trary, was somewhat deaf, and not, like him,
always jealous of the honour of entertaining the noble Count.

The mother pressed forward. The happy people crowded around me,
entreating me to lengthen the evening among them. I dared not linger a
moment: the moon was rising above the twilight of evening: my time was
come.

Next evening I returned again to the forest-garden. I had thrown my
broad mantle over my shoulders, my hat was slouched over my eyes. I
advanced towards Mina; as she lifted up her eyes and looked at me, an
involuntary shudder came over her. The frightful night in which I had
shown myself shadowless in the moonlight, returned in all its brightness
to my mind. It was indeed she! Had she, too, recognized me? She was
silent and full of thought. I felt the oppression of a nightmare on my
breast. I rose from my seat; she threw herself speechless on my bosom. I
left her.

But now I often found her in tears; my soul grew darker and darker, while
her parents seemed to revel in undisturbed joy. The day so big with fate
rolled onwards, heavy and dark, like a thunder-cloud. Its eve had
arrived, I could scarcely breathe. I had been foresighted enough to fill
some chests with gold. I waited for midnight:--it tolled.

And there I sat, my eyes directed to the hand of the clock; the seconds,
the minutes, as they tinkled, entered me like a dagger. I rose up at
every sound I heard. The day began to dawn; the leaden hours crowded one
on another; it was morning--evening--night. The hands of the timepiece
moved slowly on, and hope was departing. It struck eleven, and nothing
appeared. The last minutes of the last hour vanished--still nothing
appeared; the first stroke--the last stroke of _twelve_ sounded. I sank
hopeless on my couch in ceaseless tears. To-morrow--shadowless for
ever!--to-morrow I should solicit the hand of my beloved. Towards
morning a heavy sleep closed my eyes.

{Schlemihl in his room: p66.jpg}

CHAPTER V.

It was yet early, when I was awakened by the sound of voices violently
disputing in my antechamber. I listened: Bendel was forbidding access to
my door. Rascal swore loudly and deeply that he would take no orders
from his fellow-servant, and insisted on rushing into my apartment. The
good Bendel warned him that if such language reached my ears, he might
perchance lose a profitable place; but Rascal threatened to lay violent
hands upon him, if he impeded his entran