the magic skin-第36章

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an　antiquated　coxcomb　who　still　follows　the　fashions。



For　Raphael　this　animated　puppet　possessed　all　the　interest　of　an

apparition。　He　gazed　at　it　as　if　it　had　been　some　smoke…begrimed

Rembrandt；　recently　restored　and　newly　framed。　This　idea　found　him　a

clue　to　the　truth　among　his　confused　recollections；　he　recognized　the

dealer　in　antiquities；　the　man　to　whom　he　owed　his　calamities！



A　noiseless　laugh　broke　just　then　from　the　fantastical　personage；

straightening　the　line　of　his　lips　that　stretched　across　a　row　of

artificial　teeth。　That　laugh　brought　out；　for　Raphael's　heated　fancy；

a　strong　resemblance　between　the　man　before　him　and　the　type　of　head

that　painters　have　assigned　to　Goethe's　Mephistopheles。　A　crowd　of

superstitious　thoughts　entered　Raphael's　sceptical　mind；　he　was

convinced　of　the　powers　of　the　devil　and　of　all　the　sorcerer's

enchantments　embodied　in　mediaeval　tradition；　and　since　worked　up　by

poets。　Shrinking　in　horror　from　the　destiny　of　Faust；　he　prayed　for

the　protection　of　Heaven　with　all　the　ardent　faith　of　a　dying　man　in

God　and　the　Virgin。　A　clear；　bright　radiance　seemed　to　give　him　a

glimpse　of　the　heaven　of　Michael　Angelo　or　of　Raphael　of　Urbino：　a

venerable　white…bearded　man；　a　beautiful　woman　seated　in　an　aureole

above　the　clouds　and　winged　cherub　heads。　Now　he　had　grasped　and

received　the　meaning　of　those　imaginative；　almost　human　creations；

they　seemed　to　explain　what　had　happened　to　him；　to　leave　him　yet　one

hope。



But　when　the　greenroom　of　the　Italiens　returned　upon　his　sight　he

beheld；　not　the　Virgin；　but　a　very　handsome　young　person。　The

execrable　Euphrasia；　in　all　the　splendor　of　her　toilette；　with　its

orient　pearls；　had　come　thither；　impatient　for　her　ardent；　elderly

admirer。　She　was　insolently　exhibiting　herself　with　her　defiant　face

and　glittering　eyes　to　an　envious　crowd　of　stockbrokers；　a　visible

testimony　to　the　inexhaustible　wealth　that　the　old　dealer　permitted

her　to　squander。



Raphael　recollected　the　mocking　wish　with　which　he　had　accepted　the

old　man's　luckless　gift；　and　tasted　all　the　sweets　of　revenge　when　he

beheld　the　spectacle　of　sublime　wisdom　fallen　to　such　a　depth　as　this；

wisdom　for　which　such　humiliation　had　seemed　a　thing　impossible。　The

centenarian　greeted　Euphrasia　with　a　ghastly　smile；　receiving　her

honeyed　words　in　reply。　He　offered　her　his　emaciated　arm；　and　went

twice　or　thrice　round　the　greenroom　with　her；　the　envious　glances　and

compliments　with　which　the　crowd　received　his　mistress　delighted　him；

he　did　not　see　the　scornful　smiles；　nor　hear　the　caustic　comments　to

which　he　gave　rise。



〃In　what　cemetery　did　this　young　ghoul　unearth　that　corpse　of　hers？〃

asked　a　dandy　of　the　Romantic　faction。



Euphrasia　began　to　smile。　The　speaker　was　a　slender；　fair…haired

youth；　with　bright　blue　eyes；　and　a　moustache。　His　short　dress　coat；

hat　tilted　over　one　ear；　and　sharp　tongue；　all　denoted　the　species。



〃How　many　old　men；〃　said　Raphael　to　himself；　〃bring　an　upright；

virtuous；　and　hard…working　life　to　a　close　in　folly！　His　feet　are　cold

already；　and　he　is　making　love。〃



〃Well；　sir；〃　exclaimed　Valentin；　stopping　the　merchant's　progress；

while　he　stared　hard　at　Euphrasia；　〃have　you　quite　forgotten　the

stringent　maxims　of　your　philosophy？〃



〃Ah；　I　am　as　happy　now　as　a　young　man；〃　said　the　other；　in　a　cracked

voice。　〃I　used　to　look　at　existence　from　a　wrong　standpoint。　One　hour

of　love　has　a　whole　life　in　it。〃



The　playgoers　heard　the　bell　ring；　and　left　the　greenroom　to　take

their　places　again。　Raphael　and　the　old　merchant　separated。　As　he

entered　his　box；　the　Marquis　saw　Foedora　sitting　exactly　opposite　to

him　on　the　other　side　of　the　theatre。　The　Countess　had　probably　only

just　come；　for　she　was　just　flinging　off　her　scarf　to　leave　her　throat

uncovered；　and　was　occupied　with　going　through　all　the　indescribable

manoeuvres　of　a　coquette　arranging　herself。　All　eyes　were　turned　upon

her。　A　young　peer　of　France　had　come　with　her；　she　asked　him　for　the

lorgnette　she　had　given　him　to　carry。　Raphael　knew　the　despotism　to

which　his　successor　had　resigned　himself；　in　her　gestures；　and　in　the

way　she　treated　her　companion。　He　was　also　under　the　spell　no　doubt；

another　dupe　beating　with　all　the　might　of　a　real　affection　against

the　woman's　cold　calculations；　enduring　all　the　tortures　from　which

Valentin　had　luckily　freed　himself。



Foedora's　face　lighted　up　with　indescribable　joy。　After　directing　her

lorgnette　upon　every　box　in　turn；　to　make　a　rapid　survey　of　all　the

dresses；　she　was　conscious　that　by　her　toilette　and　her　beauty　she　had

eclipsed　the　loveliest　and　best…dressed　women　in　Paris。　She　laughed　to

show　her　white　teeth；　her　head　with　its　wreath　of　flowers　was　never

still；　in　her　quest　of　admiration。　Her　glances　went　from　one　box　to

another；　as　she　diverted　herself　with　the　awkward　way　in　which　a

Russian　princess　wore　her　bonnet；　or　over　the　utter　failure　of　a

bonnet　with　which　a　banker's　daughter　had　disfigured　herself。



All　at　once　she　met　Raphael's　steady　gaze　and　turned　pale；　aghast　at

the　intolerable　contempt　in　her　rejected　lover's　eyes。　Not　one　of　her

exiled　suitors　had　failed　to　own　her　power　over　them；　Valentin　alone

was　proof　against　her　attractions。　A　power　that　can　be　defied　with

impunity　is　drawing　to　its　end。　This　axiom　is　as　deeply　engraved　on

the　heart　of　woman　as　in　the　minds　of　kings。　In　Raphael；　therefore；

Foedora　saw　the　deathblow　of　her　influence　and　her　ability　to　please。

An　epigram　of　his；　made　at　the　Opera　the　day　before；　was　already　known

in　the　salons　of　Paris。　The　biting　edge　of　that　terrible　speech　had

already　given　the　Countess　an　incurable　wound。　We　know　how　to

cauterize　a　wound；　but　we　know　of　no　treatment　as　yet　for　the　stab　of

a　phrase。　As　every　other　woman　in　the　house　looked　by　turns　at　her　and

at　the　Marquis；　Foedora　would　have　consigned　them　all　to　the

oubliettes　of　some　Bastille；　for　in　spite　of　her　capacity　for

dissimulation；　her　discomfiture　was　discerned　by　her　rivals。　Her

unfailing　consolation　had　slipped　from　her　at　last。　The　delicious

thought；　〃I　am　the　most　beautiful；〃　the　thought　that　at　all　times　had

soothed　every　mortification；　had　turned　into　a　lie。



At　the　opening　of　the　second　act　a　woman　took　up　her　position　not　very

far　from　Raphael；　in　a　box　that　had　been　empty　hitherto。　A　murmur　of

admiration　went　up　from　the　whole　house。　In　that　sea　of　human　faces

there　was　a　movement　of　every　living　wave；　all　eyes　were　turned　upon

the　stranger　lady。　The　applause　of　young　and　old　was　so　prolonged；

that　when　the　orchestra　began；　the　musicians　turned　to　the　audience　to

request　silence；　and　then　they　themselves　joined　in　the　plaudits　and

swelled　the　confusion。　Excited　talk　began　in　every　box；　every　woman

equipped　herself　with　an　opera　glass；　elderly　men　grew　young　again；

and　polished　the　glasses　of　their　lorgnettes　with　their　gloves。　The

enthusiasm　subsided　by　degrees；　the　stage　echoed　with　the　voices　of

the　singers；　and　order　reigned　as　before。　The　aristocratic　section；

ashamed　of　having　yielded　to　a　spontaneous　feeling；　again　assumed

their　wonted　politely　frigid　manner。　The　well…to…do　dislike　to　be

astonished　at　anything；　at　the　first　sight　of　a　beautiful　thing　it

becomes　their　duty　to　discover　the　defect　in　it　which　absolves　them

from　admiring　it；the　feeling　of　all　ordinary　minds。　Yet　a　few　still

remained　motionless　and　heedless　of　the　music；　artlessly　absorbed　in

the　delight　of　watching　Raphael's　neighbor。



Valentin　noticed　Taillefer's　mean；　obnoxious　countenance　by　Aquilina's

side　in　a　lower　box；　and　received　an　approving　smirk　from　him。　Then　he

saw　Emile；　who　seemed　to　say　from　where　he　stood　in　the　orchestra；

〃Just　look　at　that　lovely　creature　there；　close　beside　you！〃　Lastly；

he　saw　Rastignac；　with　Mme。　de　Nucingen　and　her　daughter；　twisting　his

gloves　like　a　man　in　despair；　because　he　was　tethered　to　his　place；

and　could　not　leave　it　to　go　any　nearer　to　the　unknown　fair　divinity。



Raphael's　life　depended　upon　a　covenant　that　he　had　made　with　himself；

and　had　hitherto　kept　sacred。　He　would　give　no　special　heed　to　any

woman　whatever；　and　the　better　to　guard　against　temptation；　he　used　a

cunningly　contrived　opera…glass　which　destroyed　the　harmony　of　the

fairest　features　by　hideous　distortions。　He　had　not　recovered　from　the

terror　that　had　seized　on　him　in　the　morning　when；　at　a　mere

expression　of　civility；　the　Magic　Skin　had　contracted　so　abruptly。　So

Raphael　was　determined　not　to　turn　his　face　in　the　direction　of　his

neighbor。　He　sat　imperturbable　as　a　duchess　with　his　back　against　the

corner　of　the　box；　thereby　shutting　out　half　of　his　neighbor's　view　of

the　stage；　appearing　to　disregard　her；　and　even　to　be　unaware　that　a

pretty　woman　sat　there　just　behind　him。



His　neighbor　copied　Valentin's　position　exactly；　she　leaned　her　elbow

on　the　edge　of　her　box　and　turned　her　face　in　three…quarter　profile

upon　the　singers　on　the　stage；　as　if　she　were　sitting　to　a　painter。

These　two　people　looked　like　two　estranged　lovers　still　sulking；　still

turning　their　backs　upon　each　other；　who　will　go　into　each　other's

arms　at　the　first　tender　word。



Now　and　again　his　neighbor's　ostrich　feathers　or　her　hair　came　in

contact　with　Raphael's　head；　giving　him　a　pleasurable　thrill；　against

which　he　sternly　fought。　In　a　little　while　he　felt　the　touch　of　the

soft　frill　of　lace　that　went　round　her　dress；　he　could　hear　the

gracious　sounds　of　the　folds　of　her　dress　itself；　light　rustling

noises　full　of　enchantment；　he　could　even　feel　her　movements　as　she

breathed；　with　the　gentle　stir　thus　imparted　to　her　form　and　to　her

draperies；　it　seemed　to　Raphael　that　all　her　being　was　suddenly

communicated　to　him　in　an　electric　spark。　The　lace　and　tulle　that

caressed　him　imparted　the　delicious　warmth　of　her　bare；　white

shoulders。　By　a　freak　in　the　ordering　of　things；　these　two　creatures；

kept　apart　by　social　conventions；　with　the　abysses　of　death　between

them；　breathed　together　and　perhaps　thought　of　one　another。　Finally；

the　subtle　perfume　of　aloes　completed　the　work　of　Raphael's

intoxication。　Opposition　heated　his　imagination；　and　his　fancy；　become

the　wilder　for　the　limits　imposed　upon　it；　sketched　a　woman　for　him　in

outlines　of　fire。　He　turned　abruptly；　the　stranger　made　a　similar

movement；　startled　no　doubt　at　being　brought　in　contact　with　a

stranger；　and　they　remained　face　to　face；　each　with　the　same　thought。



〃Pauline！〃



〃M。　Raphael！〃



Each　surveyed　the　other；　both　of　them　petrified　with　astonishment。

Raphael　noticed　Pauline's　daintily　simple　costume。　A　woman's

experienced　eyes　would　have　discerned　and　admired　the　outlines　beneath

the　modest　gauze　folds　of　her　bodice　and　the　lily　whiteness　of　her

throat。　And　then　her　more　than　mortal　clearness　of　soul；　her　maidenly

modesty；　her　graceful　bearing；　all　were　unchanged。　Her　sleeve　was

quivering　w