The Doubles by E. T. A. Hoffmann. Short summary

5 seconds

The traveler Deodatus has been called Gaberland by everyone, his life has been attempted, and he has been caught up in amazing stories. The veil of mystery will be opened by an old family secret of Prince Isidor.

1 minute

A wandering soothsayer came to town, Deodatus wanted to visit her, but at the very threshold he changed his mind. The young man was sitting at a table in an inn as people began to approach him with various requests, all the while calling him Georg Gaberland. The young man was confused.

Deodatus went outside, and a soothsayer approached him with the words, «Save Natalie!» A carriage drove up, and the old woman dragged the young man into it. In the carriage sat a girl. They raced through the night city. Deodatus saw a man in the middle of the road, he went out to see who it was, but the unknown man had disappeared. On his way back, the young man saw his double climbing into the carriage. At that time a shot rang out.

Deodatus had been shot. He was lying in bed when police officers came to him and took him to the prince. He ordered him to tell Deodatus everything that had happened to him. Prince Isidore’s old family secret will help make sense of what happened.