"somethingratherunusual,"saidtheshadow;"butyouareyourselfanuncommonman,andyouknowverywellthatihavefollowedinyourfootstepseversinceyourchildhood.assoonasyoufoundthatihavetravelledenoughtobetrustedalone,iwentmyownway,andiamnowinthemostbrilliantcircumstances.butifeltakindoflongingtoseeyouoncemorebeforeyoudie,andiwantedtoseethisplaceagain,forthereisalwaysaclingingtothelandofone'sbirth.iknowthatyouhavenowanothershadow;doioweyouanything?ifso,havethegoodnesstosaywhatitis."

"no!isitreallyyou?"saidthelearnedman."well,thisismostremarkable;ineversupposeditpossiblethataman'soldshadowcouldbecomeahumanbeing."

"justtellmewhatioweyou,"saidtheshadow,"foridonotliketobeindebttoanyman."

"howcanyoutalkinthatmanner?"saidthelearnedman."whatquestionofdebtcantherebebetweenus?youareasfreeasanyone.irejoiceexceedinglytohearofyourgoodfortune.sitdown,oldfriend,andtellmealittleofhowithappened,andwhatyousawinthehouseoppositetomewhilewewereinthosehotclimates."

"yes,iwilltellyouallaboutit,"saidtheshadow,sittingdown;"butthenyoumustpromisemenevertotellinthiscity,whereveryoumaymeetme,thatihavebeenyourshadow.iamthinkingofbeingmarried,forihavemorethansufficienttosupportafamily."

"makeyourselfquiteeasy,"saidthelearnedman;"iwilltellnoonewhoyoureallyare.hereismyhand,-ipromise,andawordissufficientbetweenmanandman."

"betweenmanandashadow,"saidtheshadow;forhecouldnothelpsayingso.

itwasreallymostremarkablehowverymuchhehadbecomeamaninappearance.hewasdressedinasuitoftheveryfinestblackcloth,polishedboots,andanoperacrushhat,whichcouldbefoldedtogethersothatnothingcouldbeseenbutthecrownandtherim,besidesthetrinkets,thegoldchain,andthediamondringsalreadyspokenof.theshadowwas,infact,verywelldressed,andthismadeamanofhim."nowiwillrelatetoyouwhatyouwishtoknow,"saidtheshadow,placinghisfootwiththepolishedleatherbootasfirmlyaspossibleonthearmofthenewshadowofthelearnedman,whichlayathisfeetlikeapoodledog.thiswasdone,itmightbefrompride,orperhapsthatthenewshadowmightclingtohim,buttheprostrateshadowremainedquitequietandatrest,inorderthatitmightlisten,foritwantedtoknowhowashadowcouldbesentawaybyitsmaster,andbecomeamanitself."doyouknow,"saidtheshadow,"thatinthehouseoppositetoyoulivedthemostgloriouscreatureintheworld?itwaspoetry.iremainedtherethreeweeks,anditwasmorelikethreethousandyears,forireadallthathaseverbeenwritteninpoetryorprose;andimaysay,intruth,thatisawandlearnteverything."

"poetry!"exclaimedthelearnedman."yes,shelivesasahermitingreatcities.poetry!well,isawheronceforaveryshortmoment,whilesleepweigheddownmyeyelids.sheflasheduponmefromthebalconyliketheradiantauroraborealis,surroundedwithflowerslikeflamesoffire.tellme,youwereonthebalconythatevening;youwentthroughthedoor,andwhatdidyousee?"

"ifoundmyselfinanante-room,"saidtheshadow."youstillsatoppositetome,lookingintotheroom.therewasnolight,oratleastitseemedinpartialdarkness,forthedoorofawholesuiteofroomsstoodopen,andtheywerebrilliantlylighted.theblazeoflightwouldhavekilledme,hadiapproachedtoonearthemaidenmyself,butiwascautious,andtooktime,whichiswhateveryoneoughttodo."

"andwhatdidstthousee?"