the magic skin(驴皮记)-第8章
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the wonderful skin； as if they had grown on the animal to which it
once belonged。
〃I must admit；〃 said the stranger； 〃that I have no idea how the
letters could be engraved so deeply on the skin of a wild ass。〃 And he
turned quickly to the tables strewn with curiosities and seemed to
look for something。
〃What is it that you want？〃 asked the old man。
〃Something that will cut the leather； so that I can see whether the
letters are printed or inlaid。〃
The old man held out his stiletto。 The stranger took it and tried to
cut the skin above the lettering； but when he had removed a thin
shaving of leather from them； the characters still appeared below； so
clear and so exactly like the surface impression； that for a moment he
was not sure that he had cut anything away after all。
〃The craftsmen of the Levant have secrets known only to themselves；〃
he said； half in vexation； as he eyed the characters of this Oriental
sentence。
〃Yes；〃 said the old man； 〃it is better to attribute it to man's agency
than to God's。〃
The mysterious words were thus arranged：
＇Drawing of apparently Sanskrit characters omitted＇
Or； as it runs in English：
POSSESSING ME THOU SHALT POSSESS ALL THINGS。
BUT THY LIFE IS MINE； FOR GOD HAS SO WILLED IT。
WISH； AND THY WISHES SHALL BE FULFILLED；
BUT MEASURE THY DESIRES； ACCORDING
TO THE LIFE THAT IS IN THEE。
THIS IS THY LIFE；
WITH EACH WISH I MUST SHRINK
EVEN AS THY OWN DAYS。
WILT THOU HAVE ME？ TAKE ME。
GOD WILL HEARKEN UNTO THEE。
SO BE IT！
〃So you read Sanskrit fluently；〃 said the old man。 〃You have been in
Persia perhaps； or in Bengal？〃
〃No； sir；〃 said the stranger； as he felt the emblematical skin
curiously。 It was almost as rigid as a sheet of metal。
The old merchant set the lamp back again upon the column； giving the
other a look as he did so。 〃He has given up the notion of dying
already；〃 the glance said with phlegmatic irony。
〃Is it a jest； or is it an enigma？〃 asked the younger man。
The other shook his head and said soberly：
〃I don't know how to answer you。 I have offered this talisman with its
terrible powers to men with more energy in them than you seem to me to
have； but though they laughed at the questionable power it might exert
over their futures； not one of them was ready to venture to conclude
the fateful contract proposed by an unknown force。 I am of their
opinion； I have doubted and refrained； and〃
〃Have you never even tried its power？〃 interrupted the young stranger。
〃Tried it！〃 exclaimed the old man。 〃Suppose that you were on the
column in the Place Vendome； would you try flinging yourself into
space？ Is it possible to stay the course of life？ Has a man ever been
known to die by halves？ Before you came here； you had made up your
mind to kill yourself； but all at once a mystery fills your mind； and
you think no more about death。 You child！ Does not any one day of your
life afford mysteries more absorbing？ Listen to me。 I saw the
licentious days of Regency。 I was like you； then； in poverty； I have
begged my bread； but for all that； I am now a centenarian with a
couple of years to spare； and a millionaire to boot。 Misery was the
making of me； ignorance has made me learned。 I will tell you in a few
words the great secret of human life。 By two instinctive processes man
exhausts the springs of life within him。 Two verbs cover all the forms
which these two causes of death may takeTo Will and To have your
Will。 Between these two limits of human activity the wise have
discovered an intermediate formula； to which I owe my good fortune and
long life。 To Will consumes us； and To have our Will destroys us； but
To Know steeps our feeble organisms in perpetual calm。 In me Thought
has destroyed Will； so that Power is relegated to the ordinary
functions of my economy。 In a word； it is not in the heart which can
be broken； or in the senses that become deadened； but it is in the
brain that cannot waste away and survives everything else； that I have
set my life。 Moderation has kept mind and body unruffled。 Yet； I have
seen the whole world。 I have learned all languages； lived after every
manner。 I have lent a Chinaman money； taking his father's corpse as a
pledge； slept in an Arab's tent on the security of his bare word；
signed contracts in every capital of Europe； and left my gold without
hesitation in savage wigwams。 I have attained everything； because I
have known how to despise all things。
〃My one ambition has been to see。 Is not Sight in a manner Insight？
And to have knowledge or insight； is not that to have instinctive
possession？ To be able to discover the very substance of fact and to
unite its essence to our essence？ Of material possession what abides
with you but an idea？ Think； then； how glorious must be the life of a
man who can stamp all realities upon his thought； place the springs of
happiness within himself； and draw thence uncounted pleasures in idea；
unspoiled by earthly stains。 Thought is a key to all treasures； the
miser's gains are ours without his cares。 Thus I have soared above
this world； where my enjoyments have been intellectual joys。 I have
reveled in the contemplation of seas； peoples； forests； and mountains！
I have seen all things； calmly； and without weariness； I have set my
desires on nothing； I have waited in expectation of everything。 I have
walked to and fro in the world as in a garden round about my own
dwelling。 Troubles； loves； ambitions； losses； and sorrows； as men call
them； are for me ideas； which I transmute into waking dreams； I
express and transpose instead of feeling them； instead of permitting
them to prey upon my life； I dramatize and expand them； I divert
myself with them as if they were romances which I could read by the
power of vision within me。 As I have never overtaxed my constitution；
I still enjoy robust health； and as my mind is endowed with all the
force that I have not wasted； this head of mine is even better
furnished than my galleries。 The true millions lie here；〃 he said；
striking his forehead。 〃I spend delicious days in communings with the
past； I summon before me whole countries； places； extents of sea； the
fair faces of history。 In my imaginary seraglio I have all the women
that I have never possessed。 Your wars and revolutions come up before
me for judgment。 What is a feverish fugitive admiration for some more
or less brightly colored piece of flesh and blood； some more or less
rounded human form； what are all the disasters that wait on your
erratic whims； compared with the magnificent power of conjuring up the
whole world within your soul； compared with the immeasurable joys of
movement； unstrangled by the cords of time； unclogged by the fetters
of space； the joys of beholding all things； of comprehending all
things； of leaning over the parapet of the world to question the other
spheres； to hearken to the voice of God？ There；〃 he burst out；
vehemently； 〃there are To Will and To have your Will； both together；〃
he pointed to the bit of shagreen； 〃there are your social ideas； your
immoderate desires； your excesses； your pleasures that end in death；
your sorrows that quicken the pace of life； for pain is perhaps but a
violent pleasure。 Who could determine the point where pleasure becomes
pain； where pain is still a pleasure？ Is not the utmost brightness of
the ideal world soothing to us； while the lightest shadows of the
physical world annoy？ Is not knowledge the secret of wisdom？ And what
is folly but a riotous expenditure of Will or Power？〃
〃Very good then； a life of riotous excess for me！〃 said the stranger；
pouncing upon the piece of shagreen。
〃Young man； beware！〃 cried the other with incredible vehemence。
〃I had resolved my existence into thought and study；〃 the stranger
replied； 〃and yet they have not even supported me。 I am not to be
gulled by a sermon worthy of Swedenborg； nor by your Oriental amulet；
nor yet by your charitable endeavors to keep me in a world wherein
existence is no longer possible for me。 。 。 。 Let me see now；〃 he
added； clutching the talisman convulsively； as he looked at the old
man； 〃I wish for a royal banquet； a carouse worthy of this century；
which； it is said； has b
