Monsieur du Miroir (From "Mosses from an Old Manse")

The narrator becomes fixated on the enigmatic Monsieur du Miroir, a man whose outward appearance and habits mirror his own in uncanny detail. Though they share a long acquaintance, the narrator admits he knows little of the stranger’s true nature, prompting a careful, almost forensic observation of his habits, speech—or lack thereof—and the baffling coincidences that bind them.

Through a series of oddly specific incidents, from identical clothing to parallel misfortunes, the story hints at a deeper, perhaps supernatural link between the two men. The narrator’s attempts to unravel the mystery are colored by humor and frustration, as he wonders whether du Miroir’s silence is a deliberate riddle or an inscrutable curse.

As the investigation unfolds, the listener is drawn into a subtle psychological portrait that balances wit, curiosity, and the unsettling feeling that some mysteries may be meant to remain unsolved.