the magic skin(驴皮记)-第48章

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eclipsed　the　loveliest　and　best…dressed　women　in　Paris。　She　laughed　to
show　her　white　teeth；　her　head　with　its　wreath　of　flowers　was　never
still；　in　her　quest　of　admiration。　Her　glances　went　from　one　box　to
another；　as　she　diverted　herself　with　the　awkward　way　in　which　a
Russian　princess　wore　her　bonnet；　or　over　the　utter　failure　of　a
bonnet　with　which　a　banker's　daughter　had　disfigured　herself。

All　at　once　she　met　Raphael's　steady　gaze　and　turned　pale；　aghast　at
the　intolerable　contempt　in　her　rejected　lover's　eyes。　Not　one　of　her
exiled　suitors　had　failed　to　own　her　power　over　them；　Valentin　alone
was　proof　against　her　attractions。　A　power　that　can　be　defied　with
impunity　is　drawing　to　its　end。　This　axiom　is　as　deeply　engraved　on
the　heart　of　woman　as　in　the　minds　of　kings。　In　Raphael；　therefore；
Foedora　saw　the　deathblow　of　her　influence　and　her　ability　to　please。
An　epigram　of　his；　made　at　the　Opera　the　day　before；　was　already　known
in　the　salons　of　Paris。　The　biting　edge　of　that　terrible　speech　had
already　given　the　Countess　an　incurable　wound。　We　know　how　to
cauterize　a　wound；　but　we　know　of　no　treatment　as　yet　for　the　stab　of
a　phrase。　As　every　other　woman　in　the　house　looked　by　turns　at　her　and
at　the　Marquis；　Foedora　would　have　consigned　them　all　to　the
oubliettes　of　some　Bastille；　for　in　spite　of　her　capacity　for
dissimulation；　her　discomfiture　was　discerned　by　her　rivals。　Her
unfailing　consolation　had　slipped　from　her　at　last。　The　delicious
thought；　〃I　am　the　most　beautiful；〃　the　thought　that　at　all　times　had
soothed　every　mortification；　had　turned　into　a　lie。

At　the　opening　of　the　second　act　a　woman　took　up　her　position　not　very
far　from　Raphael；　in　a　box　that　had　been　empty　hitherto。　A　murmur　of
admiration　went　up　from　the　whole　house。　In　that　sea　of　human　faces
there　was　a　movement　of　every　living　wave；　all　eyes　were　turned　upon
the　stranger　lady。　The　applause　of　young　and　old　was　so　prolonged；
that　when　the　orchestra　began；　the　musicians　turned　to　the　audience　to
request　silence；　and　then　they　themselves　joined　in　the　plaudits　and
swelled　the　confusion。　Excited　talk　began　in　every　box；　every　woman
equipped　herself　with　an　opera　glass；　elderly　men　grew　young　again；
and　polished　the　glasses　of　their　lorgnettes　with　their　gloves。　The
enthusiasm　subsided　by　degrees；　the　stage　echoed　with　the　voices　of
the　singers；　and　order　reigned　as　before。　The　aristocratic　section；
ashamed　of　having　yielded　to　a　spontaneous　feeling；　again　assumed
their　wonted　politely　frigid　manner。　The　well…to…do　dislike　to　be
astonished　at　anything；　at　the　first　sight　of　a　beautiful　thing　it
becomes　their　duty　to　discover　the　defect　in　it　which　absolves　them
from　admiring　it；the　feeling　of　all　ordinary　minds。　Yet　a　few　still
remained　motionless　and　heedless　of　the　music；　artlessly　absorbed　in
the　delight　of　watching　Raphael's　neighbor。

Valentin　noticed　Taillefer's　mean；　obnoxious　countenance　by　Aquilina's
side　in　a　lower　box；　and　received　an　approving　smirk　from　him。　Then　he
saw　Emile；　who　seemed　to　say　from　where　he　stood　in　the　orchestra；
〃Just　look　at　that　lovely　creature　there；　close　beside　you！〃　Lastly；
he　saw　Rastignac；　with　Mme。　de　Nucingen　and　her　daughter；　twisting　his
gloves　like　a　man　in　despair；　because　he　was　tethered　to　his　place；
and　could　not　leave　it　to　go　any　nearer　to　the　unknown　fair　divinity。

Raphael's　life　depended　upon　a　covenant　that　he　had　made　with　himself；
and　had　hitherto　kept　sacred。　He　would　give　no　special　heed　to　any
woman　whatever；　and　the　better　to　guard　against　temptation；　he　used　a
cunningly　contrived　opera…glass　which　destroyed　the　harmony　of　the
fairest　features　by　hideous　distortions。　He　had　not　recovered　from　the
terror　that　had　seized　on　him　in　the　morning　when；　at　a　mere
expression　of　civility；　the　Magic　Skin　had　contracted　so　abruptly。　So
Raphael　was　determined　not　to　turn　his　face　in　the　direction　of　his
neighbor。　He　sat　imperturbable　as　a　duchess　with　his　back　against　the
corner　of　the　box；　thereby　shutting　out　half　of　his　neighbor's　view　of
the　stage；　appearing　to　disregard　her；　and　even　to　be　unaware　that　a
pretty　woman　sat　there　just　behind　him。

His　neighbor　copied　Valentin's　position　exactly；　she　leaned　her　elbow
on　the　edge　of　her　box　and　turned　her　face　in　three…quarter　profile
upon　the　singers　on　the　stage；　as　if　she　were　sitting　to　a　painter。
These　two　people　looked　like　two　estranged　lovers　still　sulking；　still
turning　their　backs　upon　each　other；　who　will　go　into　each　other's
arms　at　the　first　tender　word。

Now　and　again　his　neighbor's　ostrich　feathers　or　her　hair　came　in
contact　with　Raphael's　head；　giving　him　a　pleasurable　thrill；　against
which　he　sternly　fought。　In　a　little　while　he　felt　the　touch　of　the
soft　frill　of　lace　that　went　round　her　dress；　he　could　hear　the
gracious　sounds　of　the　folds　of　her　dress　itself；　light　rustling
noises　full　of　enchantment；　he　could　even　feel　her　movements　as　she
breathed；　with　the　gentle　stir　thus　imparted　to　her　form　and　to　her
draperies；　it　seemed　to　Raphael　that　all　her　being　was　suddenly
communicated　to　him　in　an　electric　spark。　The　lace　and　tulle　that
caressed　him　imparted　the　delicious　warmth　of　her　bare；　white
shoulders。　By　a　freak　in　the　ordering　of　things；　these　two　creatures；
kept　apart　by　social　conventions；　with　the　abysses　of　death　between
them；　breathed　together　and　perhaps　thought　of　one　another。　Finally；
the　subtle　perfume　of　aloes　completed　the　work　of　Raphael's
intoxication。　Opposition　heated　his　imagination；　and　his　fancy；　become
the　wilder　for　the　limits　imposed　upon　it；　sketched　a　woman　for　him　in
outlines　of　fire。　He　turned　abruptly；　the　stranger　made　a　similar
movement；　startled　no　doubt　at　being　brought　in　contact　with　a
stranger；　and　they　remained　face　to　face；　each　with　the　same　thought。

〃Pauline！〃

〃M。　Raphael！〃

Each　surveyed　the　other；　both　of　them　petrified　with　astonishment。
Raphael　noticed　Pauline's　daintily　simple　costume。　A　woman's
experienced　eyes　would　have　discerned　and　admired　the　outlines　beneath
the　modest　gauze　folds　of　her　bodice　and　the　lily　whiteness　of　her
throat。　And　then　her　more　than　mortal　clearness　of　soul；　her　maidenly
modesty；　her　graceful　bearing；　all　were　unchanged。　Her　sleeve　was
quivering　with　agitation；　for　the　beating　of　her　heart　was　shaking　her
whole　frame。

〃Come　to　the　Hotel　de　Saint…Quentin　to…morrow　for　your　papers；〃　she
said。　〃I　will　be　there　at　noon。　Be　punctual。〃

She　rose　hastily；　and　disappeared。　Raphael　thought　of　following
Pauline；　feared　to　compromise　her；　and　stayed。　He　looked　at　Foedora；
she　seemed　to　him　positively　ugly。　Unable　to　understand　a　single
phrase　of　the　music；　and　feeling　stifled　in　the　theatre；　he　went　out；
and　returned　home　with　a　full　heart。

〃Jonathan；〃　he　said　to　the　old　servant；　as　soon　as　he　lay　in　bed；
〃give　me　half　a　drop　of　laudanum　on　a　piece　of　sugar；　and　don't　wake
me　to…morrow　till　twenty　minutes　to　twelve。〃

〃I　want　Pauline　to　love　me！〃　he　cried　next　morning；　looking　at　the
talisman　the　while　in　unspeakable　anguish。

The　skin　did　not　move　in　the　least；　it　seemed　to　have　lost　its　power
to　shrink；　doubtless　it　could　not　fulfil　a　wish　fulfilled　already。

〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　Raphael；　feeling　as　if　a　mantle　of　lead　had　fallen
away；　which　he　had　worn　ever　since　the　day　when　the　talisman　had　been
given　to　him；　〃so　you　are　playing　me　false；　you　are　not　obeying　me；
the　pact　is　broken！　I　am　free；　I　shall　live。　Then　was　it　all　a
wretched　joke？〃　But　he　did　not　dare　to　believe　in　his　own　thought　as
he　uttered　it。

He　dressed　himself　as　simply　as　had　formerly　been　his　wont；　and　set
out　on　foot　for　his　old　lodging；　trying　to　go　back　in　fancy　to　the
happy　days　when　he　abandoned　himself　without　peril　to　vehement
desires；　the　days　when　he　had　not　yet　condemned　all　human　enjoyment。
As　he　walked　he　beheld　Paulinenot　the　Pauline　of　the　Hotel　Saint…
Quentin；　but　the　Pauline　of　last　evening。　Here　was　the　accomplished
mistress　he　had　so　often　dreamed　of；　the　intelligent　young　girl　with
the　loving　nature　and　artistic　temperament；　who　understood　poets；　who
understood　poetry；　and　lived　in　luxurious　surroundings。　Here；　in
short；　was　Foedora；　gifte