the magic skin(驴皮记)-第41章
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for my way of living? Why had I eaten puddings a la chipolata? Why had
I iced my wine? Why had I slept; or walked; or thought; or amused
myself when I had not paid them?
〃At any moment; in the middle of a poem; during some train of thought;
or while I was gaily breakfasting in the pleasant company of my
friends; I might look to see a gentleman enter in a coat of chestnut…
brown; with a shabby hat in his hand。 This gentleman's appearance
would signify my debt; the bill I had drawn; the spectre would compel
me to leave the table to speak to him; blight my spirits; despoil me
of my cheerfulness; of my mistress; of all I possessed; down to my
very bedstead。
〃Remorse itself is more easily endured。 Remorse does not drive us into
the street nor into the prison of Sainte…Pelagie; it does not force us
into the detestable sink of vice。 Remorse only brings us to the
scaffold; where the executioner invests us with a certain dignity; as
we pay the extreme penalty; everybody believes in our innocence; but
people will not credit a penniless prodigal with a single virtue。
〃My debts had other incarnations。 There is the kind that goes about on
two feet; in a green cloth coat; and blue spectacles; carrying
umbrellas of various hues; you come face to face with him at the
corner of some street; in the midst of your mirth。 These have the
detestable prerogative of saying; 'M。 de Valentin owes me something;
and does not pay。 I have a hold on him。 He had better not show me any
offensive airs!' You must bow to your creditors; and moreover bow
politely。 'When are you going to pay me?' say they。 And you must lie;
and beg money of another man; and cringe to a fool seated on his
strong…box; and receive sour looks in return from these horse…leeches;
a blow would be less hateful; you must put up with their crass
ignorance and calculating morality。 A debt is a feat of the
imaginative that they cannot appreciate。 A borrower is often carried
away and over…mastered by generous impulses; nothing great; nothing
magnanimous can move or dominate those who live for money; and
recognize nothing but money。 I myself held money in abhorrence。
〃Or a bill may undergo a final transformation into some meritorious
old man with a family dependent upon him。 My creditor might be a
living picture for Greuze; a paralytic with his children round him; a
soldier's widow; holding out beseeching hands to me。 Terrible
creditors are these with whom we are forced to sympathize; and when
their claims are satisfied we owe them a further debt of assistance。
〃The night before the bills fell due; I lay down with the false calm
of those who sleep before their approaching execution; or with a duel
in prospect; rocked as they are by delusive hopes。 But when I woke;
when I was cool and collected; when I found myself imprisoned in a
banker's portfolio; and floundering in statements covered with red ink
then my debts sprang up everywhere; like grasshoppers; before my
eyes。 There were my debts; my clock; my armchairs; my debts were
inlaid in the very furniture which I liked best to use。 These gentle
inanimate slaves were to fall prey to the harpies of the Chatelet;
were to be carried off by the broker's men; and brutally thrown on the
market。 Ah; my property was a part of myself!
〃The sound of the door…bell rang through my heart; while it seemed to
strike at me; where kings should be struck atin the head。 Mine was a
martyrdom; without heaven for its reward。 For a magnanimous nature;
debt is a hell; and a hell; moreover; with sheriff's officers and
brokers in it。 An undischarged debt is something mean and sordid; it
is a beginning of knavery; it is something worse; it is a lie; it
prepares the way for crime; and brings together the planks for the
scaffold。 My bills were protested。 Three days afterwards I met them;
and this is how it happened。
〃A speculator came; offering to buy the island in the Loire belonging
to me; where my mother lay buried。 I closed with him。 When I went to
his solicitor to sign the deeds; I felt a cavern…like chill in the
dark office that made me shudder; it was the same cold dampness that
had laid hold upon me at the brink of my father's grave。 I looked upon
this as an evil omen。 I seemed to see the shade of my mother; and to
hear her voice。 What power was it that made my own name ring vaguely
in my ears; in spite of the clamor of bells?
〃The money paid down for my island; when all my debts were discharged;
left me in possession of two thousand francs。 I could now have
returned to the scholar's tranquil life; it is true; I could have gone
back to my garret after having gained an experience of life; with my
head filled with the results of extensive observation; and with a
certain sort of reputation attaching to me。 But Foedora's hold upon
her victim was not relaxed。 We often met。 I compelled her admirers to
sound my name in her ears; by dint of astonishing them with my
cleverness and success; with my horses and equipages。 It all found her
impassive and uninterested; so did an ugly phrase of Rastignac's; 'He
is killing himself for you。'
〃I charged the world at large with my revenge; but I was not happy。
While I was fathoming the miry depths of life; I only recognized the
more keenly at all times the happiness of reciprocal affection; it was
a shadow that I followed through all that befell me in my
extravagance; and in my wildest moments。 It was my misfortune to be
deceived in my fairest beliefs; to be punished by ingratitude for
benefiting others; and to receive uncounted pleasures as the reward of
my errorsa sinister doctrine; but a true one for the prodigal!
〃The contagious leprosy of Foedora's vanity had taken hold of me at
last。 I probed my soul; and found it cankered and rotten。 I bore the
marks of the devil's claw upon my forehead。 It was impossible to me
thenceforward to do without the incessant agitation of a life fraught
with danger at every moment; or to dispense with the execrable
refinements of luxury。 If I had possessed millions; I should still
have gambled; reveled; and racketed about。 I wished never to be alone
with myself; and I must have false friends and courtesans; wine and
good cheer to distract me。 The ties that attach a man to family life
had been permanently broken for me。 I had become a galley…slave of
pleasure; and must accomplish my destiny of suicide。 During the last
days of my prosperity; I spent every night in the most incredible
excesses; but every morning death cast me back upon life again。 I
would have taken a conflagration with as little concern as any man
with a life annuity。 However; I at last found myself alone with a
twenty…franc piece; I bethought me then of Rastignac's luck
〃Eh; eh!〃 Raphael exclaimed; interrupting himself; as he
remembered the talisman and drew it from his pocket。 Perhaps he was
wearied by the long day's strain; and had no more strength left
wherewith to pilot his head through the seas of wine and punch; or
perhaps; exasperated by this symbol of his own existence; the torrent
of his own eloquence gradually overwhelmed him。 Raphael became excited
and elated and like one completely deprived of reason。
〃The devil take death!〃 he shouted; brandishing the skin; 〃I mean to
live! I am rich; I have every virtue; nothing will withstand me。 Who
would not be generous; when everything is in his power? Aha! Aha! I
wished for two hundred thousand livres a year; and I shall have them。
Bow down before me; all of you; wallowing on the carpets like swine in
the mire! You all belong to mea precious property truly! I am rich;
I could buy you all; even the deputy snoring over there。 Scum of
society; give me your benediction! I am the Pope。〃
Raphael's vociferations had been hitherto drowned by a thorough…bass
of snores; but now they became suddenly audible。 Most of the sleepers
started up with a cry; saw the cause of the disturbance on his feet;
tottering uncertainly; and cursed him in concert for a drunken
brawler。
〃Silence!〃 shouted Raphael。 〃Back to your kennels; you dogs! Emile; I
have riches; I will give you Havana cigars!〃
〃I am listening;〃 the poet replied。 〃Death or Foedora! On with you!
That