the magic skin(驴皮记)-第63章

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leaf。

〃What　are　you　gaping　at；　you　postilions　over　there？　Let　us　be　off；〃
said　the　Marquis。

That　same　evening　he　crossed　the　French　border；　immediately　set　out
for　Auvergne；　and　reached　the　springs　of　Mont　Dore。　As　he　traveled；
there　surged　up　in　his　heart；　all　at　once；　one　of　those　thoughts　that
come　to　us　as　a　ray　of　sunlight　pierces　through　the　thick　mists　in
some　dark　valleya　sad　enlightenment；　a　pitiless　sagacity　that　lights
up　the　accomplished　fact　for　us；　that　lays　our　errors　bare；　and　leaves
us　without　excuse　in　our　own　eyes。　It　suddenly　struck　him　that　the
possession　of　power；　no　matter　how　enormous；　did　not　bring　with　it　the
knowledge　how　to　use　it。　The　sceptre　is　a　plaything　for　a　child；　an
axe　for　a　Richelieu；　and　for　a　Napoleon　a　lever　by　which　to　move　the
world。　Power　leaves　us　just　as　it　finds　us；　only　great　natures　grow
greater　by　its　means。　Raphael　had　had　everything　in　his　power；　and　he
had　done　nothing。

At　the　springs　of　Mont　Dore　he　came　again　in　contact　with　a　little
world　of　people；　who　invariably　shunned　him　with　the　eager　haste　that
animals　display　when　they　scent　afar　off　one　of　their　own　species
lying　dead；　and　flee　away。　The　dislike　was　mutual。　His　late　adventure
had　given　him　a　deep　distaste　for　society；　his　first　care；
consequently；　was　to　find　a　lodging　at　some　distance　from　the
neighborhood　of　the　springs。　Instinctively　he　felt　within　him　the　need
of　close　contact　with　nature；　of　natural　emotions；　and　of　the
vegetative　life　into　which　we　sink　so　gladly　among　the　fields。

The　day　after　he　arrived　he　climbed　the　Pic　de　Sancy；　not　without
difficulty；　and　visited　the　higher　valleys；　the　skyey　nooks；
undiscovered　lakes；　and　peasants'　huts　about　Mont　Dore；　a　country
whose　stern　and　wild　features　are　now　beginning　to　tempt　the　brushes
of　our　artists；　for　sometimes　wonderfully　fresh　and　charming　views　are
to　be　found　there；　affording　a　strong　contrast　to　the　frowning　brows
of　those　lonely　hills。

Barely　a　league　from　the　village　Raphael　discovered　a　nook　where
nature　seemed　to　have　taken　a　pleasure　in　hiding　away　all　her
treasures　like　some　glad　and　mischievous　child。　At　the　first　sight　of
this　unspoiled　and　picturesque　retreat；　he　determined　to　take　up　his
abode　in　it。　There；　life　must　needs　be　peaceful；　natural；　and
fruitful；　like　the　life　of　a　plant。

Imagine　for　yourself　an　inverted　cone　of　granite　hollowed　out　on　a
large　scale；　a　sort　of　basin　with　its　sides　divided　up　by　queer
winding　paths。　On　one　side　lay　level　stretches　with　no　growth　upon
them；　a　bluish　uniform　surface；　over　which　the　rays　of　the　sun　fell　as
upon　a　mirror；　on　the　other　lay　cliffs　split　open　by　fissures　and
frowning　ravines；　great　blocks　of　lava　hung　suspended　from　them；　while
the　action　of　rain　slowly　prepared　their　impending　fall；　a　few　stunted
trees　tormented　by　the　wind；　often　crowned　their　summits；　and　here　and
there　in　some　sheltered　angle　of　their　ramparts　a　clump　of　chestnut…
trees　grew　tall　as　cedars；　or　some　cavern　in　the　yellowish　rocks
showed　the　dark　entrance　into　its　depths；　set　about　by　flowers　and
brambles；　decked　by　a　little　strip　of　green　turf。

At　the　bottom　of　this　cup；　which　perhaps　had　been　the　crater　of　an
old…world　volcano；　lay　a　pool　of　water　as　pure　and　bright　as　a
diamond。　Granite　boulders　lay　around　the　deep　basin；　and　willows；
mountain…ash　trees；　yellow…flag　lilies；　and　numberless　aromatic　plants
bloomed　about　it；　in　a　realm　of　meadow　as　fresh　as　an　English　bowling…
green。　The　fine　soft　grass　was　watered　by　the　streams　that　trickled
through　the　fissures　in　the　cliffs；　the　soil　was　continually　enriched
by　the　deposits　of　loam　which　storms　washed　down　from　the　heights
above。　The　pool　might　be　some　three　acres　in　extent；　its　shape　was
irregular；　and　the　edges　were　scalloped　like　the　hem　of　a　dress；　the
meadow　might　be　an　acre　or　two　acres　in　extent。　The　cliffs　and　the
water　approached　and　receded　from　each　other；　here　and　there；　there
was　scarcely　width　enough　for　the　cows　to　pass　between　them。

After　a　certain　height　the　plant　life　ceased。　Aloft　in　air　the　granite
took　upon　itself　the　most　fantastic　shapes；　and　assumed　those　misty
tints　that　give　to　high　mountains　a　dim　resemblance　to　clouds　in　the
sky。　The　bare；　bleak　cliffs；　with　the　fearful　rents　in　their　sides；
pictures　of　wild　and　barren　desolation；　contrasted　strongly　with　the
pretty　view　of　the　valley；　and　so　strange　were　the　shapes　they
assumed；　that　one　of　the　cliffs　had　been　called　〃The　Capuchin；〃
because　it　was　so　like　a　monk。　Sometimes　these　sharp…pointed　peaks；
these　mighty　masses　of　rock；　and　airy　caverns　were　lighted　up　one　by
one；　according　to　the　direction　of　the　sun　or　the　caprices　of　the
atmosphere；　they　caught　gleams　of　gold；　dyed　themselves　in　purple；
took　a　tint　of　glowing　rose…color；　or　turned　dull　and　gray。　Upon　the
heights　a　drama　of　color　was　always　to　be　seen；　a　play　of　ever…
shifting　iridescent　hues　like　those　on　a　pigeon's　breast。

Oftentimes　at　sunrise　or　at　sunset　a　ray　of　bright　sunlight　would
penetrate　between　two　sheer　surfaces　of　lava；　that　might　have　been
split　apart　by　a　hatchet；　to　the　very　depths　of　that　pleasant　little
garden；　where　it　would　play　in　the　waters　of　the　pool；　like　a　beam　of
golden　light　which　gleams　through　the　chinks　of　a　shutter　into　a　room
in　Spain；　that　has　been　carefully　darkened　for　a　siesta。　When　the　sun
rose　above　the　old　crater　that　some　antediluvian　revolution　had　filled
with　water；　its　rocky　sides　took　warmer　tones；　the　extinct　volcano
glowed　again；　and　its　sudden　heat　quickened　the　sprouting　seeds　and
vegetation；　gave　color　to　the　flowers；　and　ripened　the　fruits　of　this
forgotten　corner　of　the　earth。

As　Raphael　reached　it；　he　noticed　several　cows　grazing　in　the　pasture…
land；　and　when　he　had　taken　a　few　steps　towards　the　water；　he　saw　a
little　house　built　of　granite　and　roofed　with　shingle　in　the　spot
where　the　meadowland　was　at　its　widest。　The　roof　of　this　little
cottage　harmonized　with　everything　about　it；　for　it　had　long　been
overgrown　with　ivy；　moss；　and　flowers　of　no　recent　date。　A　thin　smoke；
that　did　not　scare　the　birds　away；　went　up　from　the　dilapidated
chimney。　There　was　a　great　bench　at　the　door　between　two　huge　honey…
suckle　bushes；　that　were　pink　with　blossom　and　full　of　scent。　The
walls　could　scarcely　be　seen　for　branches　of　vine　and　sprays　of　rose
and　jessamine　that　interlaced　and　grew　entirely　as　chance　and　their
own　will　bade　them；　for　the　inmates　of　the　cottage　seemed　to　pay　no
attention　to　the　growth　which　adorned　their　house；　and　to　take　no　care
of　it；　leaving　to　it　the　fresh　capricious　charm　of　nature。

Some　clothes　spread　out　on　the　gooseberry　bushes　were　drying　in　the
sun。　A　cat　was　sitting　on　a　machine　for　stripping　hemp；　beneath　it　lay
a　newly　scoured　brass　caldron；　among　a　quantity　of　potato…parings。　On
the　other　side　of　the　house　Raphael　saw　a　sort　of　barricade　of　dead
thorn…bushes；　meant　no　doubt　to　keep　the　poultry　from　scratching　up
the　vegetables　and　pot…herbs。　It　seemed　like　the　end　of　the　earth。　The
dwelling　was　like　some　bird's…nest　ingeniously　set　in　a　cranny　of　the
rocks；　a　clever　and　at　the　same　time　a　careless　bit　of　workmanship。　A
simple　and　kindly　nature　lay　round　about　it；　its　rusticity　was
genuine；　but　there　was　a　charm　like　that　of　poetry　in　it；　for　it　grew
and　throve　at　a　thousand　miles'　distance　from　our　elaborate　and
conventional　poetry。　It　was　like　none　of　our　conceptions；　it　was　a
spontaneous　growth；　a　masterpiece　due　to　chance。

As　Raphael　reached　the　place；　the　sunlight　fell　across　it　from　right
to　left；　bringing　out　all　the　colors　of　its　plants　and　trees；　the
yellowish　or　gray　bases　of　the　crags；　the　different　shades　of　the
green　leaves；　the　masses　of　flowers；　pink；　blue；　or　white；　the
climbing　plants　with　their　bell…like　blossoms；　and　the　shot　velvet　of
the　mosses；　the　purple…tinted　blooms　of　the　heather；everything　was
either　brought　into　relief　or　made　fairer　yet　by　the　enchantment　of
the　light　or　by　the　contrasting　shadows；　and　this　was　the　case　most　of
all　with　the　sheet　of　water；　wherein　the　house；　the　trees；　the　granite
peaks；　and　the　sky　were　all　faithfully　reflected。　Everything　had　a
radiance　of　its