the magic skin(驴皮记)-第25章

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sort　of　feminine　enigma；　a　half　Russian　Parisienne；　or　a　half　Parisian
Russian。　All　the　romantic　productions　that　never　get　published　are
brought　out　at　her　house；　she　is　the　handsomest　woman　in　Paris；　and
the　most　gracious！　You　are　not　even　a　Hottentot；　you　are　something
between　the　Hottentot　and　the　beast。　。　。　。　Good…bye　till　to…morrow。'

〃He　swung　round　on　his　heel　and　made　off　without　waiting　for　my
answer。　It　never　occurred　to　him　that　a　reasoning　being　could　refuse
an　introduction　to　Foedora。　How　can　the　fascination　of　a　name　be
explained？　FOEDORA　haunted　me　like　some　evil　thought；　with　which　you
seek　to　come　to　terms。　A　voice　said　in　me；　'You　are　going　to　see
Foedora！'　In　vain　I　reasoned　with　that　voice；　saying　that　it　lied　to
me；　all　my　arguments　were　defeated　by　the　name　'Foedora。'　Was　not　the
name；　and　even　the　woman　herself；　the　symbol　of　all　my　desires；　and
the　object　of　my　life？

〃The　name　called　up　recollections　of　the　conventional　glitter　of　the
world；　the　upper　world　of　Paris　with　its　brilliant　fetes　and　the
tinsel　of　its　vanities。　The　woman　brought　before　me　all　the　problems
of　passion　on　which　my　mind　continually　ran。　Perhaps　it　was　neither
the　woman　nor　the　name；　but　my　own　propensities；　that　sprang　up　within
me　and　tempted　me　afresh。　Here　was　the　Countess　Foedora；　rich　and
loveless；　proof　against　the　temptations　of　Paris；　was　not　this　woman
the　very　incarnation　of　my　hopes　and　visions？　I　fashioned　her　for
myself；　drew　her　in　fancy；　and　dreamed　of　her。　I　could　not　sleep　that
night；　I　became　her　lover；　I　overbrimmed　a　few　hours　with　a　whole
lifetimea　lover's　lifetime；　the　experience　of　its　prolific　delights
burned　me。

〃The　next　day　I　could　not　bear　the　tortures　of　delay；　I　borrowed　a
novel；　and　spent　the　whole　day　over　it；　so　that　I　could　not　possibly
think　nor　keep　account　of　the　time　till　night。　Foedora's　name　echoed
through　me　even　as　I　read；　but　only　as　a　distant　sound；　though　it
could　be　heard；　it　was　not　troublesome。　Fortunately；　I　owned　a　fairly
creditable　black　coat　and　a　white　waistcoat；　of　all　my　fortune　there
now　remained　abut　thirty　francs；　which　I　had　distributed　about　among
my　clothes　and　in　my　drawers；　so　as　to　erect　between　my　whims　and　the
spending　of　a　five…franc　piece　a　thorny　barrier　of　search；　and　an
adventurous　peregrination　round　my　room。　While　I　as　dressing；　I　dived
about　for　my　money　in　an　ocean　of　papers。　This　scarcity　of　specie　will
give　you　some　idea　of　the　value　of　that　squandered　upon　gloves　and
cab…hire；　a　month's　bread　disappeared　at　one　fell　swoop。　Alas！　money
is　always　forthcoming　for　our　caprices；　we　only　grudge　the　cost　of
things　that　are　useful　or　necessary。　We　recklessly　fling　gold　to　an
opera…dancer；　and　haggle　with　a　tradesman　whose　hungry　family　must
wait　for　the　settlement　of　our　bill。　How　many　men　are　there　that　wear
a　coat　that　cost　a　hundred　francs；　and　carry　a　diamond　in　the　head　of
their　cane；　and　dine　for　twenty…five　SOUS　for　all　that！　It　seems　as
though　we　could　never　pay　enough　for　the　pleasures　of　vanity。

〃Rastignac；　punctual　to　his　appointment；　smiled　at　the　transformation；
and　joked　about　it。　On　the　way　he　gave　me　benevolent　advice　as　to　my
conduct　with　the　countess；　he　described　her　as　mean；　vain；　and
suspicious；　but　though　mean；　she　was　ostentatious；　her　vanity　was
transparent；　and　her　mistrust　good…humored。

〃　'You　know　I　am　pledged；'　he　said；　'and　what　I　should　lose；　too；　if　I
tried　a　change　in　love。　So　my　observation　of　Foedora　has　been　quite
cool　and　disinterested；　and　my　remarks　must　have　some　truth　in　them。　I
was　looking　to　your　future　when　I　thought　of　introducing　you　to　her；
so　mind　very　carefully　what　I　am　about　to　say。　She　has　a　terrible
memory。　She　is　clever　enough　to　drive　a　diplomatist　wild；　she　would
know　it　at　once　if　he　spoke　the　truth。　Between　ourselves；　I　fancy　that
her　marriage　was　not　recognized　by　the　Emperor；　for　the　Russian
ambassador　began　to　smile　when　I　spoke　of　her；　he　does　not　receive　her
either；　and　only　bows　very　coolly　if　he　meets　her　in　the　Bois。　For　all
that；　she　is　in　Madame　de　Serizy's　set；　and　visits　Mesdames　de
Nucingen　and　de　Restaud。　There　is　no　cloud　over　her　here　in　France；
the　Duchesse　de　Carigliano；　the　most…strait…laced　marechale　in　the
whole　Bonapartist　coterie；　often　goes　to　spend　the　summer　with　her　at
her　country　house。　Plenty　of　young　fops；　sons　of　peers　of　France；　have
offered　her　a　title　in　exchange　for　her　fortune；　and　she　has　politely
declined　them　all。　Her　susceptibilities；　maybe；　are　not　to　be　touched
by　anything　less　than　a　count。　Aren't　you　a　marquis？　Go　ahead　if　you
fancy　her。　This　is　what　you　may　call　receiving　your　instructions。'

〃His　raillery　made　me　think　that　Rastignac　wished　to　joke　and　excite
my　curiosity；　so　that　I　was　in　a　paroxysm　of　my　extemporized　passion
by　the　time　that　we　stopped　before　a　peristyle　full　of　flowers。　My
heart　beat　and　my　color　rose　as　we　went　up　the　great　carpeted
staircase；　and　I　noticed　about　me　all　the　studied　refinements　of
English　comfort；　I　was　infatuatedly　bourgeois；　I　forgot　my　origin　and
all　my　personal　and　family　pride。　Alas！　I　had　but　just　left　a　garret；
after　three　years　of　poverty；　and　I　could　not　just　then　set　the
treasures　there　acquired　above　such　trifles　as　these。　Nor　could　I
rightly　estimate　the　worth　of　the　vast　intellectual　capital　which
turns　to　riches　at　the　moment　when　opportunity　comes　within　our　reach；
opportunity　that　does　not　overwhelm；　because　study　has　prepared　us　for
the　struggles　of　public　life。

〃I　found　a　woman　of　about　twenty…two　years　of　age；　she　was　of　average
height；　was　dressed　in　white；　and　held　a　feather　fire…screen　in　her
hand；　a　group　of　men　stood　around　her。　She　rose　at　the　sight　of
Rastignac；　and　came　towards　us　with　a　gracious　smile　and　a　musically…
uttered　compliment；　prepared　no　doubt　beforehand；　for　me。　Our　friend
had　spoken　of　me　as　a　rising　man；　and　his　clever　way　of　making　the
most　of　me　had　procured　me　this　flattering　reception。　I　was　confused
by　the　attention　that　every　one　paid　to　me；　but　Rastignac　had　luckily
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