shadow!"

"Alas, alas!" said I, "in a long and serious illness I had the
misfortune to lose my hair, my nails, and my shadow. Look, good
father; although my hair has grown again, it is quite white; and at
my age, my nails are still very short; and my poor shadow seems to
have left me, never to return."

"Ah!" said the old man, shaking his head; "no shadow! that was
indeed a terrible illness, sir."

But he did not resume his narrative; and at the very first cross-
road we came to, left me without uttering a syllable. Fresh tears
flowed from my eyes, and my cheerfulness had fled. With a heavy
heart I travelled on, avoiding all society. I plunged into the
deepest shades of the forest; and often, to avoid a sunny tract of
country, I waited for hours till every human being had left it, and
I could pass it unobserved. In the evenings I took shelter in the
villages. I bent my steps to a mine in the mountains, where I hoped
to meet with work underground; for besides that my present situation
compelled me to provide for my own support, I felt that incessant
and laborious occupation alone could divert my mind from dwelling on
painful subjects. A few rainy days assisted me materially on my
journey; but it was to the no small detriment of my boots, the soles
of which were better suited to Count Peter than to the poor foot-
traveller. I was soon barefoot, and a new purchase must be made.
The following morning I commenced an earnest search in a
marketplace, where a fair was being held; and I saw in one of the
booths new and second-hand boots set out for sale. I was a long
time selecting and bargaining; I wished much to have a new pair, but