the magic skin-第16章

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her。　She　was　like　some　colossal　statue　fallen　from　the　height　of　a

Greek　temple；　so　grand　when　seen　afar；　too　roughly　hewn　to　be　seen

anear。　And　yet；　in　spite　of　all；　her　terrible　beauty　could　have

stimulated　exhaustion；　her　voice　might　charm　the　deaf；　her　glances

might　put　life　into　the　bones　of　the　dead；　and　therefore　Emile　was

vaguely　reminded　of　one　of　Shakespeare's　tragediesa　wonderful　maze；

in　which　joy　groans；　and　there　is　something　wild　even　about　love；　and

the　magic　of　forgiveness　and　the　warmth　of　happiness　succeed　to　cruel

storms　of　rage。　She　was　a　siren　that　can　both　kiss　and　devour；　laugh

like　a　devil；　or　weep　as　angels　can。　She　could　concentrate　in　one

instant　all　a　woman's　powers　of　attraction　in　a　single　effort　（the

sighs　of　melancholy　and　the　charms　of　maiden's　shyness　alone

excepted）；　then　in　a　moment　rise　in　fury　like　a　nation　in　revolt；　and

tear　herself；　her　passion；　and　her　lover；　in　pieces。



Dressed　in　red　velvet；　she　trampled　under　her　reckless　feet　the　stray

flowers　fallen　from　other　heads；　and　held　out　a　salver　to　the　two

friends；　with　careless　hands。　The　white　arms　stood　out　in　bold　relief

against　the　velvet。　Proud　of　her　beauty；　proud　（who　knows？）　of　her

corruption；　she　stood　like　a　queen　of　pleasure；　like　an　incarnation　of

enjoyment；　the　enjoyment　that　comes　of　squandering　the　accumulations

of　three　generations；　that　scoffs　at　its　progenitors；　and　makes　merry

over　a　corpse；　that　will　dissolve　pearls　and　wreck　thrones；　turn　old

men　into　boys；　and　make　young　men　prematurely　old；　enjoyment　only

possible　to　giants　weary　of　their　power；　tormented　by　reflection；　or

for　whom　strife　has　become　a　plaything。



〃What　is　your　name？〃　asked　Raphael。



〃Aquilina。〃



〃Out　of　Venice　Preserved！〃　exclaimed　Emile。



〃Yes；〃　she　answered。　〃Just　as　a　pope　takes　a　new　name　when　he　is

exalted　above　all　other　men；　I；　too；　took　another　name　when　I　raised

myself　above　women's　level。〃



〃Then　have　you；　like　your　patron　saint；　a　terrible　and　noble　lover；　a

conspirator；　who　would　die　for　you？〃　cried　Emile　eagerlythis　gleam

of　poetry　had　aroused　his　interest。



〃Once　I　had；〃　she　answered。　〃But　I　had　a　rival　too　in　La　Guillotine。　I

have　worn　something　red　about　me　ever　since；　lest　any　happiness　should

carry　me　away。〃



〃Oh；　if　you　are　going　to　get　her　on　to　the　story　of　those　four　lads　of

La　Rochelle；　she　will　never　get　to　the　end　of　it。　That's　enough；

Aquilina。　As　if　every　woman　could　not　bewail　some　lover　or　other；

though　not　every　one　has　the　luck　to　lose　him　on　the　scaffold；　as　you

have　done。　I　would　a　great　deal　sooner　see　a　lover　of　mine　in　a　trench

at　the　back　of　Clamart　than　in　a　rival's　arms。〃



All　this　in　the　gentlest　and　most　melodious　accents；　and　pronounced　by

the　prettiest；　gentlest；　and　most　innocent…looking　little　person　that

a　fairy　wand　ever　drew　from　an　enchanted　eggshell。　She　had　come　up

noiselessly；　and　they　became　aware　of　a　slender；　dainty　figure；

charmingly　timid　blue　eyes；　and　white　transparent　brows。　No　ingenue

among　the　naiads；　a　truant　from　her　river　spring；　could　have　been

shyer；　whiter；　more　ingenuous　than　this　young　girl；　seemingly　about

sixteen　years　old；　ignorant　of　evil　and　of　the　storms　of　life；　and

fresh　from　some　church　in　which　she　must　have　prayed　the　angels　to

call　her　to　heaven　before　the　time。　Only　in　Paris　are　such　natures　as

this　to　be　found；　concealing　depths　of　depravity　behind　a　fair　mask；

and　the　most　artificial　vices　beneath　a　brow　as　young　and　fair　as　an

opening　flower。



At　first　the　angelic　promise　of　those　soft　lineaments　misled　the

friends。　Raphael　and　Emile　took　the　coffee　which　she　poured　into　the

cups　brought　by　Aquilina；　and　began　to　talk　with　her。　In　the　eyes　of

the　two　poets　she　soon　became　transformed　into　some　sombre　allegory；

of　I　know　not　what　aspect　of　human　life。　She　opposed　to　the　vigorous

and　ardent　expression　of　her　commanding　acquaintance　a　revelation　of

heartless　corruption　and　voluptuous　cruelty。　Heedless　enough　to

perpetrate　a　crime；　hardy　enough　to　feel　no　misgivings；　a　pitiless

demon　that　wrings　larger　and　kinder　natures　with　torments　that　it　is

incapable　of　knowing；　that　simpers　over　a　traffic　in　love；　sheds　tears

over　a　victim's　funeral；　and　beams　with　joy　over　the　reading　of　the

will。　A　poet　might　have　admired　the　magnificent　Aquilina；　but　the

winning　Euphrasia　must　be　repulsive　to　every　onethe　first　was　the

soul　of　sin；　the　second；　sin　without　a　soul　in　it。



〃I　should　dearly　like　to　know；〃　Emile　remarked　to　this　pleasing　being；

〃if　you　ever　reflect　upon　your　future？〃



〃My　future！〃　she　answered　with　a　laugh。　〃What　do　you　mean　by　my

future？　Why　should　I　think　about　something　that　does　not　exist　as　yet？

I　never　look　before　or　behind。　Isn't　one　day　at　a　time　more　than　I　can

concern　myself　with　as　it　is？　And　besides；　the　future；　as　we　know；

means　the　hospital。〃



〃How　can　you　forsee　a　future　in　the　hospital；　and　make　no　effort　to

avert　it？〃



〃What　is　there　so　alarming　about　the　hospital？〃　asked　the　terrific

Aquilina。　〃When　we　are　neither　wives　nor　mothers；　when　old　age　draws

black　stockings　over　our　limbs；　sets　wrinkles　on　our　brows；　withers　up

the　woman　in　us；　and　darkens　the　light　in　our　lover's　eyes；　what　could

we　need　when　that　comes　to　pass？　You　would　look　on　us　then　as　mere

human　clay；　we　with　our　habiliments　shall　be　for　you　like　so　much　mud

worthless；　lifeless；　crumbling　to　pieces；　going　about　with　the

rustle　of　dead　leaves。　Rags　or　the　daintiest　finery　will　be　as　one　to

us　then；　the　ambergris　of　the　boudoir　will　breathe　an　odor　of　death

and　dry　bones；　and　suppose　there　is　a　heart　there　in　that　mud；　not　one

of　you　but　would　make　mock　of　it；　not　so　much　as　a　memory　will　you

spare　to　us。　Is　not　our　existence　precisely　the　same　whether　we　live

in　a　fine　mansion　with　lap…dogs　to　tend；　or　sort　rags　in　a　workhouse？

Does　it　make　much　difference　whether　we　shall　hide　our　gray　heads

beneath　lace　or　a　handkerchief　striped　with　blue　and　red；　whether　we

sweep　a　crossing　with　a　birch　broom；　or　the　steps　of　the　Tuileries

with　satins；　whether　we　sit　beside　a　gilded　hearth；　or　cower　over　the

ashes　in　a　red　earthen　pot；　whether　we　go　to　the　Opera　or　look　on　in

the　Place　de　Greve？〃



〃Aquilina　mia；　you　have　never　shown　more　sense　than　in　this　depressing

fit　of　yours；〃　Euphrasia　remarked。　〃Yes；　cashmere；　point　d'Alencon；

perfumes；　gold；　silks；　luxury；　everything　that　sparkles；　everything

pleasant；　belongs　to　youth　alone。　Time　alone　may　show　us　our　folly；

but　good　fortune　will　acquit　us。　You　are　laughing　at　me；〃　she　went　on；

with　a　malicious　glance　at　the　friends；　〃but　am　I　not　right？　I　would

sooner　die　of　pleasure　than　of　illness。　I　am　not　afflicted　with　a

mania　for　perpetuity；　nor　have　I　a　great　veneration　for　human　nature；

such　as　God　has　made　it。　Give　me　millions；　and　I　would　squander　them；

I　should　not　keep　one　centime　for　the　year　to　come。　Live　to　be

charming　and　have　power；　that　is　the　decree　of　my　every　heartbeat。

Society　sanctions　my　life；　does　it　not　pay　for　my　extravagances？　Why

does　Providence　pay　me　every　morning　my　income；　which　I　spend　every

evening？　Why　are　hospitals　built　for　us？　And　Providence　did　not　put

good　and　evil　on　either　hand　for　us　to　select　what　tires　and　pains　us。

I　should　be　very　foolish　if　I　did　not　amuse　myself。〃



〃And　how　about　others？〃　asked　Emile。



〃Others？　Oh；　well；　they　must　manage　for　themselves。　I　prefer　laughing

at　their　woes　to　weeping　over　my　own。　I　defy　any　man　to　give　me　the

slightest　uneasiness。〃



〃What　have　you　suffered　to　make　you　think　like　this？〃　asked　Raphael。



〃I　myself　have　been　forsaken　for　an　inheritance；〃　she　said；　striking

an　attitude　that　displayed　all　her　charms；　〃and　yet　I　had　worked　night

and　day　to　keep　my　lover！　I　am　not　to　be　gulled　by　any　smile　or　vow；

and　I　have　set　myself　to　make　one　long　entertainment　of　my　life。〃



〃But　does　not　happiness　come　from　the　soul　within？〃　cried　Raphael。



〃It　may　be　s