door, and addressing myself to Rascal, inquired what he meant by
such disgraceful conduct. He drew back a couple of steps, and
coolly answered, "Count Peter, may I beg most respectfully that you
will favour me with a sight of your shadow? The sun is now shining
brightly in the court below."

I stood as if struck by a thunderbolt, and for some time was unable
to speak. At last, I asked him how a servant could dare to behave
so towards his master. He interrupted me by saying, quite coolly,
"A servant may be a very honourable man, and unwilling to serve a
shadowless master--I request my dismissal."

I felt that I must adopt a softer tone, and replied, "But, Rascal,
my good fellow, who can have put such strange ideas into your head?
How can you imagine--"

He again interrupted me in the same tone--"People say you have no
shadow. In short, let me see your shadow, or give me my dismissal."

Bendel, pale and trembling, but more collected than myself, made a
sign to me. I had recourse to the all-powerful influence of gold.
But even gold had lost its power--Rascal threw it at my feet: "From
a shadowless man," he said, "I will take nothing."

Turning his back upon me, and putting on his hat, he then slowly
left the room, whistling a tune. I stood, with Bendel, as if
petrified, gazing after him.

With a deep sigh and a heavy heart I now prepared to keep my
engagement, and to appear in the forester's garden like a criminal