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378 THE SHADOW |
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the master was shadow : they drove together, they rode together, and walked side by side, and before and behind each other, just as the sun happened to stand. The Shadow always knew when to take the place of honour. The learned man did not particularly notice this, for he had a very good heart, and was moreover particularly mild and friendly. Then one day the master said to the Shadow,
.* As we have in this way become travelling companions, and have also from childhood's days grown up with one another, shall we not drink brotherhood ? That sounds more confidential.'
* You're saying a thing there,' said the Shadow, who was now really the master, ' that is said in a very kind and straightforward way. I will be just as kind and straightforward. You, who are a learned gentleman, know very well how wonderful nature is. There are some men who cannot bear to touch brown paper, they become sick at it ; others shudder to the marrow of their bones if one scratches with a nail upon a pane of glass ; and I for my part have a similar feeling when any one says " thou ' to me ; I feel myself, as I did in my first position with you, oppressed by it. You see that this is a feeling, not pride. I cannot let you say " thou " * to me, but I will gladly say " thou " to you; and thus your wish will be at any rate partly fulfilled.'
And now the Shadow addressed his former master as 'thou.'
' That's rather strong,' said the latter, ' that I am to say " you ", while he says " thou ".' But he was obliged to submit to it.
They came to a bathing-place, where many strangers were, and among them a beautiful young Princess, who had this disease, that she saw too sharply, which was very disquieting. She at once saw that the new arrival was a very different personage from all the rest.
i They say he is here to get his beard to grow ; but I see the real reason—he can't throw a shadow.'
She had now become inquisitive, and therefore she at once began a conversation with the strange gentleman on the promenade. As a Princess, she was not obliged to
1 On the Continent, people who have ' drunk brotherhood' address each other as ' thou,' in preference to the more ceremonious ' you.' |
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