the magic skin-第24章

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tidied　my　room；　I　was　at　once　master　and　servant；　and　played　the

Diogenes　with　incredible　spirit。　But　afterwards；　while　my　hostess　and

her　daughter　watched　my　ways　and　behavior；　scrutinized　my　appearance

and　divined　my　poverty；　there　could　not　but　be　some　bonds　between　us；

perhaps　because　they　were　themselves　so　very　poor。　Pauline；　the

charming　child；　whose　latent　and　unconscious　grace　had；　in　a　manner；

brought　me　there；　did　me　many　services　that　I　could　not　well　refuse。

All　women　fallen　on　evil　days　are　sisters；　they　speak　a　common

language；　they　have　the　same　generositythe　generosity　that　possesses

nothing；　and　so　is　lavish　of　its　affection；　of　its　time；　and　of　its

very　self。



〃Imperceptibly　Pauline　took　me　under　her　protection；　and　would　do

things　for　me。　No　kind　of　objection　was　made　by　her　mother；　whom　I

even　surprised　mending　my　linen；　she　blushed　for　the　charitable

occupation。　In　spite　of　myself；　they　took　charge　of　me；　and　I　accepted

their　services。



〃In　order　to　understand　the　peculiar　condition　of　my　mind；　my

preoccupation　with　work　must　be　remembered；　the　tyranny　of　ideas；　and

the　instinctive　repugnance　that　a　man　who　leads　an　intellectual　life

must　ever　feel　for　the　material　details　of　existence。　Could　I　well

repulse　the　delicate　attentions　of　Pauline；　who　would　noiselessly

bring　me　my　frugal　repast；　when　she　noticed　that　I　had　taken　nothing

for　seven　or　eight　hours？　She　had　the　tact　of　a　woman　and　the

inventiveness　of　a　child；　she　would　smile　as　she　made　sign　to　me　that

I　must　not　see　her。　Ariel　glided　under　my　roof　in　the　form　of　a　sylph

who　foresaw　every　want　of　mine。



〃One　evening　Pauline　told　me　her　story　with　touching　simplicity。　Her

father　had　been　a　major　in　the　horse　grenadiers　of　the　Imperial　Guard。

He　had　been　taken　prisoner　by　the　Cossacks；　at　the　passage　of

Beresina；　and　when　Napoleon　later　on　proposed　an　exchange；　the　Russian

authorities　made　search　for　him　in　Siberia　in　vain；　he　had　escaped

with　a　view　of　reaching　India；　and　since　then　Mme。　Gaudin；　my

landlady；　could　hear　no　news　of　her　husband。　Then　came　the　disasters

of　1814　and　1815；　and；　left　alone　and　without　resource；　she　had

decided　to　let　furnished　lodgings　in　order　to　keep　herself　and　her

daughter。



〃She　always　hoped　to　see　her　husband　again。　Her　greatest　trouble　was

about　her　daughter's　education；　the　Princess　Borghese　was　her

Pauline's　godmother；　and　Pauline　must　not　be　unworthy　of　the　fair

future　promised　by　her　imperial　protectress。　When　Mme。　Gaudin　confided

to　me　this　heavy　trouble　that　preyed　upon　her；　she　said；　with　sharp

pain　in　her　voice；　'I　would　give　up　the　property　and　the　scrap　of

paper　that　makes　Gaudin　a　baron　of　the　empire；　and　all　our　rights　to

the　endowment　of　Wistchnau；　if　only　Pauline　could　be　brought　up　at

Saint…Denis？'　Her　words　struck　me；　now　I　could　show　my　gratitude　for

the　kindnesses　expended　on　me　by　the　two　women；　all　at　once　the　idea

of　offering　to　finish　Pauline's　education　occurred　to　me；　and　the

offer　was　made　and　accepted　in　the　most　perfect　simplicity。　In　this

way　I　came　to　have　some　hours　of　recreation。　Pauline　had　natural

aptitude；　she　learned　so　quickly；　that　she　soon　surpassed　me　at　the

piano。　As　she　became　accustomed　to　think　aloud　in　my　presence；　she

unfolded　all　the　sweet　refinements　of　a　heart　that　was　opening　itself

out　to　life；　as　some　flower…cup　opens　slowly　to　the　sun。　She　listened

to　me；　pleased　and　thoughtful；　letting　her　dark　velvet　eyes　rest　upon

me　with　a　half　smile　in　them；　she　repeated　her　lessons　in　soft　and

gentle　tones；　and　showed　childish　glee　when　I　was　satisfied　with　her。

Her　mother　grew　more　and　more　anxious　every　day　to　shield　the　young

girl　from　every　danger　（for　all　the　beauty　promised　in　early　life　was

developing　in　the　crescent　moon）；　and　was　glad　to　see　her　spend　whole

days　indoors　in　study。　My　piano　was　the　only　one　she　could　use；　and

while　I　was　out　she　practised　on　it。　When　I　came　home；　Pauline　would

be　in　my　room；　in　her　shabby　dress；　but　her　slightest　movement

revealed　her　slender　figure　in　its　attractive　grace；　in　spite　of　the

coarse　materials　that　she　wore。　As　with　the　heroine　of　the　fable　of

'Peau…d'Ane；'　a　dainty　foot　peeped　out　of　the　clumsy　shoes。　But　all

her　wealth　of　girlish　beauty　was　as　lost　upon　me。　I　had　laid　commands

upon　myself　to　see　a　sister　only　in　Pauline。　I　dreaded　lest　I　should

betray　her　mother's　faith　in　me。　I　admired　the　lovely　girl　as　if　she

had　been　a　picture；　or　as　the　portrait　of　a　dead　mistress；　she　was　at

once　my　child　and　my　statue。　For　me；　another　Pygmalion；　the　maiden

with　the　hues　of　life　and　the　living　voice　was　to　become　a　form　of

inanimate　marble。　I　was　very　strict　with　her；　but　the　more　I　made　her

feel　my　pedagogue's　severity；　the　more　gentle　and　submissive　she　grew。



〃If　a　generous　feeling　strengthened　me　in　my　reserve　and　self…

restraint；　prudent　considerations　were　not　lacking　beside。　Integrity

of　purpose　cannot；　I　think；　fail　to　accompany　integrity　in　money

matters。　To　my　mind；　to　become　insolvent　or　to　betray　a　woman　is　the

same　sort　of　thing。　If　you　love　a　young　girl；　or　allow　yourself　to　be

beloved　by　her；　a　contract　is　implied；　and　its　conditions　should　be

thoroughly　understood。　We　are　free　to　break　with　the　woman　who　sells

herself；　but　not　with　the　young　girl　who　has　given　herself　to　us　and

does　not　know　the　extent　of　her　sacrifice。　I　must　have　married

Pauline；　and　that　would　have　been　madness。　Would　it　not　have　given

over　that　sweet　girlish　heart　to　terrible　misfortunes？　My　poverty　made

its　selfish　voice　heard；　and　set　an　iron　barrier　between　that　gentle

nature　and　mine。　Besides；　I　am　ashamed　to　say；　that　I　cannot　imagine

love　in　the　midst　of　poverty。　Perhaps　this　is　a　vitiation　due　to　that

malady　of　mankind　called　civilization；　but　a　woman　in　squalid　poverty

would　exert　no　fascination　over　me；　were　she　attractive　as　Homer's

Galatea；　the　fair　Helen。



〃Ah；　vive　l'amour！　But　let　it　be　in　silk　and　cashmere；　surrounded　with

the　luxury　which　so　marvelously　embellishes　it；　for　is　it　not　perhaps

itself　a　luxury？　I　enjoy　making　havoc　with　an　elaborate　erection　of

scented　hair；　I　like　to　crush　flowers；　to　disarrange　and　crease　a

smart　toilette　at　will。　A　bizarre　attraction　lies　for　me　in　burning

eyes　that　blaze　through　a　lace　veil；　like　flame　through　cannon　smoke。

My　way　of　love　would　be　to　mount　by　a　silken　ladder；　in　the　silence　of

a　winter　night。　And　what　bliss　to　reach；　all　powdered　with　snow；　a

perfumed　room；　with　hangings　of　painted　silk；　to　find　a　woman　there；

who　likewise　shakes　away　the　snow　from　her；　for　what　other　name　can　be

found　for　the　white　muslin　wrappings　that　vaguely　define　her；　like

some　angel　form　issuing　from　a　cloud！　And　then　I　wish　for　furtive

joys；　for　the　security　of　audacity。　I　want　to　see　once　more　that　woman

of　mystery；　but　let　it　be　in　the　throng；　dazzling；　unapproachable；

adored　on　all　sides；　dressed　in　laces　and　ablaze　with　diamonds；　laying

her　commands　upon　every　one；　so　exalted　above　us；　that　she　inspires

awe；　and　none　dares　to　pay　his　homage　to　her。



〃She　gives　me　a　stolen　glance；　amid　her　court；　a　look　that　exposes　the

unreality　of　all　this；　that　resigns　for　me　the　world　and　all　men　in

it！　Truly　I　have　scorned　myself　for　a　passion　for　a　few　yards　of　lace；

velvet；　and　fine　lawn；　and　the　hairdresser's　feats　of　skill；　a　love　of

wax…lights；　a　carriage　and　a　title；　a　heraldic　coronet　painted　on

window　panes；　or　engraved　by　a　jeweler；　in　short；　a　liking　for　all

that　is　adventitious　and　least　woman　in　woman。　I　have　scorned　and

reasoned　with　myself；　but　all　in　vain。



〃A　woman　of　rank　with　her　subtle　smile；　her　high…born　air；　and　self…

esteem　captivates　me。　The　barriers　she　erects　between　herself　and　the

world　awaken　my　vanity；　a　good　half　of　love。　There　would　be　more

relish　for　me　in　bliss　that　all　others　envied。　If　my　mistress　does

nothing　that　other　women　do；　and　neither　lives　nor　conducts　herself

like　them；　wears　a　cloak　that　they　ca