the magic skin(驴皮记)-第39章

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must　go　and　see　my　wife。〃

〃And　I　also　could　have　lived　thus；〃　thought　Raphael；　as　he　recalled
the　learned　man　from　his　meditations　by　asking　of　him　how　to　produce
any　effect　on　the　talisman；　which　he　placed　before　him。

〃Although　my　credulity　must　amuse　you；　sir；〃　so　the　Marquis　ended；　〃I
will　conceal　nothing　from　you。　That　skin　seems　to　me　to　be　endowed
with　an　insuperable　power　of　resistance。〃

〃People　of　fashion；　sir；　always　treat　science　rather　superciliously；〃
said　Planchette。　〃They　all　talk　to　us　pretty　much　as　the　incroyable
did　when　he　brought　some　ladies　to　see　Lalande　just　after　an　eclipse；
and　remarked；　'Be　so　good　as　to　begin　it　over　again！'　What　effect　do
you　want　to　produce？　The　object　of　the　science　of　mechanics　is　either
the　application　or　the　neutralization　of　the　laws　of　motion。　As　for
motion　pure　and　simple；　I　tell　you　humbly；　that　we　cannot　possibly
define　it。　That　disposed　of；　unvarying　phenomena　have　been　observed
which　accompany　the　actions　of　solids　and　fluids。　If　we　set　up　the
conditions　by　which　these　phenomena　are　brought　to　pass；　we　can
transport　bodies　or　communicate　locomotive　power　to　them　at　a
predetermined　rate　of　speed。　We　can　project　them；　divide　them　up　in　a
few　or　an　infinite　number　of　pieces；　accordingly　as　we　break　them　or
grind　them　to　powder；　we　can　twist　bodies　or　make　them　rotate；　modify；
compress；　expand；　or　extend　them。　The　whole　science；　sir；　rests　upon　a
single　fact。

〃You　see　this　ball；〃　he　went　on；　〃here　it　lies　upon　this　slab。　Now；　it
is　over　there。　What　name　shall　we　give　to　what　has　taken　place；　so
natural　from　a　physical　point　of　view；　so　amazing　from　a　moral？
Movement；　locomotion；　changing　of　place？　What　prodigious　vanity　lurks
underneath　the　words。　Does　a　name　solve　the　difficulty？　Yet　it　is　the
whole　of　our　science　for　all　that。　Our　machines　either　make　direct　use
of　this　agency；　this　fact；　or　they　convert　it。　This　trifling
phenomenon；　applied　to　large　masses；　would　send　Paris　flying。　We　can
increase　speed　by　an　expenditure　of　force；　and　augment　the　force　by　an
increase　of　speed。　But　what　are　speed　and　force？　Our　science　is　as
powerless　to　tell　us　that　as　to　create　motion。　Any　movement　whatever
is　an　immense　power；　and　man　does　not　create　power　of　any　kind。
Everything　is　movement；　thought　itself　is　a　movement；　upon　movement
nature　is　based。　Death　is　a　movement　whose　limitations　are　little
known。　If　God　is　eternal；　be　sure　that　He　moves　perpetually；　perhaps
God　is　movement。　That　is　why　movement；　like　God　is　inexplicable；
unfathomable；　unlimited；　incomprehensible；　intangible。　Who　has　ever
touched；　comprehended；　or　measured　movement？　We　feel　its　effects
without　seeing　it；　we　can　even　deny　them　as　we　can　deny　the　existence
of　a　God。　Where　is　it？　Where　is　it　not？　Whence　comes　it？　What　is　its
source？　What　is　its　end？　It　surrounds　us；　it　intrudes　upon　us；　and　yet
escapes　us。　It　is　evident　as　a　fact；　obscure　as　an　abstraction；　it　is
at　once　effect　and　cause。　It　requires　space；　even　as　we；　and　what　is
space？　Movement　alone　recalls　it　to　us；　without　movement；　space　is　but
an　empty　meaningless　word。　Like　space；　like　creation；　like　the
infinite；　movement　is　an　insoluble　problem　which　confounds　human
reason；　man　will　never　conceive　it；　whatever　else　he　may　be　permitted
to　conceive。

〃Between　each　point　in　space　occupied　in　succession　by　that　ball；〃
continued　the　man　of　science；　〃there　is　an　abyss　confronting　human
reason；　an　abyss　into　which　Pascal　fell。　In　order　to　produce　any
effect　upon　an　unknown　substance；　we　ought　first　of　all　to　study　that
substance；　to　know　whether；　in　accordance　with　its　nature；　it　will　be
broken　by　the　force　of　a　blow；　or　whether　it　will　withstand　it；　if　it
breaks　in　pieces；　and　you　have　no　wish　to　split　it　up；　we　shall　not
achieve　the　end　proposed。　If　you　want　to　compress　it；　a　uniform
impulse　must　be　communicated　to　all　the　particles　of　the　substance；　so
as　to　diminish　the　interval　that　separates　them　in　an　equal　degree。　If
you　wish　to　expand　it；　we　should　try　to　bring　a　uniform　eccentric
force　to　bear　on　every　molecule；　for　unless　we　conform　accurately　to
this　law；　we　shall　have　breaches　in　continuity。　The　modes　of　motion；
sir；　are　infinite；　and　no　limit　exists　to　combinations　of　movement。
Upon　what　effect　have　you　determined？〃

〃I　want　any　kind　of　pressure　that　is　strong　enough　to　expand　the　skin
indefinitely；〃　began　Raphael；　quite　of　out　patience。

〃Substance　is　finite；〃　the　mathematician　put　in；　〃and　therefore　will
not　admit　of　indefinite　expansion；　but　pressure　will　necessarily
increase　the　extent　of　surface　at　the　expense　of　the　thickness；　which
will　be　diminished　until　the　point　is　reached　when　the　material　gives
out〃

〃Bring　about　that　result；　sir；〃　Raphael　cried；　〃and　you　will　have
earned　millions。〃

〃Then　I　should　rob　you　of　your　money；〃　replied　the　other；　phlegmatic
as　a　Dutchman。　〃I　am　going　to　show　you；　in　a　word　or　two；　that　a
machine　can　be　made　that　is　fit　to　crush　Providence　itself　in　pieces
like　a　fly。　It　would　reduce　a　man　to　the　conditions　of　a　piece　of
waste　paper；　a　manboots　and　spurs；　hat　and　cravat；　trinkets　and
gold；　and　all〃

〃What　a　fearful　machine！〃

〃Instead　of　flinging　their　brats　into　the　water；　the　Chinese　ought　to
make　them　useful　in　this　way；〃　the　man　of　science　went　on；　without
reflecting　on　the　regard　man　has　for　his　progeny。

Quite　absorbed　by　his　idea；　Planchette　took　an　empty　flower…pot；　with
a　hole　in　the　bottom；　and　put　it　on　the　surface　of　the　dial；　then　he
went　to　look　for　a　little　clay　in　a　corner　of　the　garden。　Raphael
stood　spellbound；　like　a　child　to　whom　his　nurse　is　telling　some
wonderful　story。　Planchette　put　the　clay　down　upon　the　slab；　drew　a
pruning…knife　from　his　pocket；　cut　two　branches　from　an　elder　tree；
and　began　to　clean　them　of　pith　by　blowing　through　them；　as　if　Raphael
had　not　been　present。

〃There　are　the　rudiments　of　the　apparatus；〃　he　said。　Then　he　connected
one　of　the　wooden　pipes　with　the　bottom　of　the　flower…pot　by　way　of　a
clay　joint；　in　such　a　way　that　the　mouth　of　the　elder　stem　was　just
under　the　hole　of　the　flower…pot；　you　might　have　compared　it　to　a　big
tobacco…pipe。　He　spread　a　bed　of　clay　over　the　surface　of　the　slab；　in
a　shovel…shaped　mass；　set　down　the　flower…pot　at　the　wider　end　of　it；
and　laid　the　pipe　of　the　elder　stem　along　the　portion　which
represented　the　handle　of　the　shovel。　Next　he　put　a　lump　of　clay　at
the　end　of　the　elder　stem　and　therein　planted　the　other　pipe；　in　an
upright　position；　forming　a　second　elbow　which　connected　it　with　the
first　horizontal　pipe　in　such　a　manner　that　the　air；　or　any　given
fluid　in　circulation；　could　flow　through　this　improvised　piece　of
mechanism　from　the　mouth　of　the　vertical　tube；　along　the　intermediate
passages；　and　so　into　the　large　empty　flower…pot。

〃This　apparatus；　sir；〃　he　said　to　Raphael；　with　all　the　gravity　of　an
academician　pronouncing　his　initiatory　discourse；　〃is　one　of　the　great
Pascal's　grandest　claims　upon　our　admiration。〃

〃I　don't　understand。〃

The　man　of　science　smiled。　He　went　up　to　a　fruit…tree　and　took　down　a
little　phial　in　which　the　druggist　had　sent　him　some　liquid　for
catching　ants；　he　broke　off　the　bottom　and　made　a　funnel　of　the　top；
carefully　fitting　it　to　the　mouth　of　the　vertical　hollowed　stem　that
he　had　set　in　the　clay；　and　at　the　opposite　end　to　the　great
reservoir；　represented　by　the　flower…pot。　Next；　by　means　of　a
watering…pot；　he　poured　in　sufficient　water　to　rise　to　the　same　level
in　the　large　vessel　and　in　the　tiny　circular　funnel　at　the　end　of　the
elder　stem。

Raphael　was　thinking　of　his　piece　of　skin。

〃Water　is　considered　to…day；　sir；　to　be　an　incompressible　body；〃　said
the　mechanician；　〃never　lose　sight　of　that　fundamental　principle；
still　it　can　be　compressed；　though　only　so　very　slightly　that　we
should　regard　its　faculty　for　contracting　as　a　zero。　You　see　the
amount　of　surface　presented　by　the　water　at　the　brim　of　the　flower…
pot？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Very　good；　now　suppose　that　that　surface　is　a　thousand　times　larger
than　the　orifice　of　the　elder　stem　through　which　I　poured　the　liquid。
Here；　I　am　taking　the　funnel　away〃

〃Granted。〃

〃Well；　then；　if　by　any　method　whatever　I　increase　the　volume　of　that
quantity　of　water　by　pouring　in　yet　more　through　the　mouth　of　the
little　tube；　the　water　thus　compelled　to　flow　downwards　would　rise　in
the　reservoir；　represented　by　the　flower…pot；　until　it　reached　the
same　level　at　either　end。〃

〃That　is　quite　clear；〃　cried　Raphael。

〃But　there　is　this　difference；〃　the　other　went　on。　〃Suppose　that　the
thin　column　of　water　poured　into　the　little　vertical　tube　there　exerts
a　force　equal；　say；　to　a　pound　weight；　for　instance；　its　action　will
be　punctually　communicated　to　the　great　body　of　the　liquid；　and　will
be　transmitted　to　every　part　of　the　surface　represented　by　the　water
in　the　flower…pot　so　that　at　the　surface　there　will　be　a　thousand
columns　of　water；　every　one　pressing　upwards　as　if　they　were　impelled
by　a　force　equal　to　that　which　compels　the　liquid　to　descend　in　the
vertical　tube；　and　of　necessity　they　reproduce　here；〃　said　Planchette；
indicating　to　Raphael　the　top　of　the　flower…pot；　〃the　force　introduced
over　there；　a　thousand…fold；〃　and　the　man　of　science　pointed　out　to
the　marquis　the　upright　wooden　pipe　set　in　the　clay。

〃That　is　quite　simple；〃　said　Raphael。

Planchette　smiled　again。

〃In　other　words；〃　he　went　on；　with　the　mathematician's　natural
stubborn　propensity　for　logic；　〃in　order　to　resist　the　force　of　the
incoming　water；　it　would　be　necessary　to　exert；　upon　every　part　of　the
large　surface；　a　force　equal　to　that　brought　into　action　in　the
vertical　column；　but　with　this　differenceif　the　column　of　liquid　is
a　foot　in　height；　the　thousand　little　columns　of　the　wide　surface　will
only　have　a　very　slight　elevating　power。

〃Now；〃　said　Planchette；　as　he　gave　a　fillip　to　his　bits　of　stick；　〃let
us　replace　this　funny　little　apparatus　by　steel　tubes　of　suitable
strength　and　dimensions；　and　if　you　cover　the　liquid　surface　of　the
reservoir　with　a　strong　sliding　plate　of　metal；　and　if　to　this　metal
plate　you　oppose　another；　solid　enough　and　strong　enough　to　resist　any
test；　if；　furthermore；　you　give　me　the　power　of　continually　adding
water　to　the　volume　of　liquid　contents　by　means　of　the　little　vertical
tube；　the　object　fixed　between　the　two　solid　metal　plates　must　of
necessity　yield　to　the　tremendous　crushing　force　which　indefinitely
compresses　it。　The　method　of　continually　pouring　in　water　through　a
little　tube；　like　the　manner　of　communicating　force　through　the　volume
of　the　liquid　to　a　small　metal　plate；　is　an　absurdly　primitive
mechanical　device。　A　brace　of　pistons　and　a　few　valves　would　do　it
all。　Do　you　perceive；　my　dear　sir；〃　he　said　taking　Valentin　by　the
arm；　〃there　is　scarcely　a　substance　in　existence　that　would　not　be
compelled　to　dilate　when　fixed　in　between　these　two　indefinitely
resisting　surfaces？〃

〃What！　the　author　of　the　Lettres　provinciales　invented　it？〃　Raphael
exclaimed。

〃He　and　no　other；　sir。　The　science　of　mechanics　knows　no　simpler　nor
more　beautiful　contrivance。　The　opposite　principle；　the　capacity　of
expansion　possessed　by　water；　has　brought　the　s