wherewastherealentrance?for,bothinthestreetandinthelaneattheside,thewholegroundfloorwasacontinuationofshops;andpeoplecouldnotalwaysbepassingthroughthem.

oneeveningtheforeignersatinthebalcony.alightwasburninginhisownroom,justbehindhim.itwasquitenatural,therefore,thathisshadowshouldfallonthewalloftheoppositehouse;sothat,ashesatamongsttheflowersonhisbalcony,whenhemoved,hisshadowmovedalso.

"ithinkmyshadowistheonlylivingthingtobeseenopposite,"saidthelearnedman;"seehowpleasantlyitsitsamongtheflowers.thedoorisonlyajar;theshadowoughttobecleverenoughtostepinandlookabouthim,andthentocomebackandtellmewhathehasseen.youcouldmakeyourselfusefulinthisway,"saidhe,jokingly;"besogoodastostepinnow,willyou?"andthenhenoddedtotheshadow,andtheshadownoddedinreturn."nowgo,butdon'tstayawayaltogether."

thentheforeignerstoodup,andtheshadowontheoppositebalconystoodupalso;theforeignerturnedround,theshadowturned;andifanyonehadobserved,theymighthaveseenitgostraightintothehalf-openeddooroftheoppositebalcony,asthelearnedmanre-enteredhisownroom,andletthecurtainfall.thenextmorninghewentouttotakehiscoffeeandreadthenewspapers.

"howisthis?"heexclaimed,ashestoodinthesunshine."ihavelostmyshadow.soitreallydidgoawayyesterdayevening,andithasnotreturned.thisisveryannoying."

anditcertainlydidvexhim,notsomuchbecausetheshadowwasgone,butbecauseheknewtherewasastoryofamanwithoutathepeopleathome,inhiscountry,knewthisstory;andwhenhereturned,andrelatedhisownadventures,theywouldsayitwasonlyanimitation;andhehadnodesireforsuchthingstobesaidofhim.sohedecidednottospeakofitatall,whichwasaverysensibledetermination.

intheeveninghewentoutagainonhisbalcony,takingcaretoplacethelightbehindhim;forheknewthatashadowalwayswantshismasterforascreen;buthecouldnotenticehimout.hemadehimselflittle,andhemadehimselftall;buttherewasnoshadow,andnoshadowcame.hesaid,"hem,a-hem;"butitwasalluseless.thatwasveryvexatious;butinwarmcountrieseverythinggrowsveryquickly;and,afteraweekhadpassed,hesaw,tohisgreatjoy,thatanewshadowwasgrowingfromhisfeet,whenhewalkedinthesunshine;sothattherootmusthaveremained.afterthreeweeks,hehadquitearespectableshadow,which,duringhisreturnjourneytonorthernlands,continuedtogrow,andbecameatlastsolargethathemightverywellhavesparedhalfofit.whenthislearnedmanarrivedathome,hewrotebooksaboutthetrue,thegood,andthebeautiful,whicharetobefoundinthisworld;andsodaysandyearspassed-many,manyyears.

oneevening,ashesatinhisstudy,averygentletapwasheardatthedoor."comein,"saidhe;butnoonecame.heopenedthedoor,andtherestoodbeforehimamansoremarkablythinthathefeltseriouslytroubledathisappearance.hewas,however,verywelldressed,andlookedlikeagentleman."towhomhaveithehonorofspeaking?"saidhe.

"ah,ihopedyouwouldrecognizeme,"saidtheelegantstranger;"ihavegainedsomuchthatihaveabodyofflesh,andclothestowear.youneverexpectedtoseemeinsuchacondition.doyounotrecognizeyouroldshadow?ah,youneverexpectedthatishouldreturntoyouagain.allhasbeenprosperouswithmesinceiwaswithyoulast;ihavebecomerichineveryway,and,wereiinclinedtopurchasemyfreedomfromservice,icouldeasilydoso."andashespokeherattledbetweenhisfingersanumberofcostlytrinketswhichhungtoathickgoldwatch-chainheworeroundhisneck.diamondringssparkledonhisfingers,anditwasallreal.

"icannotrecoverfrommyastonishment,"saidthelearnedman."whatdoesallthismean?"