hing untried, I sent Bendel with a costly brilliant ring
to the most celebrated painter in the city, requesting he would pay me a
visit. He came--I ordered away my servants--locked the door--sat myself
by him; and after praising his art, I came with a troubled spirit to the
great disclosure, having first enjoined on him the strictest secresy.

"Mr. Professor," I began, "can you paint a false shadow for one, who in
the most luckless way in the world has lost his own?" "You mean a
reflected shadow?"--"To be sure." "But," he added, "through what
awkwardness, or what negligence, could he lose his own shadow?"--"How it
happened," replied I, "that does not matter, but--" I impudently began
again with a lie,--"last winter, when he was travelling in Russia, it
froze so severely, during the extraordinary cold, that his shadow was
frozen to the ground, and it was impossible for him to get it free."

"And I," said the professor, "could only make him a sheet shadow, which
he would be apt to lose again on the slightest motion; especially for one
whose genuine shadow was so badly fixed, as must be inferred from your
account; the simplest and wisest determination for him who has no shadow,
is not to go in the sun." He stood up and walked away, after having sent
through me a piercing glance which I could not endure. I sunk back on my
chair, and veiled my face with my hands.

Thus Bendel found me when he entered. He saw his master's sorrow, and
wanted silently and respectfully to turn back. I raised my eyes: the
weight of my grief was upon me--I determined to divide it. "Bendel!" I
called to him; "Bendel! you, who alone see and respect my sufferings, not
curiously prying into them, but secretly and devotedly sharing them with
me--come to me, Bendel, be the nearest to my heart. The stores of my
gold I have not concealed from you: from you I will not hide the store of
my anguish. Bendel, forsake me not. You know I am wealthy, kind, and
generous, and perhaps you think the world should honour me for that: but,
you see, I shun the world; I hide myself from its observation. Bendel,
the world has judged me and condemned me--and Bendel, too, perhaps, will
turn from me when he possesses my dreadful secret. Bendel! I am indeed
rich, liberal, and independent, but--heavens! I have no shadow!"

"No shadow!" echoed the good young man in an agony, while bright tears
broke from his eyelids; "Alas! alas! that I should have been born to