the magic skin(驴皮记)-第59章

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the　previous　course　of　treatment　that　I　have　prescribed。　They　think
that　there　will　be　no　difficulty　about　restoring　you　to　health；　and
that　everything　depends　upon　a　wise　and　alternate　employment　of　these
various　means。　And〃

〃And　that　is　the　cause　of　the　milk　in　the　cocoanut；〃　said　Raphael；
with　a　smile；　as　he　led　Horace　into　his　study　to　pay　the　fees　for　this
useless　consultation。

〃Their　conclusions　are　logical；〃　the　young　doctor　replied。　〃Cameristus
feels；　Brisset　examines；　Maugredie　doubts。　Has　not　man　a　soul；　a　body；
and　an　intelligence？　One　of　these　three　elemental　constituents　always
influences　us　more　or　less　strongly；　there　will　always　be　the　personal
element　in　human　science。　Believe　me；　Raphael；　we　effect　no　cures；　we
only　assist　them。　Another　systemthe　use　of　mild　remedies　while
Nature　exerts　her　powerslies　between　the　extremes　of　theory　of
Brisset　and　Cameristus；　but　one　ought　to　have　known　the　patient　for
some　ten　years　or　so　to　obtain　a　good　result　on　these　lines。　Negation
lies　at　the　back　of　all　medicine；　as　in　every　other　science。　So
endeavor　to　live　wholesomely；　try　a　trip　to　Savoy；　the　best　course　is；
and　always　will　be；　to　trust　to　Nature。〃

It　was　a　month　later；　on　a　fine　summer…like　evening；　that　several
people；　who　were　taking　the　waters　at　Aix；　returned　from　the　promenade
and　met　together　in　the　salons　of　the　Club。　Raphael　remained　alone　by
a　window　for　a　long　time。　His　back　was　turned　upon　the　gathering；　and
he　himself　was　deep　in　those　involuntary　musings　in　which　thoughts
arise　in　succession　and　fade　away；　shaping　themselves　indistinctly；
passing　over　us　like　thin；　almost　colorless　clouds。　Melancholy　is
sweet　to　us　then；　and　delight　is　shadowy；　for　the　soul　is　half　asleep。
Valentin　gave　himself　up　to　this　life　of　sensations；　he　was　steeping
himself　in　the　warm；　soft　twilight；　enjoying　the　pure　air　with　the
scent　of　the　hills　in　it；　happy　in　that　he　felt　no　pain；　and　had
tranquilized　his　threatening　Magic　Skin　at　last。　It　grew　cooler　as　the
red　glow　of　the　sunset　faded　on　the　mountain　peaks；　he　shut　the　window
and　left　his　place。

〃Will　you　be　so　kind　as　not　to　close　the　windows；　sir？〃　said　an　old
lady；　〃we　are　being　stifled〃

The　peculiarly　sharp　and　jarring　tones　in　which　the　phrase　was　uttered
grated　on　Raphael's　ears；　it　fell　on　them　like　an　indiscreet　remark
let　slip　by　some　man　in　whose　friendship　we　would　fain　believe；　a　word
which　reveals　unsuspected　depths　of　selfishness　and　destroys　some
pleasing　sentimental　illusion　of　ours。　The　Marquis　glanced；　with　the
cool　inscrutable　expression　of　a　diplomatist；　at　the　old　lady；　called
a　servant；　and；　when　he　came；　curtly　bade　him：

〃Open　that　window。〃

Great　surprise　was　clearly　expressed　on　all　faces　at　the　words。　The
whole　roomful　began　to　whisper　to　each　other；　and　turned　their　eyes
upon　the　invalid；　as　though　he　had　given　some　serious　offence。
Raphael；　who　had　never　quite　managed　to　rid　himself　of　the　bashfulness
of　his　early　youth；　felt　a　momentary　confusion；　then　he　shook　off　his
torpor；　exerted　his　faculties；　and　asked　himself　the　meaning　of　this
strange　scene。

A　sudden　and　rapid　impulse　quickened　his　brain；　the　past　weeks
appeared　before　him　in　a　clear　and　definite　vision；　the　reasons　for
the　feelings　he　inspired　in　others　stood　out　for　him　in　relief；　like
the　veins　of　some　corpse　which　a　naturalist；　by　some　cunningly
contrived　injection；　has　colored　so　as　to　show　their　least
ramifications。

He　discerned　himself　in　this　fleeting　picture；　he　followed　out　his　own
life　in　it；　thought　by　thought；　day　after　day。　He　saw　himself；　not
without　astonishment；　an　absent　gloomy　figure　in　the　midst　of　these
lively　folk；　always　musing　over　his　own　fate；　always　absorbed　by　his
own　sufferings；　seemingly　impatient　of　the　most　harmless　chat。　He　saw
how　he　had　shunned　the　ephemeral　intimacies　that　travelers　are　so
ready　to　establishno　doubt　because　they　feel　sure　of　never　meeting
each　other　againand　how　he　had　taken　little　heed　of　those　about　him。
He　saw　himself　like　the　rocks　without；　unmoved　by　the　caresses　or　the
stormy　surgings　of　the　waves。

Then；　by　a　gift　of　insight　seldom　accorded；　he　read　the　thoughts　of
all　those　about　him。　The　light　of　a　candle　revealed　the　sardonic
profile　and　yellow　cranium　of　an　old　man；　he　remembered　now　that　he
had　won　from　him；　and　had　never　proposed　that　the　other　should　have
his　revenge；　a　little　further　on　he　saw　a　pretty　woman；　whose　lively
advances　he　had　met　with　frigid　coolness；　there　was　not　a　face　there
that　did　not　reproach　him　with　some　wrong　done；　inexplicably　to　all
appearance；　but　the　real　offence　in　every　case　lay　in　some
mortification；　some　invisible　hurt　dealt　to　self…love。　He　had
unintentionally　jarred　on　all　the　small　susceptibilities　of　the　circle
round　about　him。

His　guests　on　various　occasions；　and　those　to　whom　he　had　lent　his
horses；　had　taken　offence　at　his　luxurious　ways；　their　ungraciousness
had　been　a　surprise　to　him；　he　had　spared　them　further　humiliations　of
that　kind；　and　they　had　considered　that　he　looked　down　upon　them；　and
had　accused　him　of　haughtiness　ever　since。　He　could　read　their　inmost
thoughts　as　he　fathomed　their　natures　in　this　way。　Society　with　its
polish　and　varnish　grew　loathsome　to　him。　He　was　envied　and　hated　for
his　wealth　and　superior　ability；　his　reserve　baffled　the　inquisitive；
his　humility　seemed　like　haughtiness　to　these　petty　superficial
natures。　He　guessed　the　secret　unpardonable　crime　which　he　had
committed　against　them；　he　had　overstepped　the　limits　of　the
jurisdiction　of　their　mediocrity。　He　had　resisted　their　inquisitorial
tyranny；　he　could　dispense　with　their　society；　and　all　of　them；
therefore；　had　instinctively　combined　to　make　him　feel　their　power；
and　to　take　revenge　upon　this　incipient　royalty　by　submitting　him　to　a
kind　of　ostracism；　and　so　teaching　him　that　they　in　their　turn　could
do　without　him。

Pity　came　over　him；　first　of　all；　at　this　aspect　of　mankind；　but　very
soon　he　shuddered　at　the　thought　of　the　power　that　came　thus；　at　will；
and　flung　aside　for　him　the　veil　of　flesh　under　which　the　moral　nature
is　hidden　away。　He　closed　his　eyes；　so　as　to　see　no　more。　A　black
curtain　was　drawn　all　at　once　over　this　unlucky　phantom　show　of　truth；
but　still　he　found　himself　in　the　terrible　loneliness　that　surrounds
every　power　and　dominion。　Just　then　a　violent　fit　of　coughing　seized
him。　Far　from　receiving　one　single　wordindifferent；　and　meaningless；
it　is　true；　but　still　containing；　among　well…bred　people　brought
together　by　chance；　at　least　some　pretence　of　civil　commiserationhe
now　heard　hostile　ejaculations　and　muttered　complaints。　Society　there
assembled　disdained　any　pantomime　on　his　account；　perhaps　because　he
had　gauged　its　real　nature　too　well。

〃His　complaint　is　contagious。〃

〃The　president　of　the　Club　ought　to　forbid　him　to　enter　the　salon。〃

〃It　is　contrary　to　all　rules　and　regulations　to　cough　in　that　way！〃

〃When　a　man　is　as　ill　as　that；　he　ought　not　to　come　to　take　the
waters〃

〃He　will　drive　me　away　from　the　place。〃

Raphael　rose　and　walked　about　the　rooms　to　screen　himself　from　their
unanimous　execrations。　He　thought　to　find　a　shelter；　and　went　up　to　a
young　pretty　lady　who　sat　doing　nothing；　minded　to　address　some　pretty
speeches　to　her；　but　as　he　came　towards　her；　she　turned　her　back　upon
him；　and　pretended　to　be　watching　the　dancers。　Raphael　feared　lest　he
might　have　made　use　of　the　talisman　already　that　evening；　and　feeling
that　he　had　neither　the　wish　nor　the　courage　to　break　into　the
conversation；　he　left　the　salon　and　took　refuge　in　the　billiard…room。
No　one　there　greeted　him；　nobody　spoke　to　him；　no　one　sent　so　much　as
a　friendly　glance　in　his　direction。　His　turn　of　mind；　naturally
meditative；　had　discovered　instinctively　the　general　grounds　and
reasons　for　the　aversion　he　inspired。　This　little　world　was　obeying；
unconsciously　perhaps；　the　sovereign　law　which　rules　over　polite
society；　its　inexorable　nature　was　becoming　apparent　in　its　entirety
to　Raphael's　eyes。　A　glance　into　the　past　showed　it　to　him；　as　a　type
completely　realized　in　Foedora。

He　would　no　more　meet　with　sympathy　here　for　his　bodily　ills