安徒生童话-第177章

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　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　watering…place；〃　said　the　shadowon　his　next　visit。　〃There　is　no　other　chance　for　you。　I　will　takeyou　with　me；　for　the　sake　of　old　acquaintance。　I　will　pay　the　expensesof　your　journey；　and　you　shall　write　a　description　of　it　to　amuse　usby　the　way。　I　should　like　to　go　to　a　watering…place；　my　beard　does　notgrow　as　it　ought；　which　is　from　weakness；　and　I　must　have　a　beard。　Nowdo　be　sensible　and　accept　my　proposal；　we　shall　travel　as　intimatefriends。〃

And　at　last　they　started　together。　The　shadow　was　master　now；and　the　master　became　the　shadow。　They　drove　together；　and　rode　andwalked　in　pany　with　each　other；　side　by　side；　or　one　in　front　andthe　other　behind；　according　to　the　position　of　the　sun。　The　shadowalways　knew　when　to　take　the　place　of　honor；　but　the　learned　mantook　no　notice　of　it；　for　he　had　a　good　heart；　and　was　exceedinglymild　and　friendly。

One　day　the　master　said　to　the　shadow；　〃We　have　grown　uptogether　from　our　childhood；　and　now　that　we　have　bee　travellingpanions；　shall　we　not　drink　to　our　good　fellowship；　and　say　theeand　thou　to　each　other？〃

〃What　you　say　is　very　straightforward　and　kindly　meant；〃　saidthe　shadow；　who　was　now　really　master。　〃I　will　be　equally　kind　andstraightforward。　You　are　a　learned　man；　and　know　how　wonderful　humannature　is。　There　are　some　men　who　cannot　endure　the　smell　of　brownpaper；　it　makes　them　ill。　Others　will　feel　a　shuddering　sensation　totheir　very　marrow；　if　a　nail　is　scratched　on　a　pane　of　glass。　I　myselfhave　a　similar　kind　of　feeling　when　I　hear　any　one　say　thou　to　me。　Ifeel　crushed　by　it；　as　I　used　to　feel　in　my　former　position　withyou。　You　will　perceive　that　this　is　a　matter　of　feeling；　not　pride。I　cannot　allow　you　to　say　thou　to　me；　I　will　gladly　say　it　to　you；　andtherefore　your　wish　will　be　half　fulfilled。〃　Then　the　shadow　addressedhis　former　master　as　thou。

〃It　is　going　rather　too　far；〃　said　the　latter；　〃that　I　am　to　sayyou　when　I　speak　to　him；　and　he　is　to　say　thou　to　me。〃　However；　he　wasobliged　to　submit。

They　arrived　at　length　at　the　baths；　where　there　were　manystrangers；　and　among　them　a　beautiful　princess；　whose　real　diseaseconsisted　in　being　too　sharp…sighted；　which　made　every　one　veryuneasy。　She　saw　at　once　that　the　new　er　was　very　different　to　everyone　else。　〃They　say　he　is　here　to　make　his　beard　grow；〃　she　thought；〃but　I　know　the　real　cause；　he　is　unable　to　cast　a　shadow。〃　Then　shebecame　very　curious　on　the　matter；　and　one　day；　while　on　thepromenade；　she　entered　into　conversation　with　the　strange　gentleman。Being　a　princess；　she　was　not　obliged　to　stand　upon　much　ceremony；so　she　said　to　him　without　hesitation；　〃Your　illness　consists　in　notbeing　able　to　cast　a　shadow。〃

〃Your　royal　highness　must　be　on　the　high　road　to　recovery　fromyour　illness；〃　said　he。　〃I　know　your　plaint　arose　from　being　toosharp…sighted；　and　in　this　case　it　has　entirely　failed。　I　happen　tohave　a　most　unusual　shadow。　Have　you　not　seen　a　person　who　is　alwaysat　my　side？　Persons　often　give　their　servants　finer　cloth　for　theirliveries　than　for　their　own　clothes；　and　so　I　have　dressed　out　myshadow　like　a　man；　nay；　you　may　observe　that