the magic skin-第7部分

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〃Is　it　a　jest；　or　is　it　an　enigma？〃　asked　the　younger　man。



The　other　shook　his　head　and　said　soberly：



〃I　don't　know　how　to　answer　you。　I　have　offered　this　talisman　with　its

terrible　powers　to　men　with　more　energy　in　them　than　you　seem　to　me　to

have；　but　though　they　laughed　at　the　questionable　power　it　might　exert

over　their　futures；　not　one　of　them　was　ready　to　venture　to　conclude

the　fateful　contract　proposed　by　an　unknown　force。　I　am　of　their

opinion；　I　have　doubted　and　refrained；　and〃



〃Have　you　never　even　tried　its　power？〃　interrupted　the　young　stranger。



〃Tried　it！〃　exclaimed　the　old　man。　〃Suppose　that　you　were　on　the

column　in　the　Place　Vendome；　would　you　try　flinging　yourself　into

space？　Is　it　possible　to　stay　the　course　of　life？　Has　a　man　ever　been

known　to　die　by　halves？　Before　you　came　here；　you　had　made　up　your

mind　to　kill　yourself；　but　all　at　once　a　mystery　fills　your　mind；　and

you　think　no　more　about　death。　You　child！　Does　not　any　one　day　of　your

life　afford　mysteries　more　absorbing？　Listen　to　me。　I　saw　the

licentious　days　of　Regency。　I　was　like　you；　then；　in　poverty；　I　have

begged　my　bread；　but　for　all　that；　I　am　now　a　centenarian　with　a

couple　of　years　to　spare；　and　a　millionaire　to　boot。　Misery　was　the

making　of　me；　ignorance　has　made　me　learned。　I　will　tell　you　in　a　few

words　the　great　secret　of　human　life。　By　two　instinctive　processes　man

exhausts　the　springs　of　life　within　him。　Two　verbs　cover　all　the　forms

which　these　two　causes　of　death　may　takeTo　Will　and　To　have　your

Will。　Between　these　two　limits　of　human　activity　the　wise　have

discovered　an　intermediate　formula；　to　which　I　owe　my　good　fortune　and

long　life。　To　Will　consumes　us；　and　To　have　our　Will　destroys　us；　but

To　Know　steeps　our　feeble　organisms　in　perpetual　calm。　In　me　Thought

has　destroyed　Will；　so　that　Power　is　relegated　to　the　ordinary

functions　of　my　economy。　In　a　word；　it　is　not　in　the　heart　which　can

be　broken；　or　in　the　senses　that　become　deadened；　but　it　is　in　the

brain　that　cannot　waste　away　and　survives　everything　else；　that　I　have

set　my　life。　Moderation　has　kept　mind　and　body　unruffled。　Yet；　I　have

seen　the　whole　world。　I　have　learned　all　languages；　lived　after　every

manner。　I　have　lent　a　Chinaman　money；　taking　his　father's　corpse　as　a

pledge；　slept　in　an　Arab's　tent　on　the　security　of　his　bare　word；

signed　contracts　in　every　capital　of　Europe；　and　left　my　gold　without

hesitation　in　savage　wigwams。　I　have　attained　everything；　because　I

have　known　how　to　despise　all　things。



〃My　one　ambition　has　been　to　see。　Is　not　Sight　in　a　manner　Insight？

And　to　have　knowledge　or　insight；　is　not　that　to　have　instinctive

possession？　To　be　able　to　discover　the　very　substance　of　fact　and　to

unite　its　essence　to　our　essence？　Of　material　possession　what　abides

with　you　but　an　idea？　Think；　then；　how　glorious　must　be　the　life　of　a

man　who　can　stamp　all　realities　upon　his　thought；　place　the　springs　of

happiness　within　himself；　and　draw　thence　uncounted　pleasures　in　idea；

unspoiled　by　earthly　stains。　Thought　is　a　key　to　all　treasures；　the

miser's　gains　are　ours　without　his　cares。　Thus　I　have　soared　above

this　world；　where　my　enjoyments　have　been　intellectual　joys。　I　have

reveled　in　the　contemplation　of　seas；　peoples；　forests；　and　mountains！

I　have　seen　all　things；　calmly；　and　without　weariness；　I　have　set　my

desires　on　nothing；　I　have　waited　in　expectation　of　everything。　I　have

walked　to　and　fro　in　the　world　as　in　a　garden　round　about　my　own

dwelling。　Troubles；　loves；　ambitions；　losses；　and　sorrows；　as　men　call

them；　are　for　me　ideas；　which　I　transmute　into　waking　dreams；　I

express　and　transpose　instead　of　feeling　them；　instead　of　permitting

them　to　prey　upon　my　life；　I　dramatize　and　expand　them；　I　divert

myself　with　them　as　if　they　were　romances　which　I　could　read　by　the

power　of　vision　within　me。　As　I　have　never　overtaxed　my　constitution；

I　still　enjoy　robust　health；　and　as　my　mind　is　endowed　with　all　the

force　that　I　have　not　wasted；　this　head　of　mine　is　even　better

furnished　than　my　galleries。　The　true　millions　lie　here；〃　he　said；

striking　his　forehead。　〃I　spend　delicious　days　in　communings　with　the

past；　I　summon　before　me　whole　countries；　places；　extents　of　sea；　the

fair　faces　of　history。　In　my　imaginary　seraglio　I　have　all　the　women

that　I　have　never　possessed。　Your　wars　and　revolutions　come　up　before

me　for　judgment。　What　is　a　feverish　fugitive　admiration　for　some　more

or　less　brightly　colored　piece　of　flesh　and　blood；　some　more　or　less

rounded　human　form；　what　are　all　the　disasters　that　wait　on　your

erratic　whims；　compared　with　the　magnificent　power　of　conjuring　up　the

whole　world　within　your　soul；　compared　with　the　immeasurable　joys　of

movement；　unstrangled　by　the　cords　of　time；　unclogged　by　the　fetters

of　space；　the　joys　of　beholding　all　things；　of　comprehending　all

things；　of　leaning　over　the　parapet　of　the　world　to　question　the　other

spheres；　to　hearken　to　the　voice　of　God？　There；〃　he　burst　out；

vehemently；　〃there　are　To　Will　and　To　have　your　Will；　both　together；〃

he　pointed　to　the　bit　of　shagreen；　〃there　are　your　social　ideas；　your

immoderate　desires；　your　excesses；　your　pleasures　that　end　in　death；

your　sorrows　that　quicken　the　pace　of　life；　for　pain　is　perhaps　but　a

violent　pleasure。　Who　could　determine　the　point　where　pleasure　becomes

pain；　where　pain　is　still　a　pleasure？　Is　not　the　utmost　brightness　of

the　ideal　world　soothing　to　us；　while　the　lightest　shadows　of　the

physical　world　annoy？　Is　not　knowledge　the　secret　of　wisdom？　And　what

is　folly　but　a　riotous　expenditure　of　Will　or　Power？〃



〃Very　good　then；　a　life　of　riotous　excess　for　me！〃　said　the　stranger；

pouncing　upon　the　piece　of　shagreen。



〃Young　man；　beware！〃　cried　the　other　with　incredible　vehemence。



〃I　had　resolved　my　existence　into　thought　and　study；〃　the　stranger

replied；　〃and　yet　they　have　not　even　supported　me。　I　am　not　to　be

gulled　by　a　sermon　worthy　of　Swedenborg；　nor　by　your　Oriental　amulet；

nor　yet　by　your　charitable　endeavors　to　keep　me　in　a　world　wherein

existence　is　no　longer　possible　for　me。　。　。　。　Let　me　see　now；〃　he

added；　clutching　the　talisman　convulsively；　as　he　looked　at　the　old

man；　〃I　wish　for　a　royal　banquet；　a　carouse　worthy　of　this　century；

which；　it　is　said；　has　brought　everything　to　perfection！　Let　me　have

young　boon　companions；　witty；　unwarped　by　prejudice；　merry　to　the

verge　of　madness！　Let　one　wine　succeed　another；　each　more　biting　and

perfumed　than　the　last；　and　strong　enough　to　bring　about　three　days　of

delirium！　Passionate　women's　forms　should　grace　that　night！　I　would　be

borne　away　to　unknown　regions　beyond　the　confines　of　this　world；　by

the　car　and　four…winged　steed　of　a　frantic　and　uproarious　orgy。　Let　us

ascend　to　the　skies；　or　plunge　ourselves　in　the　mire。　I　do　not　know　if

one　soars　or　sinks　at　such　moments；　and　I　do　not　care！　Next；　I　bid

this　enigmatical　power　to　concentrate　all　delights　for　me　in　one

single　joy。　Yes；　I　must　comprehend　every　pleasure　of　earth　and　heaven

in　the　final　embrace　that　is　to　kill　me。　Therefore；　after　the　wine；　I

wish　to　hold　high　festival　to　Priapus；　with　songs　that　might　rouse　the

dead；　and　kisses　without　end；　the　sound　of　them　should　pass　like　the

crackling　of　flame　through　Paris；　should　revive　the　heat　of　youth　and

passion　in　husband　and　wife；　even　in　hearts　of　seventy　years。〃



A　laugh　burst　from　the　little　old　man。　It　rang　in　the　young　man's　ears

like　an　echo　from　hell；　and　tyrannously　cut　him　short。　He　said　no

more。



〃Do　you　imagine　that　my　floors　are　going　to　open　suddenly；　so　that

luxuriously…appointed　tables　may　rise　through　them；　and　guests　from

another　world？　No；　no；　young　madcap。　You　have　entered　into　the　compact

now；　and　there　is　an　end　of　it。　Henceforward；　your　wishes　will　be

accurately　fulfilled；　but　at　the　expense　of　your　life。　The　compass　of

your　days；　visible　in　that　skin；　will　contract　according　to　the

strength　and　number　of　your　desires；　from　the　least　to　the　most

extravagant。　The　Brahmin　from　whom　I　had　this　skin　once　explained　to

me　that　it　would　bring　about　a　mysterious　connection　between　the

fortunes　and　wishes　of　its　possessor。　Your　first　wish　is　a　vulgar　one；

which　I　could　fulfil；　but　I　leave　that　to　the　issues　of　your　new

existence。　After　all；　you　were　wishing　to　die；　very　well；　your　suicide

is　only　put　off　for　a　time。〃



The　stranger　was　surprised　and　irritated　that　this　peculiar　old　man

persisted　in　not　taking　him　seriously。　A　half　philanthropic　intention

peeped　so　clearly　forth　from　his　last　jesting　observation；　that　he

exclaimed：



〃I　shall　soon　see；　sir；　if　any　change　comes　over　my　fortunes　in　the

time　it　will　take　to　cross　the　width　of　the　quay。　But　I　should　like　us

to　be　quits　for　such　a　momentous　service；　that　is；　if　you　are　not

laughing　at　an　unlucky　wretch；　so　I　wish　that　you　may　fall　in　love

with　an　opera…dancer。　You　would　understand　the　pleasures　of

intemperance　then；　and　might　perhaps　grow　lavish　of　the　wealth　that

you　have　husbanded　so　philosophically。〃



He　went　out　without　heeding　the　old　man's　heavy　sigh；　went　back

through　the　galleries　and　down　the　staircase；　followed　by　the　stout

assistant　who　vainly　tried　to　light　his　passage；　he　fled　with　the

haste　of　a　robber　caught　in　the　act。　Blinded　by　a　kind　of　delirium；　he

did　not　even　notice　the　unexpected　flexibility　of　the　piece　of

shagreen；　which　coiled　itself　up；　pliant　as　a　glove　in　his　excited

fingers；　till　it　would　go　into　the　pocket　of　his　coat；　where　he

mechanically　thrust　it。　As　he　rushed　out　of　the　door　into　the　street；

he　ran　up　against　three　young　men　who　were　passing　arm…in…arm。



〃Brute！〃



〃Idiot！〃



Such　were　the　gratifying　expressions　exchanged　between　them。



〃Why；　it　is　Raphael！〃



〃Good！　we　were　looking　for　you。〃



〃What！　it　is　you；　then？〃



These　three　friendly　exclamations　quickly　followed　the　insults；　as　the

light　of　a　street