the magic skin(驴皮记)-第66章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
made as though they had come there for a stroll; and asked him a few
indifferent questions; to which he returned short answers。 He
recognized them both。 One was the cure and the other the doctor at the
springs; Jonathan had no doubt sent them; or the people in the house
had called them in; or the scent of an approaching death had drawn
them thither。 He beheld his own funeral; heard the chanting of the
priests; and counted the tall wax candles; and all that lovely fertile
nature around him; in whose lap he had thought to find life once more;
he saw no longer; save through a veil of crape。 Everything that but
lately had spoken of length of days to him; now prophesied a speedy
end。 He set out the next day for Paris; not before he had been
inundated with cordial wishes; which the people of the house uttered
in melancholy and wistful tones for his benefit。
He traveled through the night; and awoke as they passed through one of
the pleasant valleys of the Bourbonnais。 View after view swam before
his gaze; and passed rapidly away like the vague pictures of a dream。
Cruel nature spread herself out before his eyes with tantalizing
grace。 Sometimes the Allier; a liquid shining ribbon; meandered
through the distant fertile landscape; then followed the steeples of
hamlets; hiding modestly in the depths of a ravine with its yellow
cliffs; sometimes; after the monotony of vineyards; the watermills of
a little valley would be suddenly seen; and everywhere there were
pleasant chateaux; hillside villages; roads with their fringes of
queenly poplars; and the Loire itself; at last; with its wide sheets
of water sparkling like diamonds amid its golden sands。 Attractions
everywhere; without end! This nature; all astir with a life and
gladness like that of childhood; scarcely able to contain the impulses
and sap of June; possessed a fatal attraction for the darkened gaze of
the invalid。 He drew the blinds of his carriage windows; and betook
himself again to slumber。
Towards evening; after they had passed Cesne; he was awakened by
lively music; and found himself confronted with a village fair。 The
horses were changed near the marketplace。 Whilst the postilions were
engaged in making the transfer; he saw the people dancing merrily;
pretty and attractive girls with flowers about them; excited youths;
and finally the jolly wine…flushed countenances of old peasants。
Children prattled; old women laughed and chatted; everything spoke in
one voice; and there was a holiday gaiety about everything; down to
their clothing and the tables that were set out。 A cheerful expression
pervaded the square and the church; the roofs and windows; even the
very doorways of the village seemed likewise to be in holiday trim。
Raphael could not repress an angry exclamation; nor yet a wish to
silence the fiddles; annihilate the stir and bustle; stop the clamor;
and disperse the ill…timed festival; like a dying man; he felt unable
to endure the slightest sound; and he entered his carriage much
annoyed。 When he looked out upon the square from the window; he saw
that all the happiness was scared away; the peasant women were in
flight; and the benches were deserted。 Only a blind musician; on the
scaffolding of the orchestra; went on playing a shrill tune on his
clarionet。 That piping of his; without dancers to it; and the solitary
old man himself; in the shadow of the lime…tree; with his curmudgeon's
face; scanty hair; and ragged clothing; was like a fantastic picture
of Raphael's wish。 The heavy rain was pouring in torrents; it was one
of those thunderstorms that June brings about so rapidly; to cease as
suddenly。 The thing was so natural; that; when Raphael had looked out
and seen some pale clouds driven over by a gust of wind; he did not
think of looking at the piece of skin。 He lay back again in the corner
of his carriage; which was very soon rolling upon its way。
The next day found him back in his home again; in his own room; beside
his own fireside。 He had had a large fire lighted; he felt cold。
Jonathan brought him some letters; they were all from Pauline。 He
opened the first one without any eagerness; and unfolded it as if it
had been the gray…paper form of application for taxes made by the
revenue collector。 He read the first sentence:
〃Gone! This really is a flight; my Raphael。 How is it? No one can tell
me where you are。 And who should know if not I?〃
He did not wish to learn any more。 He calmly took up the letters and
threw them in the fire; watching with dull and lifeless eyes the
perfumed paper as it was twisted; shriveled; bent; and devoured by the
capricious flames。 Fragments that fell among the ashes allowed him to
see the beginning of a sentence; or a half…burnt thought or word; he
took a pleasure in deciphering thema sort of mechanical amusement。
〃Sitting at your doorexpectedCapriceI obeyRivalsI; never!
thy Paulineloveno more of Pauline?If you had wished to leave me
for ever; you would not have deserted meLove eternalTo die〃
The words caused him a sort of remorse; he seized the tongs; and
rescued a last fragment of the letter from the flames。
〃I have murmured;〃 so Pauline wrote; 〃but I have never complained; my
Raphael! If you have left me so far behind you; it was doubtless
because you wished to hide some heavy grief from me。 Perhaps you will
kill me one of these days; but you are too good to torture me。 So do
not go away from me like this。 There! I can bear the worst of torment;
if only I am at your side。 Any grief that you could cause me would not
be grief。 There is far more love in my heart for you than I have ever
yet shown you。 I can endure anything; except this weeping far away
from you; this ignorance of your〃
Raphael laid the scorched scrap on the mantelpiece; then all at once
he flung it into the fire。 The bit of paper was too clearly a symbol
of his own love and luckless existence。
〃Go and find M。 Bianchon;〃 he told Jonathan。
Horace came and found Raphael in bed。
〃Can you prescribe a draught for mesome mild opiate which will
always keep me in a somnolent condition; a draught that will not be
injurious although taken constantly。〃
〃Nothing is easier;〃 the young doctor replied; 〃but you will have to
keep on your feet for a few hours daily; at any rate; so as to take
your food。〃
〃A few hours!〃 Raphael broke in; 〃no; no! I only wish to be out of bed
for an hour at most。〃
〃What is your object?〃 inquired Bianchon。
〃To sleep; for so one keeps alive; at any rate;〃 the patient answered。
〃Let no one come in; not even Mlle。 Pauline de Wistchnau!〃 he added to
Jonathan; as the doctor was writing out his prescription。
〃Well; M。 Horace; is there any hope?〃 the old servant asked; going as
far as the flight of steps before the door; with the young doctor。
〃He may live for some time yet; or he may die to…night。 The chances of
life and death are evenly balanced in his case。 I can't understand it
at all;〃 said the doctor; with a doubtful gesture。 〃His mind ought to
be diverted。〃
〃Diverted! Ah; sir; you don't know him! He killed a man the other day
without a word!Nothing can divert him!〃
For some days Raphael lay plunged in the torpor of this artificial
sleep。 Thanks to the material power that opium exerts over the
immaterial part of us; this man with the powerful and active
imagination reduced himself to the level of those sluggish forms of
animal life that lurk in the depths of forests; and take the form of
vegetable refuse; never stirring from their place to catch their easy
prey。 He had darkened the very sun in heaven; the daylight never
entered his room。 About eight o'clock in the evening he would leave
his bed; with no very clear consciousness of his own existence; he
would satisfy the claims of hunger and return to bed immediately。 One
dull blighted hour after another only brought confused pictures and
appearances before him; and lights and shadows against a background of
darkness。 He lay buried in deep silence; movement and intelligence
were completely annihilated for him。 He woke later than usual one
evening; and found that his dinner was not ready。 He rang for
Jonathan。
〃You can go;〃 he said。 〃I have mad