theyhadalsoalanguageoftheirown.noonecouldhaveexpectedthesoulofthewatchmantounderstandit,andyethedidunderstandit,foroursoulshavemuchgreatercapabilitiesthenweareinclinedtobelieve.dowenot,inourdreams,showawonderfuldramatictalent?eachofouracquaintanceappearstoustheninhisowncharacter,andwithhisownvoice;nomancouldthusimitatetheminhiswakinghours.howclearly,too,weareremindedofpersonswhomwehavenotseenformanyyears;theystartupsuddenlytothemind'seyewithalltheirpeculiaritiesaslivingrealities.infact,thismemoryofthesoulisafearfulthing;everysin,everysinfulthoughtitcanbringback,andwemaywellaskhowwearetogiveaccountof"everyidleword"thatmayhavebeenwhisperedintheheartorutteredwiththelips.thespiritofthewatchmanthereforeunderstoodverywellthelanguageoftheinhabitantsofthemoon.theyweredisputingaboutourearth,anddoubtedwhetheritcouldbeinhabited.theatmosphere,theyasserted,mustbetoodenseforanyinhabitantsofthemoontoexistthere.theymaintainedthatthemoonalonewasinhabited,andwasreallytheheavenlybodyinwhichtheoldworldpeoplelived.theylikewisetalkedpolitics.

butnowwewilldescendtoeaststreet,andseewhathappenedtothewatchman'sbody.hesatlifelessonthesteps.hisstaffhadfallenoutofhishand,andhiseyesstaredatthemoon,aboutwhichhishonestsoulwaswandering.

"whatisito'clock,watchman?"inquiredapassenger.buttherewasnoanswerfromthewatchman.

themanthenpulledhisnosegently,whichcausedhimtolosehisbalance.thebodyfellforward,andlayatfulllengthonthegroundasonedead.

allhiscomradeswereverymuchfrightened,forheseemedquitedead;stilltheyallowedhimtoremainaftertheyhadgivennoticeofwhathadhappened;andatdawnthebodywascarriedtothehospital.wemightimagineittobenojestingmatterifthesoulofthemanshouldchancetoreturntohim,formostprobablyitwouldseekforthebodyineaststreetwithoutbeingabletofindit.wemightfancythesoulinquiringofthepolice,orattheaddressoffice,oramongthemissingparcels,andthenatlengthfindingitatthehospital.butwemaycomfortourselvesbythecertaintythatthesoul,whenactinguponitsownimpulses,iswiserthanweare;itisthebodythatmakesitstupid.

aswehavesaid,thewatchman'sbodyhadbeentakentothehospital,andhereitwasplacedinaroomtobewashed.naturally,thefirstthingdoneherewastotakeoffthegoloshes,uponwhichthesoulwasinstantlyobligedtoreturn,andittookthedirectroadtothebodyatonce,andinafewsecondstheman'slifereturnedtodeclared,whenhequiterecoveredhimself,thatthishadbeenthemostdreadfulnighthehadeverpassed;notforahundredpoundswouldhegothroughsuchfeelingsagain.however,itwasallovernow.

thesamedayhewasallowedtoleave,butthegoloshesremainedatthehospital.

theeventfulmoment-amostunusualjourney

everyinhabitantofcopenhagenknowswhattheentrancetofrederick'shospitalislike;butasmostprobablyafewofthosewhoreadthislittletalemaynotresideincopenhagen,wewillgiveashortdescriptionofit.

thehospitalisseparatedfromthestreetbyanironrailing,inwhichthebarsstandsowideapartthat,itissaid,someveryslimpatientshavesqueezedthrough,andgonetopaylittlevisitsinthetown.themostdifficultpartofthebodytogetthroughwasthehead;andinthiscase,asitoftenhappensintheworld,thesmallheadswerethemostfortunate.thiswillserveassufficientintroductiontoourtale.oneoftheyoungvolunteers,ofwhom,physicallyspeaking,itmightbesaidthathehadagreathead,wasonguardthateveningatthehospital.therainwaspouringdown,yet,inspiteofthesetwoobstacles,hewantedtogooutjustforaquarterofanhour;itwasnotworthwhile,hethought,tomakeaconfidantoftheporter,ashecouldeasilyslipthroughtheironrailings.therelaythegoloshes,whichthewatchmanhadforgotten.itneveroccurredtohimthatthesecouldbegoloshesoffortune.theywouldbeveryserviceabletohiminthisrainyweather,sohedrewthemon.nowcamethequestionwhetherhecouldsqueezethroughthepalings;hecertainlyhadnevertried,sohestoodlookingatthem."iwishtogoodnessmyheadwasthrough,"saidhe,andinstantly,thoughitwassothickandlarge,itslippedthroughquiteeasily.thegoloshesansweredthatpurposeverywell,buthisbodyhadtofollow,andthiswasimpossible."iamtoofat,"hesaid;"ithoughtmyheadwouldbetheworst,buticannotgetmybodythrough,thatiscertain."thenhetriedtopullhisheadbackagain,butwithoutsuccess;hecouldmovehisneckabouteasilyenough,andthatwasall.hisfirstfeelingwasoneofanger,andthenhisspiritssankbelowzero.thegoloshesoffortunehadplacedhiminthisterribleposition,andunfortunatelyitneveroccurredtohimtowishhimselffree.no,insteadofwishinghekepttwistingabout,yetdidnotstirfromthespot.therainpoured,andnotacreaturecouldbeseeninthestreet.theporter'sbellhewasunabletoreach,andhoweverwashetogetloose!