登陆注册
4713500000282

第282章

"I learnt something about it in my childhood," he replied; "and believe that even my very shadow, standing over there by the door, could answer it."

"Your shadow," said the princess; "indeed that would be very remarkable."

"I do not say so positively," observed the shadow; "but I am inclined to believe that he can do so. He has followed me for so many years, and has heard so much from me, that I think it is very likely. But your royal highness must allow me to observe, that he is very proud of being considered a man, and to put him in a good humor, so that he may answer correctly, he must be treated as a man."

"I shall be very pleased to do so," said the princess. So she walked up to the learned man, who stood in the doorway, and spoke to him of the sun, and the moon, of the green forests, and of people near home and far off; and the learned man conversed with her pleasantly and sensibly.

"What a wonderful man he must be, to have such a clever shadow!" thought she. "If I were to choose him it would be a real blessing to my country and my subjects, and I will do it." So the princess and the shadow were soon engaged to each other, but no one was to be told a word about it, till she returned to her kingdom.

"No one shall know," said the shadow; "not even my own shadow;" and he had very particular reasons for saying so.

After a time, the princess returned to the land over which she reigned, and the shadow accompanied her.

"Listen my friend," said the shadow to the learned man; "now 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.

同类推荐
  • 氾论训

    氾论训

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • OUR MUTUAL FRIEND

    OUR MUTUAL FRIEND

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说演道俗业经

    佛说演道俗业经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • ON FISTULAE

    ON FISTULAE

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Master of Mrs. Chilvers

    The Master of Mrs. Chilvers

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 山岚清风情

    山岚清风情

    天因国他位高权重,权倾天下,这样的人是一只没有脚的小鸟,在爱情上永远不会为任何一个女人停留下来。他知道自己将会陷入无尽的爱恋,哪怕这是一段让他心痛的爱。相爱,但却不能在一起,身份的差距阻碍着林青青追求真爱,而在最后,她们两人能否顺利的在一起呢?
  • 每天都在做好事

    每天都在做好事

    乔伊作为一个常年熬夜爆肝的学生党,终于在一个夜黑风高的夜晚成功猝死。等乔伊再醒来时,已经成为了一个带着好人系统的六岁孩子。从此,乔伊在系统的带领下开始了新的人生。
  • 亿万男神的100度沸腾爱

    亿万男神的100度沸腾爱

    初见,他是高高在上的亿万男神,惊鸿一暼冷漠无情,再见,他却缠住她不放,“顾景琛,做鬼,我也不会喜欢你。”顾景琛笑了笑,“傻瓜,和我在一起,不用做鬼。”“滚--!”某女发飙,只是,某男锲而不舍,甘之如饴。
  • 撕谎晓爱

    撕谎晓爱

    一个人七年的默默付出是否抵不过一张皮相,一见钟情的冲动是否胜过两个灵魂的交流?爱情,究竟是一种简单吸引的感觉,还是在岁月浸润下慢慢衍生的感情?披着另一人名义的爱情是否会有守得云开见月明的一天?亦或是,终是绿叶,公主现身终究夺去王子的目光,转身成全?意想不到的婚礼背后,生活才真正展开?究竟是谁给了谁谎言?善意的谎言背后是否就不会带给彼此伤害? 一本日记里,记录的究竟是可怕的报复计划,还是一段在心海里沉浮才逐渐明白的爱? 一段归途的开始,是带我们揭开心中的心结,还是更深的伤害和失望?亲情究竟该如何诠释? 如无意外,每日一更。
  • 禁断空间

    禁断空间

    若不能超越天地逍遥方外,即便身化劫灰心亦不灭!一处让所有强者都绝望的大陆;一段化身神明可长生不死的传说;这里是庇护的温室?还是禁锢的牢笼?是上苍的垂怜与期待?还是天道的摒弃和诅咒!
  • 君若桑榆

    君若桑榆

    侯门嫡女归来,私生女身份成了众矢之的,却不知如今的她,早已不是任人欺凌的软柿子。一朝穿越,特种兵变千金,超凡记忆惹人叹,腹中书墨解危机。有匪君子,如切如磋,如琢如磨,愿化桑榆,悄然相伴。卿本佳人,翻云覆雨,笔书江山,智定乾坤。【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 我在异界叠魔法

    我在异界叠魔法

    什么?!EZ的Q技能带了小法的被动?!主宰龙的儿子是弟弟?!反曲之弓是神器?!主角爱上了自己的姐姐(当然不是亲姐姐啦)?!……巧合?运气?实力?热血?……em....我已经说不下去了……欢迎进群:635698232
  • 二嫁悍女:妖孽王爷宠上天

    二嫁悍女:妖孽王爷宠上天

    前世有眼无珠,错识良人,竟累得家人葬身火海,她亦含恨而终。凤凰涅槃,重生而来,她只想护家人周全,报前世血海深仇。只是,却不知哪里出了错,竟惹上了一个甩也甩不掉的大麻烦。他宠她、纵她、疼她、爱她、护她,却要她以自己作为回报,这笔买卖,怎么看怎么亏本啊?“亏本?那我以这天下江山为聘,只求你一人,可否?”可倒是也可,可是王爷,你为何不告诉我,你也是重生而来的?
  • 关东第一喝

    关东第一喝

    土匪头子李大喝在辽西地区有很多的传奇故事,老一辈人都还能叫得出他的名字。他的原名叫李季宇,黝黑的脸膛,一张阔嘴,长得虎背熊腰,带着一杆子人马,经常活跃在辽西地区。因为他能喝酒,人们都叫他李大喝。李大喝的绰号的由来还是从他父辈开始的。清宣统三年,最后一任凌州知府马尔泰利用春节假日回到义州县省亲,亲朋故里们为家乡能有这么一个大官喜不自禁,在他回来的几天以前便将县城打扫得干干净净。当马尔泰的一路人马吹吹打打走进县城时,知县已经组织了千余人守候在道路两旁夹道欢迎。
  • 不只是案件

    不只是案件

    9月10日晚上8点过后,刚刚下班的林茂就接到了柳娜打来的手机,约他11点在老地方见。柳娜是“白鹗影视道具租赁公司”老板的妻子,比老板小32岁,人长得很漂亮。23岁的林茂是“白鹗影视道具租赁公司”的一名普通保安,身材魁梧,长相英俊,外地人,当过两年侦察兵,嘴甜且会些拳脚。此时的柳娜,正在“时尚美容中心”做保健。她的老公9月7日到外地出差了,得一个星期后才能回来。柳娜居住的“碧水人家”小区,原是槐花村的耕地。现在的槐花村和大片的耕地早已消失,只剩下旧村址北边一片杂乱的小树林还未被开发,自打柳娜与林茂相处后,这片小树林就成了两个人经常约会的地方。