the magic skin-第26章

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of　passion　on　which　my　mind　continually　ran。　Perhaps　it　was　neither

the　woman　nor　the　name；　but　my　own　propensities；　that　sprang　up　within

me　and　tempted　me　afresh。　Here　was　the　Countess　Foedora；　rich　and

loveless；　proof　against　the　temptations　of　Paris；　was　not　this　woman

the　very　incarnation　of　my　hopes　and　visions？　I　fashioned　her　for

myself；　drew　her　in　fancy；　and　dreamed　of　her。　I　could　not　sleep　that

night；　I　became　her　lover；　I　overbrimmed　a　few　hours　with　a　whole

lifetimea　lover's　lifetime；　the　experience　of　its　prolific　delights

burned　me。



〃The　next　day　I　could　not　bear　the　tortures　of　delay；　I　borrowed　a

novel；　and　spent　the　whole　day　over　it；　so　that　I　could　not　possibly

think　nor　keep　account　of　the　time　till　night。　Foedora's　name　echoed

through　me　even　as　I　read；　but　only　as　a　distant　sound；　though　it

could　be　heard；　it　was　not　troublesome。　Fortunately；　I　owned　a　fairly

creditable　black　coat　and　a　white　waistcoat；　of　all　my　fortune　there

now　remained　abut　thirty　francs；　which　I　had　distributed　about　among

my　clothes　and　in　my　drawers；　so　as　to　erect　between　my　whims　and　the

spending　of　a　five…franc　piece　a　thorny　barrier　of　search；　and　an

adventurous　peregrination　round　my　room。　While　I　as　dressing；　I　dived

about　for　my　money　in　an　ocean　of　papers。　This　scarcity　of　specie　will

give　you　some　idea　of　the　value　of　that　squandered　upon　gloves　and

cab…hire；　a　month's　bread　disappeared　at　one　fell　swoop。　Alas！　money

is　always　forthcoming　for　our　caprices；　we　only　grudge　the　cost　of

things　that　are　useful　or　necessary。　We　recklessly　fling　gold　to　an

opera…dancer；　and　haggle　with　a　tradesman　whose　hungry　family　must

wait　for　the　settlement　of　our　bill。　How　many　men　are　there　that　wear

a　coat　that　cost　a　hundred　francs；　and　carry　a　diamond　in　the　head　of

their　cane；　and　dine　for　twenty…five　SOUS　for　all　that！　It　seems　as

though　we　could　never　pay　enough　for　the　pleasures　of　vanity。



〃Rastignac；　punctual　to　his　appointment；　smiled　at　the　transformation；

and　joked　about　it。　On　the　way　he　gave　me　benevolent　advice　as　to　my

conduct　with　the　countess；　he　described　her　as　mean；　vain；　and

suspicious；　but　though　mean；　she　was　ostentatious；　her　vanity　was

transparent；　and　her　mistrust　good…humored。



〃　'You　know　I　am　pledged；'　he　said；　'and　what　I　should　lose；　too；　if　I

tried　a　change　in　love。　So　my　observation　of　Foedora　has　been　quite

cool　and　disinterested；　and　my　remarks　must　have　some　truth　in　them。　I

was　looking　to　your　future　when　I　thought　of　introducing　you　to　her；

so　mind　very　carefully　what　I　am　about　to　say。　She　has　a　terrible

memory。　She　is　clever　enough　to　drive　a　diplomatist　wild；　she　would

know　it　at　once　if　he　spoke　the　truth。　Between　ourselves；　I　fancy　that

her　marriage　was　not　recognized　by　the　Emperor；　for　the　Russian

ambassador　began　to　smile　when　I　spoke　of　her；　he　does　not　receive　her

either；　and　only　bows　very　coolly　if　he　meets　her　in　the　Bois。　For　all

that；　she　is　in　Madame　de　Serizy's　set；　and　visits　Mesdames　de

Nucingen　and　de　Restaud。　There　is　no　cloud　over　her　here　in　France；

the　Duchesse　de　Carigliano；　the　most…strait…laced　marechale　in　the

whole　Bonapartist　coterie；　often　goes　to　spend　the　summer　with　her　at

her　country　house。　Plenty　of　young　fops；　sons　of　peers　of　France；　have

offered　her　a　title　in　exchange　for　her　fortune；　and　she　has　politely

declined　them　all。　Her　susceptibilities；　maybe；　are　not　to　be　touched

by　anything　less　than　a　count。　Aren't　you　a　marquis？　Go　ahead　if　you

fancy　her。　This　is　what　you　may　call　receiving　your　instructions。'



〃His　raillery　made　me　think　that　Rastignac　wished　to　joke　and　excite

my　curiosity；　so　that　I　was　in　a　paroxysm　of　my　extemporized　passion

by　the　time　that　we　stopped　before　a　peristyle　full　of　flowers。　My

heart　beat　and　my　color　rose　as　we　went　up　the　great　carpeted

staircase；　and　I　noticed　about　me　all　the　studied　refinements　of

English　comfort；　I　was　infatuatedly　bourgeois；　I　forgot　my　origin　and

all　my　personal　and　family　pride。　Alas！　I　had　but　just　left　a　garret；

after　three　years　of　poverty；　and　I　could　not　just　then　set　the

treasures　there　acquired　above　such　trifles　as　these。　Nor　could　I

rightly　estimate　the　worth　of　the　vast　intellectual　capital　which

turns　to　riches　at　the　moment　when　opportunity　comes　within　our　reach；

opportunity　that　does　not　overwhelm；　because　study　has　prepared　us　for

the　struggles　of　public　life。



〃I　found　a　woman　of　about　twenty…two　years　of　age；　she　was　of　average

height；　was　dressed　in　white；　and　held　a　feather　fire…screen　in　her

hand；　a　group　of　men　stood　around　her。　She　rose　at　the　sight　of

Rastignac；　and　came　towards　us　with　a　gracious　smile　and　a　musically…

uttered　compliment；　prepared　no　doubt　beforehand；　for　me。　Our　friend

had　spoken　of　me　as　a　rising　man；　and　his　clever　way　of　making　the

most　of　me　had　procured　me　this　flattering　reception。　I　was　confused

by　the　attention　that　every　one　paid　to　me；　but　Rastignac　had　luckily

mentioned　my　modesty。　I　was　brought　in　contact　with　scholars；　men　of

letters；　ex…ministers；　and　peers　of　France。　The　conversation；

interrupted　a　while　by　my　coming；　was　resumed。　I　took　courage；　feeling

that　I　had　a　reputation　to　maintain；　and　without　abusing　my　privilege；

I　spoke　when　it　fell　to　me　to　speak；　trying　to　state　the　questions　at

issue　in　words　more　or　less　profound；　witty　or　trenchant；　and　I　made　a

certain　sensation。　Rastignac　was　a　prophet　for　the　thousandth　time　in

his　life。　As　soon　as　the　gathering　was　large　enough　to　restore　freedom

to　individuals；　he　took　my　arm；　and　we　went　round　the　rooms。



〃　'Don't　look　as　if　you　were　too　much　struck　by　the　princess；'　he

said；　'or　she　will　guess　your　object　in　coming　to　visit　her。'



〃The　rooms　were　furnished　in　excellent　taste。　Each　apartment　had　a

character　of　its　own；　as　in　wealthy　English　houses；　and　the　silken

hangings；　the　style　of　the　furniture；　and　the　ornaments；　even　the　most

trifling；　were　all　subordinated　to　the　original　idea。　In　a　gothic

boudoir　the　doors　were　concealed　by　tapestried　curtains；　and　the

paneling　by　hangings；　the　clock　and　the　pattern　of　the　carpet　were

made　to　harmonize　with　the　gothic　surroundings。　The　ceiling；　with　its

carved　cross…beams　of　brown　wood；　was　full　of　charm　and　originality；

the　panels　were　beautifully　wrought；　nothing　disturbed　the　general

harmony　of　the　scheme　of　decoration；　not　even　the　windows　with　their

rich　colored　glass。　I　was　surprised　by　the　extensive　knowledge　of

decoration　that　some　artist　had　brought　to　bear　on　a　little　modern

room；　it　was　so　pleasant　and　fresh；　and　not　heavy；　but　subdued　with

its　dead　gold　hues。　It　had　all　the　vague　sentiment　of　a　German　ballad；

it　was　a　retreat　fit　for　some　romance　of　1827；　perfumed　by　the　exotic

flowers　set　in　their　stands。　Another　apartment　in　the　suite　was　a

gilded　reproduction　of　the　Louis　Quatorze　period；　with　modern

paintings　on　the　walls　in　odd　but　pleasant　contrast。



〃　'You　would　not　be　so　badly　lodged；'　was　Rastignac's　slightly

sarcastic　comment。　'It　is　captivating；　isn't　it？'　he　added；　smiling　as

he　sat　down。　Then　suddenly　he　rose；　and　led　me　by　the　hand　into　a

bedroom；　where　the　softened　light　fell　upon　the　bed　under　its　canopy

of　muslin　and　white　watered　silka　couch　for　a　young　fairy　betrothed

to　one　of　the　genii。



〃　'Isn't　it　wantonly　bad　taste；　insolent　and　unbounded　coquetry；'　he

said；　lowering　his　voice；　'that　allows　us　to　see　this　throne　of　love？

She　gives　herself　to　no　one；　and　anybody　may　leave　his　card　here。　If　I

were　not　committed；　I　should　like　to　see　her　at　my　feet　all　tears　and

submission。'



〃　'Are　you　so　certain　of　her　virtue？'



〃　'The　boldest　and　even　the　cleverest　adventurers　among　us；

acknowledge　themselves　defeated；　and　continue　to　be　her　lovers　and

devoted　friends。　Isn't　that　woman　a　puzzle？'



〃His　words　seemed　to　intoxicate　me；　I　had　jealous　fears　already　of　the

past。　I　leapt　for　joy；　and　hurried　back　to　the　countess；　whom　I　had

seen　in　the　g