the magic skin(驴皮记)-第34章

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the　old　schoolmaster's　prolixity。

Porriquet　spent　an　hour　in　telling　him　about　the　persecutions　directed
against　him　ever　since　the　Revolution　of　July。　The　worthy　man；　having
a　liking　for　strong　governments；　had　expressed　the　patriotic　wish　that
grocers　should　be　left　to　their　counters；　statesmen　to　the　management
of　public　business；　advocates　to　the　Palais　de　Justice；　and　peers　of
France　to　the　Luxembourg；　but　one　of　the　popularity…seeking　ministers
of　the　Citizen　King　had　ousted　him　from　his　chair；　on　an　accusation　of
Carlism；　and　the　old　man　now　found　himself　without　pension　or　post；
and　with　no　bread　to　eat。　As　he　played　the　part　of　guardian　angel　to　a
poor　nephew；　for　whose　schooling　at　Saint　Sulpice　he　was　paying；　he
came　less　on　his　own　account　than　for　his　adopted　child's　sake；　to
entreat　his　former　pupil's　interest　with　the　new　minister。　He　did　not
ask　to　be　reinstated；　but　only　for　a　position　at　the　head　of　some
provincial　school。

QRaphael　had　fallen　a　victim　to　unconquerable　drowsiness　by　the　time
that　the　worthy　man's　monotonous　voice　ceased　to　sound　in　his　ears。
Civility　had　compelled　him　to　look　at　the　pale　and　unmoving　eyes　of
the　deliberate　and　tedious　old　narrator；　till　he　himself　had　reached
stupefaction；　magnetized　in　an　inexplicable　way　by　the　power　of
inertia。

〃Well；　my　dear　pere　Porriquet；〃　he　said；　not　very　certain　what　the
question　was　to　which　he　was　replying；　〃but　I　can　do　nothing　for　you；
nothing　at　all。　I　WISH　VERY　HEARTILY　that　you　may　succeed〃

All　at　once；　without　seeing　the　change　wrought　on　the　old　man's　sallow
and　wrinkled　brow　by　these　conventional　phrases；　full　of　indifference
and　selfishness；　Raphael　sprang　to　his　feet　like　a　startled　roebuck。
He　saw　a　thin　white　line　between　the　black　piece　of　hide　and　the　red
tracing　about　it；　and　gave　a　cry　so　fearful　that　the　poor　professor
was　frightened　by　it。

〃Old　fool！　Go！〃　he　cried。　〃You　will　be　appointed　as　headmaster！
Couldn't　you　have　asked　me　for　an　annuity　of　a　thousand　crowns　rather
than　a　murderous　wish？　Your　visit　would　have　cost　me　nothing。　There
are　a　hundred　thousand　situations　to　be　had　in　France；　but　I　have　only
one　life。　A　man's　life　is　worth　more　than　all　the　situations　in　the
world。Jonathan！〃

Jonathan　appeared。

〃This　is　your　doing；　double…distilled　idiot！　What　made　you　suggest
that　I　should　see　M。　Porriquet？〃　and　he　pointed　to　the　old　man；　who
was　petrified　with　fright。　〃Did　I　put　myself　in　your　hands　for　you　to
tear　me　in　pieces？　You　have　just　shortened　my　life　by　ten　years！
Another　blunder　of　this　kind；　and　you　will　lay　me　where　I　have　laid　my
father。　Would　I　not　far　rather　have　possessed　the　beautiful　Foedora？
And　I　have　obliged　that　old　hulk　insteadthat　rag　of　humanity！　I　had
money　enough　for　him。　And；　moreover；　if　all　the　Porriquets　in　the
world　were　dying　of　hunger；　what　is　that　to　me？〃

Raphael's　face　was　white　with　anger；　a　slight　froth　marked　his
trembling　lips；　there　was　a　savage　gleam　in　his　eyes。　The　two　elders
shook　with　terror　in　his　presence　like　two　children　at　the　sight　of　a
snake。　The　young　man　fell　back　in　his　armchair；　a　kind　of　reaction
took　place　in　him；　the　tears　flowed　fast　from　his　angry　eyes。

〃Oh；　my　life！〃　he　cried；　〃that　fair　life　of　mine。　Never　to　know　a
kindly　thought　again；　to　love　no　more；　nothing　is　left　to　me！〃

He　turned　to　the　professor　and　went　on　in　a　gentle　voice〃The　harm　is
done；　my　old　friend。　Your　services　have　been　well　repaid；　and　my
misfortune　has　at　any　rate　contributed　to　the　welfare　of　a　good　and
worthy　man。〃

His　tones　betrayed　so　much　feeling　that　the　almost　unintelligible
words　drew　tears　from　the　two　old　men；　such　tears　as　are　shed　over
some　pathetic　song　in　a　foreign　tongue。

〃He　is　epileptic；〃　muttered　Porriquet。

〃I　understand　your　kind　intentions；　my　friend；〃　Raphael　answered
gently。　〃You　would　make　excuses　for　me。　Ill…health　cannot　be　helped；
but　ingratitude　is　a　grievous　fault。　Leave　me　now；〃　he　added。　〃To…
morrow　or　the　next　day；　or　possibly　to…night；　you　will　receive　your
appointment；　Resistance　has　triumphed　over　Motion。　Farewell。〃

The　old　schoolmaster　went　away；　full　of　keen　apprehension　as　to
Valentin's　sanity。　A　thrill　of　horror　ran　through　him；　there　had　been
something　supernatural；　he　thought；　in　the　scene　he　had　passed
through。　He　could　hardly　believe　his　own　impressions；　and　questioned
them　like　one　awakened　from　a　painful　dream。

〃Now　attend　to　me；　Jonathan；〃　said　the　young　man　to　his　old　servant。
〃Try　to　understand　the　charge　confided　to　you。〃

〃Yes；　my　Lord　Marquis。〃

〃I　am　as　a　man　outlawed　from　humanity。〃

〃Yes；　my　Lord　Marquis。〃

〃All　the　pleasures　of　life　disport　themselves　round　my　bed　of　death；
and　dance　about　me　like　fair　women；　but　if　I　beckon　to　them；　I　must
die。　Death　always　confronts　me。　You　must　be　the　barrier　between　the
world　and　me。〃

〃Yes；　my　Lord　Marquis；〃　said　the　old　servant；　wiping　the　drops　of
perspiration　from　his　wrinkled　forehead。　〃But　if　you　don't　wish　to　see
pretty　women；　how　will　you　manage　at　the　Italiens　this　evening？　An
English　family　is　returning　to　London；　and　I　have　taken　their　box　for
the　rest　of　the　season；　and　it　is　in　a　splendid　positionsuperb；　in
the　first　row。

Raphael；　deep　in　his　own　deep　musings；　paid　no　attention　to　him。

Do　you　see　that　splendid　equipage；　a　brougham　painted　a　dark　brown
color；　but　with　the　arms　of　an　ancient　and　noble　family　shining　from
the　panels？　As　it　rolls　past；　all　the　shop…girls　admire　it；　and　look
longingly　at　the　yellow　satin　lining；　the　rugs　from　la　Savonnerie；　the
daintiness　and　freshness　of　every　detail；　the　silken　cushions　and
tightly…fitting　glass　windows。　Two　liveried　footmen　are　mounted　behind
this　aristocratic　carriage；　and　within；　a　head　lies　back　among　the
silken　cushions；　the　feverish　face　and　hollow　eyes　of　Raphael；
melancholy　and　sad。　Emblem　of　the　doom　of　wealth！　He　flies　across
Paris　like　a　rocket；　and　reaches　the　peristyle　of　the　Theatre　Favart。
The　passers…by　make　way　for　him；　the　two　footmen　help　him　to　alight；
an　envious　crowd　looking　on　the　while。

〃What　has　that　fellow　done　to　be　so　rich？〃　asks　a　poor　law…student；
who　cannot　listen　to　the　magical　music　of　Rossini　for　lack　of　a　five…
franc　piece。

Raphael　walked　slowly　along　the　gangway；　he　expected　no　enjoyment　from
these　pleasures　he　had　once　coveted　so　eagerly。　In　the　interval　before
the　second　act　of　Semiramide　he　walked　up　and　down　in　the　lobby；　and
along　the　corridors；　leaving　his　box；　which　he　had　not　yet　entered；　to
look　after　itself。　The　instinct　of　property　was　dead　within　him
already。　Like　all　invalids；　he　thought　of　nothing　but　his　own
sufferings。　He　was　leaning　against　the　chimney…piece　in　the　greenroom。
A　group　had　gathered　about　it　of　dandies；　young　and　old；　of　ministers；
of　peers　without　peerages；　and　peerages　without　peers；　for　so　the
Revolution　of　July　had　ordered　matters。　Among　a　host　of　adventurers
and　journalists；　in　fact；　Raphael　beheld　a　strange；　unearthly　figure　a
few　paces　away　among　the　crowd。　He　went　towards　this　grotesque　object
to　see　it　better；　half…closing　his　eyes　with　exceeding
superciliousness。

〃What　a　wonderful　bit　of　painting！〃　he　said　to　himself。　The　stranger's
hair　and　eyebrows　and　a　Mazarin　tuft　on　the　chin　had　been　dyed　black；
but　the　result　was　a　spurious；　glossy；　purple　tint　that　varied　its
hues　according　to　the　light；　the　hair　had　been　too　white；　no　doubt；　to
take　the　preparation。　Anxiety　and　cunning　were　depicted　in　the　narrow；
insignificant　face；　with　its　wrinkles　incrusted　by　thick　layers　of　red
and　white　paint。　This　red　enamel；　lacking　on　some　portions　of　his
face；　strongly　brought　out　his　natural　feebleness　and　livid　hues。　It
was　impossible　not　to　smile　at　this　visage　with　the　protuberant
forehead　and　pointed　chin；　a　face　not　unlike　those　grotesque　wooden
figures　that　German　herdsmen　carve　in　their　spare　moments。

An　attentive　observer　looking　from　Raphael　to　this　elderly　Adonis
would　have　remarked　a　young　man's　eyes　set　in　a　mask　of　age；　in　the
case　of　the　Marquis；　and　in　the　other　case　the　dim　eyes　of　age　peering
forth　from　behind　a　mask　of　youth。　Valentin　tried　to　recollect　when
and　where　he　had　seen　this　little　old　man　before。　He　was　thin；
fastidiously　cravatted；　booted　and　spurred　like　one…and…twenty；　he
crossed　his　arms　and　clinked　his　spurs　as　if　he　possessed　all　the
wanton　energy　of　youth。　He　seemed　to　move　about　without　constraint　or
difficulty。　He　had　carefully　buttoned　up　his　fashionable　coat；　which
disguised　his　powerful；　elderly　frame；　and　gave　him　the　appearance　of
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