the magic skin-第39章

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flung　it　out　into　the　garden；　then；　with　all　the　might　of　the　love

between　them；　she　clasped　Raphael　in　a　close　embrace；　and　with

languishing　coquetry　raised　her　red　lips　to　his　for　a　kiss。



〃Dear　angel；〃　she　cried；　〃when　I　saw　you　turn　so　white；　I　understood

that　I　could　not　live　on　without　you；　your　life　is　my　life　too。　Lay

your　hand　on　my　back；　Raphael　mine；　I　feel　a　chill　like　death。　The

feeling　of　cold　is　there　yet。　Your　lips　are　burning。　How　is　your　hand？

Cold　as　ice；〃　she　added。



〃Mad　girl！〃　exclaimed　Raphael。



〃Why　that　tear？　Let　me　drink　it。〃



〃O　Pauline；　Pauline；　you　love　me　far　too　much！〃



〃There　is　something　very　extraordinary　going　on　in　your　mind；　Raphael！

Do　not　dissimulate。　I　shall　very　soon　find　out　your　secret。　Give　that

to　me；〃　she　went　on；　taking　the　Magic　Skin。



〃You　are　my　executioner！〃　the　young　man　exclaimed；　glancing　in　horror

at　the　talisman。



〃How　changed　your　voice　is！〃　cried　Pauline；　as　she　dropped　the　fatal

symbol　of　destiny。



〃Do　you　love　me？〃　he　asked。



〃Do　I　love　you？　Is　there　any　doubt？〃



〃Then；　leave　me；　go　away！〃



The　poor　child　went。



〃So！〃　cried　Raphael；　when　he　was　alone。　〃In　an　enlightened　age；　when

we　have　found　out　that　diamonds　are　a　crystallized　form　of　charcoal；

at　a　time　when　everything　is　made　clear；　when　the　police　would　hale　a

new　Messiah　before　the　magistrates；　and　submit　his　miracles　to　the

Academie　des　Sciencesin　an　epoch　when　we　no　longer　believe　in

anything　but　a　notary's　signaturethat　I；　forsooth；　should　believe　in

a　sort　of　Mene；　Tekel；　Upharsin！　No；　by　Heaven；　I　will　not　believe

that　the　Supreme　Being　would　take　pleasure　in　torturing　a　harmless

creature。Let　us　see　the　learned　about　it。〃



Between　the　Halle　des　Vins；　with　its　extensive　assembly　of　barrels；

and　the　Salpetriere；　that　extensive　seminary　of　drunkenness；　lies　a

small　pond；　which　Raphael　soon　reached。　All　sorts　of　ducks　of　rare

varieties　were　there　disporting　themselves；　their　colored　markings

shone　in　the　sun　like　the　glass　in　cathedral　windows。　Every　kind　of

duck　in　the　world　was　represented；　quacking；　dabbling；　and　moving

abouta　kind　of　parliament　of　ducks　assembled　against　its　will；　but

luckily　without　either　charter　or　political　principles；　living　in

complete　immunity　from　sportsmen；　under　the　eyes　of　any　naturalist

that　chanced　to　see　them。



〃That　is　M。　Lavrille；〃　said　one　of　the　keepers　to　Raphael；　who　had

asked　for　that　high　priest　of　zoology。



The　Marquis　saw　a　short　man　buried　in　profound　reflections；　caused　by

the　appearance　of　a　pair　of　ducks。　The　man　of　science　was　middle…aged；

he　had　a　pleasant　face；　made　pleasanter　still　by　a　kindly　expression；

but　an　absorption　in　scientific　ideas　engrossed　his　whole　person。　His

peruke　was　strangely　turned　up；　by　being　constantly　raised　to　scratch

his　head；　so　that　a　line　of　white　hair　was　left　plainly　visible；　a

witness　to　an　enthusiasm　for　investigation；　which；　like　every　other

strong　passion；　so　withdraws　us　from　mundane　considerations；　that　we

lose　all　consciousness　of　the　〃I〃　within　us。　Raphael；　the　student　and

man　of　science；　looked　respectfully　at　the　naturalist；　who　devoted　his

nights　to　enlarging　the　limits　of　human　knowledge；　and　whose　very

errors　reflected　glory　upon　France；　but　a　she…coxcomb　would　have

laughed；　no　doubt；　at　the　break　of　continuity　between　the　breeches　and

striped　waistcoat　worn　by　the　man　of　learning；　the　interval；　moreover；

was　modestly　filled　by　a　shirt　which　had　been　considerably　creased；

for　he　stooped　and　raised　himself　by　turns；　as　his　zoological

observations　required。



After　the　first　interchange　of　civilities；　Raphael　thought　it

necessary　to　pay　M。　Lavrille　a　banal　compliment　upon　his　ducks。



〃Oh；　we　are　well　off　for　ducks；〃　the　naturalist　replied。　〃The　genus；

moreover；　as　you　doubtless　know；　is　the　most　prolific　in　the　order　of

palmipeds。　It　begins　with　the　swan　and　ends　with　the　zin…zin　duck；

comprising　in　all　one　hundred　and　thirty…seven　very　distinct

varieties；　each　having　its　own　name；　habits；　country；　and　character；

and　every　one　no　more　like　another　than　a　white　man　is　like　a　negro。

Really；　sir；　when　we　dine　off　a　duck；　we　have　no　notion　for　the　most

part　of　the　vast　extent〃



He　interrupted　himself　as　he　saw　a　small　pretty　duck　come　up　to　the

surface　of　the　pond。



〃There　you　see　the　cravatted　swan；　a　poor　native　of　Canada；　he　has

come　a　very　long　way　to　show　us　his　brown　and　gray　plumage　and　his

little　black　cravat！　Look；　he　is　preening　himself。　That　one　is　the

famous　eider　duck　that　provides　the　down；　the　eider…down　under　which

our　fine　ladies　sleep；　isn't　it　pretty？　Who　would　not　admire　the

little　pinkish　white　breast　and　the　green　beak？　I　have　just　been　a

witness；　sir；〃　he　went　on；　〃to　a　marriage　that　I　had　long　despaired　of

bringing　about；　they　have　paired　rather　auspiciously；　and　I　shall

await　the　results　very　eagerly。　This　will　be　a　hundred　and　thirty…

eighth　species；　I　flatter　myself；　to　which；　perhaps；　my　name　will　be

given。　That　is　the　newly　matched　pair；〃　he　said；　pointing　out　two　of

the　ducks；　〃one　of　them　is　a　laughing　goose　（anas　albifrons）；　and　the

other　the　great　whistling　duck；　Buffon's　anas　ruffina。　I　have

hesitated　a　long　while　between　the　whistling　duck；　the　duck　with　white

eyebrows；　and　the　shoveler　duck　（anas　clypeata）。　Stay；　that　is　the

shovelerthat　fat；　brownish　black　rascal；　with　the　greenish　neck　and

that　coquettish　iridescence　on　it。　But　the　whistling　duck　was　a

crested　one；　sir；　and　you　will　understand　that　I　deliberated　no

longer。　We　only　lack　the　variegated　black…capped　duck　now。　These

gentlemen　here；　unanimously　claim　that　that　variety　of　duck　is　only　a

repetition　of　the　curve…beaked　teal；　but　for　my　own　part；〃and　the

gesture　he　made　was　worth　seeing。　It　expressed　at　once　the　modesty　and

pride　of　a　man　of　science；　the　pride　full　of　obstinacy；　and　the

modesty　well　tempered　with　assurance。



〃I　don't　think　it　is；〃　he　added。　〃You　see；　my　dear　sir；　that　we　are

not　amusing　ourselves　here。　I　am　engaged　at　this　moment　upon　a

monograph　on　the　genus　duck。　But　I　am　at　your　disposal。〃



While　they　went　towards　a　rather　pleasant　house　in　the　Rue　du　Buffon；

Raphael　submitted　the　skin　to　M。　Lavrille's　inspection。



〃I　know　the　product；〃　said　the　man　of　science；　when　he　had　turned　his

magnifying　glass　upon　the　talisman。　〃It　used　to　be　used　for　covering

boxes。　The　shagreen　is　very　old。　They　prefer　to　use　skate's　skin

nowadays　for　making　sheaths。　This；　as　you　are　doubtless　aware；　is　the

hide　of　the　raja　sephen；　a　Red　Sea　fish。〃



〃But　this；　sir；　since　you　are　so　exceedingly　good〃



〃This；〃　the　man　of　science　interrupted；　as　he　resumed；　〃this　is　quite

another　thing；　between　these　two　shagreens；　sir；　there　is　a　difference

just　as　wide　as　between　sea　and　land；　or　fish　and　flesh。　The　fish's

skin　is　harder；　however；　than　the　skin　of　the　land　animal。　This；〃　he

said；　as　he　indicated　the　talisman；　〃is；　as　you　doubtless　know；　one　of

the　most　curious　of　zoological　products。〃



〃But　to　proceed〃　said　Raphael。



〃This；〃　replied　the　man　of　science；　as　he　flung　himself　down　into　his

armchair；　〃is　an　ass'　skin；　sir。〃



〃Yes；　I　know；〃　said　the　young　man。



〃A　very　rare　variety　of　ass　found　in　Persia；〃　the　naturalist

continued；　〃the　onager　of　the　ancients；　equus　asinus；　the　koulan　of

the　Tartars；　Pallas　went　out　there　to　observe　it；　and　has　made　it

known　to　science；　for　as　a　matter　of　fact　the　animal　for　a　long　time

was　believed　to　be　mythical。　It　is　mentioned；　as　you　know；　in　Holy

Scripture；　Moses　forbade　that　it　should　be　coupled　with　its　own

species；　and　the　onager　is　yet　more　famous　for　the　prostitutions　of

which　it　was　the　object；　and　which　are　often　mentioned　by　the　prophets

of　the　Bible。　Pallas；　as　you　know　doubtless；　states　in　his　Act。

Petrop。　tome　II。；　that　these　bizarre　excesses　are　still　devoutly

believed　in　among　the　Persians　and　the　Nogais　as　a　sovereign　remedy

for　lumbago　and　sciatic　gout。　We　poor　Parisians　scarcely　believe　that。

The　Museum　has　no　example　of　the　onager。



〃What　a　magnificent　animal！〃　he　continued。　〃It　is　full　of　mystery；　its

eyes　are　provided　with　a　sort　of　burnished　covering；　to　which　the

Orientals　attribute　the　powers　of　fascination；　it　has　a　glossier　and

finer　coat　than　our　handsomest　horses　possess；　striped　with　more　or

less　tawny　bands；　very　much　like　the　zebra's　hide。　There　is　something

pliant　and　silky　about　its　hair；　which　is　sleek　to　the　touch。　Its

powers　of　sight　vie　in　precision　and　accuracy　with　those　of　man；　it　is

rather　larger　than　our　largest　domestic　donkeys；　and　is　possessed　of

extraordinary　courage。　If　it　is　surprised　by　any　chance；　it　defends

itself　against　the　most　dangerous　wild　beasts　with　remarkable　success；

the　rapidity　of　its　movements　can　only　be　compared　with　the　flight　of

birds；　an　onager；　sir；　would　run　the　best　Arab　or　Persian　horses　to

death。　According　to　the　father　of　the　conscientious　Doctor　Niebuhr；

whose　recent　loss　we　are　deploring；　as　you　doubtless　know；　the

ordinary　average　pace　of　one　of　these　wonderful　creatures　would　be

seven　thousand　geometric　feet　per　hour。　Our　own　degenerate　race　of

donkeys　can　give　no　idea　of　the　ass　in　his　pride　and　independence。　He

is　active　and　spirited　in　his　demeanor；　he　is　cunning　and　sagacious；

there　is　grace　about　the　outlines　of　his　head；　every　movement　is　full

of　attractive　charm。　In　the　East　he　is　the　king　of　beasts。　Turkish　and

Persian　superstition　even　credits　him　with　a　mysterious　origin；　and

when　stories　of　the　prowess　attributed　to　him　are　told　in　Thibet　or　in

Tartary；　the　speakers　mingle　Solomon's　name　with　that　of　this　noble

animal。　A　tame　onager；　in　short；　is　worth　an　enormous　amount；　it　is

well…nigh　impossible　to　catch　them　among　the　mountains；　where　they

leap　like　roebucks；　and　seem　as　if　they　could　fly　like　birds。　Our　myth

of　the　winged　horse；　our　Pegasus；　had　its　origin　doubtless　in　these

countries；　where　the　shepherds　could　see　the　onager　springing　from　one

rock　to　another。　In　Persia　they　breed　asses　for　the　saddle；　a　cross

between　a　tamed　onager　and　a　she…ass；　and　they　paint　them　red；

following　immemorial　tradition。　Perhaps　it　was　this　custom　that　gave

rise　to　our　own　proverb；　'Surely　as　a　red　donkey。'　At　some　period　when

natural　history　was　much　neglected　in　France；　I　think　a　traveler　must

have　brought　over　one　of　these　strange　beasts　that　endures　servitude

with　such　impatience。　Hence　the　adage。　The　skin　that　you　have　laid

before　me　is　the　skin　of　an　onager。　Opinions　differ　as　to　the　origin

of　the　name。　Some　claim　that　Chagri　is　a　Turkish　word；　others　insist

that　Chagri　must　be　the　name　of　the　place　where　this　animal　product

underwent　the　chemical　process　of　preparation　so　clearly　described　by

Pallas；　to　which　the　peculiar　graining　that　we　admire　is　due；

Martellens　has　written　to　me　saying　that　Chaagri　is　a　river〃



〃I　thank　you；　sir；　for　the　in