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Once the foreigner woke in the night。 He slept with the dooropen which led to the balcony； the wind had raised the curtainbefore it； and there appeared a wonderful brightness over all in thebalcony of the opposite house。 The flowers seemed like flames of themost gorgeous colors； and among the flowers stood a beautifulslender maiden。 It was to him as if light streamed from her； anddazzled his eyes； but then he had only just opened them； as he awokefrom his sleep。 With one spring he was out of bed； and crept softlybehind the curtain。 But she was gone… the brightness haddisappeared； the flowers no longer appeared like flames； althoughstill as beautiful as ever。 The door stood ajar； and from an innerroom sounded music so sweet and so lovely； that it produced the mostenchanting thoughts； and acted on the senses with magic power。 Whocould live there？ Where was the real entrance？ for； both in the streetand in the lane at the side； the whole ground floor was a continuationof shops； and people could not always be passing through them。
One evening the foreigner sat in the balcony。 A light wasburning in his own room； just behind him。 It was quite natural；therefore； that his shadow should fall on the wall of the oppositehouse； so that； as he sat amongst the flowers on his balcony； whenhe moved； his shadow moved also。
〃I think my shadow is the only living thing to be seenopposite；〃 said the learned man； 〃see how pleasantly it sits among theflowers。 The door is only ajar； the shadow ought to be clever enoughto step in and look about him； and then to e back and tell mewhat he has seen。 You could make yourself useful in this way；〃 saidhe； jokingly； 〃be so good as to step in now； will you？〃 and then henodded to the shadow； and the shadow nodded in return。 〃Now go； butdon't stay away altogether。〃
Then the foreigner stood up； and the shadow on the oppositebalcony stood up also； the foreigner turned round； the shadowturned； and if any one had observed； they might have seen it gostraight into the half…opened door of the opposite balcony； as thelearned man re…entered his own room； and let the curtain fall。 Thenext morning he went out to take his coffee and read the newspapers。
〃How is this？〃 he exclaimed； as he stood in the sunshine。 〃Ihave lost my shadow。 So it really did go away yesterday evening； andit has not returned。 This is very annoying。〃
And it certainly did vex him； not so much because the shadow wasgone； but because he knew there was a story of a man without a shadow。All the people at home； in his country； knew this story； and when hereturned； and related his own adventures； they would say it was onlyan imitation； and he had no desire for such things to be said ofhim。 So he decided not to speak of it at all； which was a verysensible determination。
In the evening he went out again on his balcony； taking care toplace the light behind him； for he knew that a shadow always wants hismaster for a screen； but he could not entice him out。 He madehimself little； and he made himself tall； but there was no shadow； andno shadow came。 He said； 〃Hem； a…hem；〃 but it was all useless。 Thatwas very vexatious； but in warm countries everything grows veryquickly； and； after a week had passed； he saw； to his great joy；that a new shadow was growing from his feet； when he walked in thesunshine； so that the root must have remained。 After three weeks； hehad quite a respectable shadow； which； during his return journey tonorthern lands； continued to grow； and became at last so large that hemight very well have spared half of it。 When this learned manarrived at home； he wrote books about the true； the good； and thebeautiful； which are to be found in this world； and so days andyears passed… many； many years。
One evening； as he sat in his study； a very gentle tap was heardat the door。 〃e in；〃 said he； but no one came。 He opened thedoor； and there stood before him a man so remarkably thin that he feltseriously troubled at his appearance。 He was； however； very welldressed； and looked like a gentleman。 〃To whom have I the honor ofspeaking？〃 said he。
〃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