the magic skin-第7章

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gulled　by　a　sermon　worthy　of　Swedenborg；　nor　by　your　Oriental　amulet；

nor　yet　by　your　charitable　endeavors　to　keep　me　in　a　world　wherein

existence　is　no　longer　possible　for　me。　。　。　。　Let　me　see　now；〃　he

added；　clutching　the　talisman　convulsively；　as　he　looked　at　the　old

man；　〃I　wish　for　a　royal　banquet；　a　carouse　worthy　of　this　century；

which；　it　is　said；　has　brought　everything　to　perfection！　Let　me　have

young　boon　companions；　witty；　unwarped　by　prejudice；　merry　to　the

verge　of　madness！　Let　one　wine　succeed　another；　each　more　biting　and

perfumed　than　the　last；　and　strong　enough　to　bring　about　three　days　of

delirium！　Passionate　women's　forms　should　grace　that　night！　I　would　be

borne　away　to　unknown　regions　beyond　the　confines　of　this　world；　by

the　car　and　four…winged　steed　of　a　frantic　and　uproarious　orgy。　Let　us

ascend　to　the　skies；　or　plunge　ourselves　in　the　mire。　I　do　not　know　if

one　soars　or　sinks　at　such　moments；　and　I　do　not　care！　Next；　I　bid

this　enigmatical　power　to　concentrate　all　delights　for　me　in　one

single　joy。　Yes；　I　must　comprehend　every　pleasure　of　earth　and　heaven

in　the　final　embrace　that　is　to　kill　me。　Therefore；　after　the　wine；　I

wish　to　hold　high　festival　to　Priapus；　with　songs　that　might　rouse　the

dead；　and　kisses　without　end；　the　sound　of　them　should　pass　like　the

crackling　of　flame　through　Paris；　should　revive　the　heat　of　youth　and

passion　in　husband　and　wife；　even　in　hearts　of　seventy　years。〃



A　laugh　burst　from　the　little　old　man。　It　rang　in　the　young　man's　ears

like　an　echo　from　hell；　and　tyrannously　cut　him　short。　He　said　no

more。



〃Do　you　imagine　that　my　floors　are　going　to　open　suddenly；　so　that

luxuriously…appointed　tables　may　rise　through　them；　and　guests　from

another　world？　No；　no；　young　madcap。　You　have　entered　into　the　compact

now；　and　there　is　an　end　of　it。　Henceforward；　your　wishes　will　be

accurately　fulfilled；　but　at　the　expense　of　your　life。　The　compass　of

your　days；　visible　in　that　skin；　will　contract　according　to　the

strength　and　number　of　your　desires；　from　the　least　to　the　most

extravagant。　The　Brahmin　from　whom　I　had　this　skin　once　explained　to

me　that　it　would　bring　about　a　mysterious　connection　between　the

fortunes　and　wishes　of　its　possessor。　Your　first　wish　is　a　vulgar　one；

which　I　could　fulfil；　but　I　leave　that　to　the　issues　of　your　new

existence。　After　all；　you　were　wishing　to　die；　very　well；　your　suicide

is　only　put　off　for　a　time。〃



The　stranger　was　surprised　and　irritated　that　this　peculiar　old　man

persisted　in　not　taking　him　seriously。　A　half　philanthropic　intention

peeped　so　clearly　forth　from　his　last　jesting　observation；　that　he

exclaimed：



〃I　shall　soon　see；　sir；　if　any　change　comes　over　my　fortunes　in　the

time　it　will　take　to　cross　the　width　of　the　quay。　But　I　should　like　us

to　be　quits　for　such　a　momentous　service；　that　is；　if　you　are　not

laughing　at　an　unlucky　wretch；　so　I　wish　that　you　may　fall　in　love

with　an　opera…dancer。　You　would　understand　the　pleasures　of

intemperance　then；　and　might　perhaps　grow　lavish　of　the　wealth　that

you　have　husbanded　so　philosophically。〃



He　went　out　without　heeding　the　old　man's　heavy　sigh；　went　back

through　the　galleries　and　down　the　staircase；　followed　by　the　stout

assistant　who　vainly　tried　to　light　his　passage；　he　fled　with　the

haste　of　a　robber　caught　in　the　act。　Blinded　by　a　kind　of　delirium；　he

did　not　even　notice　the　unexpected　flexibility　of　the　piece　of

shagreen；　which　coiled　itself　up；　pliant　as　a　glove　in　his　excited

fingers；　till　it　would　go　into　the　pocket　of　his　coat；　where　he

mechanically　thrust　it。　As　he　rushed　out　of　the　door　into　the　street；

he　ran　up　against　three　young　men　who　were　passing　arm…in…arm。



〃Brute！〃



〃Idiot！〃



Such　were　the　gratifying　expressions　exchanged　between　them。



〃Why；　it　is　Raphael！〃



〃Good！　we　were　looking　for　you。〃



〃What！　it　is　you；　then？〃



These　three　friendly　exclamations　quickly　followed　the　insults；　as　the

light　of　a　street　lamp；　flickering　in　the　wind；　fell　upon　the

astonished　faces　of　the　group。



〃My　dear　fellow；　you　must　come　with　us！〃　said　the　young　man　that

Raphael　had　all　but　knocked　down。



〃What　is　all　this　about？〃



〃Come　along；　and　I　will　tell　you　the　history　of　it　as　we　go。〃



By　fair　means　or　foul；　Raphael　must　go　along　with　his　friends　towards

the　Pont　des　Arts；　they　surrounded　him；　and　linked　him　by　the　arm

among　their　merry　band。



〃We　have　been　after　you　for　about　a　week；〃　the　speaker　went　on。　〃At

your　respectable　hotel　de　Saint　Quentin；　where；　by　the　way；　the　sign

with　the　alternate　black　and　red　letters　cannot　be　removed；　and　hangs

out　just　as　it　did　in　the　time　of　Jean　Jacques；　that　Leonarda　of　yours

told　us　that　you　were　off　into　the　country。　For　all　that；　we　certainly

did　not　look　like　duns；　creditors；　sheriff's　officers；　or　the　like。

But　no　matter！　Rastignac　had　seen　you　the　evening　before　at　the

Bouffons；　we　took　courage　again；　and　made　it　a　point　of　honor　to　find

out　whether　you　were　roosting　in　a　tree　in　the　Champs…Elysees；　or　in

one　of　those　philanthropic　abodes　where　the　beggars　sleep　on　a

twopenny　rope；　or　if；　more　luckily；　you　were　bivouacking　in　some

boudoir　or　other。　We　could　not　find　you　anywhere。　Your　name　was　not　in

the　jailers'　registers　at　the　St。　Pelagie　nor　at　La　Force！　Government

departments；　cafes；　libraries；　lists　of　prefects'　names；　newspaper

offices；　restaurants；　greenroomsto　cut　it　short；　every　lurking　place

in　Paris；　good　or　bad；　has　been　explored　in　the　most　expert　manner。　We

bewailed　the　loss　of　a　man　endowed　with　such　genius；　that　one　might

look　to　find　him　at　Court　or　in　the　common　jails。　We　talked　of

canonizing　you　as　a　hero　of　July；　and；　upon　my　word；　we　regretted

you！〃



As　he　spoke；　the　friends　were　crossing　the　Pont　des　Arts。　Without

listening　to　them；　Raphael　looked　at　the　Seine；　at　the　clamoring　waves

that　reflected　the　lights　of　Paris。　Above　that　river；　in　which　but　now

he　had　thought　to　fling　himself；　the　old　man's　prediction　had　been

fulfilled；　the　hour　of　his　death　had　been　already　put　back　by　fate。



〃We　really　regretted　you；〃　said　his　friend；　still　pursuing　his　theme。

〃It　was　a　question　of　a　plan　in　which　we　included　you　as　a　superior

person；　that　is　to　say；　somebody　who　can　put　himself　above　other

people。　The　constitutional　thimble…rig　is　carried　on　to…day；　dear　boy；

more　seriously　than　ever。　The　infamous　monarchy；　displaced　by　the

heroism　of　the　people；　was　a　sort　of　drab；　you　could　laugh　and　revel

with　her；　but　La　Patrie　is　a　shrewish　and　virtuous　wife；　and　willy…

nilly　you　must　take　her　prescribed　endearments。　Then　besides；　as　you

know；　authority　passed　over　from　the　Tuileries　to　the　journalists；　at

the　time　when　the　Budget　changed　its　quarters　and　went　from　the

Faubourg　Saint…Germain　to　the　Chaussee　de　Antin。　But　this　you　may　not

know　perhaps。　The　Government；　that　is；　the　aristocracy　of　lawyers　and

bankers　who　represent　the　country　to…day；　just　as　the　priests　used　to

do　in　the　time　of　the　monarchy；　has　felt　the　necessity　of　mystifying

the　worthy　people　of　France　with　a　few　new　words　and　old　ideas；　like

philosophers　of　every　school；　and　all　strong　intellects　ever　since

time　began。　So　now　Royalist…national　ideas　must　be　inculcated；　by

proving　to　us　that　it　is　far　better　to　pay　twelve　million　francs；

thirty…three　centimes　to　La　Patrie；　represented　by　Messieurs　Such…and…

Such；　than　to　pay　eleven　hundred　million　francs；　nine　centimes　to　a

king　who　used　to　say　_I_　instead　of　WE。　In　a　word；　a　journal；　with　two

or　three　hundred　thousand　francs；　good；　at　the　back　of　it；　has　just

been　started；　with　a　view　to　making　an　opposition　paper　to　content　the

discontented；　without　prejudice　to　the　national　government　of　the

citizen…king。　We　scoff　at　liberty　as　at　despotism　now；　and　at　religion

or　incredulity　quite　impartially。　And　since；　for　us；　'our　country'

means　a　capital　where　ideas　circulate　and　are　sold　at　so　much　a　line；

a　succulent　dinner　every　day；　and　the　play　at　frequent　intervals；

where　profligate　women　swarm；　where　suppers　last　on　into　the　next　day；

and　light　loves　are　hired　by　the　hour　like　cabs；　and　since　Paris　will

always　be　the　most　adorable　of　all　countries；　the　country　of　joy；

liberty；　wit；　pretty　women；　mauvais　sujets；　and　good　wine；　where　the

truncheon　of　authority　never　makes　itself　disagreeably　felt；　because

one　is　so　close　to　those　who　wield　it；we；　therefore；　sectaries　of

the　god　Mephistopheles；　have　engaged　to　whitewash　the　public　mind；　to

give　fresh　costumes　to　the　actors；　to　put　a　new　plank　or　two　in　the

government　booth；　to　doctor　doctrinaires；　and　warm　up　old　Republicans；

to　touch　up　the　Bonapartists　a　bit；　and　revictual　the　Centre；　provided

that　we　are　allowed　to　laugh　in　petto　at　both　kings　and　peoples；　to

think　one　thing　in　the　morning　and　another　at　night；　and　to　lead　a

merry　life　a　la　Panurge；　or　to　recline　upon　soft　cushions；　more

orientali。



〃The　sceptre　of　this　burlesque　and　macaronic　kingdom；〃　he　went　on；　〃we

have　reserved　for　you；　so　we　are　taking　you　straightway　to　a　dinner

given　by　the　founder　of　the　said　newspaper；　a　retired　banker；　who；　at

a　loss　to　know　what　to　do　with　his　money；　is　going　to　buy　some　brains

with　it。　You　will　be　welcomed　as　a　brother；　we　shall　hail　you　as　king

of　these　free　lances　who　will　undertake　anything；　whose　perspicacity

discovers　the　intentions　of　Austria；　England；　or　Russia　before　either

Russia；　Austria　or　England　have　formed　any。　Yes；　we　will　invest　you

with　the　sovereignty　of　those　puissant　intellects　which　give　to　the

world　its　Mirabeaus；　Talleyrands；　Pitts；　and　Metternichsall　the

clever　Crispins　who　treat　the　destinies　of　a　kingdom　as　gamblers'

stakes；　just　as　ordinary　men　play　dominoes　for　Kirschenwasser。　We　have

given　you　out　to　be　the　most　undaunted　champion　who　ever　wrestled　in　a

drinking…bout　at　close　quarters　with　the　monster　called　Carousal；　whom

all　bold　spirits　wish　to　try　a　fall　with；　we　have　gone　so　far　as　to

say　that　you　have　never　yet　been　worsted。　I　hope　you　will　not　make

liars　of　us。　Taillefer；　our　amphitryon；　has　undertaken　to　surpass　the

circumscribed　saturnalias　of　the　petty　modern　Lucullus。　He　is　rich

enough　to　infuse　pomp　into　trifles；　and　style　and　charm　into

dissipation　。　。　。　Are　you　listening；　Raphael？〃　asked　the　orator；

interrupting　himself。



〃Yes；〃　answered　the　young　man；　less　surprised　by　the　accomplishment　of

his　wishes　than　by　the　natural　manner　in　which　the　events　had　come

about。



He　could　not　bring　himself　to　believe　in　magic；　but　he　marveled　at　the

accidents　of　human　fate。



〃Yes；　you　say；　just　as　if　you　were　thinking　of　your　grandfather's

demise；〃　remarked　one　of　his　neighbors。



〃Ah！〃　cried　Raphael；　〃I　was　thinking；　my　friends；　that　we　are　in　a

fair　way　to　become　very　great　scoundrels；〃　and　there　was　an

ingenuousness　in　his　tones　that　set　these　writers；　the　hope　of　young

France；　in　a　roar。