the shadow-第4章

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that　I　am　as　fortunate　and　as　powerful　as　any　man　can　be；　I　will　do

something　unusually　good　for　you。　You　shall　live　in　my　palace；　drive

with　me　in　the　royal　carriage；　and　have　a　hundred　thousand　dollars　a

year；　but　you　must　allow　every　one　to　call　you　a　shadow；　and　never

venture　to　say　that　you　have　been　a　man。　And　once　a　year；　when　I　sit

in　my　balcony　in　the　sunshine；　you　must　lie　at　my　feet　as　becomes　a

shadow　to　do；　for　I　must　tell　you　I　am　going　to　marry　the　princess；

and　our　wedding　will　take　place　this　evening。〃

　　　　〃Now；　really；　this　is　too　ridiculous；〃　said　the　learned　man。　〃I

cannot；　and　will　not；　submit　to　such　folly。　It　would　be　cheating　the

whole　country；　and　the　princess　also。　I　will　disclose　everything；

and　say　that　I　am　the　man；　and　that　you　are　only　a　shadow　dressed　up

in　men's　clothes。〃

　　　　〃No　one　would　believe　you；〃　said　the　shadow；　〃be　reasonable；

now；　or　I　will　call　the　guards。〃

　　　　〃I　will　go　straight　to　the　princess；〃　said　the　learned　man。

　　　　〃But　I　shall　be　there　first；〃　replied　the　shadow；　〃and　you　will　be

sent　to　prison。〃　And　so　it　turned　out；　for　the　guards　readily　obeyed

him；　as　they　knew　he　was　going　to　marry　the　king's　daughter。

　　　　〃You　tremble；〃　said　the　princess；　when　the　shadow　appeared

before　her。　〃Has　anything　happened？　You　must　not　be　ill　to…day；　for

this　evening　our　wedding　will　take　place。〃

　　　　〃I　have　gone　through　the　most　terrible　affair　that　could

possibly　happen；〃　said　the　shadow；　〃only　imagine；　my　shadow　has　gone

mad；　I　suppose　such　a　poor；　shallow　brain；　could　not　bear　much；　he

fancies　that　he　has　become　a　real　man；　and　that　I　am　his　shadow。〃

　　　　〃How　very　terrible；〃　cried　the　princess；　〃is　he　locked　up？〃

　　　　〃Oh　yes；　certainly；　for　I　fear　he　will　never　recover。〃

　　　　〃Poor　shadow！〃　said　the　princess；　〃it　is　very　unfortunate　for　him；

it　would　really　be　a　good　deed　to　free　him　from　his　frail　existence；

and；　indeed；　when　I　think　how　often　people　take　the　part　of　the

lower　class　against　the　higher；　in　these　days；　it　would　be　policy　to

put　him　out　of　the　way　quietly。〃

　　　　〃It　is　certainly　rather　hard　upon　him；　for　he　was　a　faithful

servant；〃　said　the　shadow；　and　he　pretended　to　sigh。

　　　　〃Yours　is　a　noble　character；〃　said　the　princess；　and　bowed　herself

before　him。

　　　　In　the　evening　the　whole　town　was　illuminated；　and　cannons　fired

〃boom；〃　and　the　soldiers　presented　arms。　It　was　indeed　a　grand

wedding。　The　princess　and　the　shadow　stepped　out　on　the　balcony　to

show　themselves；　and　to　receive　one　cheer　more。　But　the　learned　man

heard　nothing　of　all　these　festivities；　for　he　had　already　been

executed。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

。