Show MY aff DOUBLE it Is very rarely 1 I confess it that any one meets bis his double but such instances in have occurred and I 1 am going to give you au an example I 1 saw mine once but only once have never seen him since know not from whence he camo came or where he went all I 1 can say is 1 this I 1 surely a saw a NY him my servant saw and talk talked edwith with him moreover he saved my life and yet I 1 am forced to believe he never really existed for we never found the least trace of him in a place where it was impossible he could have escaped now all this seems very extraordinary to you no doubt incomprehensible well I 1 am not surprised I 1 have given it a great deal ot of thought and yet I 1 do not understand it in the least it is as great a mystery to me as ever but I 1 will tell tel I 1 you the incident as it occurred it was in the winter of when I 1 was w a student at the university of leipsic at that time I 1 was very intimate with young count brenner wo were about the same age were in the bame classes and lived in the same street the strasse pt rasse one of the oldest streets in that old city crooked gloomy and remarkably narrow the h houses on sea w we 6 occupied were exactly opposite each other from the windows of count brenners apartment you could look directly into my bedroom and as I 1 have said the street was so narrow we could sit on the balconies of an evening smoke our pipes and talk as quietly as it we were in the same room but as to the matter of that we were scarcely ever apart one day count brenner was suddenly called to bavaria to see an old uncle I 1 his only relative who was very ill lie ile departed immediately saying it might be some time before he could return I 1 was very much annoyed at the sudden departure of my friend it deranged all our cherished habits and that same evening not knowing what to do to while away the time I 1 made a visit to counselor kar delf fel one of my fathers old friends who lived in the other end of the city but my visit waa was very disappointing I 1 was vaguely dissatisfied almost anxious I 1 could not tell why I 1 felt drowsy and stupid and after losing several games of curds cards I 1 took leave of my host and retired just as the antique clock in the hall struck IL 11 it was a very dark night and I 1 had scarcely made three steps in the street when I 1 heard somo some one walking behind me at first I 1 paid no attention to this thinking it was some belated citizen returning home like myself but I 1 began to bo be very much annoyed when I 1 perceived this unknown individual followed the exact route its is myself turning the same corners of the street crossl crossing na the same squares always preserving the same distance between us and regulating his steps so perfectly with mine our feet seemed to touch the ground at the same moment at last to see if I 1 was intentionally followed I 1 stopped lie ire did the same then I 1 began to think he was not a common footpad else he would have assailed me long ago tor for the streets were black as night the public lighting in those days was very meager only a few lamps placed here and there ther at the foot of some statue or at certain corners of tho the streets I 1 continued to walk on the unknown always at my heels this insistence insi ins stanco istance gave me good cause tor for uneasiness particularly as I 1 was unarmed and had no means of defense except a small penknife at last we arrived at the corner of the where a lamp was dimly burning I 1 could stand it no longer but determined to see my unknown friend I 1 suddenly stopped and bending down as it if to tie my shoe was able to regard this obstinate companion of my walk I 1 cannot tell you my amazement my terror r or when hen I 1 recognized in this person standing a few steps behind me as it if quietly waiting for me to proceed the exact counterpart of myself I 1 could sea him distinctly and no mirror ever produced my imago more truthfully my form my face faco my beard my hair all identically the same and to complete the likeness my double or rather my other self wore the same cloak hat and clothes exactly like mine in color and appearance I 1 was thunderstruck while he who had so completely upset me calmly looked on as if he found nothing abnormal in my appearance pe arance and was only waiting tor for me to py proceed eely suddenly add a great fright possessed me I 1 quickened my steps and hurried on I 1 would not oven even look back for fear it would seem as if I 1 were fleeing from this man yet I 1 confess I 1 was very much startled As I 1 have already told you the street was very narrow and as I 1 took the sido where count brenner lived the other my double followed the side where my house was situated he seemed to hasten his steps as he be drew near my apartments and arrived before my door just as I 1 reached the door of my friend he ile stopped I 1 stopped was it the stupefaction of terror and surprise I 1 know not I 1 found I 1 could not utter a word my lips refused to mako make any protestation any cry or call for help as I 1 saw him tranquilly draw a key from his lis pocket carefully introduce it into th the lock open tho the door enter and close it behind him without even looking back as utterly oblivious of my presence as if it I 1 had never existed I 1 stood there in gaping amazement my heart beating my throat contracted a strange feeling an extraordinary doubt assailing mo rno perhaps he was the real one and andI I 1 theother the other lie ile had entered my house as US naturally as it if he were at home while I 1 waa was left standing in the street suddenly a thought came to my bewildered brain I 1 vigorously rang the bell of count brenners apartment the old servant of my friend showed his frightened faco face at the ho grating I 1 quickly said allans Il lans I 1 have lost my key I 1 have fruitlessly rung peal after peal nt at my door my servant la is either asleep or gone out open the door and allow me to sleep in your masters room tonight the chod old fellow knowing my antl macy with count brenner immediately opened the door and conducted mo me to bia his masters chamber while ho he lighted the birol I 1 slipped to the window and looked over at my house I 1 was petrified with amazement my room was lighted the curtains not even drawn and there was my unknown wn my double standing before the chimney in the full fall light of the fir fire 0 while carl ray my own servant a man wh who 0 had been in my family ever since I 1 was born an old domestic my mother had placed with me in whom she had the greatest confidence on this intruder flatt taking oft his cloak then hh his shoes coming going giving alvin him all thosa attentions ha ifa s ezoto kev alve rm me e afia till iff the most natural manner in the world As to 0 the other personage the use of my apar apartment my seemed as familiar to him aa as to myself lie ile acted as if ho he were perfectly at home leisurely undressed himself a and went to bed yea yes in my my bed then the curtains atre were drawn the lights put out and I 1 saw nothing more bilaus went out wishing me good night I 1 made two or three turns up and down the room hesitating perplexed not knowing what to think ordo or do and I 1 acknowledge it frightened and worried beyond expression at last worn out with fatigue and excitement cit ement I 1 laid down ou on the bed trying to concen concentrate tato my thoughts trying to unravel this strange event of which I 1 was the victim asking myself it if I 1 or the other one had the right to sleep in the opposite house all was so confused so bewildering I 1 lost consciousness and ended by falling into a heavy dreamless sleep which lasted until morning it was full day when I 1 was aroused by voices and exclamations in the adjoining room all talking at once as if something very extraordinary hod bad taken place half asleep and no longer remembering what had bad occurred I 1 listened and recognized the voices of carl and liana but you do not understand said my servant in tones of the deepest distress 1 I tell you the ceiling has fallen it Is a frightful accident and my poor master I 1 Is s under it all crushed into a thousand pieces es ah ali the unfortunate young man hero the groans and sobs increased and liana evidently not understanding impatiently rc reputed what is the matter with you carl have you lost your senses no I 1 have not lost my senses sobbed carl but what will I 1 tell his poor mother moth e r the dear madam who sent me to watch over him for the ceiling has fallen and P all 11 the furniture from the room above has cru crushed s bed down upon tho the bed and the dear good master was in it the room as high as my head is full of rubbish and the poor boy Is under it all oh if you would only come and see I 1 pray you to cornel comel but ho lie is here my good carl your master is here exclaimed who probably thought my servant had gone mad ile slept hero last night and ie is asleep hero here this morning alive and well as you or I 1 ah ali you nrc arc making fun of me indig nan aly cried carl and do you think I 1 am in the humor for your stupid jokes I 1 more amazed than ever I 1 leaped out of bed and ran into the room where they were talking on seeing me uttered a cry of triumph but my old carl turne turned dwhit whito ns as a sheet and staggering btag gering back would would have fallen if hans IIan had shad not caught him so great was his transition from grief and horror to joyful surprise at last all was explained or rather nothing was explained I 1 was told I 1 had returned home and passed the night in my own bed yet I 1 knew I 1 had slept in the bed of count brenner was told I 1 had been killed crushed under the falling furniture yet here I 1 was alive and well As all this keamer very improbable I 1 hastily dressed myself and rushed over to ray my house truly the chamber where I 1 had slept and yet had bad not slept was filled with rubbish and broken furniture as high as tho the top of the door it appeared that the apartment above mine mine had been occupied by an old jew a dealer in 8 second hand goods and in the room directly over my chamber he had heaped up a lot of old furniture old iron a mass of goods and tatters he hod had been collecting for many years in the garrets and byways of leipsic Leips le the house waa was old tho the beams worm caten eaten tho the planks of the floor rotten and all this weight resting on tho the floor had crushed through the ceiling of my room and fallen directly upon my bed an old fashioned affair with draperies and a canopy as wide ns As tho the firmament but now mashed as flat as a pancake under these fragments of curtains tapestry ancient furniture and slid brio bric a brac from the storehouse of the old second hand dealer the room was halt half filled with ruins above all this a it cloud of dust yas was floating for or the windows were still closed and swarms of enormous rats were running in every direction it seemed tome to me as I 1 looked upon this destruction that I 1 must be lying under all this chaos crushed and dead yet here I 1 was alive and very happy to have made fuch such a beautiful escape I 1 sent seat for some workmen and ordered them to carry off the debris every piece was taken out under my eyes and care carefully tully examined before it was carried away when wo we arrived at the bed we carefully and raised the demolished canopy carl with trembling anxiety parted the mass of draperies never will I 1 forget the stupor and amazement depicted depleted on his face the bed had been occupied the clothes turned down there was the impression of the sleeper but now it was empty no one was there thus you see I 1 have met my double I 1 not only saw him but my servant talked with him touched him this singular person who according to all appearances had lost his life in my place where was he lie had he lie been killed there was no evidence of it not the slightest trace then what bad had become of him with all this mystery these conflicting facts carl and hans came very near losing their senses I 1 was equally bewildered perfectly sure of what I 1 had bad seen yet utterly unable to explain or understand it translated from the french of gaston du jard by M V E B tor for washington post |