the magic skin-第2章

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headsman　in　the　Place　de　Greve。　A　tall；　thin　man；　in　a　threadbare

coat；　held　a　card　in　one　hand；　and　a　pin　in　the　other；　to　mark　the

numbers　of　Red　or　Black。　He　seemed　a　modern　Tantalus；　with　all　the

pleasures　of　his　epoch　at　his　lips；　a　hoardless　miser　drawing　in

imaginary　gains；　a　sane　species　of　lunatic　who　consoles　himself　in　his

misery　by　chimerical　dreams；　a　man　who　touches　peril　and　vice　as　a

young　priest　handles　the　unconsecrated　wafer　in　the　white　mass。



One　or　two　experts　at　the　game；　shrewd　speculators；　had　placed

themselves　opposite　the　bank；　like　old　convicts　who　have　lost　all　fear

of　the　hulks；　they　meant　to　try　two　or　three　coups；　and　then　to　depart

at　once　with　the　expected　gains；　on　which　they　lived。　Two　elderly

waiters　dawdled　about　with　their　arms　folded；　looking　from　time　to

time　into　the　garden　from　the　windows；　as　if　to　show　their

insignificant　faces　as　a　sign　to　passers…by。



The　croupier　and　banker　threw　a　ghastly　and　withering　glance　at　the

punters；　and　cried；　in　a　sharp　voice；　〃Make　your　game！〃　as　the　young

man　came　in。　The　silence　seemed　to　grow　deeper　as　all　heads　turned

curiously　towards　the　new　arrival。　Who　would　have　thought　it？　The

jaded　elders；　the　fossilized　waiters；　the　onlookers；　the　fanatical

Italian　himself；　felt　an　indefinable　dread　at　sight　of　the　stranger。

Is　he　not　wretched　indeed　who　can　excite　pity　here？　Must　he　not　be

very　helpless　to　receive　sympathy；　ghastly　in　appearance　to　raise　a

shudder　in　these　places；　where　pain　utters　no　cry；　where　wretchedness

looks　gay；　and　despair　is　decorous？　Such　thoughts　as　these　produced　a

new　emotion　in　these　torpid　hearts　as　the　young　man　entered。　Were　not

executioners　known　to　shed　tears　over　the　fair…haired；　girlish　heads

that　had　to　fall　at　the　bidding　of　the　Revolution？



The　gamblers　saw　at　a　glance　a　dreadful　mystery　in　the　novice's　face。

His　young　features　were　stamped　with　a　melancholy　grace；　his　looks

told　of　unsuccess　and　many　blighted　hopes。　The　dull　apathy　of　the

suicide　had　made　his　forehead　so　deadly　pale；　a　bitter　smile　carved

faint　lines　about　the　corners　of　his　mouth；　and　there　was　an

abandonment　about　him　that　was　painful　to　see。　Some　sort　of　demon

sparkled　in　the　depths　of　his　eye；　which　drooped；　wearied　perhaps　with

pleasure。　Could　it　have　been　dissipation　that　had　set　its　foul　mark　on

the　proud　face；　once　pure　and　bright；　and　now　brought　low？　Any　doctor

seeing　the　yellow　circles　about　his　eyelids；　and　the　color　in　his

cheeks；　would　have　set　them　down　to　some　affection　of　the　heart　or

lungs；　while　poets　would　have　attributed　them　to　the　havoc　brought　by

the　search　for　knowledge　and　to　night…vigils　by　the　student's　lamp。



But　a　complaint　more　fatal　than　any　disease；　a　disease　more　merciless

than　genius　or　study；　had　drawn　this　young　face；　and　had　wrung　a　heart

which　dissipation；　study；　and　sickness　had　scarcely　disturbed。　When　a

notorious　criminal　is　taken　to　the　convict's　prison；　the　prisoners

welcome　him　respectfully；　and　these　evil　spirits　in　human　shape；

experienced　in　torments；　bowed　before　an　unheard…of　anguish。　By　the

depth　of　the　wound　which　met　their　eyes；　they　recognized　a　prince

among　them；　by　the　majesty　of　his　unspoken　irony；　by　the　refined

wretchedness　of　his　garb。　The　frock…coat　that　he　wore　was　well　cut；

but　his　cravat　was　on　terms　so　intimate　with　his　waistcoat　that　no　one

could　suspect　him　of　underlinen。　His　hands；　shapely　as　a　woman's　were

not　perfectly　clean；　for　two　days　past　indeed　he　had　ceased　to　wear

gloves。　If　the　very　croupier　and　the　waiters　shuddered；　it　was　because

some　traces　of　the　spell　of　innocence　yet　hung　about　his　meagre；

delicately…shaped　form；　and　his　scanty　fair　hair　in　its　natural　curls。



He　looked　only　about　twenty…five　years　of　age；　and　any　trace　of　vice

in　his　face　seemed　to　be　there　by　accident。　A　young　constitution　still

resisted　the　inroads　of　lubricity。　Darkness　and　light；　annihilation

and　existence；　seemed　to　struggle　in　him；　with　effects　of　mingled

beauty　and　terror。　There　he　stood　like　some　erring　angel　that　has　lost

his　radiance；　and　these　emeritus…professors　of　vice　and　shame　were

ready　to　bid　the　novice　depart；　even　as　some　toothless　crone　might　be

seized　with　pity　for　a　beautiful　girl　who　offers　herself　up　to　infamy。



The　young　man　went　straight　up　to　the　table；　and；　as　he　stood　there；

flung　down　a　piece　of　gold　which　he　held　in　his　hand；　without

deliberation。　It　rolled　on　to　the　Black；　then；　as　strong　natures　can；

he　looked　calmly；　if　anxiously；　at　the　croupier；　as　if　he　held　useless

subterfuges　in　scorn。



The　interest　this　coup　awakened　was　so　great　that　the　old　gamesters

laid　nothing　upon　it；　only　the　Italian；　inspired　by　a　gambler's

enthusiasm；　smiled　suddenly　at　some　thought；　and　punted　his　heap　of

coin　against　the　stranger's　stake。



The　banker　forgot　to　pronounce　the　phrases　that　use　and　wont　have

reduced　to　an　inarticulate　cry〃Make　your　game。　。　。　。　The　game　is

made。　。　。　。　Bets　are　closed。〃　The　croupier　spread　out　the　cards；　and

seemed　to　wish　luck　to　the　newcomer；　indifferent　as　he　was　to　the

losses　or　gains　of　those　who　took　part　in　these　sombre　pleasures。

Every　bystander　thought　he　saw　a　drama；　the　closing　scene　of　a　noble

life；　in　the　fortunes　of　that　bit　of　gold；　and　eagerly　fixed　his　eyes

on　the　prophetic　cards；　but　however　closely　they　watched　the　young

man；　they　could　discover　not　the　least　sign　of　feeling　on　his　cool　but

restless　face。



〃Even！　red　wins；〃　said　the　croupier　officially。　A　dumb　sort　of　rattle

came　from　the　Italian's　throat　when　he　saw　the　folded　notes　that　the

banker　showered　upon　him；　one　after　another。　The　young　man　only

understood　his　calamity　when　the　croupiers's　rake　was　extended　to

sweep　away　his　last　napoleon。　The　ivory　touched　the　coin　with　a　little

click；　as　it　swept　it　with　the　speed　of　an　arrow　into　the　heap　of　gold

before　the　bank。　The　stranger　turned　pale　at　the　lips；　and　softly　shut

his　eyes；　but　he　unclosed　them　again　at　once；　and　the　red　color

returned　as　he　affected　the　airs　of　an　Englishman；　to　whom　life　can

offer　no　new　sensation；　and　disappeared　without　the　glance　full　of

entreaty　for　compassion　that　a　desperate　gamester　will　often　give　the

bystanders。　How　much　can　happen　in　a　second's　space；　how　many　things

depend　on　a　throw　of　the　die！



〃That　was　his　last　cartridge；　of　course；〃　said　the　croupier；　smiling

after　a　moment's　silence；　during　which　he　picked　up　the　coin　between

his　finger　and　thumb　and　held　it　up。



〃He　is　a　cracked　brain　that　will　go　and　drown　himself；〃　said　a

frequenter　of　the　place。　He　looked　round　about　at　the　other　players；

who　all　knew　each　other。



〃Bah！〃　said　a　waiter；　as　he　took　a　pinch　of　snuff。



〃If　we　had　but　followed　HIS　example；〃　said　an　old　gamester　to　the

others；　as　he　pointed　out　the　Italian。



Everybody　looked　at　the　lucky　player；　whose　hands　shook　as　he　counted

his　bank…notes。



〃A　voice　seemed　to　whisper　to　me；〃　he　said。　〃The　luck　is　sure　to　go

against　that　young　man's　despair。〃



〃He　is　a　new　hand；〃　said　the　banker；　〃or　he　would　have　divided　his

money　into　three　parts　to　give　himself　more　chance。〃



The　young　man　went　out　without　asking　for　his　hat；　but　the　old

watch…dog；　who　had　noted　its　shabby　condition；　returned　it　to　him

without　a　word。　The　gambler　mechanically　gave　up　the　tally；　and　went

downstairs　whistling　Di　tanti　Palpiti　so　feebly；　that　he　himself

scarcely　heard　the　delicious　notes。



He　found　himself　immediately　under　the　arcades　of　the　Palais…Royal；

reached　the　Rue　Saint　Honore；　took　the　direction　of　the　Tuileries；　and

crossed　the　gardens　with　an　undecided　step。　He　walked　as　if　he　were　in

some　desert；　elbowed　by　men　whom　he　did　not　see；　hearing　through　all

the　voices　of　the　crowd　one　voice　alonethe　voice　of　Death。　He　was

lost　in　the　thoughts　that　benumbed　him　at　last；　like　the　criminals　who

used　to　be　taken　in　carts　from　the　Palais　de　Justice　to　the　Place　de

Greve；　where　the　scaffold　aw