the magic skin(驴皮记)-第60章

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completely　realized　in　Foedora。

He　would　no　more　meet　with　sympathy　here　for　his　bodily　ills　than　he
had　received　it　at　her　hands　for　the　distress　in　his　heart。　The
fashionable　world　expels　every　suffering　creature　from　its　midst；　just
as　the　body　of　a　man　in　robust　health　rejects　any　germ　of　disease。　The
world　holds　suffering　and　misfortune　in　abhorrence；　it　dreads　them
like　the　plague；　it　never　hesitates　between　vice　and　trouble；　for　vice
is　a　luxury。　Ill…fortune　may　possess　a　majesty　of　its　own；　but　society
can　belittle　it　and　make　it　ridiculous　by　an　epigram。　Society　draws
caricatures；　and　in　this　way　flings　in　the　teeth　of　fallen　kings　the
affronts　which　it　fancies　it　has　received　from　them；　society；　like　the
Roman　youth　at　the　circus；　never　shows　mercy　to　the　fallen　gladiator；
mockery　and　money　are　its　vital　necessities。　〃Death　to　the　weak！〃　That
is　the　oath　taken　by　this　kind　of　Equestrian　order；　instituted　in
their　midst　by　all　the　nations　of　the　world；　everywhere　it　makes　for
the　elevation　of　the　rich；　and　its　motto　is　deeply　graven　in　hearts
that　wealth　has　turned　to　stone；　or　that　have　been　reared　in
aristocratic　prejudices。

Assemble　a　collection　of　school…boys　together。　That　will　give　you　a
society　in　miniature；　a　miniature　which　represents　life　more　truly；
because　it　is　so　frank　and　artless；　and　in　it　you　will　always　find
poor　isolated　beings；　relegated　to　some　place　in　the　general
estimations　between　pity　and　contempt；　on　account　of　their　weakness
and　suffering。　To　these　the　Evangel　promises　heaven　hereafter。　Go
lower　yet　in　the　scale　of　organized　creation。　If　some　bird　among　its
fellows　in　the　courtyard　sickens；　the　others　fall　upon　it　with　their
beaks；　pluck　out　its　feathers；　and　kill　it。　The　whole　world；　in
accordance　with　its　character　of　egotism；　brings　all　its　severity　to
bear　upon　wretchedness　that　has　the　hardihood　to　spoil　its
festivities；　and　to　trouble　its　joys。

Any　sufferer　in　mind　or　body；　any　helpless　or　poor　man；　is　a　pariah。
He　had　better　remain　in　his　solitude；　if　he　crosses　the　boundary…line；
he　will　find　winter　everywhere；　he　will　find　freezing　cold　in　other
men's　looks；　manners；　words；　and　hearts；　and　lucky　indeed　is　he　if　he
does　not　receive　an　insult　where　he　expected　that　sympathy　would　be
expended　upon　him。　Let　the　dying　keep　to　their　bed　of　neglect；　and　age
sit　lonely　by　its　fireside。　Portionless　maids；　freeze　and　burn　in　your
solitary　attics。　If　the　world　tolerates　misery　of　any　kind；　it　is　to
turn　it　to　account　for　its　own　purposes；　to　make　some　use　of　it；
saddle　and　bridle　it；　put　a　bit　in　its　mouth；　ride　it　about；　and　get
some　fun　out　of　it。

Crotchety　spinsters；　ladies'　companions；　put　a　cheerful　face　upon　it；
endure　the　humors　of　your　so…called　benefactress；　carry　her　lapdogs
for　her；　you　have　an　English　poodle　for　your　rival；　and　you　must　seek
to　understand　the　moods　of　your　patroness；　and　amuse　her；　andkeep
silence　about　yourselves。　As　for　you；　unblushing　parasite；　uncrowned
king　of　unliveried　servants；　leave　your　real　character　at　home；　let
your　digestion　keep　pace　with　your　host's　laugh　when　he　laughs；　mingle
your　tears　with　his；　and　find　his　epigrams　amusing；　if　you　want　to
relieve　your　mind　about　him；　wait　till　he　is　ruined。　That　is　the　way
the　world　shows　its　respect　for　the　unfortunate；　it　persecutes　them；
or　slays　them　in　the　dust。

Such　thoughts　as　these　welled　up　in　Raphael's　heart　with　the
suddenness　of　poetic　inspiration。　He　looked　around　him；　and　felt　the
influence　of　the　forbidding　gloom　that　society　breathes　out　in　order
to　rid　itself　of　the　unfortunate；　it　nipped　his　soul　more　effectually
than　the　east　wind　grips　the　body　in　December。　He　locked　his　arms　over
his　chest；　set　his　back　against　the　wall；　and　fell　into　a　deep
melancholy。　He　mused　upon　the　meagre　happiness　that　this　depressing
way　of　living　can　give。　What　did　it　amount　to？　Amusement　with　no
pleasure　in　it；　gaiety　without　gladness；　joyless　festivity；　fevered
dreams　empty　of　all　delight；　firewood　or　ashes　on　the　hearth　without　a
spark　of　flame　in　them。　When　he　raised　his　head；　he　found　himself
alone；　all　the　billiard　players　had　gone。

〃I　have　only　to　let　them　know　my　power　to　make　them　worship　my
coughing　fits；〃　he　said　to　himself；　and　wrapped　himself　against　the
world　in　the　cloak　of　his　contempt。

Next　day　the　resident　doctor　came　to　call　upon　him；　and　took　an
anxious　interest　in　his　health。　Raphael　felt　a　thrill　of　joy　at　the
friendly　words　addressed　to　him。　The　doctor's　face；　to　his　thinking；
wore　an　expression　that　was　kind　and　pleasant；　the　pale　curls　of　his
wig　seemed　redolent　of　philanthropy；　the　square　cut　of　his　coat；　the
loose　folds　of　his　trousers；　his　big　Quaker…like　shoes；　everything
about　him　down　to　the　powder　shaken　from　his　queue　and　dusted　in　a
circle　upon　his　slightly　stooping　shoulders；　revealed　an　apostolic
nature；　and　spoke　of　Christian　charity　and　of　the　self…sacrifice　of　a
man；　who；　out　of　sheer　devotion　to　his　patients；　had　compelled　himself
to　learn　to　play　whist　and　tric…trac　so　well　that　he　never　lost　money
to　any　of　them。

〃My　Lord　Marquis；〃　said　he；　after　a　long　talk　with　Raphael；　〃I　can
dispel　your　uneasiness　beyond　all　doubt。　I　know　your　constitution　well
enough　by　this　time　to　assure　you　that　the　doctors　in　Paris；　whose
great　abilities　I　know；　are　mistaken　as　to　the　nature　of　your
complaint。　You　can　live　as　long　as　Methuselah；　my　Lord　Marquis；
accidents　only　excepted。　Your　lungs　are　as　sound　as　a　blacksmith's
bellows；　your　stomach　would　put　an　ostrich　to　the　blush；　but　if　you
persist　in　living　at　high　altitude；　you　are　running　the　risk　of　a
prompt　interment　in　consecrated　soil。　A　few　words；　my　Lord　Marquis；
will　make　my　meaning　clear　to　you。

〃Chemistry；〃　he　began；　〃has　shown　us　that　man's　breathing　is　a　real
process　of　combustion；　and　the　intensity　of　its　action　varies
according　to　the　abundance　or　scarcity　of　the　phlogistic　element
stored　up　by　the　organism　of　each　individual。　In　your　case；　the
phlogistic；　or　inflammatory　element　is　abundant；　if　you　will　permit　me
to　put　it　so；　you　generate　superfluous　oxygen；　possessing　as　you　do
the　inflammatory　temperament　of　a　man　destined　to　experience　strong
emotions。　While　you　breath　the　keen；　pure　air　that　stimulates　life　in
men　of　lymphatic　constitution；　you　are　accelerating　an　expenditure　of
vitality　already　too　rapid。　One　of　the　conditions　for　existence　for
you　is　the　heavier　atmosphere　of　the　plains　and　valleys。　Yes；　the
vital　air　for　a　man　consumed　by　his　genius　lies　in　the　fertile
pasture…lands　of　Germany；　at　Toplitz　or　Baden…Baden。　If　England　is　not
obnoxious　to　you；　its　misty　climate　would　reduce　your　fever；　but　the
situation　of　our　baths；　a　thousand　feet　above　the　level　of　the
Mediterranean；　is　dangerous　for　you。　That　is　my　opinion　at　least；〃　he
said；　with　a　deprecatory　gesture；　〃and　I　give　it　in　opposition　to　our
interests；　for；　if　you　act　upon　it；　we　shall　unfortunately　lose　you。〃

But　for　these　closing　words　of　his；　the　affable　doctor's　seeming　good…
nature　would　have　completely　won　Raphael　over；　but　he　was　too
profoundly　observant　not　to　understand　the　meaning　of　the　tone；　the
look　and　gesture　that　accompanied　that　mild　sarcasm；　not　to　see　that
the　little　man　had　been　sent　on　this　errand；　no　doubt；　by　a　flock　of
his　rejoicing　patients。　The　florid…looking　idlers；　tedious　old　women；
nomad　English　people；　and　fine　ladies　who　had　given　their　husbands　the
slip；　and　were　escorted　hither　by　their　loversone　and　all　were　in　a
plot　to　drive　away　a　wretched；　feeble　creature　to　die；　who　seemed
unable　to　hold　out　against　a　daily　renewed　persecution！　Raphael
accepted　the　challenge；　he　foresaw　some　amusement　to　be　derived　from
their　manoeuvres。

〃As　you　would　be　grieved　at　losing　me；〃　said　he　to　the　doctor；　〃I　will
endeavor　to　avail　myself　of　your　good　advice　without　leaving　the
place。　I　will　set　about　having　a　house　built　to…morrow；　and　the
atmosphere　within　it　shall　be　regulated　by　your　instructions。〃

The　doctor　understood　the　sarcastic　smile　that　lurked　about　Raphael's
mouth；　and　took　his　leave　without　finding　another　word　to　say。

The　Lake　of　Bourget　lies　seven　hundred　feet　above　the　Mediterranean