The key turned in the door, it opened,
and the Forest-master issued forth with papers in his hand. A mist
seemed to envelop my head. I looked up, and--horror! the man in the
gray coat sat by me, gazing on me with a satanic leer. He had drawn
his magic-cap at once over his head and mine; at his feet lay his
and my shadow peaceably by each other. He played negligently with
the well-known parchment which he held in his hand, and as the
Forest-master, busied with his documents, went to and fro in the
shadow of the arbor, he stooped familiarly to my ear and whispered
in it these words--"So then you have, notwithstanding, accepted my
invitation, and here sit we for once, two heads under one cap. All
right! all right! But now give me my bird's nest again; you have no
further need of it, and are too honest a man to wish to withhold it
from me; but there needs no thanks; I assure you that I have lent it
you with the most hearty good will." He took it unceremoniously out
of my hand, put it in his pocket, and laughed at me again, and that so
loud that the Forest-master himself looked round at the noise. I sat
there as if changed to stone.
"But you must admit," continued he, "that such a cap is much more
convenient. It covers not only your person but your shadow at the same
time, and as many others as you have a mind to take with you. See you
again today. I conduct two of them"--he laughed again.
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