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第44章

the magic skin-第44章

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of prosperity。 So I will give you some Havanacig〃



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



〃You! sleep off your paragraphs! Good…night! Say good…night to

Nebuchadnezzar!Love! Wine! France!glory and trtreas〃



Very soon the snorings of the two friends were added to the music with

which the rooms resoundedan ineffectual concert! The lights went out

one by one; their crystal sconces cracking in the final flare。 Night

threw dark shadows over this prolonged revelry; in which Raphael's

narrative had been a second orgy of speech; of words without ideas; of

ideas for which words had often been lacking。



Towards noon; next day; the fair Aquilina bestirred herself。 She

yawned wearily。 She had slept with her head upon a painted velvet

footstool; and her cheeks were mottled over by contact with the

surface。 Her movement awoke Euphrasia; who suddenly sprang up with a

hoarse cry; her pretty face; that had been so fresh and fair in the

evening; was sallow now and pallid; she looked like a candidate for

the hospital。 The rest awoke also by degrees; with portentous

groanings; to feel themselves over in every stiffened limb; and to

experience the infinite varieties of weariness that weighed upon them。



A servant came in to throw back the shutters and open the windows。

There they all stood; brought back to consciousness by the warm rays

of sunlight that shone upon the sleepers' heads。 Their movements

during slumber had disordered the elaborately arranged hair and

toilettes of the women。 They presented a ghastly spectacle in the

bright daylight。 Their hair fell ungracefully about them; their eyes;

lately so brilliant; were heavy and dim; the expression of their faces

was entirely changed。 The sickly hues; which daylight brings out so

strongly; were frightful。 An olive tint had crept over the lymphatic

faces; so fair and soft when in repose; the dainty red lips were grown

pale and dry; and bore tokens of the degradation of excess。 Each

disowned his mistress of the night before; the women looked wan and

discolored; like flowers trampled under foot by a passing procession。



The men who scorned them looked even more horrible。 Those human faces

would have made you shudder。 The hollow eyes with the dark circles

round them seemed to see nothing; they were dull with wine and

stupefied with heavy slumbers that had been exhausting rather than

refreshing。 There was an indescribable ferocious and stolid bestiality

about these haggard faces; where bare physical appetite appeared shorn

of all the poetical illusion with which the intellect invests it。 Even

these fearless champions; accustomed to measure themselves with

excess; were struck with horror at this awakening of vice; stripped of

its disguises; at being confronted thus with sin; the skeleton in

rags; lifeless and hollow; bereft of the sophistries of the intellect

and the enchantments of luxury。 Artists and courtesans scrutinized in

silence and with haggard glances the surrounding disorder; the rooms

where everything had been laid waste; at the havoc wrought by heated

passions。



Demoniac laughter broke out when Taillefer; catching the smothered

murmurs of his guests; tried to greet them with a grin。 His darkly

flushed; perspiring countenance loomed upon this pandemonium; like the

image of a crime that knows no remorse (see L'Auberge Rouge)。 The

picture was complete。 A picture of a foul life in the midst of luxury;

a hideous mixture of the pomp and squalor of humanity; an awakening

after the frenzy of Debauch has crushed and squeezed all the fruits of

life in her strong hands; till nothing but unsightly refuse is left to

her; and lies in which she believes no longer。 You might have thought

of Death gloating over a family stricken with the plague。



The sweet scents and dazzling lights; the mirth and the excitement

were all no more; disgust with its nauseous sensations and searching

philosophy was there instead。 The sun shone in like truth; the pure

outer air was like virtue; in contrast with the heated atmosphere;

heavy with the fumes of the previous night of revelry。



Accustomed as they were to their life; many of the girls thought of

other days and other wakings; pure and innocent days when they looked

out and saw the roses and honeysuckle about the casement; and the

fresh countryside without enraptured by the glad music of the skylark;

while earth lay in mists; lighted by the dawn; and in all the

glittering radiance of dew。 Others imagined the family breakfast; the

father and children round the table; the innocent laughter; the

unspeakable charm that pervaded it all; the simple hearts and their

meal as simple。



An artist mused upon his quiet studio; on his statue in its severe

beauty; and the graceful model who was waiting for him。 A young man

recollected a lawsuit on which the fortunes of a family hung; and an

important transaction that needed his presence。 The scholar regretted

his study and that noble work that called for him。 Emile appeared just

then as smiling; blooming; and fresh as the smartest assistant in a

fashionable shop。



〃You are all as ugly as bailiffs。 You won't be fit for anything

to…day; so this day is lost; and I vote for breakfast。〃



At this Taillefer went out to give some orders。 The women went

languidly up to the mirrors to set their toilettes in order。 Each one

shook herself。 The wilder sort lectured the steadier ones。 The

courtesans made fun of those who looked unable to continue the

boisterous festivity; but these wan forms revived all at once; stood

in groups; and talked and smiled。 Some servants quickly and adroitly

set the furniture and everything else in its place; and a magnificent

breakfast was got ready。



The guests hurried into the dining…room。 Everything there bore

indelible marks of yesterday's excess; it is true; but there were at

any rate some traces of ordinary; rational existence; such traces as

may be found in a sick man's dying struggles。 And so the revelry was

laid away and buried; like carnival of a Shrove Tuesday; by masks

wearied out with dancing; drunk with drunkenness; and quite ready to

be persuaded of the pleasures of lassitude; lest they should be forced

to admit their exhaustion。



As soon as these bold spirits surrounded the capitalist's breakfast…

table; Cardot appeared。 He had left the rest to make a night of it

after the dinner; and finished the evening after his own fashion in

the retirement of domestic life。 Just now a sweet smile wandered over

his features。 He seemed to have a presentiment that there would be

some inheritance to sample and divide; involving inventories and

engrossing; an inheritance rich in fees and deeds to draw up; and

something as juicy as the trembling fillet of beef in which their host

had just plunged his knife。



〃Oh; ho! we are to have breakfast in the presence of a notary;〃 cried

Cursy。



〃You have come here just at the right time;〃 said the banker;

indicating the breakfast; 〃you can jot down the numbers; and initial

off all the dishes。〃



〃There is no will to make here; but contracts of marriage there may

be; perhaps;〃 said the scholar; who had made a satisfactory

arrangement for the first time in twelve months。



〃Oh! Oh!〃



〃Ah! Ah!〃



〃One moment;〃 cried Cardot; fairly deafened by a chorus of wretched

jokes。 〃I came here on serious business。 I am bringing six millions

for one of you。〃 (Dead silence。) 〃Monsieur;〃 he went on; turning to

Raphael; who at the moment was unceremoniously wiping his eyes on a

corner of the table…napkin; 〃was not your mother a Mlle。 O'Flaharty?〃



〃Yes;〃 said Raphael mechanically enough; 〃Barbara Marie。〃



〃Have you your certificate of birth about you;〃 Cardot went on; 〃and

Mme。 de Valentin's as well?〃



〃I believe so。〃



〃Very well then; monsieur; you are the sole heir of Major O'Flaharty;

who died in August 1828 at Calcutta。〃



〃An incalcuttable f

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