the magic skin(驴皮记)-第19章

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mentioned　my　modesty。　I　was　brought　in　contact　with　scholars；　men　of
letters；　ex…ministers；　and　peers　of　France。　The　conversation；
interrupted　a　while　by　my　coming；　was　resumed。　I　took　courage；　feeling
that　I　had　a　reputation　to　maintain；　and　without　abusing　my　privilege；
I　spoke　when　it　fell　to　me　to　speak；　trying　to　state　the　questions　at
issue　in　words　more　or　less　profound；　witty　or　trenchant；　and　I　made　a
certain　sensation。　Rastignac　was　a　prophet　for　the　thousandth　time　in
his　life。　As　soon　as　the　gathering　was　large　enough　to　restore　freedom
to　individuals；　he　took　my　arm；　and　we　went　round　the　rooms。

〃　'Don't　look　as　if　you　were　too　much　struck　by　the　princess；'　he
said；　'or　she　will　guess　your　object　in　coming　to　visit　her。'

〃The　rooms　were　furnished　in　excellent　taste。　Each　apartment　had　a
character　of　its　own；　as　in　wealthy　English　houses；　and　the　silken
hangings；　the　style　of　the　furniture；　and　the　ornaments；　even　the　most
trifling；　were　all　subordinated　to　the　original　idea。　In　a　gothic
boudoir　the　doors　were　concealed　by　tapestried　curtains；　and　the
paneling　by　hangings；　the　clock　and　the　pattern　of　the　carpet　were
made　to　harmonize　with　the　gothic　surroundings。　The　ceiling；　with　its
carved　cross…beams　of　brown　wood；　was　full　of　charm　and　originality；
the　panels　were　beautifully　wrought；　nothing　disturbed　the　general
harmony　of　the　scheme　of　decoration；　not　even　the　windows　with　their
rich　colored　glass。　I　was　surprised　by　the　extensive　knowledge　of
decoration　that　some　artist　had　brought　to　bear　on　a　little　modern
room；　it　was　so　pleasant　and　fresh；　and　not　heavy；　but　subdued　with
its　dead　gold　hues。　It　had　all　the　vague　sentiment　of　a　German　ballad；
it　was　a　retreat　fit　for　some　romance　of　1827；　perfumed　by　the　exotic
flowers　set　in　their　stands。　Another　apartment　in　the　suite　was　a
gilded　reproduction　of　the　Louis　Quatorze　period；　with　modern
paintings　on　the　walls　in　odd　but　pleasant　contrast。

〃　'You　would　not　be　so　badly　lodged；'　was　Rastignac's　slightly
sarcastic　comment。　'It　is　captivating；　isn't　it？'　he　added；　smiling　as
he　sat　down。　Then　suddenly　he　rose；　and　led　me　by　the　hand　into　a
bedroom；　where　the　softened　light　fell　upon　the　bed　under　its　canopy
of　muslin　and　white　watered　silka　couch　for　a　young　fairy　betrothed
to　one　of　the　genii。

〃　'Isn't　it　wantonly　bad　taste；　insolent　and　unbounded　coquetry；'　he
said；　lowering　his　voice；　'that　allows　us　to　see　this　throne　of　love？
She　gives　herself　to　no　one；　and　anybody　may　leave　his　card　here。　If　I
were　not　committed；　I　should　like　to　see　her　at　my　feet　all　tears　and
submission。'

〃　'Are　you　so　certain　of　her　virtue？'

〃　'The　boldest　and　even　the　cleverest　adventurers　among　us；
acknowledge　themselves　defeated；　and　continue　to　be　her　lovers　and
devoted　friends。　Isn't　that　woman　a　puzzle？'

〃His　words　seemed　to　intoxicate　me；　I　had　jealous　fears　already　of　the
past。　I　leapt　for　joy；　and　hurried　back　to　the　countess；　whom　I　had
seen　in　the　gothic　boudoir。　She　stopped　me　by　a　smile；　made　me　sit
beside　her；　and　talked　about　my　work；　seeming　to　take　the　greatest
interest　in　it；　and　all　the　more　when　I　set　forth　my　theories
amusingly；　instead　of　adopting　the　formal　language　of　a　professor　for
their　explanation。　It　seemed　to　divert　her　to　be　told　that　the　human
will　was　a　material　force　like　steam；　that　in　the　moral　world　nothing
could　resist　its　power　if　a　man　taught　himself　to　concentrate　it；　to
economize　it；　and　to　project　continually　its　fluid　mass　in　given
directions　upon　other　souls。　Such　a　man；　I　said；　could　modify　all
things　relatively　to　man；　even　the　peremptory　laws　of　nature。　The
questions　Foedora　raised　showed　a　certain　keenness　of　intellect。　I
took　a　pleasure　in　deciding　some　of　them　in　her　favor；　in　order　to
flatter　her；　then　I　confuted　her　feminine　reasoning　with　a　word；　and
roused　her　curiosity　by　drawing　her　attention　to　an　everyday　matter
to　sleep；　a　thing　so　apparently　commonplace；　that　in　reality　is　an
insoluble　problem　for　science。　The　countess　sat　in　silence　for　a
moment　when　I　told　her　that　our　ideas　were　complete　organic　beings；
existing　in　an　invisible　world；　and　influencing　our　destinies；　and　for
witnesses　I　cited　the　opinions　of　Descartes；　Diderot；　and　Napoleon；
who　had　directed；　and　still　directed；　all　the　currents　of　the　age。

〃So　I　had　the　honor　of　amusing　this　woman；　who　asked　me　to　come　to　see
her　when　she　left　me；　giving　me　les　grande　entrees；　in　the　language　of
the　court。　Whether　it　was　by　dint　of　substituting　polite　formulas　for
genuine　expressions　of　feeling；　a　commendable　habit　of　mine；　or
because　Foedora　hailed　in　me　a　coming　celebrity；　an　addition　to　her
learned　menagerie；　for　some　reason　I　thought　that　I　had　pleased　her。　I
called　all　my　previous　physiological　studies　and　knowledge　of　woman　to
my　aid；　and　minutely　scrutinized　this　singular　person　and　her　ways　all
evening。　I　concealed　myself　in　the　embrasure　of　a　window；　and　sought
to　discover　her　thoughts　from　her　bearing。　I　studied　the　tactics　of
the　mistress　of　the　house；　as　she　came　and　went；　sat　and　chatted；
beckoned　to　this　one　or　that；　asked　questions；　listened　to　the
answers；　as　she　leaned　against　the　frame　of　the　door；　I　detected　a
languid　charm　in　her　movements；　a　grace　in　the　flutterings　of　her
dress；　remarked　the　nature　of　the　feelings　she　so　powerfully　excited；
and　became　very　incredulous　as　to　her　virtue。　If　Foedora　would　none　of
love　to…day；　she　had　had　strong　passions　at　some　time；　past　experience
of　pleasure　showed　itself　in　the　attitudes　she　chose　in　conversation；
in　her　coquettish　way　of　leaning　against　the　panel　behind　her；　she
seemed　scarcely　able　to　stand　alone；　and　yet　ready　for　flight　from　too
bold　a　glance。　There　was　a　kind　of　eloquence　about　her　lightly　folded
arms；　which；　even　for　benevolent　eyes；　breathed　sentiment。　Her　fresh
red　lips　sharply　contrasted　with　her　brilliantly　pale　complexion。　Her
brown　hair　brought　out　all　the　golden　color　in　her　eyes；　in　which　blue
streaks　mingled　as　in　Florentine　marble；　their　expression　seemed　to
increase　the　significance　of　her　words。　A　studied　grace　lay　in　the
charms　of　her　bodice。　Perhaps　a　rival　might　have　found　the　lines　of
the　thick　eyebrows；　which　almost　met；　a　little　hard；　or　found　a　fault
in　the　almost　invisible　down　that　covered　her　features。　I　saw　the
signs　of　passion　everywhere；　written　on　those　Italian　eyelids；　on　the
splendid　shoulders　worthy　of　the　Venus　of　Milo；　on　her　features；　in
the　darker　shade　of　down　above　a　somewhat　thick　under…lip。　She　was　not
merely　a　woman；　but　a　romance。　The　whole　blended　harmony　of　lines；　the
feminine　luxuriance　of　her　frame；　and　its　passionate　promise；　were
subdued　by　a　constant　inexplicable　reserve　and　modesty　at　variance
with　everything　else　about　her。　It　needed　an　observation　as　keen　as　my
own　to　detect　such　signs　as　these　in　her　character。　To　explain　myself
more　clearly；　there　were　two　women　in　Foedora；　divided　perhaps　by　the
line　between　head　and　body：　the　one；　the　head　alone；　seemed　to　be
susceptible；　and　the　other　phlegmatic。　She　prepared　her　glance　before
she　looked　at　you；　something　unspeakably　mysterious；　some　inward
convulsion　seemed　revealed　by　her　glittering　eyes。

〃So；　to　be　brief；　either　my　imperfect　moral　science　had　left　me　a　good
deal　to　learn　in　the　moral　world；　or　a　lofty　soul　dwelt　in　the
countess；　lent　to　her　face　those　charms　that　fascinated　and　subdued
us；　and　gave　her　an　ascendency　only　the　more　complete　because　it
comprehended　a　sympathy　of　desire。

〃I　went　away　completely　enraptured　with　this　woman；　dazzled　by　the
luxury　around　her；　gratified　in　every　faculty　of　my　soulnoble　and
base；　good　and　evil。　When　I　felt　myself　so　excited；　eager；　and　elated；
I　thought　I　understood　the　attraction　that　drew　thither　those　artists；
diplomatists；　men　in　office；　those　stock…jobbers　encased　in　triple
brass。　They　came；　no　doubt；　to　find　in　her　society　the　delirious
emotion　that　now　thrilled　through　every　fibre　in　me；　throbbing　through
my　brain；　setting　the　blood　a…tingle　in　every　vein；　fretting　even　the
tiniest　nerve。　And　she　had　given　herself　to　none；　so　as　to　keep　them
all。　A　woman　is　a　coquette　so　long　as　she　knows　not　love。

〃　'Well；'　I　said　to　Rastignac；　'they　married　her；　or　sold　her　perhaps；
to　some　old　man；　and　recollections　of　her　first　marriage　have　caused
her　aversion　for　love。'

〃I　walked　home　from　the　Faubourg　St。　Honore；　where　Foedora　lived。
Almost　all　the　breadth　of　Paris　lies　between　her　mansion　and　the　Rue
des　Cordiers；　but　the　distance　seemed　short；　in　spite　of　the　cold。　And
I　was　to　lay　siege　to　Foedora's　heart；　in　winter；　and　a　bitter　winter；
with　only　thirty　francs　in　my　possession；　and　such　a　distance　as　that
lay　between　us！　Only　a　poor　man　knows　what　such　a　passion　costs　in
cab…hire；　gloves；　linen；　tailor's　bills；　and　the　like。　If　the　Platonic
stage　lasts　a　little　too　long；　the　affair　grows　ruinous。　As　a　matter
of　fact；　there　is　many　a　Lauzun　among　students　of　law；　who　finds　it
impossible　to　approach　a　ladylove　living　on　a　first　floor。　And　I；
sickly；　thin；　poorly　dressed；　wan　and　pale　as　any　artist　convalescent
after　a　work；　how　could　I　compete　with　other　young　men；　curled；
handsome；　smart；　outcravatting　Croatia；　wealthy　men；　equipped　with
tilburys；　and　armed　with　assurance？

〃　'Bah；　death　or　Foedora！'　I　cried；　as　I　went　round　by　a　bridge；　'my
fortune　lies　in　Foedora。'

〃That　gothic　boudoir　and　Louis　Quatorze　salon　came　before　my　eyes。　I
saw　the　countess　again　in　her　white　dress　with　its　large　graceful
sleeves；　and　all　the　fascinations　of　her　form　and　movements。　These
pictures　of　Foedora　and　her　luxurious　surroundings　haunted　me　even　in
my　bare；　cold　garret；　when　at　last　I　reached　it；　as　disheveled　as　any
naturalist's　wig。　The　contrast　suggested　evil　counsel；　in　such　a　way
crimes　are　conceived。　I　cursed　my　honest；　self…respecting　poverty；　my
garret　where　such　teeming　fancies　had　stirred　within　me。　I　trembled
with　fury；　I　reproached　God；　the　devil；　social　conditions；　my　own
father；　the　whole　universe；　indeed；　with　my　fate　and　my　misfortunes。　I
went　hungry　to　bed；　muttering　ludicrous　imprecations；　but　fully
determined　to　win　Foedora。　Her　heart　was　my　last　ticket　in　the
lottery；　my　fortune　depended　upon　it。

〃I　spare　you　the　history　of　my　earlier　visits；　to　reach　the　drama　the
sooner。　In　my　efforts　to　appeal　to　her；　I　essayed　to　engage　her
intellect　and　her　vanity　on　my　side；　in　order　to　secure　her　love；　I
gave　her　any　quantity　of　reasons　for　increasing　her　self…esteem；　I
never　left　her　in　a　state　of　indifference；　women　like　emotions　at　any
cost；　I　gave　them　to　her　in　plenty；　I　would　rather　have　had　her　angry
with　me　than　indifferent。

〃At　first；　urged　by　a　strong　will　and　a　desire　for　her　love；　I　assumed
a　little　authority；　but　my　own　feelings　grew　stronger　and　mastered　me；
I　relapsed　into　truth；　I　lost　my　head；　and　fell　desperately　in　love。

〃I　am　not　very　sure　what　we　mean　by　the　word　love　in　our　poetry　and
our　talk；　but　I　know　that　I　have　never　found　in　all　the　ready
rhetorical　phrases　of　Jean…Jacques　Rousseau；　in　whose　room　perhaps　I
was　lodging；　nor　among　the　feeble　inventions　of　two　centuries　of　our
literature；　nor　in　any　picture　that　Italy　has　produced；　a
representat