sarrasine-第2章

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historical　deductions；　that　this　old　man；　if　put　under　the　magnifying
glass；　would　turn　out　to　be　the　famous　Balsamo；　otherwise　called
Cagliostro。　According　to　this　modern　alchemist；　the　Sicilian　had
escaped　death；　and　amused　himself　making　gold　for　his　grandchildren。
And　the　Bailli　of　Ferette　declared　that　he　recognized　in　this
extraordinary　personage　the　Comte　de　Saint…Germain。〃

Such　nonsense　as　this；　put　forth　with　the　assumption　of　superior
cleverness；　with　the　air　of　raillery；　which　in　our　day　characterize　a
society　devoid　of　faith；　kept　alive　vague　suspicions　concerning　the
Lanty　family。　At　last；　by　a　strange　combination　of　circumstances；　the
members　of　that　family　justified　the　conjectures　of　society　by
adopting　a　decidedly　mysterious　course　of　conduct　with　this　old　man；
whose　life　was；　in　a　certain　sense；　kept　hidden　from　all
investigations。

If　he　crossed　the　threshold　of　the　apartment　he　was　supposed　to　occupy
in　the　Lanty　mansion；　his　appearance　always　caused　a　great　sensation
in　the　family。　One　would　have　supposed　that　it　was　an　event　of　the
greatest　importance。　Only　Filippo；　Marianina；　Madame　de　Lanty；　and　an
old　servant　enjoyed　the　privilege　of　assisting　the　unknown　to　walk；　to
rise；　to　sit　down。　Each　one　of　them　kept　a　close　watch　on　his
slightest　movements。　It　seemed　as　if　he　were　some　enchanted　person
upon　whom　the　happiness；　the　life；　or　the　fortune　of　all　depended。　Was
it　fear　or　affection？　Society　could　discover　no　indication　which
enabled　them　to　solve　this　problem。　Concealed　for　months　at　a　time　in
the　depths　of　an　unknown　sanctuary；　this　familiar　spirit　suddenly
emerged；　furtively　as　it　were；　unexpectedly；　and　appeared　in　the
salons　like　the　fairies　of　old；　who　alighted　from　their　winged　dragons
to　disturb　festivities　to　which　they　had　not　been　invited。　Only　the
most　experienced　observers　could　divine　the　anxiety；　at　such　times；　of
the　masters　of　the　house；　who　were　peculiarly　skilful　in　concealing
their　feelings。　But　sometimes；　while　dancing　a　quadrille；　the　too
ingenuous　Marianina　would　cast　a　terrified　glance　at　the　old　man；　whom
she　watched　closely　from　the　circle　of　dancers。　Or　perhaps　Filippo
would　leave　his　place　and　glide　through　the　crowd　to　where　he　stood；
and　remain　beside　him；　affectionate　and　watchful；　as　if　the　touch　of
man；　or　the　faintest　breath；　would　shatter　that　extraordinary
creature。　The　countess　would　try　to　draw　nearer　to　him　without
apparently　intending　to　join　him；　then；　assuming　a　manner　and　an
expression　in　which　servility　and　affection；　submissiveness　and
tyranny；　were　equally　noticeable；　she　would　say　two　or　three　words；　to
which　the　old　man　almost　always　deferred；　and　he　would　disappear；　led；
or　I　might　better　say　carried　away；　by　her。　If　Madame　de　Lanty　were
not　present；　the　Count　would　employ　a　thousand　ruses　to　reach　his
side；　but　it　always　seemed　as　if　he　found　difficulty　in　inducing　him
to　listen；　and　he　treated　him　like　a　spoiled　child；　whose　mother
gratifies　his　whims　and　at　the　same　time　suspects　mutiny。　Some　prying
persons　having　ventured　to　question　the　Comte　de　Lanty　indiscreetly；
that　cold　and　reserved　individual　seemed　not　to　understand　their
questions。　And　so；　after　many　attempts；　which　the　circumspection　of
all　the　members　of　the　family　rendered　fruitless；　no　one　sought　to
discover　a　secret　so　well　guarded。　Society　spies；　triflers；　and
politicians；　weary　of　the　strife；　ended　by　ceasing　to　concern
themselves　about　the　mystery。

But　at　that　moment；　it　may　be；　there　were　in　those　gorgeous　salons
philosophers　who　said　to　themselves；　as　they　discussed　an　ice　or　a
sherbet；　or　placed　their　empty　punch　glasses　on　a　tray：

〃I　should　not　be　surprised　to　learn　that　these　people　are　knaves。　That
old　fellow　who　keeps　out　of　sight　and　appears　only　at　the　equinoxes　or
solstices；　looks　to　me　exactly　like　an　assassin。〃

〃Or　a　bankrupt。〃

〃There's　very　little　difference。　To　destroy　a　man's　fortune　is　worse
than　to　kill　the　man　himself。〃

〃I　bet　twenty　louis；　monsieur；　there　are　forty　due　me。〃

〃Faith；　monsieur；　there　are　only　thirty　left　on　the　cloth。〃

〃Just　see　what　a　mixed　company　there　is！　One　can't　play　cards　in
peace。〃

〃Very　true。　But　it's　almost　six　months　since　we　saw　the　Spirit。　Do　you
think　he's　a　living　being？〃

〃Well；　barely。〃

These　last　remarks　were　made　in　my　neighborhood　by　persons　whom　I　did
not　know；　and　who　passed　out　of　hearing　just　as　I　was　summarizing　in
one　last　thought　my　reflections；　in　which　black　and　white；　life　and
death；　were　inextricably　mingled。　My　wandering　imagination；　like　my
eyes；　contemplated　alternately　the　festivities；　which　had　now　reached
the　climax　of　their　splendor；　and　the　gloomy　picture　presented　by　the
gardens。　I　have　no　idea　how　long　I　meditated　upon　those　two　faces　of
the　human　medal；　but　I　was　suddenly　aroused　by　the　stifled　laughter　of
a　young　woman。　I　was　stupefied　at　the　picture　presented　to　my　eyes。　By
virtue　of　one　of　the　strangest　of　nature's　freaks；　the　thought　half
draped　in　black；　which　was　tossing　about　in　my　brain；　emerged　from　it
and　stood　before　me　personified；　living；　it　had　come　forth　like
Minerva　from　Jupiter's　brain；　tall　and　strong；　it　was　at　once　a
hundred　years　old　and　twenty…two；　it　was　alive　and　dead。　Escaped　from
his　chamber；　like　a　madman　from　his　cell；　the　little　old　man　had
evidently　crept　behind　a　long　line　of　people　who　were　listening
attentively　to　Marianina's　voice　as　she　finished　the　cavatina　from
/Tancred/。　He　seemed　to　have　come　up　through　the　floor；　impelled　by
some　stage　mechanism。　He　stood　for　a　moment　motionless　and　sombre；
watching　the　festivities；　a　murmur　of　which　had　perhaps　reached　his
ears。　His　almost　somnambulistic　preoccupation　was　so　concentrated　upon
things　that；　although　he　was　in　the　midst　of　many　people；　he　saw
nobody。　He　had　taken　his　place　unceremoniously　beside　one　of　the　most
fascinating　women　in　Paris；　a　young　and　graceful　dancer；　with　slender
figure；　a　face　as　fresh　as　a　child's；　all　pink　and　white；　and　so
fragile；　so　transparent；　that　it　seemed　that　a　man's　glance　must　pass
through　her　as　the　sun's　rays　pass　through　flawless　glass。　They　stood
there　before　me；　side　by　side；　so　close　together；　that　the　stranger
rubbed　against　the　gauze　dress；　and　the　wreaths　of　flowers；　and　the
hair；　slightly　crimped；　and　the　floating　ends　of　the　sash。

I　had　brought　that　young　woman　to　Madame　de　Lanty's　ball。　As　it　was
her　first　visit　to　that　house；　I　forgave　her　her　stifled　laugh；　but　I
hastily　made　an　imperious　sign　which　abashed　her　and　inspired　respect
for　her　neighbor。　She　sat　down　beside　me。　The　old　man　did　not　choose
to　leave　the　charming　creature；　to　whom　he　clung　capriciously　with　the
silent　and　apparently　causeless　obstinacy　to　which　very　old　persons
are　subject；　and　which　makes　them　resemble　children。　In　order　to　sit
down　beside　the　young　lady　he　needed　a　folding…chair。　His　slightest
movements　were　marked　by　the　inert　heaviness；　the　stupid　hesitancy；
which　characterize　the　movements　of　a　paralytic。　He　sat　slowly　down
upon　his　chair　with　great　caution；　mumbling　some　unintelligible　words。
His　cracked　voice　resembled　the　noise　made　by　a　stone　falling　into　a
well。　The　young　woman　nervously　pressed　my　hand；　as　if　she　were　trying
to　avoid　a　precipice；　and　shivered　when　that　man；　at　whom　she　happened
to　be　looking；　turned　upon　her　two　lifeless；　sea…green　eyes；　which
could　be　compared　to　nothing　save　tarnished　mother…of…pearl。

〃I　am　afraid；〃　she　said；　putting　her　lips　to　my　ear。

〃You　can　speak；〃　I　replied；　〃he　hears　with　great　difficulty。〃

〃You　know　him；　then？〃

〃Yes。〃

Thereupon　she　summoned　courage　to　scrutinize　for　a　moment　that
creature　for　which　no　human　language　has　a　name；　form　without
substance；　a　being　without　life；　or　life　without　action。　She　was　under
the　spell　of　that　timid　curiosity　which　impels　women　to　seek　perilous
excitement；　to　gaze　at　chained　tigers　and　boa…constrictors；　shuddering
all　the　while　because　the　barriers　between　them　are　so　weak。　Although
the　little　old　man's　back　was　bent　like　a　day…laborer's；　it　was　easy
to　see　that　he　must　formerly　have　been　of　medium　height。　His　excessive
thinness；　the　slenderness　of　his　limbs；　proved　that　he　had　always　been
of　slight　build。　He　wore　black　silk　breeches　which　hung　about　his
fleshless　thighs　in　folds；　like　a　lowered　veil。　An　anatomist　would
instinctively　have　recognized　the　symptoms　of　consumption　in　its
advanced　stages；　at　sight　of　the　tiny　legs　which　served　to　support
that　strange　frame。　You　would　have　said　that　they　were　a　pair　of
cross…bones　on　a　gravestone。　A　feeling　of　profound　horror　seized　the
heart　when　a　close　scrutiny　revealed　the　marks　made　by　decrepitude
upon　that　frail　machine。

He　wore　a　white　waistcoat　embroidered　with　gold；　in　the　old　style；　and
his　linen　was　of　dazzling　whiteness。　A　shirt…frill　of　English　lace；
yellow　with　age；　the　magnificence　of　which　a　queen　might　have　envied；
formed　a　series　of　yellow　ruffles　on　his　breast；　but　upon　him　the　lace
seemed　rather　a　worthless　rag　than　an　ornament。　In　the　centre　of　the
frill　a　diamond　of　inestimable　value　gleamed　like　a　sun。　That
superannuated　splendor；　that　display　of　treasure；　of　great　intrinsic
worth；　but　utterly　without　taste；　served　to　bring　out　in　still　bolder
relief　the　strange　creature's　face。　The　frame　was　worthy　of　the
portrait。　That　dark　face　was　full　of　angles　and　furrowed　deep　in　every
direction；　the　chin　was　furrowed；　there　were　great　hollows　at　the
temples；　the　eyes　were　sunken　in　yellow　orbits。　The　maxillary　bones；
which　his　indescribable　gauntness　caused　to　protrude；　formed　deep
cavities　in　the　centre　of　both　cheeks。　These　protuberances；　as　the
light　fell　upon　them；　caused　curious　effects　of　light　and　shadow　which
deprived　that　face　of　its　last　vestige　of　resemblance　to　the　human
countenance。　And　then；　too；　the　lapse　of　years　had　drawn　the　fine；
yellow　skin　so　close　to　the　bones　that　it　described　a　multitude　of
wrinkles　everywhere；　either　circular　like　the　ripples　in　the　water
caused　by　a　stone　which　a　child　throws　in；　or　star…shaped　like　a　pane
of　glass　cracked　by　a　blow；　but　everywhere　very　deep；　and　as　close
together　as　the　leaves　of　a　closed　book。　We　often　see　more　hideous　old
men；　but　what　contributed　more　than　aught　else　to　give　to　the　spectre
that　rose　before　us　the　aspect　of　an　artificial　creation　was　the　red
and　white　paint　with　which　he　glistened。　The　eyebrows　shone　in　the
light　with　a　lustre　which　disclosed　a　very　well　executed　bit　of
painting。　Luckily　for　the　eye；　saddened　by　such　a　mass　of　ruins；　his
corpse…like　skull　was　concealed　beneath　a　light　wig；　with　innumerable
curls　which　indicated　extraordinary　pretensions　to　elegance。　Indeed；
the　feminine　coquettishness　of　this　fantastic　apparition　was
emphatically　asserted　by　the　gold　ear…rings　which　hung　at　his　ears；　by
the　rings　containing　stones　of　marvelous　beauty　which　sparkled　on　his
fingers；　like　the　brilliants　in　a　river　of　gems　around　a　woman's　neck。
Lastly；　this　species　of　Japanese　idol　had　constantly　upon　his　blue
lips；　a　fixed；　unchanging　smile；　the　shadow　of　an　implacable　and
sneering　laugh；　like　that　of　a　death's　head。　As　silent　and　motionless
as　a　statue；　he　exhaled　the　musk…like　odor　of　the　old