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第10章

the magic skin-第10章

小说: the magic skin 字数: 每页4000字

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that reflected the lights of Paris。 Above that river; in which but now

he had thought to fling himself; the old man's prediction had been

fulfilled; the hour of his death had been already put back by fate。



〃We really regretted you;〃 said his friend; still pursuing his theme。

〃It was a question of a plan in which we included you as a superior

person; that is to say; somebody who can put himself above other

people。 The constitutional thimble…rig is carried on to…day; dear boy;

more seriously than ever。 The infamous monarchy; displaced by the

heroism of the people; was a sort of drab; you could laugh and revel

with her; but La Patrie is a shrewish and virtuous wife; and willy…

nilly you must take her prescribed endearments。 Then besides; as you

know; authority passed over from the Tuileries to the journalists; at

the time when the Budget changed its quarters and went from the

Faubourg Saint…Germain to the Chaussee de Antin。 But this you may not

know perhaps。 The Government; that is; the aristocracy of lawyers and

bankers who represent the country to…day; just as the priests used to

do in the time of the monarchy; has felt the necessity of mystifying

the worthy people of France with a few new words and old ideas; like

philosophers of every school; and all strong intellects ever since

time began。 So now Royalist…national ideas must be inculcated; by

proving to us that it is far better to pay twelve million francs;

thirty…three centimes to La Patrie; represented by Messieurs Such…and…

Such; than to pay eleven hundred million francs; nine centimes to a

king who used to say _I_ instead of WE。 In a word; a journal; with two

or three hundred thousand francs; good; at the back of it; has just

been started; with a view to making an opposition paper to content the

discontented; without prejudice to the national government of the

citizen…king。 We scoff at liberty as at despotism now; and at religion

or incredulity quite impartially。 And since; for us; 'our country'

means a capital where ideas circulate and are sold at so much a line;

a succulent dinner every day; and the play at frequent intervals;

where profligate women swarm; where suppers last on into the next day;

and light loves are hired by the hour like cabs; and since Paris will

always be the most adorable of all countries; the country of joy;

liberty; wit; pretty women; mauvais sujets; and good wine; where the

truncheon of authority never makes itself disagreeably felt; because

one is so close to those who wield it;we; therefore; sectaries of

the god Mephistopheles; have engaged to whitewash the public mind; to

give fresh costumes to the actors; to put a new plank or two in the

government booth; to doctor doctrinaires; and warm up old Republicans;

to touch up the Bonapartists a bit; and revictual the Centre; provided

that we are allowed to laugh in petto at both kings and peoples; to

think one thing in the morning and another at night; and to lead a

merry life a la Panurge; or to recline upon soft cushions; more

orientali。



〃The sceptre of this burlesque and macaronic kingdom;〃 he went on; 〃we

have reserved for you; so we are taking you straightway to a dinner

given by the founder of the said newspaper; a retired banker; who; at

a loss to know what to do with his money; is going to buy some brains

with it。 You will be welcomed as a brother; we shall hail you as king

of these free lances who will undertake anything; whose perspicacity

discovers the intentions of Austria; England; or Russia before either

Russia; Austria or England have formed any。 Yes; we will invest you

with the sovereignty of those puissant intellects which give to the

world its Mirabeaus; Talleyrands; Pitts; and Metternichsall the

clever Crispins who treat the destinies of a kingdom as gamblers'

stakes; just as ordinary men play dominoes for Kirschenwasser。 We have

given you out to be the most undaunted champion who ever wrestled in a

drinking…bout at close quarters with the monster called Carousal; whom

all bold spirits wish to try a fall with; we have gone so far as to

say that you have never yet been worsted。 I hope you will not make

liars of us。 Taillefer; our amphitryon; has undertaken to surpass the

circumscribed saturnalias of the petty modern Lucullus。 He is rich

enough to infuse pomp into trifles; and style and charm into

dissipation 。 。 。 Are you listening; Raphael?〃 asked the orator;

interrupting himself。



〃Yes;〃 answered the young man; less surprised by the accomplishment of

his wishes than by the natural manner in which the events had come

about。



He could not bring himself to believe in magic; but he marveled at the

accidents of human fate。



〃Yes; you say; just as if you were thinking of your grandfather's

demise;〃 remarked one of his neighbors。



〃Ah!〃 cried Raphael; 〃I was thinking; my friends; that we are in a

fair way to become very great scoundrels;〃 and there was an

ingenuousness in his tones that set these writers; the hope of young

France; in a roar。 〃So far our blasphemies have been uttered over our

cups; we have passed our judgments on life while drunk; and taken men

and affairs in an after…dinner frame of mind。 We were innocent of

action; we were bold in words。 But now we are to be branded with the

hot iron of politics; we are going to enter the convict's prison and

to drop our illusions。 Although one has no belief left; except in the

devil; one may regret the paradise of one's youth and the age of

innocence; when we devoutly offered the tip of our tongue to some good

priest for the consecrated wafer of the sacrament。 Ah; my good

friends; our first peccadilloes gave us so much pleasure because the

consequent remorse set them off and lent a keen relish to them; but

nowadays〃



〃Oh! now;〃 said the first speaker; 〃there is still left〃



〃What?〃 asked another。



〃Crime〃



〃There is a word as high as the gallows and deeper than the Seine;〃

said Raphael。



〃Oh; you don't understand me; I mean political crime。 Since this

morning; a conspirator's life is the only one I covet。 I don't know

that the fancy will last over to…morrow; but to…night at least my

gorge rises at the anaemic life of our civilization and its railroad

evenness。 I am seized with a passion for the miseries of retreat from

Moscow; for the excitements of the Red Corsair; or for a smuggler's

life。 I should like to go to Botany Bay; as we have no Chartreaux left

us here in France; it is a sort of infirmary reserved for little Lord

Byrons who; having crumpled up their lives like a serviette after

dinner; have nothing left to do but to set their country ablaze; blow

their own brains out; plot for a republic or clamor for a war〃



〃Emile;〃 Raphael's neighbor called eagerly to the speaker; 〃on my

honor; but for the revolution of July I would have taken orders; and

gone off down into the country somewhere to lead the life of an

animal; and〃



〃And you would have read your breviary through every day。〃



〃Yes。〃



〃You are a coxcomb!〃



〃Why; we read the newspapers as it is!〃



〃Not bad that; for a journalist! But hold your tongue; we are going

through a crowd of subscribers。 Journalism; look you; is the religion

of modern society; and has even gone a little further。〃



〃What do you mean?〃



〃Its pontiffs are not obliged to believe in it any more than the

people are。〃



Chatting thus; like good fellows who have known their De Viris

illustribus for years past; they reached a mansion in the Rue Joubert。



Emile was a journalist who had acquired more reputation by dint of

doing nothing than others had derived from their achievements。 A bold;

caustic; and powerful critic; he possessed all the qualities that his

defects permitted。 An outspoken giber; he made numberless epigrams on

a friend to his face; but would defend him; if absent; with courage

and loyalty。 He laughed at everything; even at his own career。 Always

impecunious; he ye

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