the magic skin(驴皮记)-第55章
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himself fell prone on the floor。
A hideous shrieking sound rang through the workshops。 The water in the
machine had broken the chamber； and now spouted out in a jet of
incalculable force； luckily it went in the direction of an old
furnace； which was overthrown； enveloped and carried away by a
waterspout。
〃Ha！〃 remarked Planchette serenely； 〃the piece of skin is as safe and
sound as my eye。 There was a flaw in your reservoir somewhere； or a
crevice in the large tube〃
〃No； no； I know my reservoir。 The devil is in your contrivance； sir；
you can take it away；〃 and the German pounced upon a smith's hammer；
flung the skin down on an anvil； and； with all the strength that rage
gives； dealt the talisman the most formidable blow that had ever
resounded through his workshops。
〃There is not so much as a mark on it！〃 said Planchette； stroking the
perverse bit of skin。
The workmen hurried in。 The foreman took the skin and buried it in the
glowing coal of a forge； while； in a semi…circle round the fire； they
all awaited the action of a huge pair of bellows。 Raphael；
Spieghalter； and Professor Planchette stood in the midst of the grimy
expectant crowd。 Raphael； looking round on faces dusted over with iron
filings； white eyes； greasy blackened clothing； and hairy chests；
could have fancied himself transported into the wild nocturnal world
of German ballad poetry。 After the skin had been in the fire for ten
minutes； the foreman pulled it out with a pair of pincers。
〃Hand it over to me；〃 said Raphael。
The foreman held it out by way of a joke。 The Marquis readily handled
it； it was cool and flexible between his fingers。 An exclamation of
alarm went up； the workmen fled in terror。 Valentin was left alone
with Planchette in the empty workshop。
〃There is certainly something infernal in the thing！〃 cried Raphael；
in desperation。 〃Is no human power able to give me one more day of
existence？〃
〃I made a mistake； sir；〃 said the mathematician； with a penitent
expression； 〃we ought to have subjected that peculiar skin to the
action of a rolling machine。 Where could my eyes have been when I
suggested compression！〃
〃It was I that asked for it；〃 Raphael answered。
The mathematician heaved a sigh of relief； like a culprit acquitted by
a dozen jurors。 Still； the strange problem afforded by the skin
interested him； he meditated a moment； and then remarked：
〃This unknown material ought to be treated chemically by re…agents。
Let us call on Japhetperhaps the chemist may have better luck than
the mechanic。〃
Valentin urged his horse into a rapid trot； hoping to find the
chemist； the celebrated Japhet； in his laboratory。
〃Well； old friend；〃 Planchette began； seeing Japhet in his armchair；
examining a precipitate； 〃how goes chemistry？〃
〃Gone to sleep。 Nothing new at all。 The Academie； however； has
recognized the existence of salicine； but salicine； asparagine；
vauqueline； and digitaline are not really discoveries〃
〃Since you cannot invent substances；〃 said Raphael； 〃you are obliged
to fall back on inventing names。〃
〃Most emphatically true； young man。〃
〃Here；〃 said Planchette； addressing the chemist； 〃try to analyze this
composition； if you can extract any element whatever from it； I
christen it diaboline beforehand； for we have just smashed a hydraulic
press in trying to compress it。〃
〃Let's see！ let's have a look at it！〃 cried the delighted chemist； 〃it
may； perhaps； be a fresh element。〃
〃It is simply a piece of the skin of an ass； sir；〃 said Raphael。
〃Sir！〃 said the illustrious chemist sternly。
〃I am not joking；〃 the Marquis answered； laying the piece of skin
before him。
Baron Japhet applied the nervous fibres of his tongue to the skin； he
had skill in thus detecting salts； acids； alkalis； and gases。 After
several experiments； he remarked：
〃No taste whatever！ Come； we will give it a little fluoric acid to
drink。〃
Subjected to the influence of this ready solvent of animal tissue； the
skin underwent no change whatsoever。
〃It is not shagreen at all！〃 the chemist cried。 〃We will treat this
unknown mystery as a mineral； and try its mettle by dropping it in a
crucible where I have at this moment some red potash。〃
Japhet went out； and returned almost immediately。
〃Allow me to cut away a bit of this strange substance； sir；〃 he said
to Raphael； 〃it is so extraordinary〃
〃A bit！〃 exclaimed Raphael； 〃not so much as a hair's…breadth。 You may
try； though；〃 he added； half banteringly； half sadly。
The chemist broke a razor in his desire to cut the skin； he tried to
break it by a powerful electric shock； next he submitted it to the
influence of a galvanic battery； but all the thunderbolts his science
wotted of fell harmless on the dreadful talisman。
It was seven o'clock in the evening。 Planchette； Japhet； and Raphael；
unaware of the flight of time； were awaiting the outcome of a final
experiment。 The Magic Skin emerged triumphant from a formidable
encounter in which it had been engaged with a considerable quantity of
chloride of nitrogen。
〃It is all over with me；〃 Raphael wailed。 〃It is the finger of God！ I
shall die！〃 and he left the two amazed scientific men。
〃We must be very careful not to talk about this affair at the
Academie； our colleagues there would laugh at us；〃 Planchette remarked
to the chemist； after a long pause； in which they looked at each other
without daring to communicate their thoughts。 The learned pair looked
like two Christians who had issued from their tombs to find no God in
the heavens。 Science had been powerless； acids； so much clear water；
red potash had been discredited； the galvanic battery and electric
shock had been a couple of playthings。
〃A hydraulic press broken like a biscuit！〃 commented Planchette。
〃I believe in the devil；〃 said the Baron Japhet； after a moment's
silence。
〃And I in God；〃 replied Planchette。
Each spoke in character。 The universe for a mechanician is a machine
that requires an operator； for chemistrythat fiendish employment of
decomposing all thingsthe world is a gas endowed with the power of
movement。
〃We cannot deny the fact；〃 the chemist replied。
〃Pshaw！ those gentlemen the doctrinaires have invented a nebulous
aphorism for our consolationStupid as a fact。〃
〃Your aphorism；〃 said the chemist； 〃seems to me as a fact very
stupid。〃
They began to laugh； and went off to dine like folk for whom a miracle
is nothing more than a phenomenon。
Valentin reached his own house shivering with rage and consumed with
anger。 He had no more faith in anything。 Conflicting thoughts shifted
and surged to and fro in his brain； as is the case with every man
brought face to face with an inconceivable fact。 He had readily
believed in some hidden flaw in Spieghalter's apparatus； he had not
been surprised by the incompetence and failure of science and of fire；
but the flexibility of the skin as he handled it； taken with its
stubbornness when all means of destruction that man possesses had been
brought to bear upon it in vainthese things terrified him。 The
incontrovertible fact made him dizzy。
〃I am mad；〃 he muttered。 〃I have had no food since the morning； and
yet I am neither hungry nor thirsty； and there is a fire in my breast
that burns me。〃
He put back the skin in the frame where it had been enclosed but
lately； drew a line in red ink about the actual configuration of the
talisman； and seated himself in his armchair。
〃Eight o'clock already！〃 he exclaimed。 〃To…day has gone like a dream。〃
He leaned his elbow on the arm of the chair； propped his head with his
left hand； and so remained； lost in secret dark reflections and
consuming thoughts that men condemned to die bear away with them。
〃O Pauline！〃 he cried。 〃Poor child！ there are gulfs that love can
never traverse； despite the strength of his wings。〃
Just then he very distinctly heard a smothered sigh； and knew by one
of the most tender privileges of passionate love that it was Pauline's
breathing。
〃That is my death warrant；〃 he said to himself。 〃If she were there； I
should wish to die in her arms。〃
A burst of gleeful and hearty laughter made him turn his face towards
the be
