the magic skin-第43章

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in　my　ears；　in　spite　of　the　clamor　of　bells？



〃The　money　paid　down　for　my　island；　when　all　my　debts　were　discharged；

left　me　in　possession　of　two　thousand　francs。　I　could　now　have

returned　to　the　scholar's　tranquil　life；　it　is　true；　I　could　have　gone

back　to　my　garret　after　having　gained　an　experience　of　life；　with　my

head　filled　with　the　results　of　extensive　observation；　and　with　a

certain　sort　of　reputation　attaching　to　me。　But　Foedora's　hold　upon

her　victim　was　not　relaxed。　We　often　met。　I　compelled　her　admirers　to

sound　my　name　in　her　ears；　by　dint　of　astonishing　them　with　my

cleverness　and　success；　with　my　horses　and　equipages。　It　all　found　her

impassive　and　uninterested；　so　did　an　ugly　phrase　of　Rastignac's；　'He

is　killing　himself　for　you。'



〃I　charged　the　world　at　large　with　my　revenge；　but　I　was　not　happy。

While　I　was　fathoming　the　miry　depths　of　life；　I　only　recognized　the

more　keenly　at　all　times　the　happiness　of　reciprocal　affection；　it　was

a　shadow　that　I　followed　through　all　that　befell　me　in　my

extravagance；　and　in　my　wildest　moments。　It　was　my　misfortune　to　be

deceived　in　my　fairest　beliefs；　to　be　punished　by　ingratitude　for

benefiting　others；　and　to　receive　uncounted　pleasures　as　the　reward　of

my　errorsa　sinister　doctrine；　but　a　true　one　for　the　prodigal！



〃The　contagious　leprosy　of　Foedora's　vanity　had　taken　hold　of　me　at

last。　I　probed　my　soul；　and　found　it　cankered　and　rotten。　I　bore　the

marks　of　the　devil's　claw　upon　my　forehead。　It　was　impossible　to　me

thenceforward　to　do　without　the　incessant　agitation　of　a　life　fraught

with　danger　at　every　moment；　or　to　dispense　with　the　execrable

refinements　of　luxury。　If　I　had　possessed　millions；　I　should　still

have　gambled；　reveled；　and　racketed　about。　I　wished　never　to　be　alone

with　myself；　and　I　must　have　false　friends　and　courtesans；　wine　and

good　cheer　to　distract　me。　The　ties　that　attach　a　man　to　family　life

had　been　permanently　broken　for　me。　I　had　become　a　galley…slave　of

pleasure；　and　must　accomplish　my　destiny　of　suicide。　During　the　last

days　of　my　prosperity；　I　spent　every　night　in　the　most　incredible

excesses；　but　every　morning　death　cast　me　back　upon　life　again。　I

would　have　taken　a　conflagration　with　as　little　concern　as　any　man

with　a　life　annuity。　However；　I　at　last　found　myself　alone　with　a

twenty…franc　piece；　I　bethought　me　then　of　Rastignac's　luck



〃Eh；　eh！〃　Raphael　exclaimed；　interrupting　himself；　as　he

remembered　the　talisman　and　drew　it　from　his　pocket。　Perhaps　he　was

wearied　by　the　long　day's　strain；　and　had　no　more　strength　left

wherewith　to　pilot　his　head　through　the　seas　of　wine　and　punch；　or

perhaps；　exasperated　by　this　symbol　of　his　own　existence；　the　torrent

of　his　own　eloquence　gradually　overwhelmed　him。　Raphael　became　excited

and　elated　and　like　one　completely　deprived　of　reason。



〃The　devil　take　death！〃　he　shouted；　brandishing　the　skin；　〃I　mean　to

live！　I　am　rich；　I　have　every　virtue；　nothing　will　withstand　me。　Who

would　not　be　generous；　when　everything　is　in　his　power？　Aha！　Aha！　I

wished　for　two　hundred　thousand　livres　a　year；　and　I　shall　have　them。

Bow　down　before　me；　all　of　you；　wallowing　on　the　carpets　like　swine　in

the　mire！　You　all　belong　to　mea　precious　property　truly！　I　am　rich；

I　could　buy　you　all；　even　the　deputy　snoring　over　there。　Scum　of

society；　give　me　your　benediction！　I　am　the　Pope。〃



Raphael's　vociferations　had　been　hitherto　drowned　by　a　thorough…bass

of　snores；　but　now　they　became　suddenly　audible。　Most　of　the　sleepers

started　up　with　a　cry；　saw　the　cause　of　the　disturbance　on　his　feet；

tottering　uncertainly；　and　cursed　him　in　concert　for　a　drunken

brawler。



〃Silence！〃　shouted　Raphael。　〃Back　to　your　kennels；　you　dogs！　Emile；　I

have　riches；　I　will　give　you　Havana　cigars！〃



〃I　am　listening；〃　the　poet　replied。　〃Death　or　Foedora！　On　with　you！

That　silky　Foedora　deceived　you。　Women　are　all　daughters　of　Eve。　There

is　nothing　dramatic　about　that　rigmarole　of　yours。〃



〃Ah；　but　you　were　sleeping；　slyboots。〃



〃No'Death　or　Foedora！'I　have　it！〃



〃Wake　up！〃　Raphael　shouted；　beating　Emile　with　the　piece　of　shagreen

as　if　he　meant　to　draw　electric　fluid　out　of　it。



〃TONNERRE！〃　said　Emile；　springing　up　and　flinging　his　arms　round

Raphael；　〃my　friend；　remember　the　sort　of　women　you　are　with。〃



〃I　am　a　millionaire！〃



〃If　you　are　not　a　millionaire；　you　are　most　certainly　drunk。〃



〃Drunk　with　power。　I　can　kill　you！Silence！　I　am　Nero！　I　am

Nebuchadnezzar！〃



〃But；　Raphael；　we　are　in　queer　company；　and　you　ought　to　keep　quiet

for　the　sake　of　your　own　dignity。〃



〃My　life　has　been　silent　too　long。　I　mean　to　have　my　revenge　now　on

the　world　at　large。　I　will　not　amuse　myself　by　squandering　paltry

five…franc　pieces；　I　will　reproduce　and　sum　up　my　epoch　by　absorbing

human　lives；　human　minds；　and　human　souls。　There　are　the　treasures　of

pestilencethat　is　no　paltry　kind　of　wealth；　is　it？　I　will　wrestle

with　feversyellow；　blue；　or　greenwith　whole　armies；　with　gibbets。

I　can　possess　FoedoraYet　no；　I　do　not　want　Foedora；　she　is　a

disease；　I　am　dying　of　Foedora。　I　want　to　forget　Foedora。〃



〃If　you　keep　on　calling　out　like　this；　I　shall　take　you　into　the

dining…room。〃



〃Do　you　see　this　skin？　It　is　Solomon's　will。　Solomon　belongs　to　mea

little　varlet　of　a　king！　Arabia　is　mine；　Arabia　Petraea　to　boot；　and

the　universe；　and　you　too；　if　I　choose。　If　I　choose　Ah！　be　careful。

I　can　buy　up　all　our　journalist's　shop；　you　shall　be　my　valet。　You

shall　be　my　valet；　you　shall　manage　my　newspaper。　Valet！　VALET；　that

is　to　say；　free　from　aches　and　pains；　because　he　has　no　brains。〃



At　the　word；　Emile　carried　Raphael　off　into　the　dining…room。



〃All　right；〃　he　remarked；　〃yes；　my　friend；　I　am　your　valet。　But　you

are　about　to　be　editor…in…chief　of　a　newspaper；　so　be　quiet；　and

behave　properly；　for　my　sake。　Have　you　no　regard　for　me？〃



〃Regard　for　you！　You　shall　have　Havana　cigars；　with　this　bit　of

shagreen：　always　with　this　skin；　this　supreme　bit　of　shagreen。　It　is　a

cure　for　corns；　and　efficacious　remedy。　Do　you　suffer？　I　will　remove

them。〃



〃Never　have　I　known　you　so　senseless〃



〃Senseless；　my　friend？　Not　at　all。　This　skin　contracts　whenever　I　form

a　wish'tis　a　paradox。　There　is　a　Brahmin　underneath　it！　The　Brahmin

must　be　a　droll　fellow；　for　our　desires；　look　you；　are　bound　to

expand〃



〃Yes；　yes〃



〃I　tell　you〃



〃Yes；　yes；　very　true；　I　am　quite　of　your　opinionour　desires

expand〃



〃The　skin；　I　tell　you。〃



〃Yes。〃



〃You　don't　believe　me。　I　know　you；　my　friend；　you　are　as　full　of　lies

as　a　new…made　king。〃



〃How　can　you　expect　me　to　follow　your　drunken　maunderings？〃



〃I　will　bet　you　I　can　prove　it。　Let　us　measure　it〃



〃Goodness！　he　will　never　get　off　to　sleep；〃　exclaimed　Emile；　as　he

watched　Raphael　rummaging　busily　in　the　dining…room。



Thanks　to　the　peculiar　clearness　with　which　external　objects　are

sometimes　projected　on　an　inebriated　brain；　in　sharp　contrast　to　its

own　obscure　imaginings；　Valentin　found　an　inkstand　and　a　table…napkin；

with　the　quickness　of　a　monkey；　repeating　all　the　time：



〃Let　us　measure　it！　Let　us　measure　it！〃



〃All　right；〃　said　Emile；　〃let　us　measure　it！〃



The　two　friends　spread　out　the　table…napkin　and　laid　the　Magic　Skin

upon　it。　As　Emile's　hand　appeared　to　be　steadier　than　Raphael's；　he

drew　a　line　with　pen　and　ink　round　the　talisman；　while　his　friend

said：



〃I　wished　for　an　income　of　two　hundred　thousand　livres；　didn't　I？

Well；　when　that　comes；　you　will　observe　a　mighty　diminution　of　my

chagrin。〃



〃Yesnow　go　to　sleep。　Shall　I　make　you　comfortable　on　that　sofa？　Now

then；　are　you　all　right？〃



〃Yes；　my　nursling　of　the　press。　You　shall　amuse　me；　you　shall　drive

the　flies　away　from　me。　The　friend　of　adversity　should　be　the　friend

of　prosperity。　So　I　will　give　you　some　Havanacig〃



〃Come；　now；　sleep。　Sleep　off　your　gold；　you　millionaire！〃



〃You！