the magic skin-第36章

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Arabian　Nights。



〃　'Foedora　must　be　shielded　by　some　talisman；'　I　thought　to　myself　as

I　went　back；　'or　she　could　not　resist　the　love　of　a　man　of　my　age；　the

infectious　fever　of　that　splendid　malady　of　the　soul。　Is　Foedora；　like

Lady　Delacour；　a　prey　to　a　cancer？　Her　life　is　certainly　an　unnatural

one。'



〃I　shuddered　at　the　thought。　Then　I　decided　on　a　plan；　at　once　the

wildest　and　the　most　rational　that　lover　ever　dreamed　of。　I　would

study　this　woman　from　a　physical　point　of　view；　as　I　had　already

studied　her　intellectually；　and　to　this　end　I　made　up　my　mind　to　spend

a　night　in　her　room　without　her　knowledge。　This　project　preyed　upon　me

as　a　thirst　for　revenge　gnaws　at　the　heart　of　a　Corsican　monk。　This　is

how　I　carried　it　out。　On　the　days　when　Foedora　received；　her　rooms

were　far　too　crowded　for　the　hall…porter　to　keep　the　balance　even

between　goers　and　comers；　I　could　remain　in　the　house；　I　felt　sure；

without　causing　a　scandal　in　it；　and　I　waited　the　countess'　coming

soiree　with　impatience。　As　I　dressed　I　put　a　little　English　penknife

into　my　waistcoat　pocket；　instead　of　a　poniard。　That　literary

implement；　if　found　upon　me；　could　awaken　no　suspicion；　but　I　knew　not

whither　my　romantic　resolution　might　lead；　and　I　wished　to　be

prepared。



〃As　soon　as　the　rooms　began　to　fill；　I　entered　the　bedroom　and

examined　the　arrangements。　The　inner　and　outer　shutters　were　closed；

this　was　a　good　beginning；　and　as　the　waiting…maid　might　come　to　draw

back　the　curtains　that　hung　over　the　windows；　I　pulled　them　together。

I　was　running　great　risks　in　venturing　to　manoeuvre　beforehand　in　this

way；　but　I　had　accepted　the　situation；　and　had　deliberately　reckoned

with　its　dangers。



〃About　midnight　I　hid　myself　in　the　embrasure　of　the　window。　I　tried

to　scramble　on　to　a　ledge　of　the　wainscoting；　hanging　on　by　the

fastening　of　the　shutters　with　my　back　against　the　wall；　in　such　a

position　that　my　feet　could　not　be　visible。　When　I　had　carefully

considered　my　points　of　support；　and　the　space　between　me　and　the

curtains；　I　had　become　sufficiently　acquainted　with　all　the

difficulties　of　my　position　to　stay　in　it　without　fear　of　detection　if

undisturbed　by　cramp；　coughs；　or　sneezings。　To　avoid　useless　fatigue；

I　remained　standing　until　the　critical　moment；　when　I　must　hang

suspended　like　a　spider　in　its　web。　The　white…watered　silk　and　muslin

of　the　curtains　spread　before　me　in　great　pleats　like　organ…pipes。

With　my　penknife　I　cut　loopholes　in　them；　through　which　I　could　see。



〃I　heard　vague　murmurs　from　the　salons；　the　laughter　and　the　louder

tones　of　the　speakers。　The　smothered　commotion　and　vague　uproar

lessened　by　slow　degrees。　One　man　and　another　came　for　his　hat　from

the　countess'　chest　of　drawers；　close　to　where　I　stood。　I　shivered；　if

the　curtains　were　disturbed；　at　the　thought　of　the　mischances

consequent　on　the　confused　and　hasty　investigations　made　by　the　men　in

a　hurry　to　depart；　who　were　rummaging　everywhere。　When　I　experienced

no　misfortunes　of　this　kind；　I　augured　well　of　my　enterprise。　An　old

wooer　of　Foedora's　came　for　the　last　hat；　he　thought　himself　quite

alone；　looked　at　the　bed；　and　heaved　a　great　sigh；　accompanied　by　some

inaudible　exclamation；　into　which　he　threw　sufficient　energy。　In　the

boudoir　close　by；　the　countess；　finding　only　some　five　or　six　intimate

acquaintances　about　her；　proposed　tea。　The　scandals　for　which　existing

society　has　reserved　the　little　faculty　of　belief　that　it　retains；

mingled　with　epigrams　and　trenchant　witticisms；　and　the　clatter　of

cups　and　spoons。　Rastignac　drew　roars　of　laughter　by　merciless

sarcasms　at　the　expense　of　my　rivals。



〃　'M。　de　Rastignac　is　a　man　with　whom　it　is　better　not　to　quarrel；'

said　the　countess；　laughing。



〃　'I　am　quite　of　that　opinion；'　was　his　candid　reply。　'I　have　always

been　right　about　my　aversionsand　my　friendships　as　well；'　he　added。

'Perhaps　my　enemies　are　quite　as　useful　to　me　as　my　friends。　I　have

made　a　particular　study　of　modern　phraseology；　and　of　the　natural

craft　that　is　used　in　all　attack　or　defence。　Official　eloquence　is　one

of　our　perfect　social　products。



〃　'One　of　your　friends　is　not　clever；　so　you　speak　of　his　integrity

and　his　candor。　Another's　work　is　heavy；　you　introduce　it　as　a　piece

of　conscientious　labor；　and　if　the　book　is　ill　written；　you　extol　the

ideas　it　contains。　Such　an　one　is　treacherous　and　fickle；　slips

through　your　fingers　every　moment；　bah！　he　is　attractive；　bewitching；

he　is　delightful！　Suppose　they　are　enemies；　you　fling　every　one；　dead

or　alive；　in　their　teeth。　You　reverse　your　phraseology　for　their

benefit；　and　you　are　as　keen　in　detecting　their　faults　as　you　were

before　adroit　in　bringing　out　the　virtues　of　your　friends。　This　way　of

using　the　mental　lorgnette　is　the　secret　of　conversation　nowadays；　and

the　whole　art　of　the　complete　courtier。　If　you　neglect　it；　you　might

as　well　go　out　as　an　unarmed　knight…banneret　to　fight　against　men　in

armor。　And　I　make　use　of　it；　and　even　abuse　it　at　times。　So　we　are

respectedI　and　my　friends；　and；　moreover；　my　sword　is　quite　as　sharp

as　my　tongue。'



〃One　of　Foedora's　most　fervid　worshipers；　whose　presumption　was

notorious；　and　who　even　made　it　contribute　to　his　success；　took　up　the

glove　thrown　down　so　scornfully　by　Rastignac。　He　began　an　unmeasured

eulogy　of　me；　my　performances；　and　my　character。　Rastignac　had

overlooked　this　method　of　detraction。　His　sarcastic　encomiums　misled

the　countess；　who　sacrificed　without　mercy；　she　betrayed　my　secrets；

and　derided　my　pretensions　and　my　hopes；　to　divert　her　friends。



〃　'There　is　a　future　before　him；'　said　Rastignac。　'Some　day　he　may　be

in　a　position　to　take　a　cruel　revenge；　his　talents　are　at　least　equal

to　his　courage；　and　I　should　consider　those　who　attack　him　very　rash；

for　he　has　a　good　memory'



〃　'And　writes　Memoirs；'　put　in　the　countess；　who　seemed　to　object　to

the　deep　silence　that　prevailed。



〃　'Memoirs　of　a　sham　countess；　madame；'　replied　Rastignac。　'Another

sort　of　courage　is　needed　to　write　that　sort　of　thing。'



〃　'I　give　him　credit　for　plenty　of　courage；'　she　answered；　'he　is

faithful　to　me。'



〃I　was　greatly　tempted　to　show　myself　suddenly　among　the　railers；　like

the　shade　of　Banquo　in　Macbeth。　I　should　have　lost　a　mistress；　but　I

had　a　friend！　But　love　inspired　me　all　at　once；　with　one　of　those

treacherous　and　fallacious　subtleties　that　it　can　use　to　soothe　all

our　pangs。



〃If　Foedora　loved　me；　I　thought；　she　would　be　sure　to　disguise　her

feelings　by　some　mocking　jest。　How　often　the　heart　protests　against　a

lie　on　the　lips！



〃Well；　very　soon　my　audacious　rival；　left　alone　with　the　countess；

rose　to　go。



〃　'What！　already？'　asked　she　in　a　coaxing　voice　that　set　my　heart

beating。　'Will　you　not　give　me　a　few　more　minutes？　Have　you　nothing

more　to　say　to　me？　will　you　never　sacrifice　any　of　your　pleasures　for

me？'



〃He　went　away。



〃　'Ah！'　she　yawned；　'how　very　tiresome　they　all　are！'



〃She　pulled　a　cord　energetically　till　the　sound　of　a　bell　rang　through

the　place；　then；　humming　a　few　notes　of　Pria　che　spunti；　the　countess

entered　her　room。　No　one　had　ever　heard　her　sing；　her　muteness　had

called　forth　the　wildest　explanations。　She　had　promised　her　first

lover；　so　it　was　said；　who　had　been　held　captive　by　her　talent；　and

whose　jealousy　over　her　stretched　beyond　his　grave；　that　she　would

never　allow　others　to　experience　a　happiness　that　he　wished　to　be　his

and　his　alone。



〃I　exerted　every　power　of　my　soul　to　catch　the　sounds。　Higher　and

higher　rose　the　notes；　Foedora's　life　seemed　to　dilate　within　her；　her

throat　poured　forth　all　its　richest　tones；　something　well…nigh　divine

entered　into　the　melody。　There　was　a　bright　purity　and　clearness　of

tone　in　the　countess'　voice；　a　thrilling　harmony　which　reached　the

heart　and　stirred　its　pulses。　Musicians　are　seldom　unemotional；　a

woman　who　could　sing　like　that　must　know　how　to　love