I had half dressed myself. I flung the door wrathfully open, and
advanced to Rascal--"What wantest thou, villain?" He stepped two
strides backward, and replied quite coolly: "To request you most
humbly, Count, for once to allow me to see your shadow--the sun shines
at this moment so beautifully in the court."
I was struck as with thunder. It was some time before I could recover
my speech. "How can a servant toward his master"--he interrupted very
calmly my speech.
"A servant may be a very honorable man, and not be willing to serve
a shadowless master--I demand my discharge." It was necessary to try
other chords. "But honest, dear Rascal, who has put the unlucky idea
into your head? How canst thou believe--?"
He proceeded in the same tone: "People will assert that you have
no shadow--and, in short, you show me your shadow, or give me my
discharge."
Bendel, pale and trembling, but more discreet than I, gave me a sign.
I sought refuge in the all-silencing gold; but that too had lost
its power. He threw it at my feet. "From a shadowless man I accept
nothing!" He turned his back upon me, and went most deliberately out
of the room with his hat upon his head, and whistling a tune. I stood
there with Bendel as one turned to stone, thoughtless, motionless,
gazing after him.
Heavily sighing and with death in my heart, I prepared myself at last
to redeem my promise, and, like a criminal before his judge, to appear
in the Forest-master's garden.
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