安徒生童话-第157章

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〃Ah；　I　hoped　you　would　recognize　me；〃　said　the　elegant　stranger；〃I　have　gained　so　much　that　I　have　a　body　of　flesh；　and　clothes　towear。　You　never　expected　to　see　me　in　such　a　condition。　Do　you　notrecognize　your　old　shadow？　Ah；　you　never　expected　that　I　should　returnto　you　again。　All　has　been　prosperous　with　me　since　I　was　with　youlast；　I　have　bee　rich　in　every　way；　and；　were　I　inclined　topurchase　my　freedom　from　service；　I　could　easily　do　so。〃　And　as　hespoke　he　rattled　between　his　fingers　a　number　of　costly　trinkets　whichhung　to　a　thick　gold　watch…chain　he　wore　round　his　neck。　Diamond　ringssparkled　on　his　fingers；　and　it　was　all　real。

〃I　cannot　recover　from　my　astonishment；〃　said　the　learned　man。〃What　does　all　this　mean？〃

〃Something　rather　unusual；〃　said　the　shadow；　〃but　you　are　yourselfan　unmon　man；　and　you　know　very　well　that　I　have　followed　in　yourfootsteps　ever　since　your　childhood。　As　soon　as　you　found　that　Ihave　travelled　enough　to　be　trusted　alone；　I　went　my　own　way；　and　I　amnow　in　the　most　brilliant　circumstances。　But　I　felt　a　kind　oflonging　to　see　you　once　more　before　you　die；　and　I　wanted　to　seethis　place　again；　for　there　is　always　a　clinging　to　the　land　ofone's　birth。　I　know　that　you　have　now　another　shadow；　do　I　owe　youanything？　If　so；　have　the　goodness　to　say　what　it　is。〃

〃No！　Is　it　really　you？〃　said　the　learned　man。　〃Well；　this　ismost　remarkable；　I　never　supposed　it　possible　that　a　man's　oldshadow　could　bee　a　human　being。〃

〃Just　tell　me　what　I　owe　you；〃　said　the　shadow；　〃for　I　do　not　liketo　be　in　debt　to　any　man。〃

〃How　can　you　talk　in　that　manner？〃　said　the　learned　man。　〃Whatquestion　of　debt　can　there　be　between　us？　You　are　as　free　as　anyone。　I　rejoice　exceedingly　to　hear　of　your　good　fortune。　Sit　down；　oldfriend；　and　tell　me　a　little　of　how　it　happened；　and　what　you　saw　inthe　house　opposite　to　me　while　we　were　in　those　hot　climates。〃

〃Yes；　I　will　tell　you　all　about　it；〃　said　the　shadow；　sittingdown；　〃but　then　you　must　promise　me　never　to　tell　in　this　city；wherever　you　may　meet　me；　that　I　have　been　your　shadow。　I　amthinking　of　being　married；　for　I　have　more　than　sufficient　tosupport　a　family。〃

〃Make　yourself　quite　easy；〃　said　the　learned　man；　〃I　will　tellno　one　who　you　really　are。　Here　is　my　hand；…　I　promise；　and　a　wordis　sufficient　between　man　and　man。〃

〃Between　man　and　a　shadow；〃　said　the　shadow；　for　he　could　not　helpsaying　so。

It　was　really　most　remarkable　how　very　much　he　had　bee　a　man　inappearance。　He　was　dressed　in　a　suit　of　the　very　finest　black　cloth；polished　boots；　and　an　opera　crush　hat；　which　could　be　folded　togetherso　that　nothing　could　be　seen　but　the　crown　and　the　rim；　besides　thetrinkets；　the　gold　chain；　and　the　diamond　rings　already　spoken　of。　Theshadow　was；　in　fact；　very　well　dressed；　and　this　made　a　man　of　him。〃Now　I　will　relate　to　you　what　you　wish　to　know；〃　said　the　shadow；placing　his　foot　with　the　polished　leather　boot　as　firmly　aspossible　on　the　arm　of　the　new　shadow　of　the　learned　man；　which　lay　athis　feet　like　a　poodle　dog。　This　was　done；　it　might　be　from　pride；or　perhaps　that　the　new　shadow　might　cling　to　him；　but　the　prostrateshadow　remained　quite　quiet　and　at　rest；　in　order　that　it　mightlisten；　for　it　wanted　to　know　how　a　shadow　could　be　sent　away　by　itsmaster；　and　bee　a　man　itself。　〃Do　you　know；〃　said　the　shadow；　〃thatin　the　house　opposite　to　you　lived　the　most　glorious　creature　in　theworld？　It　was　poetry。　I　remained　there　three　weeks；　and　it　was　morelike　three　thousand　years；　for　I　read　all　that　has　ever　been　writtenin　poetry　or　prose；　and　I　may　say；　in　truth；　that　I　saw　and　learnteverything。〃

〃Poetry！〃　exclaimed　the　learned　man。　〃Yes；　she　lives　as　a　hermitin　great　cities。　Poetry！　Well；　I　saw　her　once　for　a　very　short　moment；while　sleep　weighed　down　my　eyelids。　She　flashed　upon　me　from　thebalcony　like　the　radiant　aurora　borealis；　surrounded　with　flowers　likeflames　of　fire。　Tell　me；　you　were　on　the　balcony　that　evening；　youwent　through　the　door；　and　what　did　you　see？〃

〃I　found　myself　in　an　ante…room；〃　said　the　shadow。　〃You　stillsat　opposite　to　me；　looking　into　the　room。　There　was　no　light；　or　atleast　it　seemed　in　partial　darkness；　for　the　door　of　a　whole　suiteof　rooms　stood　open；　and　they　were　brilliantly　lighted。　The　blaze　oflight　would　have　killed　me；　had　I　approached　too　near　the　maidenmyself；　but　I　was　cautious；　and　took　time；　which　is　what　every　oneought　to　do。〃

〃And　what　didst　thou　see？〃　asked　the　learned　man。

〃I　saw　everything；　as　you　shall　hear。　But…　it　really　is　notpride　on　my　part；　as　a　free　man　and　possessing　the　knowledge　that　Ido；　besides　my　position；　not　to　speak　of　my　wealth…　I　wish　you　wouldsay　you　to　me　instead　of　thou。〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　the　learned　man；　〃it　is　an　old　habit；which　it　is　difficult　to　break。　You　are　quite　right；　I　will　try　tothink　of　it。　But　now　tell　me　everything　that　you　saw。〃

〃Everything；〃　said　the　shadow；　〃for　I　saw　and　know　everything。〃

〃What　was　the　appearance　of　the　inner　rooms？〃　asked　the　scholar。〃Was　it　there　like　a　cool　grove；　or　like　a　holy　temple？　Were　thechambers　like　a　starry　sky　seen　from　the　top　of　a　high　mountain？〃

〃It　was　all　that　you　describe；〃　said　the　shadow；　〃but　I　did　not　goquite　in…　I　remained　in　the　twilight　of　the　ante…room…　but　I　was　ina　very　good　position；…　I　could　see　and　hear　all　that　was　going　on　inthe　court　of　poetry。〃

〃But　what　did　you　see？　Did　the　gods　of　ancient　times　passthrough　the　rooms？　Did　old　heroes　fight　their　battles　over　again？　Werethere　lovely　children　at　play；　who　related　their　dreams？〃

〃I　tell　you　I　have　been　there；　and　therefore　you　may　be　surethat　I　saw　everything　that　was　to　be　seen。　If　you　had　gone　there；you　would　not　have　remained　a　human　being；　whereas　I　became　one；　andat　the　same　moment　I　became　aware　of　my　inner　being；　my　inbornaffinity　to　the　nature　of　poetry。　It　is　true　I　did　not　think　muchabout　it　while　I　was　with　you；　but　you　will　remember　that　I　was　alwaysmuch　larger　at　sunrise　and　sunset；　and　in　the　moonlight　even　morevisible　than　yourself；　but　I　did　not　then　understand　my　innerexistence。　In　the　ante…room　it　was　revealed　to　me。　I　became　a　man；　Icame　out　in　full　maturity。　But　you　had　left　the　warm　countries。　As　aman；　I　felt　ashamed　to　go　about　without　boots　or　clothes；　and　thatexterior　finish　by　which　man　is　known。　So　I　went　my　own　way；　I　cantell　you；　for　you　will　not　put　it　in　a　book。　I　hid　myself　under　thecloak　of　a　cake　woman；　but　she　little　thought　who　she　concealed。　Itwas　not　till　evening　that　I　ventured　out。　I　ran　about　the　streets　inthe　moonlight。　I　drew　myself　up　to　my　full　height　upon　the　walls；which　tickled　my　back　very　pleasantly。　I　ran　here　and　there；　lookedthrough　the　highest　windows　into　the　rooms；　and　over　the　roofs。　Ilooked　in；　and　saw　what　nobody　else　could　see；　or　indeed　ought　to　see；in　fact；　it　is　a　bad　world；　and　I　would　not　care　to　be　a　man；　but　thatmen　are　of　some　importance。　I　saw　the　most　miserable　things　going　onbetween　husbands　and　wives；　parents　and　children；…　sweet；　inparablechildren。　I　have　seen　what　no　human　being　has　the　power　of　knowing；although　they　would　all　be　very　glad　to　know…　the　evil　conduct　oftheir　neighbors。　Had　I　written　a　newspaper；　how　eagerly　it　wouldhave　been　read！　Instead　of　which；　I　wrote　directly　to　the　personsthemselves；　and　great　alarm　arose　in　all　the　town　I　visited。　Theyhad　so　much　fear　of　me；　and　yet　how　dearly　they　loved　me。　Theprofessor　made　me　a　professor。　The　tailor　gave　me　new　clothes；　I　amwell　provided　for　in　that　way。　The　overseer　of　the　mint　struck　coinsfor　me。　The　women　declared　that　I　was　handsome；　and　so　I　became　theman　you　now　see　me。　And　now　I　must　say　adieu。　Here　is　my　card。　Ilive　on　the　sunny　side　of　the　street；　and　always　stay　at　home　in　rainyweather。〃　And　the　shadow　departed。

〃This　is　all　very　remarkable；〃　said　the　learned　man。

Years　passed；　days　and　years　went　by；　and　the　shadow　came　again。〃How　are　you　going　on　now？〃　he　asked。

〃Ah！〃　said　the　learned　man；　〃I　am　writing　about　the　true；　thebeautiful；　and　the　good；　but　no　one　cares　to　hear　anything　about　it。　Iam　quite　in　despair；　for　I　take　it　to　heart　very　much。〃

〃That　is　what　I　never　do；〃　said　the　shadow；　〃I　am　growing　quitefat　and　stout；　which　every　one　ought　to　be。　You　do　not　understandthe　world；　you　will　make　yourself　ill　about　it；　you　ought　to　travel；　Iam　going　on　a　journey　in　the　summer；　will　you　go　with　me？　I　shouldlike　a　travelling　panion；　will　you　travel　with　me　as　my　shadow？It　would　give　me　great　pleasure；　and　I　will　pay　all　expenses。〃

〃Are　you　going　to　travel　far？〃　asked　the　learned　man。

〃That　is　a　matter　of　opinion；〃　replied　the　shadow。　〃At　all　events；a　journey　will　do　you　good；　and　if　you　will　be　my　shadow；　then　allyour　journey　shall　be　paid。〃

〃It　appears　to　me　very　absurd；〃　said　the　learned　man。

〃But　it　is　the　way　of　the　world；〃　replied　the　shadow；　〃andalways　will　be。〃　Then　he　went　away。

Everything　went　wrong　with　the　learned　man。　Sorrow　and　troublepursued　him；　and　what　he　said　about　the　good；　the　beautiful；　and　thetrue；　was　of　as　much　value　to　most　people　as　a　nutmeg　would　be　to　acow。　At　length　he　fell　ill。　〃You　really　look　like　a　shadow；〃　peoplesaid　to　him；　and　then　a　cold　shudder　would　pass　over　him；　for　he　hadhis　own　thoughts　on　the　subject。

〃You　really　ought　to　go　to　some　wat