantly at the sound of my voice, and at my approach tempestuously
burst forth.

"And so," cried the forest-master furiously, "your matchless impudence
has sought to betray that poor girl and me--and you pretended to love
her--her whom you have dragged to the abyss--see how she weeps, how she
is agonized! O shame! O sin!"

I was so completely confused that I answered incoherently: "After all,
'twas but a shadow--nothing but a shadow--one can manage without it; and
surely it is not worth making such a noise about." But I felt so deeply
the deception of my language, that I was silent before he deigned to give
me an answer. I added, "What a man has lost to-day he may find again to-
morrow."

He spoke angrily: "Explain to me, sir, explain how you got rid of your
shadow." I was compelled again to lie: "A vulgar fellow trod so clumsily
upon my shadow, that he tore a great hole in it; I sent it to be
mended--gold can do everything; I ought to have received it back
yesterday."

"Very well, sir, very well," he replied. "You sue for my daughter--others
do the same; as her father I must take care of her. I give you three
days' respite, which you may employ in procuring a shadow. Come to me
after this, and if you have one that suits you, you will be welcome: but
if not, on the fourth day, I must tell you, my daughter shall be the wife
of another." I attempted to address a word to Mina; but she clung,
violently agitated, closer to her mother, who silently beckoned to me
that I should retire. I slunk away as if the world's gates had closed
behind me.

Escaped to Bendel's affectionate guidance, I wandered with erring
footsteps through fields and woods, sweat-drops of anguish fell from my
brow; deep groans broke from my bosom; within me raged a wild frenz