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第48章

the magic skin-第48章

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whim; and had lived so as not to cause the slightest movement in the

terrible talisman。 The Magic Skin was like a tiger with which he must

live without exciting its ferocity。 He bore patiently; therefore; with

the old schoolmaster's prolixity。



Porriquet spent an hour in telling him about the persecutions directed

against him ever since the Revolution of July。 The worthy man; having

a liking for strong governments; had expressed the patriotic wish that

grocers should be left to their counters; statesmen to the management

of public business; advocates to the Palais de Justice; and peers of

France to the Luxembourg; but one of the popularity…seeking ministers

of the Citizen King had ousted him from his chair; on an accusation of

Carlism; and the old man now found himself without pension or post;

and with no bread to eat。 As he played the part of guardian angel to a

poor nephew; for whose schooling at Saint Sulpice he was paying; he

came less on his own account than for his adopted child's sake; to

entreat his former pupil's interest with the new minister。 He did not

ask to be reinstated; but only for a position at the head of some

provincial school。



QRaphael had fallen a victim to unconquerable drowsiness by the time

that the worthy man's monotonous voice ceased to sound in his ears。

Civility had compelled him to look at the pale and unmoving eyes of

the deliberate and tedious old narrator; till he himself had reached

stupefaction; magnetized in an inexplicable way by the power of

inertia。



〃Well; my dear pere Porriquet;〃 he said; not very certain what the

question was to which he was replying; 〃but I can do nothing for you;

nothing at all。 I WISH VERY HEARTILY that you may succeed〃



All at once; without seeing the change wrought on the old man's sallow

and wrinkled brow by these conventional phrases; full of indifference

and selfishness; Raphael sprang to his feet like a startled roebuck。

He saw a thin white line between the black piece of hide and the red

tracing about it; and gave a cry so fearful that the poor professor

was frightened by it。



〃Old fool! Go!〃 he cried。 〃You will be appointed as headmaster!

Couldn't you have asked me for an annuity of a thousand crowns rather

than a murderous wish? Your visit would have cost me nothing。 There

are a hundred thousand situations to be had in France; but I have only

one life。 A man's life is worth more than all the situations in the

world。Jonathan!〃



Jonathan appeared。



〃This is your doing; double…distilled idiot! What made you suggest

that I should see M。 Porriquet?〃 and he pointed to the old man; who

was petrified with fright。 〃Did I put myself in your hands for you to

tear me in pieces? You have just shortened my life by ten years!

Another blunder of this kind; and you will lay me where I have laid my

father。 Would I not far rather have possessed the beautiful Foedora?

And I have obliged that old hulk insteadthat rag of humanity! I had

money enough for him。 And; moreover; if all the Porriquets in the

world were dying of hunger; what is that to me?〃



Raphael's face was white with anger; a slight froth marked his

trembling lips; there was a savage gleam in his eyes。 The two elders

shook with terror in his presence like two children at the sight of a

snake。 The young man fell back in his armchair; a kind of reaction

took place in him; the tears flowed fast from his angry eyes。



〃Oh; my life!〃 he cried; 〃that fair life of mine。 Never to know a

kindly thought again; to love no more; nothing is left to me!〃



He turned to the professor and went on in a gentle voice〃The harm is

done; my old friend。 Your services have been well repaid; and my

misfortune has at any rate contributed to the welfare of a good and

worthy man。〃



His tones betrayed so much feeling that the almost unintelligible

words drew tears from the two old men; such tears as are shed over

some pathetic song in a foreign tongue。



〃He is epileptic;〃 muttered Porriquet。



〃I understand your kind intentions; my friend;〃 Raphael answered

gently。 〃You would make excuses for me。 Ill…health cannot be helped;

but ingratitude is a grievous fault。 Leave me now;〃 he added。 〃To…

morrow or the next day; or possibly to…night; you will receive your

appointment; Resistance has triumphed over Motion。 Farewell。〃



The old schoolmaster went away; full of keen apprehension as to

Valentin's sanity。 A thrill of horror ran through him; there had been

something supernatural; he thought; in the scene he had passed

through。 He could hardly believe his own impressions; and questioned

them like one awakened from a painful dream。



〃Now attend to me; Jonathan;〃 said the young man to his old servant。

〃Try to understand the charge confided to you。〃



〃Yes; my Lord Marquis。〃



〃I am as a man outlawed from humanity。〃



〃Yes; my Lord Marquis。〃



〃All the pleasures of life disport themselves round my bed of death;

and dance about me like fair women; but if I beckon to them; I must

die。 Death always confronts me。 You must be the barrier between the

world and me。〃



〃Yes; my Lord Marquis;〃 said the old servant; wiping the drops of

perspiration from his wrinkled forehead。 〃But if you don't wish to see

pretty women; how will you manage at the Italiens this evening? An

English family is returning to London; and I have taken their box for

the rest of the season; and it is in a splendid positionsuperb; in

the first row。



Raphael; deep in his own deep musings; paid no attention to him。



Do you see that splendid equipage; a brougham painted a dark brown

color; but with the arms of an ancient and noble family shining from

the panels? As it rolls past; all the shop…girls admire it; and look

longingly at the yellow satin lining; the rugs from la Savonnerie; the

daintiness and freshness of every detail; the silken cushions and

tightly…fitting glass windows。 Two liveried footmen are mounted behind

this aristocratic carriage; and within; a head lies back among the

silken cushions; the feverish face and hollow eyes of Raphael;

melancholy and sad。 Emblem of the doom of wealth! He flies across

Paris like a rocket; and reaches the peristyle of the Theatre Favart。

The passers…by make way for him; the two footmen help him to alight;

an envious crowd looking on the while。



〃What has that fellow done to be so rich?〃 asks a poor law…student;

who cannot listen to the magical music of Rossini for lack of a five…

franc piece。



Raphael walked slowly along the gangway; he expected no enjoyment from

these pleasures he had once coveted so eagerly。 In the interval before

the second act of Semiramide he walked up and down in the lobby; and

along the corridors; leaving his box; which he had not yet entered; to

look after itself。 The instinct of property was dead within him

already。 Like all invalids; he thought of nothing but his own

sufferings。 He was leaning against the chimney…piece in the greenroom。

A group had gathered about it of dandies; young and old; of ministers;

of peers without peerages; and peerages without peers; for so the

Revolution of July had ordered matters。 Among a host of adventurers

and journalists; in fact; Raphael beheld a strange; unearthly figure a

few paces away among the crowd。 He went towards this grotesque object

to see it better; half…closing his eyes with exceeding

superciliousness。



〃What a wonderful bit of painting!〃 he said to himself。 The stranger's

hair and eyebrows and a Mazarin tuft on the chin had been dyed black;

but the result was a spurious; glossy; purple tint that varied its

hues according to the light; the hair had been too white; no doubt; to

take the preparation。 Anxiety and cunning were depicted in the narrow;

insignificant face; with its wrinkles incrusted by thick layers of red

and white paint。 This red enamel; lacking on some portions of his

face; strongly brought out his natural feebleness and livid hues。 I

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