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Persian silk； saying only： _Ihr lieben Leute； hier bringe ein unschatzbares Verleihen； nehmt es in aller Acht； sorgfaltigst benutzt es： mit hohem Lohn； oder wohl mit schweren Zinsen； wird's einst zuruckgefordert_。 'Good Christian people； here lies for you an invaluable Loan； take all heed thereof； in all carefulness employ it： with high recompense； or else with heavy penalty； will it one day be required back。' Uttering which singular words； in a clear； bell…like； forever memorable tone； the Stranger gracefully withdrew； and before Andreas or his wife； gazing in expectant wonder； had time to fashion either question or answer； was clean gone。 Neither out of doors could aught of him be seen or heard； he had vanished in the thickets； in the dusk； the Orchard…gate stood quietly closed： the Stranger was gone once and always。 So sudden had the whole transaction been； in the autumn stillness and twilight； so gentle； noiseless； that the Futterals could have fancied it all a trick of Imagination； or some visit from an authentic Spirit。 Only that the green…silk Basket； such as neither Imagination nor authentic Spirits are wont to carry； still stood visible and tangible on their little parlor…table。 Towards this the astonished couple； now with lit candle； hastily turned their attention。 Lifting the green veil； to see what invaluable it hid； they descried there； amid down and rich white wrappages； no Pitt Diamond or Hapsburg Regalia； but； in the softest sleep； a little red…colored Infant！ Beside it； lay a roll of gold Friedrichs； the exact amount of which was never publicly known； also a _Taufschein_ （baptismal certificate）； wherein unfortunately nothing but the Name was decipherable； other document or indication none whatever。
〃To wonder and conjecture was unavailing； then and always thenceforth。 Nowhere in Entepfuhl； on the morrow or next day； did tidings transpire of any such figure as the Stranger； nor could the Traveller； who had passed through the neighboring Town in coach…and…four； be connected with this Apparition； except in the way of gratuitous surmise。 Meanwhile； for Andreas and his wife； the grand practical problem was： What to do with this little sleeping red…colored Infant？ Amid amazements and curiosities； which had to die away without external satisfying； they resolved； as in such circumstances charitable prudent people needs must； on nursing it； though with spoon…meat； into whiteness； and if possible into manhood。 The Heavens smiled on their endeavor： thus has that same mysterious Individual ever since had a status for himself in this visible Universe； some modicum of victual and lodging and parade…ground； and now expanded in bulk； faculty and knowledge of good and evil； he； as HERR DIOGENES TEUFELSDROCKH； professes or is ready to profess； perhaps not altogether without effect； in the new University of Weissnichtwo； the new Science of Things in General。〃
Our Philosopher declares here； as indeed we should think he well might； that these facts； first communicated； by the good Gretchen Futteral； In his twelfth year； 〃produced on the boyish heart and fancy a quite indelible impression。 Who this reverend Personage；〃 he says； 〃that glided into the Orchard Cottage when the Sun was in Libra； and then； as on spirit's wings； glided out again； might be？ An inexpressible desire； full of love and of sadness； has often since struggled within me to shape an answer。 Ever； in my distresses and my loneliness； has Fantasy turned； full of longing （_sehnsuchtsvoll_）； to that unknown Father； who perhaps far from me； perhaps near； either way invisible； might have taken me to his paternal bosom； there to lie screened from many a woe。 Thou beloved Father； dost thou still； shut out from me only by thin penetrable curtains of earthly Space； wend to and fro among the crowd of the living？ Or art thou hidden by those far thicker curtains of the Everlasting Night； or rather of the Everlasting Day； through which my mortal eye and outstretched arms need not strive to reach？ Alas； I know not； and in vain vex myself to know。 More than once； heart…deluded； have I taken for thee this and the other noble…looking Stranger； and approached him wistfully； with infinite regard； but he too had to repel me； he too was not thou。
〃And yet； O Man born of Woman；〃 cries the Autobiographer； with one of his sudden whirls； 〃wherein is my case peculiar？ Hadst thou； any more than I； a Father whom thou knowest？ The Andreas and Gretchen； or the Adam and Eve； who led thee into Life； and for a time suckled and pap…fed thee there； whom thou namest Father and Mother； these were； like mine； but thy nursing…father and nursing…mother： thy true Beginning and Father is in Heaven； whom with the bodily eye thou shalt never behold； but only with the spiritual。。。。
〃The little green veil；〃 adds he； among much similar moralizing； and embroiled discoursing； 〃I yet keep； still more inseparably the Name； Diogenes Teufelsdrockh。 From the veil can nothing be inferred： a piece of now quite faded Persian silk； like thousands of others。 On the Name I have many times meditated and conjectured； but neither in this lay there any clew。 That it was my unknown Father's name I must hesitate to believe。 To no purpose have I searched through all the Herald's Books； in and without the German Empire； and through all manner of Subscriber…Lists （_Pranumeranten_）； Militia…Rolls； and other Name…catalogues； extraordinary names as we have in Germany； the name Teufelsdrockh； except as appended to my own person； nowhere occurs。 Again； what may the unchristian rather than Christian 'Diogenes' mean？ Did that reverend Basket…bearer intend； by such designation； to shadow forth my future destiny； or his own present malign humor？ Perhaps the latter； perhaps both。 Thou ill…starred Parent； who like an Ostrich hadst to leave thy ill…starred offspring to be hatched into self…support by the mere sky…influences of Chance； can thy pilgrimage have been a smooth one？ Beset by Misfortune thou doubtless hast been； or indeed by the worst figure of Misfortune； by Misconduct。 Often have I fancied how； in thy hard life…battle； thou wert shot at； and slung at； wounded； hand…fettered； hamstrung； browbeaten and bedevilled by the Time…Spirit （_Zeitgeist_） in thyself and others； till the good soul first given thee was seered into grim rage； and thou hadst nothing for it but to leave in me an indignant appeal to the Future； and living speaking Protest against the Devil； as that same Spirit not of the Time only； but of Time itself； is well named！ Which Appeal and Protest； may I now modestly add； was not perhaps quite lost in air。
〃For indeed； as Walter Shandy often insisted； there is much； nay almost all； in Names。 The Name is the earliest Garment you wrap round the earth…visiting ME； to which it thenceforth cleaves； more tenaciously （for there are Names that have lasted nigh thirty centuries） than the very skin。 And now from without； what mystic influences does it not send inwards； even to the centre； especially in those plastic first…times； when the whole soul is yet infantine； soft； and the invisible seedgrain will grow to be an all overshadowing tree！ Names？ Could I unfold the influence of Names； which are the most important of all Clothings； I were a second greater Trismegistus。 Not only all common Speech； but Science； Poetry itself is no other； if thou consider it； than a right _Naming_。 Adam's first task was giving names to natural Appearances： what is ours still but a continuation of the same； be the Appearances exotic…vegetable； organic； mechanic； stars； or starry movements （as in Science）； or （as in Poetry） passions； virtues； calamities； God…attributes； Gods？In a very plain sense the Proverb says； _Call one a thief； and he will steal_； in an almost similar sense may we not perhaps say； _Call one Diogenes Teufelsdrockh； and he will open the Philosophy of Clothes_？〃
〃Meanwhile the incipient Diogenes； like others； all ignorant of his Why； his How or Whereabout； was opening his eyes to the kind Light； sprawling out his ten fingers and toes； listening； tasting； feeling； in a word； by all his Five Senses； still more by his Sixth Sense of Hunger； and a whole infinitude of inward； spiritual； half…awakened Senses； endeavoring daily to acquire for himself some knowledge of this strange Universe where he had arrived； be his task therein what it might。 Infinite was his progress； thus in some fifteen months； he could perform the miracle ofSpeech！ To breed a fresh Soul； is it not like brooding a fresh （celestial） Egg； wherein as yet all is formless； powerless； yet by degrees organic elements and fibres shoot through the watery albumen； and out of vague Sensation grows Thought； grows Fantasy and Force； and we have Philosophies； Dynasties； nay Poetries and Religions！
〃Young Diogenes； or rather young Gneschen； for by such diminutive had they in their fondness named him； travelled forward to those high consummations； by quick yet easy stages。 The Futterals； to avoid vain talk； and moreover keep the roll of gold Friedrichs safe； gave out that he was a grandnephew； the orphan of some sister's daughter； suddenly deceased； in Andreas's distant Prussian birthland； of whom； as of her indigent sorrowing w