yourself entirely from my troublesome presence, by the
purchase of your shadow."

I held out the purse to him.

"No, Mr. Schlemihl; not at that price."

With a deep sigh, I said, "Be it so, then; let us part, I entreat;
cross my path no more. There is surely room enough in the world for us
both."

Laughing, he replied, "I go; but just allow me to inform you how you
may at any time recall me whenever you have a mind to see your most
humble servant: you have only to shake your purse, the sound of the
gold will bring me to you in an instant. In this world every one
consults his own advantage; but you see I have thought of yours, and
clearly confer upon you a new power. Oh this purse! it would still
prove a powerful bond between us, had the moth begun to devour your
shadow.--But enough: you hold me by my gold, and may command your
servant at any distance. You know that I can be very serviceable to my
friends; and that the rich are my peculiar care--this you have
observed. As to your shadow, allow me to say, you can only redeem it on
one condition."

Recollections of former days came over me; and I hastily asked him if
he had obtained Mr. Thomas John's signature.

He smiled, and said, "It was by no means necessary from so excellent a
friend."

"Where is he? for God's sake tell me: I insist upon knowing."

With some hesitation, he put his hand into his pocket, and drew out the
altered and pallid form of Mr. John by the hair of his head, whose
livid lips uttered the awful words, "_Justo judicio Dei judicatus sum;
justo judicio Dei condemnatus sum_"--"I am judged and condemned by the
just judgment of God."

I was horrorstruck; and instantly throwing the jingling purse into the
abyss, I exclaimed, "Wretch! in the name of Heaven, I conjure you to be
gone!--away from my sight!--never appear before me again!" With a dark
expression on his countenance, he arose, and immediately vanished
behind the huge rocks which surrounded the place.

[Illustration: He put his hand in his pocket and drew out the altered
and pallid form of Mr. John.]

CHAPTER V

I was now left equally without gold and without shadow; but a heavy
load was taken from my breast, and I felt cheerful. Had not my Minna
been irrecoverably lost to me, or even had I been perfectly free from
self-reproach on her account, I felt that happiness might yet have been
mine. At present I was lost in doubt as to my future course