after so long an absence, and
beheld it degraded to so vile a service, whilst I, on its account, was
in such unspeakable trouble, my heart broke, and I began bitterly to
weep. The detested wretch swaggered with the plunder snatched from me,
and impudently renewed his proposal.

"You can yet have it. A stroke of the pen, and you snatch therewith
the poor unhappy Mina from the claws of the villain into the arms of
the most honored Count--as observed, only a stroke of the pen."

My tears burst forth with fresh impetuosity, but I turned away and
motioned to him to withdraw himself. Bendel, who, filled with anxiety,
had traced me to this spot, at this moment arrived. When the kind good
soul found me weeping, and saw my shadow, which could not be mistaken,
in the power of the mysterious gray man, he immediately resolved, was
it even by force, to restore to me the possession of my property;
and as he did not understand how to deal with such a tender thing, he
immediately assaulted the man with words, and, without much asking,
ordered him bluntly to return my property to me. Instead of an answer,
he turned his back to the innocent young fellow and went. But Bendel
up with his buckthorn cudgel which he carried, and, following on his
heels, without mercy, and with reiterated commands to give up the
shadow, made him feel the full force of his vigorous arm. He, as
accustomed to such handling, ducked his head, rounded his shoulders,
and with silent and deliberate steps pursued his way over the heath,
at once going off with my shadow and my faithful servant. I long heard
the heavy sounds roll over the waste, till they were finally lost in
the distance. I was alone, as before, with my misery.

CHAPTER VI

Left alone on the wild heath, I gave free current to my countless
tears, relieving my heart from an ineffably weary weight. But I saw no
bound, no outlet, no end to my intolerable misery, and I drank besides
with savage thirst of the fresh poison which the unknown had poured
into my wounds. When I called the image of Mina before my soul, and
the dear, sweet form appeared pale and in tears, as I saw her last in
my shame, then stepped, impudent and mocking, Rascal's shadow between
her and me; I covered my face and fled through the wild. Yet the
hideous apparition left me not, but pursued me in my flight, till I
sank breathless on the ground, and moistened it with a fresh torrent
of tears.

And all for a shadow! And this