Bendel, forsake me
not! Bendel, thou beholdest me rich, liberal, kind. Thou imaginest
that the world ought to honor me, and thou seest me fly the world, and
hide myself from it. Bendel, the world has passed judgment, and cast
me from it, and perhaps thou too wilt turn from me when thou knowest
my fearful secret. Bendel, I am rich, liberal, kind, but--O God!--I
have no shadow!"
"No shadow!" cried the good youth with horror, and the bright
tears gushed from his eyes. "Woe is me, that I was born to serve a
shadowless master!" He was silent, and I held my face buried in my
hands.
"Bendel," added I, at length, tremblingly--"now hast thou my
confidence, and now canst thou betray it--go forth and testify against
me?" He appeared to be in a heavy conflict with himself; at length, he
flung himself before me and seized my hand, which he bathed with his
tears.
"No!" exclaimed he, "think the world as it will, I cannot, and will
not, on account of a shadow, abandon my kind master; I will act
justly, and not with policy. I will continue with you, lend you my
shadow, help you when I can, and when I cannot, weep with you." I fell
on his neck, astonished at such unusual sentiment, for I was convinced
that he did it not for gold.
From that time my fate and my mode of life were in some degree
changed. It is indescribable how providently Bendel continued to
conceal my defect. He was everywhere before me and with me; foreseeing
everything, hitting on contrivances, and, where unforeseen danger
threatened, covering me quickly with his shadow, since he was taller
and bulkier than I.
Pages:
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447