CHAPTER XI
"IT is with considerable difficulty that I
remember the original era of
my being: all the events of that period appear confused and
indistinct. A strange multiplicity of sensations
seized me, and I saw, felt, heard, and smelt, at the same time;
and it was, indeed, a long time before I learned to distinguish
between the operations of my various senses. By degrees, I
remember, a stronger light pressed upon my nerves, so that I was
obliged to shut my eyes. Darkness then came over me, and troubled
me; but hardly had I felt this, when, by opening my eyes, as I
now suppose, the light poured in upon me again. I walked, and, I believe, descended; but I
presently found a great alteration in my sensations. Before, dark
and opaque bodies had surrounded me, impervious to my touch or
sight; but I now found that I
could wander on at liberty, with no obstacles which I could
not either surmount or avoid. The light became more and more
oppressive to me; and, the heat wearying me as I walked, I sought
a place where I could receive shade. This was the forest near
Ingolstadt; and here I lay by the side of a brook resting from my
fatigue, until I felt tormented by hunger and thirst. This roused
me from my nearly dormant state, and I ate some berries which I
found hanging on the trees, or lying on the ground. I slaked my
thirst at the brook; and then lying down, was overcome by
sleep.
"It was dark when I awoke; I
felt cold also, and half-frightened, as it were instinctively, finding myself so
desolate. Before I had quitted your apartment, on a sensation
of cold, I had covered myself with some clothes; but these were
insufficient to secure me from the dews of night. I was a poor,
helpless, miserable
wretch; I knew, and could distinguish, nothing; but feeling
pain invade me on all sides, I
sat down and wept.
