the magic skin-第46章

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accidents　only　excepted。　Your　lungs　are　as　sound　as　a　blacksmith's

bellows；　your　stomach　would　put　an　ostrich　to　the　blush；　but　if　you

persist　in　living　at　high　altitude；　you　are　running　the　risk　of　a

prompt　interment　in　consecrated　soil。　A　few　words；　my　Lord　Marquis；

will　make　my　meaning　clear　to　you。



〃Chemistry；〃　he　began；　〃has　shown　us　that　man's　breathing　is　a　real

process　of　combustion；　and　the　intensity　of　its　action　varies

according　to　the　abundance　or　scarcity　of　the　phlogistic　element

stored　up　by　the　organism　of　each　individual。　In　your　case；　the

phlogistic；　or　inflammatory　element　is　abundant；　if　you　will　permit　me

to　put　it　so；　you　generate　superfluous　oxygen；　possessing　as　you　do

the　inflammatory　temperament　of　a　man　destined　to　experience　strong

emotions。　While　you　breath　the　keen；　pure　air　that　stimulates　life　in

men　of　lymphatic　constitution；　you　are　accelerating　an　expenditure　of

vitality　already　too　rapid。　One　of　the　conditions　for　existence　for

you　is　the　heavier　atmosphere　of　the　plains　and　valleys。　Yes；　the

vital　air　for　a　man　consumed　by　his　genius　lies　in　the　fertile

pasture…lands　of　Germany；　at　Toplitz　or　Baden…Baden。　If　England　is　not

obnoxious　to　you；　its　misty　climate　would　reduce　your　fever；　but　the

situation　of　our　baths；　a　thousand　feet　above　the　level　of　the

Mediterranean；　is　dangerous　for　you。　That　is　my　opinion　at　least；〃　he

said；　with　a　deprecatory　gesture；　〃and　I　give　it　in　opposition　to　our

interests；　for；　if　you　act　upon　it；　we　shall　unfortunately　lose　you。〃



But　for　these　closing　words　of　his；　the　affable　doctor's　seeming　good…

nature　would　have　completely　won　Raphael　over；　but　he　was　too

profoundly　observant　not　to　understand　the　meaning　of　the　tone；　the

look　and　gesture　that　accompanied　that　mild　sarcasm；　not　to　see　that

the　little　man　had　been　sent　on　this　errand；　no　doubt；　by　a　flock　of

his　rejoicing　patients。　The　florid…looking　idlers；　tedious　old　women；

nomad　English　people；　and　fine　ladies　who　had　given　their　husbands　the

slip；　and　were　escorted　hither　by　their　loversone　and　all　were　in　a

plot　to　drive　away　a　wretched；　feeble　creature　to　die；　who　seemed

unable　to　hold　out　against　a　daily　renewed　persecution！　Raphael

accepted　the　challenge；　he　foresaw　some　amusement　to　be　derived　from

their　manoeuvres。



〃As　you　would　be　grieved　at　losing　me；〃　said　he　to　the　doctor；　〃I　will

endeavor　to　avail　myself　of　your　good　advice　without　leaving　the

place。　I　will　set　about　having　a　house　built　to…morrow；　and　the

atmosphere　within　it　shall　be　regulated　by　your　instructions。〃



The　doctor　understood　the　sarcastic　smile　that　lurked　about　Raphael's

mouth；　and　took　his　leave　without　finding　another　word　to　say。



The　Lake　of　Bourget　lies　seven　hundred　feet　above　the　Mediterranean；

in　a　great　hollow　among　the　jagged　peaks　of　the　hills；　it　sparkles

there；　the　bluest　drop　of　water　in　the　world。　From　the　summit　of　the

Cat's　Tooth　the　lake　below　looks　like　a　stray　turquoise。　This　lovely

sheet　of　water　is　about　twenty…seven　miles　round；　and　in　some　places

is　nearly　five　hundred　feet　deep。



Under　the　cloudless　sky；　in　your　boat　in　the　midst　of　the　great

expanse　of　water；　with　only　the　sound　of　the　oars　in　your　ears；　only

the　vague　outline　of　the　hills　on　the　horizon　before　you；　you　admire

the　glittering　snows　of　the　French　Maurienne；　you　pass；　now　by　masses

of　granite　clad　in　the　velvet　of　green　turf　or　in　low…growing　shrubs；

now　by　pleasant　sloping　meadows；　there　is　always　a　wilderness　on　the

one　hand　and　fertile　lands　on　the　other；　and　both　harmonies　and

dissonances　compose　a　scene　for　you　where　everything　is　at　once　small

and　vast；　and　you　feel　yourself　to　be　a　poor　onlooker　at　a　great

banquet。　The　configuration　of　the　mountains　brings　about　misleading

optical　conditions　and　illusions　of　perspective；　a　pine…tree　a　hundred

feet　in　height　looks　to　be　a　mere　weed；　wide　valleys　look　as　narrow　as

meadow　paths。　The　lake　is　the　only　one　where　the　confidences　of　heart

and　heart　can　be　exchanged。　There　one　can　live；　there　one　can

meditate。　Nowhere　on　earth　will　you　find　a　closer　understanding

between　the　water；　the　sky；　the　mountains；　and　the　fields。　There　is　a

balm　there　for　all　the　agitations　of　life。　The　place　keeps　the　secrets

of　sorrow　to　itself；　the　sorrow　that　grows　less　beneath　its　soothing

influence；　and　to　love；　it　gives　a　grave　and　meditative　cast；

deepening　passion　and　purifying　it。　A　kiss　there　becomes　something

great。　But　beyond　all　other　things　it　is　the　lake　for　memories；　it

aids　them　by　lending　to　them　the　hues　of　its　own　waves；　it　is　a　mirror

in　which　everything　is　reflected。　Only　here；　with　this　lovely

landscape　all　around　him；　could　Raphael　endure　the　burden　laid　upon

him；　here　he　could　remain　as　a　languid　dreamer；　without　a　wish　of　his

own。



He　went　out　upon　the　lake　after　the　doctor's　visit；　and　was　landed　at

a　lonely　point　on　the　pleasant　slope　where　the　village　of　Saint…

Innocent　is　situated。　The　view　from　this　promontory；　as　one　may　call

it；　comprises　the　heights　of　Bugey　with　the　Rhone　flowing　at　their

foot；　and　the　end　of　the　lake；　but　Raphael　liked　to　look　at　the

opposite　shore　from　thence；　at　the　melancholy　looking　Abbey　of　Haute…

Combe；　the　burying…place　of　the　Sardinian　kings；　who　lie　prostrate

there　before　the　hills；　like　pilgrims　come　at　last　to　their　journey's

end。　The　silence　of　the　landscape　was　broken　by　the　even　rhythm　of　the

strokes　of　the　oar；　it　seemed　to　find　a　voice　for　the　place；　in

monotonous　cadences　like　the　chanting　of　monks。　The　Marquis　was

surprised　to　find　visitors　to　this　usually　lonely　part　of　the　lake；

and　as　he　mused；　he　watched　the　people　seated　in　the　boat；　and

recognized　in　the　stern　the　elderly　lady　who　had　spoken　so　harshly　to

him　the　evening　before。



No　one　took　any　notice　of　Raphael　as　the　boat　passed；　except　the

elderly　lady's　companion；　a　poor　old　maid　of　noble　family；　who　bowed

to　him；　and　whom　it　seemed　to　him　that　he　saw　for　the　first　time。　A


few　seconds　later　he　had　already　forgotten　the　visitors；　who　had

rapidly　disappeared　behind　the　promontory；　when　he　heard　the

fluttering　of　a　dress　and　the　sound　of　light　footsteps　not　far　from

him。　He　turned　about　and　saw　the　companion；　and；　guessing　from　her

embarrassed　manner　that　she　wished　to　speak　with　him；　he　walked

towards　her。



She　was　somewhere　about　thirty…six　years　of　age；　thin　and　tall；

reserved　and　prim；　and；　like　all　old　maids；　seemed　puzzled　to　know

which　way　to　look；　an　expression　no　longer　in　keeping　with　her

measured；　springless；　and　hesitating　steps。　She　was　both　young　and　old

at　the　same　time；　and；　by　a　certain　dignity　in　her　carriage；　showed

the　high　value　which　she　set　upon　her　charms　and　perfections。　In

addition；　her　movements　were　all　demure　and　discreet；　like　those　of

women　who　are　accustomed　to　take　great　care　of　themselves；　no　doubt

because　they　desire　not　to　be　cheated　of　love；　their　destined　end。



〃Your　life　is　in　danger；　sir；　do　not　come　to　the　Club　again！〃　she

said；　stepping　back　a　pace　or　two　from　Raphael；　as　if　her　reputation

had　already　been　compromised。



〃But；　mademoiselle；〃　said　Raphael；　smiling；　〃please　explain　yourself

more　clearly；　since　you　have　condescended　so　far〃



〃Ah；〃　she　answered；　〃unless　I　had　had　a　very　strong　motive；　I　should

never　have　run　the　risk　of　offending　the　countess；　for　if　she　ever

came　to　know　that　I　had　warned　you〃



〃And　who　would　tell　her；　mademoiselle？〃　cried　Raphael。



〃True；〃　the　old　maid　answered。　She　looked　at　him；　quaking　like　an　owl

out　in　the　sunlight。　〃But　think　of　yourself；〃　she　went　on；　〃several

young　men；　who　want　to　drive　you　away　from　the　baths；　have　agreed　to

pick　a　quarrel　with　you；　and　to　force　you　into　a　duel。〃



The　elderly　lady's　voice　sounded　in　the　distance。



〃Mademoiselle；〃　began　the　Marquis；　〃my　gratitude〃　But　his

protectress　had　fled　already；　she　had　heard　the　voice　of　her　mistress

squeaking　afresh　among　the　rocks。



〃Poor　girl！　unhappiness　always　understands　and　helps　the　unhappy；〃

Raphael　thought；　and　sat　himself　down　at　the　foot　of　a　tree。



The　key　of　every　science　is；　beyond　cavil；　the　mark　of　interrogation；

we　owe　most　of　our　greatest　discoveries　to　a　WHY？　and　all　the　wisdom

in　the　world；　perhaps；　consists　in　asking　WHEREFORE？　in　every

connection。　But；　on　the　other　hand；　this　acquired　prescience　is　the

ruin　of　our　illusions。



So　Valentin；　having　taken　the　old　maid's　kindly　action　for　the　text　of

his　wandering　thoughts；　without　the　deliberate　promptings　of

philosophy；　must　find　it　full　of　gall　and　wormwood。



〃It　is　not　at　all　extraordinary　that　a　gentlewoman's　gentlewoman

should　take　a　fancy　to　me；〃　said　he　to　himself。　〃I　am　twenty…seven

years　old；　and　I　have　a　title　and　an　income　of　two　hundred　thousand　a

year。　But　that　her　mistress；　who　hates　water　like　a　rabid　catfor　it

would　be　hard　to　give　the　palm　to　either　in　that　matterthat　her

mistress　should　have　brought　her　here　in　a　boat！　Is　not　that　very

strange　and　wonderful？　Those　two　women　came　into　Savoy　to　sleep　like

marmots；　they　ask　if　day　has　dawned　at　noon；　and　to　think　that　they

could　get　up　this　morning　before　eight　o'clock；　to　take　their　chances

in　running　after　me！〃



Very　soon　the　old　maid　and　her　elderly　innocence　became；　in　his　eyes；

a　fresh　manifestation　of　that　artificial；　malicious　little　world。　It

was　a　paltry　device；　a　clumsy　artifice；　a　piece　of　priest's　or　woman's

craft。　Was　the　duel　a　myth；　or　did　they　merely　want　to　frighten　him？

But　these　petty　creatures；　impudent　and　teasing　as　flies；　had

succeeded　in　wounding　his　vanity；　in　rousing　his　pride；　and　exciting

his　curiosity。　Unwilling　to　become　their　dupe；　or　to　be　taken　for　a

coward；　and　even　diverted　perhaps　by　the　little　drama；　he　went　to　the

Club　that　very　evening。



He　stood　leaning　against　the　marble　chimney…piece；　and　stayed　there

quietly　in　the　middle　of　the　principal　saloon；　doing　his　best　to　give

no　one　any　advantage　over　him；　but　he　scrutinized　the　faces　about　him；

and　gave　a　certain　vague　offence　to　those　assembled；　by　his

inspection。　Like　a　dog　aware　of　his　strength；　he　awaited　the　contest

on　his　own　ground；　without　necessary　barking。　Towards　the　end　of　the

evening　he　strolled　into　the　cardroom；　walking　between　the　door　and

another　that　opened　into　the　billiard…room；　throwing　a　glance　from

time　to　time　over　a　group　of　young　men　that　had　gathered　there。　He

heard　his　name　mentioned　after　a　turn　or　two。　Although　they　lowered

their　voices；　Raphael　easily　guessed　that　he　had　become　the　topic　of

their　debate；　and　he　ended　by　catching　a　phrase　or　two　spoken　aloud。



〃You？〃



〃Yes；　I。〃



〃I　dare　you　to　do　it！〃



〃Let　us　make　a　bet　on　it！〃



〃Oh；　he　will　do　it。〃



Just　as　Valentin；　curious　to　learn　the　matter　of　the　wager；　came　up　to

pay　closer　attention　to　what　they　were　saying；　a　tall；　strong；　good…

looking　young　fellow；　who；　however；　po