I shuddered involuntarily at the sun-bright space, and allowed
the countryman to go first; but in the midst of this dangerous
spot, he stood still, and turned to relate to me the history of this
desolation. He saw immediately my defect, and paused in the midst of
his discourse.
"But how does that happen--the gentleman has actually no shadow!"
"Alas! alas!" replied I, sighing, "during a long and severe illness,
my hair, nails, and shadow fell off. See, father, at my age, my hair,
which is renewed again, is quite white, the nails very short, and the
shadow--that will not grow again."
"Ay! ay!" responded the old man, shaking his head--"no shadow, that
is bad! That was a bad illness that the gentleman had." But he did
not continue his narrative, and at the next cross-way which presented
itself left me without saying a word. Bitter tears trembled anew upon
my cheeks, and my cheerfulness was gone.
I pursued my way with a sorrowful heart, and sought no further the
society of men. I kept myself in the darkest wood, and was many a time
compelled, in order to pass over a space where the sun shone, to wait
for whole hours, lest some human eye should forbid me the transit. In
the evening I sought shelter in the villages. I went particularly in
quest of a mine in the mountains where I hoped to get work under the
earth; since, besides that my present situation made it imperative
that I should provide for my support, I had discovered that the most
active labor alone could protect me from my own annihilating thoughts.
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