forms. I was conscious, also, of being in a dream, and was anxious
that nothing should rouse me from it; and when I did awake, I kept
my eyes closed, in order if possible to continue the illusion. At
last I opened my eyes. The sun was now visible in the east; I must
have slept the whole night: I looked upon this as a warning not to
return to the inn. What I had left there I was content to lose,
without much regret; and resigning myself to Providence, I decided
on taking a by-road that led through the wooded declivity of the
mountain. I never once cast a glance behind me; nor did it ever
occur to me to return, as I might have done, to Bendel, whom I had
left in affluence. I reflected on the new character I was now going
to assume in the world. My present garb was very humble--consisting
of an old black coat I formerly had worn at Berlin, and which by
some chance was the first I put my hand on before setting out on
this journey, a travelling-cap, and an old pair of boots. I cut
down a knotted stick in memory of the spot, and commenced my
pilgrimage.

In the forest I met an aged peasant, who gave me a friendly
greeting, and with whom I entered into conversation, requesting, as
a traveller desirous of information, some particulars relative to
the road, the country, and its inhabitants, the productions of the
mountain, &c. He replied to my various inquiries with readiness and
intelligence. At last we reached the bed of a mountain-torrent,
which had laid waste a considerable tract of the forest; I inwardly
shuddered at the idea of the open sunshine. I suffered the peasant
to go before me. In the middle of the very place which I dreaded so
much, he suddenly stopped, and turned back to give me an account of
this inundation; but instantly perceiving that I had no shadow, he
broke off abruptly, and exclaimed, "How is this?--you have no