the magic skin(驴皮记)-第4章

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interval　till　nightfall　in　bargaining　over　curiosities。

He　sought；　one　might　say；　to　regain　courage　and　to　find　a　stimulant；
like　a　criminal　who　doubts　his　power　to　reach　the　scaffold。　The
consciousness　of　approaching　death　gave　him；　for　the　time　being；　the
intrepidity　of　a　duchess　with　a　couple　of　lovers；　so　that　he　entered
the　place　with　an　abstracted　look；　while　his　lips　displayed　a　set
smile　like　a　drunkard's。　Had　not　life；　or　rather　had　not　death；
intoxicated　him？　Dizziness　soon　overcame　him　again。　Things　appeared　to
him　in　strange　colors；　or　as　making　slight　movements；　his　irregular
pulse　was　no　doubt　the　cause；　the　blood　that　sometimes　rushed　like　a
burning　torrent　through　his　veins；　and　sometimes　lay　torpid　and
stagnant　as　tepid　water。　He　merely　asked　leave　to　see　if　the　shop
contained　any　curiosities　which　he　required。

A　plump…faced　young　shopman　with　red　hair；　in　an　otter…skin　cap；　left
an　old　peasant　woman　in　charge　of　the　shopa　sort　of　feminine
Caliban；　employed　in　cleaning　a　stove　made　marvelous　by　Bernard
Palissy's　work。　This　youth　remarked　carelessly：

〃Look　round；　monsieur！　We　have　nothing　very　remarkable　here
downstairs；　but　if　I　may　trouble　you　to　go　up　to　the　first　floor；　I
will　show　you　some　very　fine　mummies　from　Cairo；　some　inlaid　pottery；
and　some　carved　ebonygenuine　Renaissance　work；　just　come　in；　and　of
perfect　beauty。〃

In　the　stranger's　fearful　position　this　cicerone's　prattle　and
shopman's　empty　talk　seemed　like　the　petty　vexations　by　which　narrow
minds　destroy　a　man　of　genius。　But　as　he　must　even　go　through　with　it；
he　appeared　to　listen　to　his　guide；　answering　him　by　gestures　or
monosyllables；　but　imperceptibly　he　arrogated　the　privilege　of　saying
nothing；　and　gave　himself　up　without　hindrance　to　his　closing
meditations；　which　were　appalling。　He　had　a　poet's　temperament；　his
mind　had　entered　by　chance　on　a　vast　field；　and　he　must　see　perforce
the　dry　bones　of　twenty　future　worlds。

At　a　first　glance　the　place　presented　a　confused　picture　in　which
every　achievement；　human　and　divine；　was　mingled。　Crocodiles；　monkeys；
and　serpents　stuffed　with　straw　grinned　at　glass　from　church　windows；
seemed　to　wish　to　bite　sculptured　heads；　to　chase　lacquered　work；　or
to　scramble　up　chandeliers。　A　Sevres　vase；　bearing　Napoleon's　portrait
by　Mme。　Jacotot；　stood　beside　a　sphinx　dedicated　to　Sesostris。　The
beginnings　of　the　world　and　the　events　of　yesterday　were　mingled　with
grotesque　cheerfulness。　A　kitchen　jack　leaned　against　a　pyx；　a
republican　sabre　on　a　mediaeval　hackbut。　Mme。　du　Barry；　with　a　star
above　her　head；　naked；　and　surrounded　by　a　cloud；　seemed　to　look
longingly　out　of　Latour's　pastel　at　an　Indian　chibook；　while　she　tried
to　guess　the　purpose　of　the　spiral　curves　that　wound　towards　her。
Instruments　of　death；　poniards；　curious　pistols；　and　disguised　weapons
had　been　flung　down　pell…mell　among　the　paraphernalia　of　daily　life；
porcelain　tureens；　Dresden　plates；　translucent　cups　from　china；　old
salt…cellars；　comfit…boxes　belonging　to　feudal　times。　A　carved　ivory
ship　sped　full　sail　on　the　back　of　a　motionless　tortoise。

The　Emperor　Augustus　remained　unmoved　and　imperial　with　an　air…pump
thrust　into　one　eye。　Portraits　of　French　sheriffs　and　Dutch
burgomasters；　phlegmatic　now　as　when　in　life；　looked　down　pallid　and
unconcerned　on　the　chaos　of　past　ages　below　them。

Every　land　of　earth　seemed　to　have　contributed　some　stray　fragment　of
its　learning；　some　example　of　its　art。　Nothing　seemed　lacking　to　this
philosophical　kitchen…midden；　from　a　redskin's　calumet；　a　green　and
golden　slipper　from　the　seraglio；　a　Moorish　yataghan；　a　Tartar　idol；
to　the　soldier's　tobacco　pouch；　to　the　priest's　ciborium；　and　the
plumes　that　once　adorned　a　throne。　This　extraordinary　combination　was
rendered　yet　more　bizarre　by　the　accidents　of　lighting；　by　a　multitude
of　confused　reflections　of　various　hues；　by　the　sharp　contrast　of
blacks　and　whites。　Broken　cries　seemed　to　reach　the　ear；　unfinished
dramas　seized　upon　the　imagination；　smothered　lights　caught　the　eye。　A
thin　coating　of　inevitable　dust　covered　all　the　multitudinous　corners
and　convolutions　of　these　objects　of　various　shapes　which　gave　highly
picturesque　effects。

First　of　all；　the　stranger　compared　the　three　galleries　which
civilization；　cults；　divinities；　masterpieces；　dominions；　carousals；
sanity；　and　madness　had　filled　to　repletion；　to　a　mirror　with　numerous
facets；　each　depicting　a　world。　After　this　first　hazy　idea　he　would
fain　have　selected　his　pleasures；　but　by　dint　of　using　his　eyes；
thinking　and　musing；　a　fever　began　to　possess　him；　caused　perhaps　by
the　gnawing　pain　of　hunger。　The　spectacle　of　so　much　existence；
individual　or　national；　to　which　these　pledges　bore　witness；　ended　by
numbing　his　sensesthe　purpose　with　which　he　entered　the　shop　was
fulfilled。　He　had　left　the　real　behind；　and　had　climbed　gradually　up
to　an　ideal　world；　he　had　attained　to　the　enchanted　palace　of　ecstasy；
whence　the　universe　appeared　to　him　by　fragments　and　in　shapes　of
flame；　as　once　the　future　blazed　out　before　the　eyes　of　St。　John　in
Patmos。

A　crowd　of　sorrowing　faces；　beneficent　and　appalling；　dark　and
luminous；　far　and　near；　gathered　in　numbers；　in　myriads；　in　whole
generations。　Egypt；　rigid　and　mysterious；　arose　from　her　sands　in　the
form　of　a　mummy　swathed　in　black　bandages；　then　the　Pharaohs　swallowed
up　nations；　that　they　might　build　themselves　a　tomb；　and　he　beheld
Moses　and　the　Hebrews　and　the　desert；　and　a　solemn　antique　world。
Fresh　and　joyous；　a　marble　statue　spoke　to　him　from　a　twisted　column
of　the　pleasure…loving　myths　of　Greece　and　Ionia。　Ah！　who　would　not
have　smiled　with　him　to　see；　against　the　earthen　red　background；　the
brown…faced　maiden　dancing　with　gleeful　reverence　before　the　god
Priapus；　wrought　in　the　fine　clay　of　an　Etruscan　vase？　The　Latin　queen
caressed　her　chimera。

The　whims　of　Imperial　Rome　were　there　in　life；　the　bath　was　disclosed；
the　toilette　of　a　languid　Julia；　dreaming；　waiting　for　her　Tibullus。
Strong　with　the　might　of　Arabic　spells；　the　head　of　Cicero　evoked
memories　of　a　free　Rome；　and　unrolled　before　him　the　scrolls　of　Titus
Livius。　The　young　man　beheld　Senatus　Populusque　Romanus；　consuls；
lictors；　togas　with　purple　fringes；　the　fighting　in　the　Forum；　the
angry　people；　passed　in　review　before　him　like　the　cloudy　faces　of　a
dream。

Then　Christian　Rome　predominated　in　his　vision。　A　painter　had　laid
heaven　open；　he　beheld　the　Virgin　Mary　wrapped　in　a　golden　cloud　among
the　angels；　shining　more　brightly　than　the　sun；　receiving　the　prayers
of　sufferers；　on　whom　this　second　Eve　Regenerate　smiles　pityingly。　At
the　touch　of　a　mosaic；　made　of　various　lavas　from　Vesuvius　and　Etna；
his　fancy　fled　to　the　hot　tawny　south　of　Italy。　He　was　present　at
Borgia's　orgies；　he　roved　among　the　Abruzzi；　sought　for　Italian　love
intrigues；　grew　ardent　over　pale　faces　and　dark；　almond…shaped　eyes。
He　shivered　over　midnight　adventures；　cut　short　by　the　cool　thrust　of
a　jealous　blade；　as　he　saw　a　mediaeval　dagger　with　a　hilt　wrought　like
lace；　and　spots　of　rust　like　splashes　of　blood　upon　it。

India　and　its　religions　took　the　shape　of　the　idol　with　his　peaked　cap
of　fantastic　form；　with　little　bells；　clad　in　silk　and　gold。　Close　by；
a　mat；　as　pretty　as　the　bayadere　who　once　lay　upon　it；　still　gave　out
a　faint　scent　of　sandal　wood。　His　fancy　was　stirred　by　a　goggle…eyed
Chinese　monster；　with　mouth　awry　and　twisted　limbs；　the　invention　of　a
people　who；　grown　weary　of　the　monotony　of　beauty；　found　an
indescribable　pleasure　in　an　infinite　variety　of　ugliness。　A　salt…
cellar　from　Benvenuto　Cellini's　workshop　carried　him　back　to　the
Renaissance　at　its　height；　to　the　time　when　there　was　no　restraint　on
art　or　morals；　when　torture　was　the　sport　of　sovereigns；　and　from
their　councils；　churchmen　with　courtesans'　arms　about　them　issued
decrees　of　chastity　for　simple　priests。

On　a　cameo　he　saw　the　conquests　of　Alexander；　the　massacres　of　Pizarro
in　a　matchbox；　and　religious　wars　disorderly；　fanatical；　and　cruel；　in
the　shadows　of　a　helmet。　Joyous　pictures　of　chivalry　were　called　up　by
a　suit　of　Milanese　armor；　brightly　polished　and　richly　wrought；　a