Page:Hoffmann's Strange Stories - Hoffman - 1855.djvu/85

 "Very well, my dear, sir," replied I, "I am precisely in the same predicament; and this evening when I saw Julia—"

"Julia? did you say?" exclaimed the little man, his face becoming convulsed.

"Ah, sir, I supplicate you, let me sleep; and have the kindness to put down the curtain over the glass."

Saying these words, the little man in brown hid his face in the folds of the pillow.

"But, my dear unknown," replied I, raising my voice to force him to hear me, "why does this woman's name, which I have just pronounced, cause you so painful a sensation? I hope that you will confide this to me, when, after covering the glass again, according to your desire, I shall take my place in bed at your side; for, seriously, it is time to rest."

The little man rose up on end, as if a spring had acted upon him—"You will then know the secret of my miserable life. Well, then, this is my story."

At the same time he got out out of bed, rolled himself up in a kind of dressing-gown, and came towards the fire-place; but the curtain over the glass was not yet put back, and he fixed his eyes upon it. Oh, surprising! whilst standing erect beside him, I could not see his reflection by the side of mine!

The little man turned upon me a look filled with painful emotion. "Sir," said he, "I am more to be pitied than Peter Schlemihl. Schlemihl sold his shadow; that was his own fault; and besides, he received the price of it. I, sir, have given her my reflection for love—to her, to Giulietta; alas! alas!"

He ran and threw himself into bed, and tried to stifle his moaning.

All kinds of sensations agitated my soul at the sight of a scene so sorrowfully grotesque. I remained chained to the place where I stood, like a real automaton, when I heard my friend in bed snore like the barrel of an organ. The temptation to imitate him took such a strong hold of me, that ten