the magic skin(驴皮记)-第6章

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〃Ah；〃　he　cried；　〃here　is　the　mark　of　the　seal　which　they　call　in　the
East　the　Signet　of　Solomon。〃

〃So　you　know　that；　then？〃　asked　the　merchant。　His　peculiar　method　of
laughter；　two　or　three　quick　breathings　through　the　nostrils；　said
more　than　any　words　however　eloquent。

〃Is　there　anybody　in　the　world　simple　enough　to　believe　in　that　idle
fancy？〃　said　the　young　man；　nettled　by　the　spitefulness　of　the　silent
chuckle。　〃Don't　you　know；〃　he　continued；　〃that　the　superstitions　of
the　East　have　perpetuated　the　mystical　form　and　the　counterfeit
characters　of　the　symbol；　which　represents　a　mythical　dominion？　I　have
no　more　laid　myself　open　to　a　charge　of　credulity　in　this　case；　than
if　I　had　mentioned　sphinxes　or　griffins；　whose　existence　mythology　in
a　manner　admits。〃


〃As　you　are　an　Orientalist；〃　replied　the　other；　〃perhaps　you　can　read
that　sentence。〃

He　held　the　lamp　close　to　the　talisman；　which　the　young　man　held
towards　him；　and　pointed　out　some　characters　inlaid　in　the　surface　of
the　wonderful　skin；　as　if　they　had　grown　on　the　animal　to　which　it
once　belonged。

〃I　must　admit；〃　said　the　stranger；　〃that　I　have　no　idea　how　the
letters　could　be　engraved　so　deeply　on　the　skin　of　a　wild　ass。〃　And　he
turned　quickly　to　the　tables　strewn　with　curiosities　and　seemed　to
look　for　something。

〃What　is　it　that　you　want？〃　asked　the　old　man。

〃Something　that　will　cut　the　leather；　so　that　I　can　see　whether　the
letters　are　printed　or　inlaid。〃

The　old　man　held　out　his　stiletto。　The　stranger　took　it　and　tried　to
cut　the　skin　above　the　lettering；　but　when　he　had　removed　a　thin
shaving　of　leather　from　them；　the　characters　still　appeared　below；　so
clear　and　so　exactly　like　the　surface　impression；　that　for　a　moment　he
was　not　sure　that　he　had　cut　anything　away　after　all。

〃The　craftsmen　of　the　Levant　have　secrets　known　only　to　themselves；〃
he　said；　half　in　vexation；　as　he　eyed　the　characters　of　this　Oriental
sentence。

〃Yes；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃it　is　better　to　attribute　it　to　man's　agency
than　to　God's。〃

The　mysterious　words　were　thus　arranged：

＇Drawing　of　apparently　Sanskrit　characters　omitted＇

Or；　as　it　runs　in　English：

POSSESSING　ME　THOU　SHALT　POSSESS　ALL　THINGS。
BUT　THY　LIFE　IS　MINE；　FOR　GOD　HAS　SO　WILLED　IT。
WISH；　AND　THY　WISHES　SHALL　BE　FULFILLED；
BUT　MEASURE　THY　DESIRES；　ACCORDING
TO　THE　LIFE　THAT　IS　IN　THEE。
THIS　IS　THY　LIFE；
WITH　EACH　WISH　I　MUST　SHRINK
EVEN　AS　THY　OWN　DAYS。
WILT　THOU　HAVE　ME？　　TAKE　ME。
GOD　WILL　HEARKEN　UNTO　THEE。
SO　BE　IT！

〃So　you　read　Sanskrit　fluently；〃　said　the　old　man。　〃You　have　been　in
Persia　perhaps；　or　in　Bengal？〃

〃No；　sir；〃　said　the　stranger；　as　he　felt　the　emblematical　skin
curiously。　It　was　almost　as　rigid　as　a　sheet　of　metal。

The　old　merchant　set　the　lamp　back　again　upon　the　column；　giving　the
other　a　look　as　he　did　so。　〃He　has　given　up　the　notion　of　dying
already；〃　the　glance　said　with　phlegmatic　irony。

〃Is　it　a　jest；　or　is　it　an　enigma？〃　asked　the　younger　man。

The　other　shook　his　head　and　said　soberly：

〃I　don't　know　how　to　answer　you。　I　have　offered　this　talisman　with　its
terrible　powers　to　men　with　more　energy　in　them　than　you　seem　to　me　to
have；　but　though　they　laughed　at　the　questionable　power　it　might　exert
over　their　futures；　not　one　of　them　was　ready　to　venture　to　conclude
the　fateful　contract　proposed　by　an　unknown　force。　I　am　of　their
opinion；　I　have　doubted　and　refrained；　and〃

〃Have　you　never　even　tried　its　power？〃　interrupted　the　young　stranger。

〃Tried　it！〃　exclaimed　the　old　man。　〃Suppose　that　you　were　on　the
column　in　the　Place　Vendome；　would　you　try　flinging　yourself　into
space？　Is　it　possible　to　stay　the　course　of　life？　Has　a　man　ever　been
known　to　die　by　halves？　Before　you　came　here；　you　had　made　up　your
mind　to　kill　yourself；　but　all　at　once　a　mystery　fills　your　mind；　and
you　think　no　more　about　death。　You　child！　Does　not　any　one　day　of　your
life　afford　mysteries　more　absorbing？　Listen　to　me。　I　saw　the
licentious　days　of　Regency。　I　was　like　you；　then；　in　poverty；　I　have
begged　my　bread；　but　for　all　that；　I　am　now　a　centenarian　with　a
couple　of　years　to　spare；　and　a　millionaire　to　boot。　Misery　was　the
making　of　me；　ignorance　has　made　me　learned。　I　will　tell　you　in　a　few
words　the　great　secret　of　human　life。　By　two　instinctive　processes　man
exhausts　the　springs　of　life　within　him。　Two　verbs　cover　all　the　forms
which　these　two　causes　of　death　may　takeTo　Will　and　To　have　your
Will。　Between　these　two　limits　of　human　activity　the　wise　have
discovered　an　intermediate　formula；　to　which　I　owe　my　good　fortune　and
long　life。　To　Will　consumes　us；　and　To　have　our　Will　destroys　us；　but
To　Know　steeps　our　feeble　organisms　in　perpetual　calm。　In　me　Thought
has　destroyed　Will；　so　that　Power　is　relegated　to　the　ordinary
functions　of　my　economy。　In　a　word；　it　is　not　in　the　heart　which　can
be　broken；　or　in　the　senses　that　become　deadened；　but　it　is　in　the
brain　that　cannot　waste　away　and　survives　everything　else；　that　I　have
set　my　life。　Moderation　has　kept　mind　and　body　unruffled。　Yet；　I　have
seen　the　whole　world。　I　have　learned　all　languages；　lived　after　every
manner。　I　have　lent　a　Chinaman　money；　taking　his　father's　corpse　as　a
pledge；　slept　in　an　Arab's　tent　on　the　security　of　his　bare　word；
signed　contracts　in　every　capital　of　Europe；　and　left　my　gold　without
hesitation　in　savage　wigwams。　I　have　attained　everything；　because　I
have　known　how　to　despise　all　things。

〃My　one　ambition　has　been　to　see。　Is　not　Sight　in　a　manner　Insight？
And　to　have　knowledge　or　insight；　is　not　that　to　have　instinctive
possession？　To　be　able　to　discover　the　very　substance　of　fact　and　to
unite　its　essence　to　our　essence？　Of　material　possession　what　abides
with　you　but　an　idea？　Think；　then；　how　glorious　must　be　the　life　of　a
man　who　can　stamp　all　realities　upon　his　thought；　place　the　springs　of
happiness　within　himself；　and　draw　thence　uncounted　pleasures　in　idea；
unspoiled　by　earthly　stains。　Thought　is　a　key　to　all　treasures；　the
miser's　gains　are　ours　without　his　cares。　Thus　I　have　soared　above
this　world；　where　my　enjoyments　have　been　intellectual　joys。　I　have
reveled　in　the　contemplation　of　seas；　peoples；　forests；　and　mountains！
I　have　seen　all　things；　calmly；　and　without　weariness；　I　have　set　my
desires　on　nothing；　I　have　waited　in　expectation　of　everything。　I　have
walked　to　and　fro　in　the　world　as　in　a　garden　round　about　my　own
dwelling。　Troubles；　loves；　ambitions；　losses；　and　sorrows；　as　men　call
them；　are　for　me　ideas；　which　I　transmute　into　waking　dreams；　I
express　and　transpose　instead　of　feeling　them；　instead　of　permitting
them　to　prey　upon　my　life；　I　dramatize　and　expand　them；　I　divert
myself　with　them　as　if　they　were　romances　which　I　could　read　by　the
power　of　vision　within　me。　As　I　have　never　overtaxed　my　constitution；
I　still　enjoy　robust　health；　and　as　my　mind　is　endowed　with　all　the
force　that　I　have　not　wasted；　this　head　of　mine　is　even　better
furnished　than　my　galleries。　The　true　millions　lie　here；〃　he　said；
striking　his　forehead。　〃I　spend　delicious　days　in　communings　with　the
past；　I　summon　before　me　whole　countries；　places；　extents　of　sea；　the
fair　faces　of　history。　In　my　imaginary　seraglio　I　have　all　the　women
that　I　have　never　possessed。　Your　wars　and　revolutions　come　up　before
me　for　judgment。　What　is　a　feverish　fugitive　admiration　for　some　more
or　less　brightly　colored　piece　of　flesh　and　blood；　some　more　or　less
rounded　human　form；　what　are　all　the　disasters　that　wait　on　your
erratic　whims；　compared　with　the　magnificent　power　of　conjuring　up　the
whole　world　within　your　soul；　compared　with　the　immeasurable　joys　of
movement；　unstrangled　by　the　cords　of　time；　unclogged　by　the　fetters
of　space；　the　joys　of　beholding　all　things；　of　comprehending　all
things；　of　leaning　over　the　parapet　of　the　world　to　question　the　other
spheres；　to　hearken　to　the　voice　of　God？　There；〃　he　burst　out；
vehemently；　〃there　are　To　Will　and　To　have　your　Will；　both　together；〃
he　pointed　to　the　bit　of　shagreen；　〃there　are　your　social　ideas；　your
immoderate　desires；　your　excesses；　your　pleasures　that　end　in　death；
your　sorrows　that　quicken　the　pace　of　life；　for　pain　is　perhaps　but　a
violent　pleasure。　Who　could　determine　the　point　where　pleasure　becomes
pain；　where　pain　is　still　a　pleasure？　Is　not　the　utmost　brightness　of
the　ideal　world　soothing　to　us；　while　the　lightest　shadows　of　the
physical　world　annoy？　Is　not　knowledge　the　secret　of　wisdom？　And　what
is　folly　but　a　riotous　expenditure　of　Will　or　Power？〃

〃Very　good　then；　a　life　of　riotous　excess　for　me！〃　said　the　stranger；
pouncing　upon　the　piece　of　shagreen。

〃Young　man；　beware！〃　cried　the　other　with　incredible　vehemence。

〃I　had　resolved　my　existence　into　thought　and　study；〃　the　stranger
replied；　〃and　yet　they　have　not　even　supported　me。　I　am　not　to　be
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；