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1、The Shadow 影子It is in the hot countries that the sun burns down in earnest, turning the people there a deep mahogany-brown. In the hottest countries of all they are seared into negroes, but it was not quite that hot in this country to which a man of learning had come from the colder north. He expect
2、ed to go about there just as he had at home, but he soon discovered that this was a mistake. He and other sensible souls had to stay inside. The shutters were drawn and the doors were closed all day long. It looked just as if everyone were asleep or away from home. The narrow street of high houses w
3、here he lived was so situated that from morning till night the sun beat down on it - unbearably!To this young and clever scholar from the colder north, it felt as if he were sitting in a blazing hot oven. It exhausted him so that he became very thin, and even his shadow shrank much smaller than it h
4、ad been at home. Only in the evenings, after sundown, did the man and his shadow begin to recover.This was really a joy to see. As soon as a candle was brought into the room, the shadow had to stretch itself to get its strength back. It stretched up to the wall, yes, even along the ceiling, so tall
5、did it grow. To stretch himself, the scholar went out on the balcony. As soon as the stars came out in the beautifully clear sky, he felt as if he had come back to life.In warm countries each window has a balcony, and in all the balconies up and down the street people came out to breathe the fresh a
6、ir that one needs, even if one is already a fine mahogany-brown. Both up above and down below, things became lively. Tailors, shoemakers - everybody - moved out in the street. Chairs and tables were brought out, and candles were lighted, yes, candles by the thousand. One man talked, another sang, pe
7、ople strolled about, carriages drove by, and donkeys trotted along, ting-a-ling-a-ling, for their harness had bells on it. There were church bells ringing, hymn singing, and funeral processions. There were boys in the street firing off Roman candles. Oh yes, it was lively as lively can be down in th
8、at street.Only one house was quiet - the one directly across from where the scholarly stranger lived. Yet someone lived there, for flowers on the balcony grew and thrived under that hot sun, which they could not have done unless they were watered. So someone must be watering them, and there must be
9、people in the house. Along in the evening, as a matter of fact, the door across the street was opened. But it was dark inside, at least in the front room. From somewhere in the house, farther back, came the sound of music. The scholarly stranger thought the music was marvelous, but it is quite possi
10、ble that he only imagined this, for out there in the warm countries he thought everything was marvelous - except the sun. The stranger，s landlord said that he didn，t know who had rented the house across the street. No one was ever to be seen over there, and as for the music, he found it extremely ti
11、resome. He said: Its just as if somebody sits there practicing a piece thats beyond him - always the selfsame piece. I 11 play it right yet, he probably says, but he doesn，t, no matter how long he tries. One night the stranger woke up. He slept with the windows to his balcony open, and as the breeze
12、 blew his curtain aside he fancied that a marvelous radiance came from the balcony across the street. The colors of all the flowers were as brilliant as flames. In their midst stood a maiden, slender and lovely. It seemed as if a radiance came from her too. It actually hurt his eyes, but that was be
13、cause he had opened them too wide in his sudden awakening.One leap, and he was out of bed. Without a sound, he looked out through his curtains, but the maiden was gone. The flowers were no longer radiant, though they bloomed as fresh and fair as usual. The door was ajar and through it came music so
14、lovely and soft that one could really feel very romantic about it. It was like magic. But who lived there? What entrance did they use? Facing the street, the lower floor of the house was a row of shops, and people couldnt run through them all the time. On another evening, the stranger sat out on his
15、 balcony. The candle burned in the room behind him, so naturally his shadow was cast on the wall across the street. Yes, there it sat among the flowers, and when the stranger moved, it moved with him.believe my shadow is the only living thing to be seen over there,z，the scholar thought to himself. S
16、ee how he makes himself at home among the flowers. The door stands ajar, and if my shadow were clever he d step in, have a look around, and come back to tell me what he had seen.“Yes, he said as a joke, “you ought to make yourself useful. Kindly step inside. Well, arent you going?” He nodded to the
17、shadow, and the shadow nodded back. Run along now, but be sure to come back. The stranger rose, and his shadow across the street rose with him. The stranger turned around, and his shadow turned too. If anyone had been watching closely, he would have seen the shadow enter the half-open balcony door i
18、n the house across the way at the same instant that the stranger returned to his room and the curtain fell behind him.Next morning, when the scholar went out to take his coffee and read the newspapers, he said, Whats this?” as he came out in the sunshine. I havent any shadow! So it really did go awa
19、y last night, and it stayed away. Isn，t that annoying?” What annoyed him most was not so much the loss of his shadow, but the knowledge that there was already a story about a man without a shadow. All the people at home knew that story. If he went back and told them his story they would say he was j
20、ust imitating the old one. He did not care to be called unoriginal, so he decided to say nothing about it, which was the most sensible thing to do.That evening he again went out on the balcony. He had placed the candle directly behind him, because he knew that a shadow always likes to use its master
21、 as a screen, but he could not coax it forth. He made himself short and he made himself tall, but there was no shadow. It didn，t come forth. He hemmed and he hawed, but it was no use.This was very vexing, but in the hot countries everything grows most rapidly, and in a week or so he noticed with gre
22、at satisfaction that when he went out in the sunshine a new shadow was growing at his feet. The root must have been left with him. In three weeks time he had a very presentable shadow, and as he started north again it grew longer and longer, until it got so long and large that half of it would have
23、been quite sufficient.The learned man went home and wrote books about those things in the world that are true, that are good, and that are beautiful.The days went by and the years went past, many, many years in fact. Then one evening when he was sitting in his room he heard a soft tapping at his doo
24、r. Come in, said he, but no one came in. He opened the door and was confronted by a man so extremely thin that it gave him a strange feeling. However, the man was faultlessly dressed, and looked like a person of distinction.“With whom do I have the honor of speaking?” the scholar asked.Ah, said the
25、distinguished visitor, I thought you wouldn，t recognize me, now that r ve put real flesh on my body and wear clothes. I don，t suppose you ever expected to see me in such fine condition. Don，t you know your old shadow? You must have thought r d never come back. Things have gone remarkably well with m
26、e since I was last with you. r ve thrived in every way, and if I have to buy my freedom, I can.He rattled a bunch of valuable charms that hung from his watch, and fingered the massive gold chain he wore around his neck. Ho! how his fingers flashed with diamond rings - and all this jewelry was real.N
27、o, I can，t get over it! said the scholar. What does it all mean?”“Nothing ordinary, you may be sure, said the shadow. But you are no ordinary person and I, as you know, have followed in your footsteps from childhood. As soon as you thought me sufficiently experienced to strike out in the world for m
28、yself, I went my way. I have been immeasurably successful. But I felt a sort of longing to see you again before you die, as I suppose you must, and I wanted to see this country again. You know how one loves his native land. I know that you have got hold of another shadow. Do I owe anything to either
29、 of you? Be kind enough to let me know. “Well! Is it really you?” said the scholar. Why, this is most extraordinary! I would never have imagined that one，s own shadow could come back in human form.，z“Just tell me what I owe,“ said the shadow, “because I don，t like to be in debt to anyone.“How can yo
30、u talk that way? said the student. What debt could there be? Feel perfectly free. I am tremendously pleased to hear of your good luck! Sit down, my old friend, and tell me a bit about how it all happened, and about what you saw in that house across the street from us in the warm country. “Yes, r 11
31、tell you all about it, the shadow said, as he sat down. But you must promise that if you meet me anywhere you won t tell a soul in town about my having been your shadow. I intend to become engaged, for I can easily support a family.，z Dont you worry,，z said the scholar. I won，t tell anyone who you r
32、eally are. I give you my hand on it. I promise, and a man is as good as his word. z，“And a word is as good as its - shadow,，z the shadow said, for he couldn，t put it any other way.It was really remarkable how much of a man he had become, dressed all in black, with the finest cloth, patent-leather sh
33、oes, and an opera hat that could be pressed perfectly flat till it was only brim and top, not to mention those things we already know about - those seals, that gold chain, and the diamond rings. The shadow was well dressed indeed, and it was just this that made him appear human.“Now r 11 tell you, s
34、aid the shadow, grinding his patent-leather shoes on the arm of the scholar，s new shadow, which lay at his feet like apoodle dog. This was arrogance, perhaps, or possibly he was trying to make the new shadow stick to his own feet. The shadow on the floor lay quiet and still, and listened its best, s
35、o that it might learn how to get free and work its way up to be its own master.Do you know who lived in the house across the street from us? the old shadow asked. “She was the most lovely of all creatures - she was Poetry herself. I lived there for three weeks, and it was as if I had lived there thr
36、ee thousand years, reading all that has ever been written. Thats what I said, and its the truth! I have seen it all, and I know everything.“Poetry!” the scholar cried. z，Yes, to be sure she often lives as a hermit in the large cities. Poetry! Yes, I saw her myself, for one brief moment, but my eyes
37、were heavy with sleep. She stood on the balcony, as radiant as the northern lights. Tell me! Tell me! You were on the balcony. You went through the doorway, and then - “Then I was in the anteroom, said the shadow. It was the room you were always staring at from across the way. There were no candles
38、there, and the room was in twilight. But the door upon door stood open in a whole series of brilliantly lit halls and reception rooms. That blaze of lights would have struck me dead had I gone as far as the room where the maiden was, but I was careful - I took my time, as one should. “And then what
39、did you see, my old friend?” the scholar asked.I saw everything, and I shall tell everything to you, but - its not that Im proud -but as I am a free man and well educated, not to mention my high standing and my considerable fortune, I do wish you wouldn，t call me your old friend.”I beg your pardon!”
40、 said the scholar. Its an old habit, and hard to change. You are perfectly right, my dear sir, and I 11 remember it. But now, my dear sir, tell me of all that you saw. A11? said the shadow, “for I saw it all, and I know everything.“How did the innermost rooms look?” the scholar asked. Was it like a
41、green forest? Was it like a holy temple? Were the rooms like the starry skies seen from some high mountain?”Everything was there, said the shadow. I didn，t quite go inside. I stayed in the dark anteroom, but my place there was perfect. I saw everything, and I know everything. I have been in the ante
42、chamber at the court of Poetry. “But what did you see? Did the gods of old march through the halls? Did the old heroes fight there? Did fair children play there and tell their dreams?”I was there, I tell you, so you must understand that I saw all thatthere was to be seen. Had you come over, it would
43、 not have made a man of you, as it did of me. Also, I learned to understand my inner self, what is born in me, and the relationship between me and Poetry. Yes, when I was with you I did not think of such things, but you must remember how wonderfully I always expanded at sunrise and sunset. And in th
44、e moonlight I almost seemed more real than you. Then I did not understand myself, but in that anteroom I came to know my true nature. I was a man! I came out completely changed. But you were no longer in the warm country. Being a man, I was ashamed to be seen as I was. I lacked shoes, clothes, and a
45、ll the surface veneer which makes a man.I went into hiding - this is confidential, and you must not write it in any of your books. I went into hiding under the skirts of the cake-woman. Little she knew what she concealed. Not until evening did I venture out. I ran through the streets in the moonligh
46、t and stretched myself tall against the walls. Its such a pleasant way of scratching one，s back. Up I ran and down I ran, peeping into the highest windows, into drawing rooms, and into garrets. I peered in where no one else could peer. I saw what no one else could see, or should see. Taken all in al
47、l, its a wicked world. I would not care to be a man if it were not considered the fashionable thing to be.I saw the most incredible behavior among men and women, fathers and mothers, and among those perfectly darling，children. I saw what nobody knows but everybody would like to know, and that is wha
48、t wickedness goes on next door. If I had written it in a newspaper, oh, how widely it would have been read! But instead I wrote to the people directly concerned, and there was the most terrible consternation in every town to which I came. They were so afraid of me, and yet so remarkably fond of me.
49、The professors appointed me a professor, and the tailor made me new clothes - my wardrobe is most complete. The master of the mint coined new money for me, the women called me such a handsome man; and so I became the man I am. Now I must bid you good-by. Here，s my card. I live on the sunny side of the street, and I am always at home on rainy days. z，The shadow took his leave.How extraordinary,/z said the scholar.The days passed. The years went by. And t