the magic skin(驴皮记)-第6部分

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future；　and　had　to　turn　to　the　teachings　of　the　past。　The　untroubled
peace　of　the　divine　eyes；　the　comfort　of　sorrowing　souls；　seemed　an
interpretation　of　the　Evangel。　The　sweet　triumphant　smile　revealed　the
secret　of　the　Catholic　religion；　which　sums　up　all　things　in　the
precept；　〃Love　one　another。〃　This　picture　breathed　the　spirit　of
prayer；　enjoined　forgiveness；　overcame　self；　caused　sleeping　powers　of
good　to　waken。　For　this　work　of　Raphael's　had　the　imperious　charm　of
music；　you　were　brought　under　the　spell　of　memories　of　the　past；　his
triumph　was　so　absolute　that　the　artist　was　forgotten。　The　witchery　of
the　lamplight　heightened　the　wonder；　the　head　seemed　at　times　to
flicker　in　the　distance；　enveloped　in　cloud。

〃I　covered　the　surface　of　that　picture　with　gold　pieces；〃　said　the
merchant　carelessly。

〃And　now　for　death！〃　cried　the　young　man；　awakened　from　his　musings。
His　last　thought　had　recalled　his　fate　to　him；　as　it　led　him
imperceptibly　back　from　the　forlorn　hopes　to　which　he　had　clung。

〃Ah；　ha！　then　my　suspicions　were　well　founded！〃　said　the　other；　and
his　hands　held　the　young　man's　wrists　in　a　grip　like　that　of　a　vice。

The　younger　man　smiled　wearily　at　his　mistake；　and　said　gently：

〃You；　sir；　have　nothing　to　fear；　it　is　not　your　life；　but　my　own　that
is　in　question。　。　。　。　But　why　should　I　hide　a　harmless　fraud？〃　he　went
on；　after　a　look　at　the　anxious　old　man。　〃I　came　to　see　your　treasures
to　while　away　the　time　till　night　should　come　and　I　could　drown　myself
decently。　Who　would　grudge　this　last　pleasure　to　a　poet　and　a　man　of
science？〃

While　he　spoke；　the　jealous　merchant　watched　the　haggard　face　of　his
pretended　customer　with　keen　eyes。　Perhaps　the　mournful　tones　of　his
voice　reassured　him；　or　he　also　read　the　dark　signs　of　fate　in　the
faded　features　that　had　made　the　gamblers　shudder；　he　released　his

hands；　but；　with　a　touch　of　caution；　due　to　the　experience　of　some
hundred　years　at　least；　he　stretched　his　arm　out　to　a　sideboard　as　if
to　steady　himself；　took　up　a　little　dagger；　and　said：

〃Have　you　been　a　supernumerary　clerk　of　the　Treasury　for　three　years
without　receiving　any　perquisites？〃

The　stranger　could　scarcely　suppress　a　smile　as　he　shook　his　head。

〃Perhaps　your　father　has　expressed　his　regret　for　your　birth　a　little
too　sharply？　Or　have　you　disgraced　yourself？〃

〃If　I　meant　to　be　disgraced；　I　should　live。〃

〃You　have　been　hissed　perhaps　at　the　Funambules？　Or　you　have　had　to
compose　couplets　to　pay　for　your　mistress'　funeral？　Do　you　want　to　be
cured　of　the　gold　fever？　Or　to　be　quit　of　the　spleen？　For　what　blunder
is　your　life　forfeit？〃

〃You　must　not　look　among　the　common　motives　that　impel　suicides　for
the　reason　of　my　death。　To　spare　myself　the　task　of　disclosing　my
unheard…of　sufferings；　for　which　language　has　no　name；　I　will　tell　you
thisthat　I　am　in　the　deepest；　most　humiliating；　and　most　cruel
trouble；　and；〃　he　went　on　in　proud　tones　that　harmonized　ill　with　the
words　just　uttered；　〃I　have　no　wish　to　beg　for　either　help　or
sympathy。〃

〃Eh！　eh！〃

The　two　syllables　which　the　old　man　pronounced　resembled　the　sound　of
a　rattle。　Then　he　went　on　thus：

〃Without　compelling　you　to　entreat　me；　without　making　you　blush　for
it；　and　without　giving　you　so　much　as　a　French　centime；　a　para　from
the　Levant；　a　German　heller；　a　Russian　kopeck；　a　Scottish　farthing；　a
single　obolus　or　sestertius　from　the　ancient　world；　or　one　piastre
from　the　new；　without　offering　you　anything　whatever　in　gold；　silver；
or　copper；　notes　or　drafts；　I　will　make　you　richer；　more　powerful；　and
of　more　consequence　than　a　constitutional　king。〃

The　young　man　thought　that　the　older　was　in　his　dotage；　and　waited　in
bewilderment　without　venturing　to　reply。

〃Turn　round；〃　said　the　merchant；　suddenly　catching　up　the　lamp　in
order　to　light　up　the　opposite　wall；　〃look　at　that　leathern　skin；〃　he
went　on。

The　young　man　rose　abruptly；　and　showed　some　surprise　at　the　sight　of
a　piece　of　shagreen　which　hung　on　the　wall　behind　his　chair。　It　was
only　about　the　size　of　a　fox's　skin；　but　it　seemed　to　fill　the　deep
shadows　of　the　place　with　such　brilliant　rays　that　it　looked　like　a
small　comet；　an　appearance　at　first　sight　inexplicable。　The　young
sceptic　went　up　to　this　so…called　talisman；　which　was　to　rescue　him
from　all　points　of　view；　and　he　soon　found　out　the　cause　of　its
singular　brilliancy。　The　dark　grain　of　the　leather　had　been　so
carefully　burnished　and　polished；　the　striped　markings　of　the　graining
were　so　sharp　and　clear；　that　every　particle　of　the　surface　of　the　bit
of　Oriental　leather　was　in　itself　a　focus　which　concentrated　the
light；　and　reflected　it　vividly。

He　accounted　for　this　phenomenon　categorically　to　the　old　man；　who
only　smiled　meaningly　by　way　of　answer。　His　superior　smile　led　the
young　scientific　man　to　fancy　that　he　himself　had　been　deceived　by
some　imposture。　He　had　no　wish　to　carry　one　more　puzzle　to　his　grave；
and　hastily　turned　the　skin　over；　like　some　child　eager　to　find　out
the　mysteries　of　a　new　toy。

〃Ah；〃　he　cried；　〃here　is　the　mark　of　the　seal　which　they　call　in　the
East　the　Signet　of　Solomon。〃

〃So　you　know　that；　then？〃　asked　the　merchant。　His　peculiar　method　of
laughter；　two　or　three　quick　breathings　through　the　nostrils；　said
more　than　any　words　however　eloquent。

〃Is　there　anybody　in　the　world　simple　enough　to　believe　in　that　idle
fancy？〃　said　the　young　man；　nettled　by　the　spitefulness　of　the　silent
chuckle。　〃Don't　you　know；〃　he　continued；　〃that　the　superstitions　of
the　East　have　perpetuated　the　mystical　form　and　the　counterfeit
characters　of　the　symbol；　which　represents　a　mythical　dominion？　I　have
no　more　laid　myself　open　to　a　charge　of　credulity　in　this　case；　than
if　I　had　mentioned　sphinxes　or　griffins；　whose　existence　mythology　in
a　manner　admits。〃


〃As　you　are　an　Orientalist；〃　replied　the　other；　〃perhaps　you　can　read
that　sentence。〃

He　held　the　lamp　close　to　the　talisman；　which　the　young　man　held
towards　him；　and　pointed　out　some　characters　inlaid　in　the　surface　of
the　wonderful　skin；　as　if　they　had　grown　on　the　animal　to　which　it
once　belonged。

〃I　must　admit；〃　said　the　stranger；　〃that　I　have　no　idea　how　the
letters　could　be　engraved　so　deeply　on　the　skin　of　a　wild　ass。〃　And　he
turned　quickly　to　the　tables　strewn　with　curiosities　and　seemed　to
look　for　something。

〃What　is　it　that　you　want？〃　asked　the　old　man。

〃Something　that　will　cut　the　leather；　so　that　I　can　see　whether　the
letters　are　printed　or　inlaid。〃

The　old　man　held　out　his　stiletto。　The　stranger　took　it　and　tried　to
cut　the　skin　above　the　lettering；　but　when　he　had　removed　a　thin
shaving　of　leather　from　them；　the　characters　still　appeared　below；　so
clear　and　so　exactly　like　the　surface　impression；　that　for　a　moment　he
was　not　sure　that　he　had　cut　anything　away　after　all。

〃The　craftsmen　of　the　Levant　have　secrets　known　only　to　themselves；〃
he　said；　half　in　vexation；　as　he　eyed　the　characters　of　this　Oriental
sentence。

〃Yes；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃it　is　better　to　attribute　it　to　man's　agency
than　to　God's。〃

The　mysterious　words　were　thus　arranged：

＇Drawing　of　apparently　Sanskrit　characters　omitted＇

Or；　as　it　runs　in　English：

POSSESSING　ME　THOU　SHALT　POSSESS　ALL　THINGS。
BUT　THY　LIFE　IS　MINE；　FOR　GOD　HAS　SO　WILLED　IT。
WISH；　AND　THY　WISHES　SHALL　BE　FULFILLED；
BUT　MEASURE　THY　DESIRES；　ACCORDING
TO　THE　LIFE　THAT　IS　IN　THEE。
THIS　IS　THY　LIFE；
WITH　EACH　WISH　I　MUST　SHRINK
EVEN　AS　THY　OWN　DAYS。
WILT　THOU　HAVE　ME？　　TAKE　ME。
GOD　WILL　HEARKEN　UNTO　THEE。
SO　BE　IT！

〃So　you　read　Sanskrit　fluently；〃　said　the　old　man。　〃You　have　been　in
Persia　perhaps；　or　in　Bengal？〃

〃No；　sir；〃　said　the　stranger；　as　he　felt　the　emblematical　skin
curiously。　It　was　almost　as　rigid　as　a　sheet　of　metal。

The　old　merchant　set　the　lamp　back　again　upon　the　column；　giving　the
other　a　look　as　he　did　so。　〃He　has　given　up　the　notion　of　dying
already；〃　the　glance　said　with　phlegmatic　irony。

〃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　mone