CHAPTERI。
ItwasatHomburg，severalyearsago，beforethegaminghadbeensuppressed。Theeveningwasverywarm，andalltheworldwasgatheredontheterraceoftheKursaalandtheesplanadebelowittolistentotheexcellentorchestra;orhalftheworld，rather，forthecrowdwasequallydenseinthegaming—roomsaroundthetables。
Everywherethecrowdwasgreat。Thenightwasperfect，theseasonwasatitsheight，theopenwindowsoftheKursaalsentlongshaftsofunnaturallightintotheduskywoods，andnowandthen，intheintervalsofthemusic，onemightalmostheartheclinkofthenapoleonsandthemetalliccallofthecroupiersriseabovethewatchingsilenceofthesaloons。Ihadbeenstrollingwithafriend，andweatlastpreparedtositdown。Chairs，however，werescarce。
Ihadcapturedone，butitseemednoeasymattertofindamateforit。Iwasonthepointofgivingupindespair，andproposinganadjournmenttothesilkenottomansoftheKursaal，whenIobservedayoungmanloungingbackononeoftheobjectsofmyquest，withhisfeetsupportedontheroundsofanother。Thiswasmorethanhisshareofluxury，andIpromptlyapproachedhim。Heevidentlybelongedtotheracewhichhasthecreditofknowingbest，athomeandabroad，howtomakeitselfcomfortable;butsomethinginhisappearancesuggestedthathispresentattitudewastheresultofinadvertenceratherthanofegotism。Hewasstaringattheconductoroftheorchestraandlisteningintentlytothemusic。Hishandswerelockedroundhislonglegs，andhismouthwashalfopen，withratherafoolishair。\"Therearesofewchairs，\"Isaid，\"thatImustbegyoutosurrenderthissecondone。\"Hestarted，stared，blushed，pushedthechairawaywithawkwardalacrity，andmurmuredsomethingaboutnothavingnoticedthathehadit。
\"Whatanodd—lookingyouth！\"saidmycompanion，whohadwatchedme，asIseatedmyselfbesideher。
\"Yes，heisodd—looking;butwhatisodderstillisthatIhaveseenhimbefore，thathisfaceisfamiliartome，andyetthatIcan’tplacehim。\"TheorchestrawasplayingthePrayerfromDerFreischutz，butWeber’slovelymusiconlydeepenedtheblankofmemory。Whothedeucewashe？where，when，how，hadIknownhim？Itseemedextraordinarythatafaceshouldbeatoncesofamiliarandsostrange。Wehadourbacksturnedtohim，sothatIcouldnotlookathimagain。Whenthemusicceasedweleftourplaces，andIwenttoconsignmyfriendtohermammaontheterrace。Inpassing，Isawthatmyyoungmanhaddeparted;IconcludedthatheonlystrikinglyresembledsomeoneIknew。Butwhointheworldwasitheresembled？
Theladieswentofftotheirlodgings，whichwerenearby，andI
turnedintothegaming—roomsandhoveredaboutthecircleatroulette。GraduallyIfilteredthroughtotheinneredge，nearthetable，and，lookinground，sawmypuzzlingfriendstationedoppositetome。Hewaswatchingthegame，withhishandsinhispockets;butsingularlyenough，nowthatIobservedhimatmyleisure，thelookoffamiliarityquitefadedfromhisface。Whathadmadeuscallhisappearanceoddwashisgreatlengthandleannessoflimb，hislong，whiteneck，hisblue，prominenteyes，andhisingenuous，unconsciousabsorptioninthescenebeforehim。Hewasnothandsome，certainly，buthelookedpeculiarlyamiableandifhisovertwondermentsavouredatrifleofrurality，itwasanagreeablecontrasttothehard，inexpressivemasksabouthim。Hewastheverdantoffshoot，Isaidtomyself，ofsomeancient，rigidstem;hehadbeenbroughtupinthequietestofhomes，andhewashavinghisfirstglimpseoflife。I
wascurioustoseewhetherhewouldputanythingonthetable;heevidentlyfeltthetemptation，butheseemedparalysedbychronicembarrassment。Hestoodgazingatthechinkingcomplexityoflossesandgains，shakinghisloosegoldinhispocket，andeverynowandthenpassinghishandnervouslyoverhiseyes。
Mostofthespectatorsweretooattentivetotheplaytohavemanythoughtsforeachother;butbeforelongInoticedaladywhoevidentlyhadaneyeforherneighboursaswellasforthetable。
Shewasseatedabouthalf—waybetweenmyfriendandme，andI
presentlyobservedthatshewastryingtocatchhiseye。ThoughatHomburg，aspeoplesaid，\"onecouldneverbesure，\"Iyetdoubtedwhetherthisladywereoneofthosewhoseespecialvocationitwastocatchagentleman’seye。Shewasyouthfulratherthanelderly，andprettyratherthanplain;indeed，afewminuteslater，whenIsawhersmile，Ithoughtherwonderfullypretty。Shehadacharminggrayeyeandagooddealofyellowhairdisposedinpicturesquedisorder;andthoughherfeaturesweremeagreandhercomplexionfaded，shegaveoneasenseofsentimental，artificialgracefulness。Shewasdressedinwhitemuslinverymuchpuffedandfilled，butatrifletheworseforwear，relievedhereandtherebyapaleblueribbon。Iusedtoflattermyselfonguessingatpeople’snationalitybytheirfaces，and，asarule，Iguessedaright。Thisfaded，crumpled，vaporousbeauty，Iconceived，wasaGerman——suchaGerman，somehow，asIhadseenimaginedinliterature。Wasshenotafriendofpoets，acorrespondentofphilosophers，amuse，apriestessofaesthetics——
somethinginthewayofaBettina，aRahel？Myconjectures，however，werespeedilymergedinwondermentastowhatmydiffidentfriendwasmakingofher。Shecaughthiseyeatlast，andraisinganunglovedhand，coveredaltogetherwithblue—gemmedrings——turquoises，sapphires，andlapis——shebeckonedhimtocometoher。Thegesturewasexecutedwithasortofpractisedcoolness，andaccompaniedwithanappealingsmile。Hestaredamoment，ratherblankly，unabletosupposethattheinvitationwasaddressedtohim;then，asitwasimmediatelyrepeatedwithagooddealofintensity，heblushedtotherootsofhishair，waveredawkwardly，andatlastmadehiswaytothelady’schair。Bythetimehereachedithewascrimson，andwipinghisforeheadwithhispocket—handkerchief。Shetiltedback，lookedupathimwiththesamesmile，laidtwofingersonhissleeve，andsaidsomething，interrogatively，towhichherepliedbyashakeofthehead。Shewasaskinghim，evidently，ifhehadeverplayed，andhewassayingno。Oldplayershaveafancythatwhenluckhasturnedherbackonthemtheycanputherintogood—humouragainbyhavingtheirstakesplacedbyanovice。Ouryoungman’sphysiognomyhadseemedtohisnewacquaintancetoexpresstheperfectionofinexperience，and，likeapracticalwoman，shehaddeterminedtomakehimserveherturn。Unlikemostofherneighbours，shehadnolittlepileofgoldbeforeher，butshedrewfromherpocketadoublenapoleon，putitintohishand，andbadehimplaceitonanumberofhisownchoosing。Hewasevidentlyfilledwithasortofdelightfultrouble;heenjoyedtheadventure，butheshrankfromthehazard。I
wouldhavestakedthecoinonitsbeinghiscompanion’slast;foralthoughshestillsmiledintentlyasshewatchedhishesitation，therewasanythingbutindifferenceinherpale，prettyface。
Suddenly，indesperation，hereachedoverandlaidthepieceonthetable。Myattentionwasdivertedatthismomentbymyhavingtomakewayforaladywithagreatmanyflounces，beforeme，togiveupherchairtoarustlingfriendtowhomshehadpromisedit;whenIagainlookedacrossattheladyinwhitemuslin，shewasdrawinginaverygoodlypileofgoldwithherlittleblue—gemmedclaw。Goodluckandbad，attheHomburgtables，wereequallyundemonstrative，andthishappyadventuressrewardedheryoungfriendforthesacrificeofhisinnocencewithasingle，rapid，upwardsmile。Hehadinnocenceenoughleft，however，tolookroundthetablewithagleeful，consciouslaugh，inthemidstofwhichhiseyesencounteredmyown。
Thensuddenlythefamiliarlookwhichhadvanishedfromhisfaceflickeredupunmistakably;itwastheboyishlaughofaboyhood’sfriend。StupidfellowthatIwas，IhadbeenlookingatEugenePickering！
ThoughIlingeredonforsometimelongerhefailedtorecogniseme。
Recognition，Ithink，hadkindledasmileinmyownface;but，lessfortunatethanhe，Isupposemysmilehadceasedtobeboyish。Nowthatluckhadfacedaboutagain，hiscompanionplayedforherself——
playedandwon，handoverhand。Atlastsheseemeddisposedtorestonhergains，andproceededtoburytheminthefoldsofhermuslin。
Pickeringhadstakednothingforhimself，butashesawherpreparetowithdrawheofferedheradoublenapoleonandbeggedhertoplaceit。Sheshookherheadwithgreatdecision，andseemedtobidhimputitupagain;buthe，stillblushingagooddeal，pressedherwithawkwardardour，andsheatlasttookitfromhim，lookedathimamomentfixedly，andlaiditonanumber。Amomentlaterthecroupierwasrakingitin。Shegavetheyoungmanalittlenodwhichseemedtosay，\"Itoldyouso;\"heglancedroundthetableagainandlaughed;sheleftherchair，andhemadeawayforherthroughthecrowd。BeforegoinghomeItookaturnontheterraceandlookeddownontheesplanade。Thelampswereout，butthewarmstarlightvaguelyilluminedadozenfiguresscatteredincouples。Oneofthesefigures，Ithought，wasaladyinawhitedress。
IhadnointentionoflettingPickeringgowithoutremindinghimofouroldacquaintance。Hehadbeenaverysingularboy，andIwascurioustoseewhathadbecomeofhissingularity。Ilookedforhimthenextmorningattwoorthreeofthehotels，andatlastI
discoveredhiswhereabouts。Buthewasout，thewaitersaid;hehadgonetowalkanhourbefore。Iwentmyway，confidentthatIshouldmeethimintheevening。ItwastherulewiththeHomburgworldtospenditseveningsattheKursaal，andPickering，apparently，hadalreadydiscoveredagoodreasonfornotbeinganexception。OneofthecharmsofHomburgisthefactthatofahotdayyoumaywalkaboutforawholeafternooninunbrokenshade。TheumbrageousgardensoftheKursaalminglewiththecharmingHardtwald，whichinturnmeltsawayintothewoodedslopesoftheTaunusMountains。TotheHardtwaldIbentmysteps，andstrolledforanhourthroughmossygladesandthestill，perpendiculargloomofthefir—woods。
Suddenly，onthegrassymarginofaby—path，Icameuponayoungmanstretchedathislengthinthesun—checkeredshade，andkickinghisheelstowardsapatchofbluesky。Mystepwassonoiselessontheturfthat，beforehesawme，IhadtimetorecognisePickeringagain。
Helookedasifhehadbeenloungingthereforsometime;hishairwastossedaboutasifhehadbeensleeping;onthegrassnearhim，besidehishatandstick，layasealedletter。Whenheperceivedmehejerkedhimselfforward，andIstoodlookingathimwithoutintroducingmyself——purposely，togivehimachancetorecogniseme。
Heputonhisglasses，beingawkwardlynear—sighted，andstaredupatmewithanairofgeneraltrustfulness，butwithoutasignofknowingme。SoatlastIintroducedmyself。Thenhejumpedupandgraspedmyhands，andstaredandblushedandlaughed，andbeganadozenrandomquestions，endingwithademandastohowintheworldIhadknownhim。
\"Why，youarenotchangedsoutterly，\"Isaid;\"andafterall，it’sbutfifteenyearssinceyouusedtodomyLatinexercisesforme。\"
\"Notchanged，eh？\"heanswered，stillsmiling，andyetspeakingwithasortofingenuousdismay。
ThenIrememberedthatpoorPickeringhadbeen，inthoseLatindays，avictimofjuvenileirony。Heusedtobringabottleofmedicinetoschoolandtakeadoseinaglassofwaterbeforelunch;andeverydayattwoo’clock，halfanhourbeforetherestofuswereliberated，anoldnursewithbushyeyebrowscameandfetchedhimawayinacarriage。Hisextremelyfaircomplexion，hisnurse，andhisbottleofmedicine，whichsuggestedavagueanalogywiththesleeping—potioninthetragedy，causedhimtobecalledJuliet。
CertainlyRomeo’ssweethearthardlysufferedmore;shewasnot，atleast，astandingjokeinVerona。Rememberingthesethings，I
hastenedtosaytoPickeringthatIhopedhewasstillthesamegoodfellowwhousedtodomyLatinforme。\"Wewerecapitalfriends，youknow，\"Iwenton，\"thenandafterwards。\"
\"Yes，wewereverygoodfriends，\"hesaid，\"andthatmakesitthestrangerIshouldn’thaveknownyou。Foryouknow，asaboy，Ineverhadmanyfriends，norasamaneither。Yousee，\"headded，passinghishandoverhiseyes，\"Iamratherdazed，ratherbewilderedatfindingmyselfforthefirsttime——alone。\"Andhejerkedbackhisshouldersnervously，andthrewuphishead，asiftosettlehimselfinanunwontedposition。Iwonderedwhethertheoldnursewiththebushyeyebrowshadremainedattachedtohispersonuptoarecentperiod，anddiscoveredpresentlythat，virtuallyatleast，shehad。
Wehadthewholesummerdaybeforeus，andwesatdownonthegrasstogetherandoverhauledouroldmemories。Itwasasifwehadstumbleduponanancientcupboardinsomeduskycorner，andrummagedoutaheapofchildishplaythings——tinsoldiersandtornstory—books，jack—knivesandChinesepuzzles。Thisiswhatwerememberedbetweenus。
Hehadmadebutashortstayatschool——notbecausehewastormented，forhethoughtitsofinetobeatschoolatallthatheheldhistongueathomeaboutthesufferingsincurredthroughthemedicine—
bottle，butbecausehisfatherthoughthewaslearningbadmanners。
Thisheimpartedtomeinconfidenceatthetime，andIrememberhowitincreasedmyoppressiveaweofMr。Pickering，whohadappearedtomeinglimpsesasasortofhighpriestoftheproprieties。Mr。
Pickeringwasawidower——afactwhichseemedtoproduceinhimasortofpreternaturalconcentrationofparentaldignity。Hewasamajesticman，withahookednose，akeendarkeye，verylargewhiskers，andnotionsofhisownastohowaboy——orhisboy，atanyrate——shouldbebroughtup。Firstandforemost，hewastobea\"gentleman\";whichseemedtomean，chiefly，thathewasalwaystowearamufflerandgloves，andbesenttobed，afterasupperofbreadandmilk，ateighto’clock。School—life，onexperiment，seemedhostiletotheseobservances，andEugenewastakenhomeagain，tobemouldedintourbanitybeneaththeparentaleye。Atutorwasprovidedforhim，andasingleselectcompanionwasprescribed。Thechoice，mysteriously，fellonme，bornasIwasunderquiteanotherstar;myparentswereappealedto，andIwasallowedforafewmonthstohavemylessonswithEugene。Thetutor，Ithink，musthavebeenratherasnob，forEugenewastreatedlikeaprince，whileIgotallthequestionsandtherapswiththeruler。AndyetIrememberneverbeingjealousofmyhappiercomrade，andstrikingup，forthetime，oneofthosefriendshipsofchildhood。Hehadawatchandaponyandagreatstoreofpicture—books，butmyenvyoftheseluxurieswastemperedbyavaguecompassionwhichleftmefreetobegenerous。I
couldgoouttoplayalone，Icouldbuttonmyjacketmyself，andsituptillIwassleepy。PoorPickeringcouldnevertakeastepwithoutaskingleave，orspendhalfanhourinthegardenwithoutaformalreportofitwhenhecamein。Myparents，whohadnodesiretoseemeinoculatedwithimportunatevirtues，sentmebacktoschoolattheendofsixmonths。AfterthatIneversawEugene。Hisfatherwenttoliveinthecountry，toprotectthelad’smorals，andEugenefaded，inreminiscence，intoapaleimageofthedepressingeffectsofeducation。IthinkIvaguelysupposedthathewouldmeltintothinair，andindeedbegangraduallytodoubtofhisexistence，andtoregardhimasoneofthefoolishthingsoneceasedtobelieveinasonegrewolder。ItseemednaturalthatIshouldhavenomorenewsofhim。Ourpresentmeetingwasmyfirstassurancethathehadreallysurvivedallthatmufflingandcoddling。
Iobservedhimnowwithagooddealofinterest，forhewasararephenomenon——thefruitofasystempersistentlyanduninterruptedlyapplied。Hestruckme，inafashion，ascertainyoungmonksIhadseeninItaly;hehadthesamecandid，unsophisticatedcloisterface。
Hiseducationhadbeenreallyalmostmonastic。Ithadfoundhimevidentlyaverycompliant，yieldingsubject;hisgentleaffectionatespiritwasnotoneofthosethatneedtobebroken。Ithadbequeathedhim，nowthathestoodonthethresholdofthegreatworld，anextraordinaryfreshnessofimpressionandalertnessofdesire，andIconfessthat，asIlookedathimandmethistransparentblueeye，Itrembledfortheunwarnedinnocenceofsuchasoul。Ibecameaware，gradually，thattheworldhadalreadywroughtacertainworkuponhimandrousedhimtoarestless，troubledself—
consciousness。Everythingabouthimpointedtoanexperiencefromwhichhehadbeendebarred;hiswholeorganismtrembledwithadawningsenseofunsuspectedpossibilitiesoffeeling。Thisappealingtremorwasindeedoutwardlyvisible。Hekeptshiftinghimselfaboutonthegrass，thrustinghishandsthroughhishair，wipingalightperspirationfromhisforehead，breakingouttosaysomethingandrushingofftosomethingelse。Oursuddenmeetinghadgreatlyexcitedhim，andIsawthatIwaslikelytoprofitbyacertainoverflowofsentimentalfermentation。Icoulddosowithagoodconscience，forallthistrepidationfilledmewithagreatfriendliness。
\"It’snearlyfifteenyears，asyousay，\"hebegan，\"sinceyouusedtocallme’butter—fingers’foralwaysmissingtheball。That’salongtimetogiveanaccountof，andyettheyhavebeen，forme，sucheventless，monotonousyears，thatIcouldalmosttelltheirhistoryintenwords。You，Isuppose，havehadallkindsofadventuresandtravelledoverhalftheworld。Irememberyouhadaturnfordeedsofdaring;IusedtothinkyoualittleCaptainCookinroundabouts，forclimbingthegardenfencetogettheballwhenIhadletitflyover。Iclimbednofencesthenorsince。Youremembermyfather，I
suppose，andthegreatcarehetookofme？Ilosthimsomefivemonthsago。Fromthoseboyishdaysuptohisdeathwewerealwaystogether。Idon’tthinkthatinfifteenyearswespenthalfadozenhoursapart。Welivedinthecountry，winterandsummer，seeingbutthreeorfourpeople。Ihadasuccessionoftutors，andalibrarytobrowseaboutin;IassureyouIamatremendousscholar。Itwasadulllifeforagrowingboy，andadullerlifeforayoungmangrown，butIneverknewit。Iwasperfectlyhappy。\"Hespokeofhisfatheratsomelength，andwitharespectwhichIprivatelydeclinedtoemulate。Mr。Pickeringhadbeen，tomysense，afrigidegotist，unabletoconceiveofanylargervocationforhissonthantostrivetoreproducesoirreproachableamodel。\"IknowIhavebeenstrangelybroughtup，\"saidmyfriend，\"andthattheresultissomethinggrotesque;butmyeducation，piecebypiece，indetail，becameoneofmyfather’spersonalhabits，asitwere。Hetookafancytoitatfirstthroughhisintenseaffectionformymotherandthesortofworshiphepaidhermemory。Shediedatmybirth，andasIgrewup，itseemsthatIboreanextraordinarylikenesstoher。