the magic skin(驴皮记)-第46章

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sudden　accession　of　wealth；　he　happened　to　be　at　his　notary's　house。　A
well…known　physician　had　told　them　quite　seriously；　at　dessert；　how　a
Swiss　attacked　by　consumption　had　cured　himself。　The　man　had　never
spoken　a　word　for　ten　years；　and　had　compelled　himself　to　draw　six
breaths　only；　every　minute；　in　the　close　atmosphere　of　a　cow…house；
adhering　all　the　time　to　a　regimen　of　exceedingly　light　diet。　〃I　will
be　like　that　man；〃　thought　Raphael　to　himself。　He　wanted　life　at　any
price；　and　so　he　led　the　life　of　a　machine　in　the　midst　of　all　the
luxury　around　him。

The　old　professor　confronted　this　youthful　corpse　and　shuddered；　there
seemed　something　unnatural　about　the　meagre；　enfeebled　frame。　In　the
Marquis；　with　his　eager　eyes　and　careworn　forehead；　he　could　hardly
recognize　the　fresh…cheeked　and　rosy　pupil　with　the　active　limbs；　whom
he　remembered。　If　the　worthy　classicist；　sage　critic；　and　general
preserver　of　the　traditions　of　correct　taste　had　read　Byron；　he　would
have　thought　that　he　had　come　on　a　Manfred　when　he　looked　to　find
Childe　Harold。

〃Good　day；　pere　Porriquet；〃　said　Raphael；　pressing　the　old
schoolmaster's　frozen　fingers　in　his　own　damp　ones；　〃how　are　you？〃

〃I　am　very　well；〃　replied　the　other；　alarmed　by　the　touch　of　that
feverish　hand。　〃But　how　about　you？〃

〃Oh；　I　am　hoping　to　keep　myself　in　health。〃

〃You　are　engaged　in　some　great　work；　no　doubt？〃

〃No；〃　Raphael　answered。　〃Exegi　monumemtum；　pere　Porriquet；　I　have
contributed　an　important　page　to　science；　and　have　now　bidden　her
farewell　for　ever。　I　scarcely　know　where　my　manuscript　is。〃

〃The　style　is　no　doubt　correct？〃　queried　the　schoolmaster。　〃You；　I
hope；　would　never　have　adopted　the　barbarous　language　of　the　new
school；　which　fancies　it　has　worked　such　wonders　by　discovering
Ronsard！〃

〃My　work　treats　of　physiology　pure　and　simple。〃

〃Oh；　then；　there　is　no　more　to　be　said；〃　the　schoolmaster　answered。
〃Grammar　must　yield　to　the　exigencies　of　discovery。　Nevertheless；
young　man；　a　lucid　and　harmonious　stylethe　diction　of　Massillon；　of
M。　de　Buffon；　of　the　great　Racinea　classical　style；　in　short；　can
never　spoil　anythingBut；　my　friend；〃　the　schoolmaster　interrupted
himself；　〃I　was　forgetting　the　object　of　my　visit；　which　concerns　my
own　interests。〃

Too　late　Raphael　recalled　to　mind　the　verbose　eloquence　and　elegant
circumlocutions　which　in　a　long　professorial　career　had　grown　habitual
to　his　old　tutor；　and　almost　regretted　that　he　had　admitted　him；　but
just　as　he　was　about　to　wish　to　see　him　safely　outside；　he　promptly
suppressed　his　secret　desire　with　a　stealthy　glance　at　the　Magic　Skin。
It　hung　there　before　him；　fastened　down　upon　some　white　material；
surrounded　by　a　red　line　accurately　traced　about　its　prophetic
outlines。　Since　that　fatal　carouse；　Raphael　had　stifled　every　least
whim；　and　had　lived　so　as　not　to　cause　the　slightest　movement　in　the
terrible　talisman。　The　Magic　Skin　was　like　a　tiger　with　which　he　must
live　without　exciting　its　ferocity。　He　bore　patiently；　therefore；　with
the　old　schoolmaster's　prolixity。

Porriquet　spent　an　hour　in　telling　him　about　the　persecutions　directed
against　him　ever　since　the　Revolution　of　July。　The　worthy　man；　having
a　liking　for　strong　governments；　had　expressed　the　patriotic　wish　that
grocers　should　be　left　to　their　counters；　statesmen　to　the　management
of　public　business；　advocates　to　the　Palais　de　Justice；　and　peers　of
France　to　the　Luxembourg；　but　one　of　the　popularity…seeking　ministers
of　the　Citizen　King　had　ousted　him　from　his　chair；　on　an　accusation　of
Carlism；　and　the　old　man　now　found　himself　without　pension　or　post；
and　with　no　bread　to　eat。　As　he　played　the　part　of　guardian　angel　to　a
poor　nephew；　for　whose　schooling　at　Saint　Sulpice　he　was　paying；　he
came　less　on　his　own　account　than　for　his　adopted　child's　sake；　to
entreat　his　former　pupil's　interest　with　the　new　minister。　He　did　not
ask　to　be　reinstated；　but　only　for　a　position　at　the　head　of　some
provincial　school。

QRaphael　had　fallen　a　victim　to　unconquerable　drowsiness　by　the　time
that　the　worthy　man's　monotonous　voice　ceased　to　sound　in　his　ears。
Civility　had　compelled　him　to　look　at　the　pale　and　unmoving　eyes　of
the　deliberate　and　tedious　old　narrator；　till　he　himself　had　reached
stupefaction；　magnetized　in　an　inexplicable　way　by　the　power　of
inertia。

〃Well；　my　dear　pere　Porriquet；〃　he　said；　not　very　certain　what　the
question　was　to　which　he　was　replying；　〃but　I　can　do　nothing　for　you；
nothing　at　all。　I　WISH　VERY　HEARTILY　that　you　may　succeed〃

All　at　once；　without　seeing　the　change　wrought　on　the　old　man's　sallow
and　wrinkled　brow　by　these　conventional　phrases；　full　of　indifference
and　selfishness；　Raphael　sprang　to　his　feet　like　a　startled　roebuck。
He　saw　a　thin　white　line　between　the　black　piece　of　hide　and　the　red
tracing　about　it；　and　gave　a　cry　so　fearful　that　the　poor　professor
was　frightened　by　it。

〃Old　fool！　Go！〃　he　cried。　〃You　will　be　appointed　as　headmaster！
Couldn't　you　have　asked　me　for　an　annuity　of　a　thousand　crowns　rather
than　a　murderous　wish？　Your　visit　would　have　cost　me　nothing。　There
are　a　hundred　thousand　situations　to　be　had　in　France；　but　I　have　only
one　life。　A　man's　life　is　worth　more　than　all　the　situations　in　the
world。Jonathan！〃

Jonathan　appeared。

〃This　is　your　doing；　double…distilled　idiot！　What　made　you　suggest
that　I　should　see　M。　Porriquet？〃　and　he　pointed　to　the　old　man；　who
was　petrified　with　fright。　〃Did　I　put　myself　in　your　hands　for　you　to
tear　me　in　pieces？　You　have　just　shortened　my　life　by　ten　years！
Another　blunder　of　this　kind；　and　you　will　lay　me　where　I　have　laid　my
father。　Would　I　not　far　rather　have　possessed　the　beautiful　Foedora？
And　I　have　obliged　that　old　hulk　insteadthat　rag　of　humanity！　I　had
money　enough　for　him。　And；　moreover；　if　all　the　Porriquets　in　the
world　were　dying　of　hunger；　what　is　that　to　me？〃

Raphael's　face　was　white　with　anger；　a　slight　froth　marked　his
trembling　lips；　there　was　a　savage　gleam　in　his　eyes。　The　two　elders
shook　with　terror　in　his　presence　like　two　children　at　the　sight　of　a
snake。　The　young　man　fell　back　in　his　armchair；　a　kind　of　reaction
took　place　in　him；　the　tears　flowed　fast　from　his　angry　eyes。

〃Oh；　my　life！〃　he　cried；　〃that　fair　life　of　mine。　Never　to　know　a
kindly　thought　again；　to　love　no　more；　nothing　is　left　to　me！〃

He　turned　to　the　professor　and　went　on　in　a　gentle　voice〃The　harm　is
done；　my　old　friend。　Your　services　have　been　well　repaid；　and　my
misfortune　has　at　any　rate　contributed　to　the　welfare　of　a　good　and
worthy　man。〃

His　tones　betrayed　so　much　feeling　that　the　almost　unintelligible
words　drew　tears　from　the　two　old　men；　such　tears　as　are　shed　over
some　pathetic　song　in　a　foreign　tongue。

〃He　is　epileptic；〃　muttered　Porriquet。

〃I　understand　your　kind　intentions；　my　friend；〃　Raphael　answered
gently。　〃You　would　make　excuses　for　me。　Ill…health　cannot　be　helped；
but　ingratitude　is　a　grievous　fault。　Leave　me　now；〃　he　added。　〃To…
morrow　or　the　next　day；　or　possibly　to…night；　you　will　receive　your
appointment；　Resistance　has　triumphed　over　Motion。　Farewell。〃

The　old　schoolmaster　went　away；　full　of　keen　apprehension　as　to
Valentin's　sanity。　A　thrill　of　horror　ran　through　him；　there　had　been
something　supernatural；　he　thought；　in　the　scene　he　had　passed
through。　He　could　hardly　believe　his　own　impressions；　and　questioned
them　like　one　awakened　from　a　painful　dream。

〃Now　attend　to　me；　Jonathan；〃　said　the　young　man　to　his　old　servant。
〃Try　to　understand　the　charge　confided　to　you。〃

〃Yes；　my　Lord　Marquis。〃

〃I　am　as　a　man　outlawed　from　humanity。〃

〃Yes；　my　Lord　Marquis。〃

〃All　the　pleasures　of　life　disport　themselves　round　my　bed　of　death；
and　dance　about　me　like　fair　women；　but　if　I　beckon　to　them；　I　must
die。　Death　always　confronts　me。　You　must　be　the　barrier　between　the
world　and　me。〃

〃Yes；　my　Lord　Marquis；〃　said　the　old　servant；　wiping　the　drops　of
perspiration　from　his　wrinkled　forehead。　〃But　if　you　don't　wish　to　see
pretty　women；　how　will　you　manage　at　the　Italiens　this　evening？　An
English　family　is　returning　to　London；　and　I　have　taken　their　box　for
the　rest　of　the　season；　and　it