the magic skin-第65章

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face；　like　that　of　a　dangerous　madman。



〃Make　him　hold　his　tongue；〃　the　young　man　had　said　to　one　of　his

seconds；　〃that　voice　of　his　is　tearing　the　heart　out　of　me。〃



〃Say　no　more；　sir；　it　is　quite　useless；〃　cried　the　seconds　and　the

surgeon；　addressing　Raphael。



〃Gentlemen；　I　am　fulfilling　a　duty。　Has　this　young　gentleman　any　final

arrangements　to　make？〃



〃That　is　enough；　that　will　do。〃



The　Marquis　remained　standing　steadily；　never　for　a　moment　losing

sight　of　his　antagonist；　and　the　latter　seemed；　like　a　bird　before　a

snake；　to　be　overwhelmed　by　a　well…nigh　magical　power。　He　was

compelled　to　endure　that　homicidal　gaze；　he　met　and　shunned　it

incessantly。



〃I　am　thirsty；　give　me　some　water〃　he　said　again　to　the　second。



〃Are　you　nervous？〃



〃Yes；〃　he　answered。　〃There　is　a　fascination　about　that　man's　glowing

eyes。〃



〃Will　you　apologize？〃



〃It　is　too　late　now。〃



The　two　antagonists　were　placed　at　fifteen　paces'　distance　from　each

other。　Each　of　them　had　a　brace　of　pistols　at　hand；　and；　according　to

the　programme　prescribed　for　them；　each　was　to　fire　twice　when　and　how

he　pleased；　but　after　the　signal　had　been　given　by　the　seconds。



〃What　are　you　doing；　Charles？〃　exclaimed　the　young　man　who　acted　as

second　to　Raphael's　antagonist；　〃you　are　putting　in　the　ball　before

the　powder！〃



〃I　am　a　dead　man；〃　he　muttered；　by　way　of　answer；　〃you　have　put　me

facing　the　sun〃



〃The　sun　lies　behind　you；〃　said　Valentin　sternly　and　solemnly；　while

he　coolly　loaded　his　pistol　without　heeding　the　fact　that　the　signal

had　been　given；　or　that　his　antagonist　was　carefully　taking　aim。



There　was　something　so　appalling　in　this　supernatural　unconcern；　that

it　affected　even　the　two　postilions；　brought　thither　by　a　cruel

curiosity。　Raphael　was　either　trying　his　power　or　playing　with　it；　for

he　talked　to　Jonathan；　and　looked　towards　him　as　he　received　his

adversary's　fire。　Charles'　bullet　broke　a　branch　of　willow；　and

ricocheted　over　the　surface　of　the　water；　Raphael　fired　at　random；　and

shot　his　antagonist　through　the　heart。　He　did　not　heed　the　young　man

as　he　dropped；　he　hurriedly　sought　the　Magic　Skin　to　see　what　another

man's　life　had　cost　him。　The　talisman　was　no　larger　than　a　small　oak…

leaf。



〃What　are　you　gaping　at；　you　postilions　over　there？　Let　us　be　off；〃

said　the　Marquis。



That　same　evening　he　crossed　the　French　border；　immediately　set　out

for　Auvergne；　and　reached　the　springs　of　Mont　Dore。　As　he　traveled；

there　surged　up　in　his　heart；　all　at　once；　one　of　those　thoughts　that

come　to　us　as　a　ray　of　sunlight　pierces　through　the　thick　mists　in

some　dark　valleya　sad　enlightenment；　a　pitiless　sagacity　that　lights

up　the　accomplished　fact　for　us；　that　lays　our　errors　bare；　and　leaves

us　without　excuse　in　our　own　eyes。　It　suddenly　struck　him　that　the

possession　of　power；　no　matter　how　enormous；　did　not　bring　with　it　the

knowledge　how　to　use　it。　The　sceptre　is　a　plaything　for　a　child；　an

axe　for　a　Richelieu；　and　for　a　Napoleon　a　lever　by　which　to　move　the

world。　Power　leaves　us　just　as　it　finds　us；　only　great　natures　grow

greater　by　its　means。　Raphael　had　had　everything　in　his　power；　and　he

had　done　nothing。



At　the　springs　of　Mont　Dore　he　came　again　in　contact　with　a　little

world　of　people；　who　invariably　shunned　him　with　the　eager　haste　that

animals　display　when　they　scent　afar　off　one　of　their　own　species

lying　dead；　and　flee　away。　The　dislike　was　mutual。　His　late　adventure

had　given　him　a　deep　distaste　for　society；　his　first　care；

consequently；　was　to　find　a　lodging　at　some　distance　from　the

neighborhood　of　the　springs。　Instinctively　he　felt　within　him　the　need

of　close　contact　with　nature；　of　natural　emotions；　and　of　the

vegetative　life　into　which　we　sink　so　gladly　among　the　fields。



The　day　after　he　arrived　he　climbed　the　Pic　de　Sancy；　not　without

difficulty；　and　visited　the　higher　valleys；　the　skyey　nooks；

undiscovered　lakes；　and　peasants'　huts　about　Mont　Dore；　a　country

whose　stern　and　wild　features　are　now　beginning　to　tempt　the　brushes

of　our　artists；　for　sometimes　wonderfully　fresh　and　charming　views　are

to　be　found　there；　affording　a　strong　contrast　to　the　frowning　brows

of　those　lonely　hills。



Barely　a　league　from　the　village　Raphael　discovered　a　nook　where

nature　seemed　to　have　taken　a　pleasure　in　hiding　away　all　her

treasures　like　some　glad　and　mischievous　child。　At　the　first　sight　of

this　unspoiled　and　picturesque　retreat；　he　determined　to　take　up　his

abode　in　it。　There；　life　must　needs　be　peaceful；　natural；　and

fruitful；　like　the　life　of　a　plant。



Imagine　for　yourself　an　inverted　cone　of　granite　hollowed　out　on　a

large　scale；　a　sort　of　basin　with　its　sides　divided　up　by　queer

winding　paths。　On　one　side　lay　level　stretches　with　no　growth　upon

them；　a　bluish　uniform　surface；　over　which　the　rays　of　the　sun　fell　as

upon　a　mirror；　on　the　other　lay　cliffs　split　open　by　fissures　and

frowning　ravines；　great　blocks　of　lava　hung　suspended　from　them；　while

the　action　of　rain　slowly　prepared　their　impending　fall；　a　few　stunted

trees　tormented　by　the　wind；　often　crowned　their　summits；　and　here　and

there　in　some　sheltered　angle　of　their　ramparts　a　clump　of　chestnut…

trees　grew　tall　as　cedars；　or　some　cavern　in　the　yellowish　rocks

showed　the　dark　entrance　into　its　depths；　set　about　by　flowers　and

brambles；　decked　by　a　little　strip　of　green　turf。



At　the　bottom　of　this　cup；　which　perhaps　had　been　the　crater　of　an

old…world　volcano；　lay　a　pool　of　water　as　pure　and　bright　as　a

diamond。　Granite　boulders　lay　around　the　deep　basin；　and　willows；

mountain…ash　trees；　yellow…flag　lilies；　and　numberless　aromatic　plants

bloomed　about　it；　in　a　realm　of　meadow　as　fresh　as　an　English　bowling…

green。　The　fine　soft　grass　was　watered　by　the　streams　that　trickled

through　the　fissures　in　the　cliffs；　the　soil　was　continually　enriched

by　the　deposits　of　loam　which　storms　washed　down　from　the　heights

above。　The　pool　might　be　some　three　acres　in　extent；　its　shape　was

irregular；　and　the　edges　were　scalloped　like　the　hem　of　a　dress；　the

meadow　might　be　an　acre　or　two　acres　in　extent。　The　cliffs　and　the

water　approached　and　receded　from　each　other；　here　and　there；　there

was　scarcely　width　enough　for　the　cows　to　pass　between　them。



After　a　certain　height　the　plant　life　ceased。　Aloft　in　air　the　granite

took　upon　itself　the　most　fantastic　shapes；　and　assumed　those　misty

tints　that　give　to　high　mountains　a　dim　resemblance　to　clouds　in　the

sky。　The　bare；　bleak　cliffs；　with　the　fearful　rents　in　their　sides；

pictures　of　wild　and　barren　desolation；　contrasted　strongly　with　the

pretty　view　of　the　valley；　and　so　strange　were　the　shapes　they

assumed；　that　one　of　the　cliffs　had　been　called　〃The　Capuchin；〃

because　it　was　so　like　a　monk。　Sometimes　these　sharp…pointed　peaks；

these　mighty　masses　of　rock；　and　airy　caverns　were　lighted　up　one　by

one；　according　to　the　direction　of　the　sun　or　the　caprices　of　the

atmosphere；　they　caught　gleams　of　gold；　dyed　themselves　in　purple；

took　a　tint　of　glowing　rose…color；　or　turned　dull　and　gray。　Upon　the

heights　a　drama　of　color　was　always　to　be　seen；　a　play　of　ever…

shifting　iridescent　hues　like　those　on　a　pigeon's　breast。



Oftentimes　at　sunrise　or　at　sunset　a　ray　of　bright　sunlight　would

penetrate　between　two　sheer　surfaces　of　lava；　that　might　have　been

split　apart　by　a　hatchet；　to　the　very　depths　of　that　pleasant　little

garden；　where　it　would　play　in　the　waters　of　the　pool；　like　a　beam　of

golden　light　which　gleams　through　the　chinks　of　a　shutter　into　a　room

in　Spain；　that　has　been　carefully　darkened　for　a　siesta。　When　the　sun

rose　above　the　old　crater　that　some　antediluvian　revolution　had　filled

with　water；　its　rocky　sides　took　warmer　tones；　the　extinct　volcano

glowed　again；　and　its　sudden　heat　quickened　the　sprouting　seeds　and

vegetation；　gave　color　to　the　flowers；　and　ripened　the　fruits　of　this

forgotten　corner　o