polarising influence, or whatever the
silly trifle may turn out to be; to pay for it with your bodily shadow,
with something really substantial; the hand of your mistress, the
fulfilment of your prayers. Or will you rather deliver over the sweet
maiden to that contemptible scoundrel, Mr. Rascal? No, no! look to that
with your own eyes. Come hither; I will lend you the wishing-cap too,
(he drew something from his pocket), and we will have a ramble unseen
through the forest-garden."

I must confess I was sadly ashamed to be thus laughed at by this fellow.
I hated him from the bottom of my soul; and I believe this personal
antipathy prevented me, more than my principles, from giving the required
signature for my shadow, necessary as it was to me. The thought was
unbearable, that I should undertake such a walk in his company. This
sneaking scoundrel, this scornful, irritating imp, placing himself
betwixt me and my beloved, sporting with two bleeding hearts, roused my
deepest feelings. I looked on what had past as ordained, and considered
my misery as irretrievable. I turned upon the man and said:

"Sir, I sold you my shadow for this most estimable bag of yours: I have
repented it enough; if the bargain can be annulled, in the name of--" He
shook his head--looked at me with a dark frown. I began again: "I will
sell you nothing more of my possessions, though you may offer as high a
price as for my shadow; and I will sign nothing. Hence you may conclude
that the metamorphosis to which you invite me would perhaps be more
agreeable to you than to me. Forgive me, but it cannot be otherwise; let
us part."

"I am sorry, Mr. Schlemihl, that you so capriciously push away the
favours which are presented to you; but I may be more fortunate another
time. Farewell, till our speedy meeting! By the way, you will allow me
to mention, that I do not by any means permit my purchases to get mouldy;
I hold them in special regard, and take the best possible care of them."
With this he took my shadow out of his pocket, and with a dexterous fling
it was unrolled and spread out on the heath on the sunny side of his
feet, so that he stood between the two attendant shadows, mine and his,
and walked away; mine seemed to belong to him as much as his own; it
accommodated itself to all his movements and all his necessities.

When I saw my poor shadow again, after so long a separation, and found it
applied to such base uses, at a moment wh