the magic skin(驴皮记)-第16章

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soul　of　sin；　the　second；　sin　without　a　soul　in　it。

〃I　should　dearly　like　to　know；〃　Emile　remarked　to　this　pleasing　being；
〃if　you　ever　reflect　upon　your　future？〃

〃My　future！〃　she　answered　with　a　laugh。　〃What　do　you　mean　by　my
future？　Why　should　I　think　about　something　that　does　not　exist　as　yet？
I　never　look　before　or　behind。　Isn't　one　day　at　a　time　more　than　I　can
concern　myself　with　as　it　is？　And　besides；　the　future；　as　we　know；
means　the　hospital。〃

〃How　can　you　forsee　a　future　in　the　hospital；　and　make　no　effort　to
avert　it？〃

〃What　is　there　so　alarming　about　the　hospital？〃　asked　the　terrific
Aquilina。　〃When　we　are　neither　wives　nor　mothers；　when　old　age　draws
black　stockings　over　our　limbs；　sets　wrinkles　on　our　brows；　withers　up
the　woman　in　us；　and　darkens　the　light　in　our　lover's　eyes；　what　could
we　need　when　that　comes　to　pass？　You　would　look　on　us　then　as　mere
human　clay；　we　with　our　habiliments　shall　be　for　you　like　so　much　mud
worthless；　lifeless；　crumbling　to　pieces；　going　about　with　the
rustle　of　dead　leaves。　Rags　or　the　daintiest　finery　will　be　as　one　to
us　then；　the　ambergris　of　the　boudoir　will　breathe　an　odor　of　death
and　dry　bones；　and　suppose　there　is　a　heart　there　in　that　mud；　not　one
of　you　but　would　make　mock　of　it；　not　so　much　as　a　memory　will　you
spare　to　us。　Is　not　our　existence　precisely　the　same　whether　we　live
in　a　fine　mansion　with　lap…dogs　to　tend；　or　sort　rags　in　a　workhouse？
Does　it　make　much　difference　whether　we　shall　hide　our　gray　heads
beneath　lace　or　a　handkerchief　striped　with　blue　and　red；　whether　we
sweep　a　crossing　with　a　birch　broom；　or　the　steps　of　the　Tuileries
with　satins；　whether　we　sit　beside　a　gilded　hearth；　or　cower　over　the
ashes　in　a　red　earthen　pot；　whether　we　go　to　the　Opera　or　look　on　in
the　Place　de　Greve？〃

〃Aquilina　mia；　you　have　never　shown　more　sense　than　in　this　depressing
fit　of　yours；〃　Euphrasia　remarked。　〃Yes；　cashmere；　point　d'Alencon；
perfumes；　gold；　silks；　luxury；　everything　that　sparkles；　everything
pleasant；　belongs　to　youth　alone。　Time　alone　may　show　us　our　folly；
but　good　fortune　will　acquit　us。　You　are　laughing　at　me；〃　she　went　on；
with　a　malicious　glance　at　the　friends；　〃but　am　I　not　right？　I　would
sooner　die　of　pleasure　than　of　illness。　I　am　not　afflicted　with　a
mania　for　perpetuity；　nor　have　I　a　great　veneration　for　human　nature；
such　as　God　has　made　it。　Give　me　millions；　and　I　would　squander　them；
I　should　not　keep　one　centime　for　the　year　to　come。　Live　to　be
charming　and　have　power；　that　is　the　decree　of　my　every　heartbeat。
Society　sanctions　my　life；　does　it　not　pay　for　my　extravagances？　Why
does　Providence　pay　me　every　morning　my　income；　which　I　spend　every
evening？　Why　are　hospitals　built　for　us？　And　Providence　did　not　put
good　and　evil　on　either　hand　for　us　to　select　what　tires　and　pains　us。
I　should　be　very　foolish　if　I　did　not　amuse　myself。〃

〃And　how　about　others？〃　asked　Emile。

〃Others？　Oh；　well；　they　must　manage　for　themselves。　I　prefer　laughing
at　their　woes　to　weeping　over　my　own。　I　defy　any　man　to　give　me　the
slightest　uneasiness。〃

〃What　have　you　suffered　to　make　you　think　like　this？〃　asked　Raphael。

〃I　myself　have　been　forsaken　for　an　inheritance；〃　she　said；　striking
an　attitude　that　displayed　all　her　charms；　〃and　yet　I　had　worked　night
and　day　to　keep　my　lover！　I　am　not　to　be　gulled　by　any　smile　or　vow；
and　I　have　set　myself　to　make　one　long　entertainment　of　my　life。〃

〃But　does　not　happiness　come　from　the　soul　within？〃　cried　Raphael。

〃It　may　be　so；〃　Aquilina　answered；　〃but　is　it　nothing　to　be　conscious
of　admiration　and　flattery；　to　triumph　over　other　women；　even　over　the
most　virtuous；　humiliating　them　before　our　beauty　and　our　splendor？
Not　only　so；　one　day　of　our　life　is　worth　ten　years　of　a　bourgeoise
existence；　and　so　it　is　all　summed　up。〃

〃Is　not　a　woman　hateful　without　virtue？〃　Emile　said　to　Raphael。

Euphrasia's　glance　was　like　a　viper's；　as　she　said；　with　an　irony　in
her　voice　that　cannot　be　rendered：

〃Virtue！　we　leave　that　to　deformity　and　to　ugly　women。　What　would　the
poor　things　be　without　it？〃

〃Hush；　be　quiet；〃　Emile　broke　in。　〃Don't　talk　about　something　you　have
never　known。〃

〃That　I　have　never　known！〃　Euphrasia　answered。　〃You　give　yourself　for
life　to　some　person　you　abominate；　you　must　bring　up　children　who　will
neglect　you；　who　wound　your　very　heart；　and　you　must　say；　'Thank　you！'
for　it；　and　these　are　the　virtues　you　prescribe　to　woman。　And　that　is
not　enough。　By　way　of　requiting　her　self…denial；　you　must　come　and　add
to　her　sorrows　by　trying　to　lead　her　astray；　and　though　you　are
rebuffed；　she　is　compromised。　A　nice　life！　How　far　better　to　keep
one's　freedom；　to　follow　one's　inclinations　in　love；　and　die　young！〃

〃Have　you　no　fear　of　the　price　to　be　paid　some　day　for　all　this？〃

〃Even　then；〃　she　said；　〃instead　of　mingling　pleasures　and　troubles；　my
life　will　consist　of　two　separate　partsa　youth　of　happiness　is
secure；　and　there　may　come　a　hazy；　uncertain　old　age；　during　which　I
can　suffer　at　my　leisure。〃

〃She　has　never　loved；〃　came　in　the　deep　tones　of　Aquilina's　voice。
〃She　never　went　a　hundred　leagues　to　drink　in　one　look　and　a　denial
with　untold　raptures。　She　has　not　hung　her　own　life　on　a　thread；　nor
tried　to　stab　more　than　one　man　to　save　her　sovereign　lord；　her　king；
her　divinity。　。　。　。　Love；　for　her；　meant　a　fascinating　colonel。〃

〃Here　she　is　with　her　La　Rochelle；〃　Euphrasia　made　answer。　〃Love　comes
like　the　wind；　no　one　knows　whence。　And；　for　that　matter；　if　one　of
those　brutes　had　once　fallen　in　love　with　you；　you　would　hold　sensible
men　in　horror。〃

〃Brutes　are　put　out　of　the　question　by　the　Code；〃　said　the　tall；
sarcastic　Aquilina。

〃I　thought　you　had　more　kindness　for　the　army；〃　laughed　Euphrasia。

〃How　happy　they　are　in　their　power　of　dethroning　their　reason　in　this
way；〃　Raphael　exclaimed。

〃Happy？〃　asked　Aquilina；　with　dreadful　look；　and　a　smile　full　of　pity
and　terror。　〃Ah；　you　do　not　know　what　it　is　to　be　condemned　to　a　life
of　pleasure；　with　your　dead　hidden　in　your　heart。　。　。　。〃

A　moment's　consideration　of　the　rooms　was　like　a　foretaste　of　Milton's
Pandemonium。　The　faces　of　those　still　capable　of　drinking　wore　a
hideous　blue　tint；　from　burning　draughts　of　punch。　Mad　dances　were
kept　up　with　wild　energy；　excited　laughter　and　outcries　broke　out　like
the　explosion　of　fireworks。　The　boudoir　and　a　small　adjoining　room
were　strewn　like　a　battlefield　with　the　insensible　and　incapable。
Wine；　pleasure；　and　dispute　had　heated　the　atmosphere。　Wine　and　love；
delirium　and　unconsciousness　possessed　them；　and　were　written　upon　all
faces；　upon　the　furniture；　were　expressed　by　the　surrounding　disorder；
and　brought　light　films　over　the　vision　of　those　assembled；　so　that
the　air　seemed　full　of　intoxicating　vapor。　A　glittering　dust　arose；　as
in　the　luminous　paths　made　by　a　ray　of　sunlight；　the　most　bizarre
forms　flitted　through　it；　grotesque　struggles　were　seen　athwart　it。
Groups　of　interlaced　figures　blended　with　the　white　marbles；　the　noble
masterpieces　of　sculpture　that　adorned　the　rooms。

Though　the　two　friends　yet　preserved　a　sort　of　fallacious　clearness　in
their　ideas　and　voices；　a　feeble　appearance　and　faint　thrill　of
animation；　it　was　yet　almost　impossible　to　distinguish　what　was　real
among　the　fantastic　absurdities　before　them；　or　what　foundation　there
was　for　the　impossible　pictures　that　passed　unceasingly　before　their
weary　eyes。　The　strangest　phenomena　of　dreams　beset　them；　the　lowering
heavens；　the　fervid　sweetness　caught　by　faces　in　our　visions；　and
unheard…of　agility　under　a　load　of　chains；all　these　so　vividly；　that
they　took　the　pranks　of　the　orgy　about　them　for　the　freaks　of　some
nightmare　in　which　all　movement　is　silent；　and　cries　never　reach　the
ear。　The　valet　de　chambre　succeeded　just　then；　after　some　little
difficulty；　in　drawing　his　master　into　the　ante…chamber　to　whisper　to
him：

〃The　neighbors　are　all　at　their　windows；　complaining　of　the　racket；
sir。〃

〃If　noise　alarms　them；　why　don't　they　lay　down　straw　before　their
doors？〃　was　Taillefer's　rejoinder。

Raphael's　sudden　burst　of　laughter　was　so　unseasonable　and　abrupt；
that　his　friend　dema