“Yes! I thought as much，” said the fine man. “I thought you would not know me. I havegot so much body. I have even got flesh and clothes. You certainly never thought of seeing meso well off. Do you not know your old shadow? You certainly thought I should never morereturn. Things have gone on well with me since I was last with you. I have， in all respects，become very well off. Shall I purchase my freedom from service? If so， I can do it”; and thenhe rattled a whole bunch of valuable seals that hung to his watch， and he stuck his hand inthe thick gold chain he wore around his neck——nay! how all his fingers glittered withdiamond rings; and then all were pure gems.
“Nay; I cannot recover from my surprise!” said the learned man. “What is the meaning ofall this?”
“Something common， is it not，” said the shadow. “But you yourself do not belong to thecommon order; and I， as you know well， have from a child followed in your footsteps. Assoon as you found I was capable to go out alone in the world， I went my own way. I am inthe most brilliant circumstances， but there came a sort of desire over me to see you oncemore before you die; you will die， I suppose? I also wished to see this land again——for youknow we always love our native land. I know you have got another shadow again; have Ianything to pay to it or you? If so， you will oblige me by saying what it is.”
“Nay， is it really thou?” said the learned man. “It is most remarkable： I never imagined that one'sold shadow could come again as a man.”
“Tell me what I have to pay，” said theshadow; “for I don't like to be in any sort of debt.”
“How canst thou talk so?” said the learned man. “What debt is there to talk about? Make thyself asfree as anyone else. I am extremely glad to hear ofthy good fortune： sit down， old friend， and tellme a little how it has gone with thee， and what thouhast seen at our opposite neighbor's there——in the warm lands.”
“Yes， I will tell you all about it，” said the shadow， and sat down： “but then you mustalso promise me， that， wherever you may meet me， you will never say to anyone here in thetown that I have been your shadow. I intend to get betrothed， for I can provide for morethan one family.”
“Be quite at thy ease about that，” said the learned man; “I shall not say to anyone whothou actually art： here is my hand——I promise it， and a man's bond is his word.”
“A word is a shadow，” said the shadow， “and as such it must speak.”
It was really quite astonishing how much of a man it was. It was dressed entirely in black，and of the very finest cloth; it had patent leather boots，and a hat that could be foldedtogether， so that it was bare crown and brim;not to speak of what we already know it had——seals， gold neck-chain， and diamond rings; yes， the shadow was well-dressed， andit was just that which made it quite a man.
“Now I shall tell you my adventures，” said the shadow; and then he sat， with thepolished boots， as heavily as he could， on the arm of the learned man's new shadow，which lay like a poodle-dog at his feet. Now this was perhaps from arrogance; and theshadow on the ground kept itself so still and quiet， that it might hear all that passed： itwished to know how it could get free， and work its way up， so as to become its own master.
“Do you know who lived in our opposite neighbor's house?” said the shadow. “It was themost charming of all beings， it was Poesy! I was there for three weeks， and that has asmuch effect as if one had lived three thousand years，and read all that was composed andwritten; that is what I say， and it is right. I have seen everything and I know everything!”
“Poesy!” cried the learned man. “Yes， yes， she often dwells a recluse in large cities!Poesy! Yes， I have seen her——a single short moment， but sleep came into my eyes! Shestood on the balcony and shone as the Aurora Borealis shines. Go on， go on——thou wert onthe balcony， and went through the doorway，and then——”
“then I was in the antechamber，” said the shadow. “You always sat and looked over tothe antechamber. There was no light; there was a sort of twilight， but the one door stoodopen directly opposite the other through a long row of rooms and saloons， and there it waslighted up. I should have been completely killed if I had gone over to the maiden; but I wascircumspect， I took time to think， and that one must always do.”
“And what didst thou then see?” asked the learned man.
“I saw everything， and I shall tell all to you： but——it is no pride on my part——as a freeman， and with the knowledge I have， not to speak of my position in life， my excellentcircumstances——I certainly wish that you would say YOU* to me!”
* It is the custom in Denmark for intimate acquaintances to use the second personsingular， “Du，” (thou) when speaking to each other. When a friendship is formed betweenmen， they generally affirm it， when occasion offers， either in public or private， by drinkingto each other and exclaiming，“thy health，” at the same time striking their glasses together.This is called drinking “Duus”： they are then， “Duus Brodre，” (thou brothers) and everafterwards use the pronoun “thou，” to each other， it being regarded as more familiar than“De，” (you)。 Father and mother， sister and brother say thou to one another——withoutregard to age or rank. Master and mistress say thou to their servants the superior to theinferior. But servants and inferiors do not use the same term to their masters， or superiors——nor is it ever used when speaking to a stranger， or anyone with whom they are butslightly acquainted——they then say as in English——you.