the magic skin-第35章

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he　remembered。　If　the　worthy　classicist；　sage　critic；　and　general

preserver　of　the　traditions　of　correct　taste　had　read　Byron；　he　would

have　thought　that　he　had　come　on　a　Manfred　when　he　looked　to　find

Childe　Harold。



〃Good　day；　pere　Porriquet；〃　said　Raphael；　pressing　the　old

schoolmaster's　frozen　fingers　in　his　own　damp　ones；　〃how　are　you？〃



〃I　am　very　well；〃　replied　the　other；　alarmed　by　the　touch　of　that

feverish　hand。　〃But　how　about　you？〃



〃Oh；　I　am　hoping　to　keep　myself　in　health。〃



〃You　are　engaged　in　some　great　work；　no　doubt？〃



〃No；〃　Raphael　answered。　〃Exegi　monumemtum；　pere　Porriquet；　I　have

contributed　an　important　page　to　science；　and　have　now　bidden　her

farewell　for　ever。　I　scarcely　know　where　my　manuscript　is。〃



〃The　style　is　no　doubt　correct？〃　queried　the　schoolmaster。　〃You；　I

hope；　would　never　have　adopted　the　barbarous　language　of　the　new

school；　which　fancies　it　has　worked　such　wonders　by　discovering

Ronsard！〃



〃My　work　treats　of　physiology　pure　and　simple。〃



〃Oh；　then；　there　is　no　more　to　be　said；〃　the　schoolmaster　answered。

〃Grammar　must　yield　to　the　exigencies　of　discovery。　Nevertheless；

young　man；　a　lucid　and　harmonious　stylethe　diction　of　Massillon；　of

M。　de　Buffon；　of　the　great　Racinea　classical　style；　in　short；　can

never　spoil　anythingBut；　my　friend；〃　the　schoolmaster　interrupted

himself；　〃I　was　forgetting　the　object　of　my　visit；　which　concerns　my

own　interests。〃



Too　late　Raphael　recalled　to　mind　the　verbose　eloquence　and　elegant

circumlocutions　which　in　a　long　professorial　career　had　grown　habitual

to　his　old　tutor；　and　almost　regretted　that　he　had　admitted　him；　but

just　as　he　was　about　to　wish　to　see　him　safely　outside；　he　promptly

suppressed　his　secret　desire　with　a　stealthy　glance　at　the　Magic　Skin。

It　hung　there　before　him；　fastened　down　upon　some　white　material；

surrounded　by　a　red　line　accurately　traced　about　its　prophetic

outlines。　Since　that　fatal　carouse；　Raphael　had　stifled　every　least

whim；　and　had　lived　so　as　not　to　cause　the　slightest　movement　in　the

terrible　talisman。　The　Magic　Skin　was　like　a　tiger　with　which　he　must

live　without　exciting　its　ferocity。　He　bore　patiently；　therefore；　with

the　old　schoolmaster's　prolixity。



Porriquet　spent　an　hour　in　telling　him　about　the　persecutions　directed

against　him　ever　since　the　Revolution　of　July。　The　worthy　man；　having

a　liking　for　strong　governments；　had　expressed　the　patriotic　wish　that

grocers　should　be　left　to　their　counters；　statesmen　to　the　management

of　public　business；　advocates　to　the　Palais　de　Justice；　and　peers　of

France　to　the　Luxembourg；　but　one　of　the　popularity…seeking　ministers

of　the　Citizen　King　had　ousted　him　from　his　chair；　on　an　accusation　of

Carlism；　and　the　old　man　now　found　himself　without　pension　or　post；

and　with　no　bread　to　eat。　As　he　played　the　part　of　guardian　angel　to　a

poor　nephew；　for　whose　schooling　at　Saint　Sulpice　he　was　paying；　he

came　less　on　his　own　account　than　for　his　adopted　child's　sake；　to

entreat　his　former　pupil's　interest　with　the　new　minister。　He　did　not

ask　to　be　reinstated；　but　only　for　a　position　at　the　head　of　some

provincial　school。



QRaphael　had　fallen　a　victim　to　unconquerable　drowsiness　by　the　time

that　the　worthy　man's　monotonous　voice　ceased　to　sound　in　his　ears。

Civility　had　compelled　him　to　look　at　the　pale　and　unmoving　eyes　of

the　deliberate　and　tedious　old　narrator；　till　he　himself　had　reached

stupefaction；　magnetized　in　an　inexplicable　way　by　the　power　of

inertia。



〃Well；　my　dear　pere　Porriquet；〃　he　said；　not　very　certain　what　the

question　was　to　which　he　was　replying；　〃but　I　can　do　nothing　for　you；

nothing　at　all。　I　WISH　VERY　HEARTILY　that　you　may　succeed〃



All　at　once；　without　seeing　the　change　wrought　on　the　old　man's　sallow

and　wrinkled　brow　by　these　conventional　phrases；　full　of　indifference

and　selfishness；　Raphael　sprang　to　his　feet　like　a　startled　roebuck。

He　saw　a　thin　white　line　between　the　black　piece　of　hide　and　the　red

tracing　about　it；　and　gave　a　cry　so　fearful　that　the　poor　professor

was　frightened　by　it。



〃Old　fool！　Go！〃　he　cried。　〃You　will　be　appointed　as　headmaster！

Couldn't　you　have　asked　me　for　an　annuity　of　a　thousand　crowns　rather

than　a　murderous　wish？　Your　visit　would　have　cost　me　nothing。　There

are　a　hundred　thousand　situations　to　be　had　in　France；　but　I　have　only

one　life。　A　man's　life　is　worth　more　than　all　the　situations　in　the

world。Jonathan！〃



Jonathan　appeared。



〃This　is　your　doing；　double…distilled　idiot！　What　made　you　suggest

that　I　should　see　M。　Porriquet？〃　and　he　pointed　to　the　old　man；　who

was　petrified　with　fright。　〃Did　I　put　myself　in　your　hands　for　you　to

tear　me　in　pieces？　You　have　just　shortened　my　life　by　ten　years！

Another　blunder　of　this　kind；　and　you　will　lay　me　where　I　have　laid　my

father。　Would　I　not　far　rather　have　possessed　the　beautiful　Foedora？

And　I　have　obliged　that　old　hulk　insteadthat　rag　of　humanity！　I　had

money　enough　for　him。　And；　moreover；　if　all　the　Porriquets　in　the

world　were　dying　of　hunger；　what　is　that　to　me？〃



Raphael's　face　was　white　with　anger；　a　slight　froth　marked　his

trembling　lips；　there　was　a　savage　gleam　in　his　eyes。　The　two　elders

shook　with　terror　in　his　presence　like　two　children　at　the　sight　of　a

snake。　The　young　man　fell　back　in　his　armchair；　a　kind　of　reaction

took　place　in　him；　the　tears　flowed　fast　from　his　angry　eyes。



〃Oh；　my　life！〃　he　cried；　〃that　fair　life　of　mine。　Never　to　know　a

kindly　thought　again；　to　love　no　more；　nothing　is　left　to　me！〃



He　turned　to　the　professor　and　went　on　in　a　gentle　voice〃The　harm　is

done；　my　old　friend。　Your　services　have　been　well　repaid；　and　my

misfortune　has　at　any　rate　contributed　to　the　welfare　of　a　good　and

worthy　man。〃



His　tones　betrayed　so　much　feeling　that　the　almost　unintelligible

words　drew　tears　from　the　two　old　men；　such　tears　as　are　shed　over

some　pathetic　song　in　a　foreign　tongue。



〃He　is　epileptic；〃　muttered　Porriquet。



〃I　understand　your　kind　intentions；　my　friend；〃　Raphael　answered

gently。　〃You　would　make　excuses　for　me。　Ill…health　cannot　be　helped；

but　ingratitude　is　a　grievous　fault。　Leave　me　now；〃　he　added。　〃To…

morrow　or　the　next　day；　or　possibly　to…night；　you　will　receive　your

appointment；　Resistance　has　triumphed　over　Motion。　Farewell。〃



The　old　schoolmaster　went　away；　full　of　keen　apprehension　as　to

Valentin's　sanity。　A　thrill　of　horror　ran　through　him；　there　had　been

something　supernatural；　he　thought；　in　the　scene　he　had　passed

through。　He　could　hardly　believe　his　own　impressions；　and　questioned

them　like　one　awakened　from　a　painful　dream。



〃Now　attend　to　me；　Jonathan；〃　said　the　young　man　to　his　old　servant。

〃Try　to　understand　the　charge　confided　to　you。〃



〃Yes；　my　Lord　Marquis。〃



〃I　am　as　a　man　outlawed　from　humanity。〃



〃Yes；　my　Lord　Marquis。〃



〃All　the　pleasures　of　life　disport　themselves　round　my　bed　of　death；

and　dance　about　me　like　fair　women；　but　if　I　beckon　to　them；　I　must

die。　Death　always　confronts　me。　You　must　be　the　barrier　between　the

world　and　me。〃



〃Yes；　my　Lord　Marquis；〃　said　the　old　servant；　wiping　the　drops　of

perspiration　from　his　wrinkled　forehead。　〃But　if　you　don't　wish　to　see

pretty　women；　how　will　you　manage　at　the　Italiens　this　evening？　An

English　family　is　returning　to　London；　and　I　have　taken　their　box　for

the　rest　of　the　season；　and　it　is　in　a　splendid　positionsuperb；　in

the　first　row。



Raphael；　deep　in　his　own　deep　musings；　paid　no　attention　to　him。



Do　you　see　that　splendid　equipage；　a　brougham　painted　a　dark　brown

color；　but　with　the　arms　of　an　ancient　and　noble　family　shining　from

the　panels？　As　it　rolls　past；　all　the　shop…girls　admire　it；　and　look

longingly　at　the　yellow　satin　lining；　the　rugs　from　la　Savonnerie；　the

daintiness　and　freshness　of　every　detail；　the　silken　cushions　and

tightly…fitting　glass　windows。　Two　liveried　footmen　are　mounted　behind

this　aristocratic　carriage；　and　within；　a　head　lies　back　among　the

silken　cushions；　the　feverish　face　and　hollow　eyes　of　Raphael；

melancholy　and　sad。　Emblem　of　the　doom　of　wealth！　He　flies　across

Paris　like　a　rocket；　and　reaches　the　peristyle　of　the　Theatre　Favart。

The　passers…by　make　way　for　him；　the　two　footmen　help　him　to　alight；

an　envious　crowd　looking　on　the　while。



〃What　has　that　fellow　done　to　be　so　rich？〃　asks　a　poor　law…student；

who　cannot　listen　to　the　magical　music　of　Rossini　for　lack　of　a　five…

franc　piece。



Raphael　walked　slowly　along　the　gangway；　he　expected　no　enjoyment　from

these　pleasures　he　had　once　coveted　so　eagerly。　In　the　interval　before

the　second　act　of　Semiramide　he　walked　up　and　down　in　the　lobby；　and

along　the　corridors；　leaving　his　box；　which　he　had　not　yet　entered；　to

look　after　itself。　The　instinct　of　property　was　dead　within　him

already。　Like　all　invalids；　he　thought　of　nothing　but　his　own

sufferings。　He　was　leaning　against　the　chimney…piece　in　the　greenroom。

A　group　had　gathered　about　it　of　dandies；　young　and　old；　of　ministers；

of　peers　without　peerages；　and　peerages　without　peers；　for　so　the

Revolution　of　July　had　ordered　matters。　Among　a　host　of　adventurers

and　journalists；　in　fact；　Raphael　beheld　a　strange；　unearthly　figure　a

few　paces　away　among　the　crowd。　He　went　towards　this　grotesque　object

to　see　it　better；　half…closing　his　eyes　with　exceeding

superciliousness。



〃What　a　wonderful　bit　of　painting！〃　he　said　to　himself。　The　stranger's

hair　and　eyebrows　and　a　Mazarin　tuft　on　the　chin　had　been　dyed　black；

but　the　result　was　a　spurious；　glossy；　purple　tint　that　varied　its

hues　according　to　the　light；　the　hair　had　been　too　white；　no　doubt；　to

take　the　preparation。　Anxiety　and　cunning　were　depicted　in　the　narrow；

insignificant　face；　with　its　wrinkles　incrusted　by　thick　layers　of　red

and　white　paint。　This　red　enamel；　lacking　on　some　portions　of　his

face；　strongly　brought　out　his　natural　feebleness　and　livid　hues。　It

was　impossible　not　to　smile　at　this　visage　with　the　protuberant

forehead　and　pointed　chin；　a　face　not　unlike　those　grotesque　wooden

figures　that　German　herdsmen　carve　in　their　spare　moments。



An　attentive　observer　looking　from　Raphael　to　this　elderly　Adonis

would　have　remarked　a　young　man's　eyes　set　in　a　mask　of　age；　in　the

case　of　the　Marquis；　and　in　the　other　case　the　dim　eyes　of　age　peering

forth　from　behind　a　mask　of　youth。　Valentin　tried　to　recollect　when

and　where　he　had　seen　this　little　old　man　before。　He　was　thin；

fastidiously　cravatted；　booted　and　spurred　like　one…and…twenty；　he

crossed　his　arms　and　clinked　his　spurs　as　if　he　possessed　all　the

wanton　energy　of　youth。　He　seemed　to　move　about　without　constraint　or

difficulty。　He　had　carefully　buttoned　up　his　fashionable　coat；　which

disguised　his　powerful；　elderly　frame；　and　gave　him　the　appearance　of

an　antiquated　coxcomb　who　still　follows　the　fashions。



For　Raphael　t