the magic skin-第12章

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Dressed　in　red　velvet；　she　trampled　under　her　reckless　feet　the　stray

flowers　fallen　from　other　heads；　and　held　out　a　salver　to　the　two

friends；　with　careless　hands。　The　white　arms　stood　out　in　bold　relief

against　the　velvet。　Proud　of　her　beauty；　proud　（who　knows？）　of　her

corruption；　she　stood　like　a　queen　of　pleasure；　like　an　incarnation　of

enjoyment；　the　enjoyment　that　comes　of　squandering　the　accumulations

of　three　generations；　that　scoffs　at　its　progenitors；　and　makes　merry

over　a　corpse；　that　will　dissolve　pearls　and　wreck　thrones；　turn　old

men　into　boys；　and　make　young　men　prematurely　old；　enjoyment　only

possible　to　giants　weary　of　their　power；　tormented　by　reflection；　or

for　whom　strife　has　become　a　plaything。



〃What　is　your　name？〃　asked　Raphael。



〃Aquilina。〃



〃Out　of　Venice　Preserved！〃　exclaimed　Emile。



〃Yes；〃　she　answered。　〃Just　as　a　pope　takes　a　new　name　when　he　is

exalted　above　all　other　men；　I；　too；　took　another　name　when　I　raised

myself　above　women's　level。〃



〃Then　have　you；　like　your　patron　saint；　a　terrible　and　noble　lover；　a

conspirator；　who　would　die　for　you？〃　cried　Emile　eagerlythis　gleam

of　poetry　had　aroused　his　interest。



〃Once　I　had；〃　she　answered。　〃But　I　had　a　rival　too　in　La　Guillotine。　I

have　worn　something　red　about　me　ever　since；　lest　any　happiness　should

carry　me　away。〃



〃Oh；　if　you　are　going　to　get　her　on　to　the　story　of　those　four　lads　of

La　Rochelle；　she　will　never　get　to　the　end　of　it。　That's　enough；

Aquilina。　As　if　every　woman　could　not　bewail　some　lover　or　other；

though　not　every　one　has　the　luck　to　lose　him　on　the　scaffold；　as　you

have　done。　I　would　a　great　deal　sooner　see　a　lover　of　mine　in　a　trench

at　the　back　of　Clamart　than　in　a　rival's　arms。〃



All　this　in　the　gentlest　and　most　melodious　accents；　and　pronounced　by

the　prettiest；　gentlest；　and　most　innocent…looking　little　person　that

a　fairy　wand　ever　drew　from　an　enchanted　eggshell。　She　had　come　up

noiselessly；　and　they　became　aware　of　a　slender；　dainty　figure；

charmingly　timid　blue　eyes；　and　white　transparent　brows。　No　ingenue

among　the　naiads；　a　truant　from　her　river　spring；　could　have　been

shyer；　whiter；　more　ingenuous　than　this　young　girl；　seemingly　about

sixteen　years　old；　ignorant　of　evil　and　of　the　storms　of　life；　and

fresh　from　some　church　in　which　she　must　have　prayed　the　angels　to

call　her　to　heaven　before　the　time。　Only　in　Paris　are　such　natures　as

this　to　be　found；　concealing　depths　of　depravity　behind　a　fair　mask；

and　the　most　artificial　vices　beneath　a　brow　as　young　and　fair　as　an

opening　flower。



At　first　the　angelic　promise　of　those　soft　lineaments　misled　the

friends。　Raphael　and　Emile　took　the　coffee　which　she　poured　into　the

cups　brought　by　Aquilina；　and　began　to　talk　with　her。　In　the　eyes　of

the　two　poets　she　soon　became　transformed　into　some　sombre　allegory；

of　I　know　not　what　aspect　of　human　life。　She　opposed　to　the　vigorous

and　ardent　expression　of　her　commanding　acquaintance　a　revelation　of

heartless　corruption　and　voluptuous　cruelty。　Heedless　enough　to

perpetrate　a　crime；　hardy　enough　to　feel　no　misgivings；　a　pitiless

demon　that　wrings　larger　and　kinder　natures　with　torments　that　it　is

incapable　of　knowing；　that　simpers　over　a　traffic　in　love；　sheds　tears

over　a　victim's　funeral；　and　beams　with　joy　over　the　reading　of　the

will。　A　poet　might　have　admired　the　magnificent　Aquilina；　but　the

winning　Euphrasia　must　be　repulsive　to　every　onethe　first　was　the

soul　of　sin；　the　second；　sin　without　a　soul　in　it。



〃I　should　dearly　like　to　know；〃　Emile　remarked　to　this　pleasing　being；

〃if　you　ever　reflect　upon　your　future？〃



〃My　future！〃　she　answered　with　a　laugh。　〃What　do　you　mean　by　my

future？　Why　should　I　think　about　something　that　does　not　exist　as　yet？

I　never　look　before　or　behind。　Isn't　one　day　at　a　time　more　than　I　can

concern　myself　with　as　it　is？　And　besides；　the　future；　as　we　know；

means　the　hospital。〃



〃How　can　you　forsee　a　future　in　the　hospital；　and　make　no　effort　to

avert　it？〃



〃What　is　there　so　alarming　about　the　hospital？〃　asked　the　terrific

Aquilina。　〃When　we　are　neither　wives　nor　mothers；　when　old　age　draws

black　stockings　over　our　limbs；　sets　wrinkles　on　our　brows；　withers　up

the　woman　in　us；　and　darkens　the　light　in　our　lover's　eyes；　what　could

we　need　when　that　comes　to　pass？　You　would　look　on　us　then　as　mere

human　clay；　we　with　our　habiliments　shall　be　for　you　like　so　much　mud

worthless；　lifeless；　crumbling　to　pieces；　going　about　with　the

rustle　of　dead　leaves。　Rags　or　the　daintiest　finery　will　be　as　one　to

us　then；　the　ambergris　of　the　boudoir　will　breathe　an　odor　of　death

and　dry　bones；　and　suppose　there　is　a　heart　there　in　that　mud；　not　one

of　you　but　would　make　mock　of　it；　not　so　much　as　a　memory　will　you

spare　to　us。　Is　not　our　existence　precisely　the　same　whether　we　live

in　a　fine　mansion　with　lap…dogs　to　tend；　or　sort　rags　in　a　workhouse？

Does　it　make　much　difference　whether　we　shall　hide　our　gray　heads

beneath　lace　or　a　handkerchief　striped　with　blue　and　red；　whether　we

sweep　a　crossing　with　a　birch　broom；　or　the　steps　of　the　Tuileries

with　satins；　whether　we　sit　beside　a　gilded　hearth；　or　cower　over　the

ashes　in　a　red　earthen　pot；　whether　we　go　to　the　Opera　or　look　on　in

the　Place　de　Greve？〃



〃Aquilina　mia；　you　have　never　shown　more　sense　than　in　this　depressing

fit　of　yours；〃　Euphrasia　remarked。　〃Yes；　cashmere；　point　d'Alencon；

perfumes；　gold；　silks；　luxury；　everything　that　sparkles；　everything

pleasant；　belongs　to　youth　alone。　Time　alone　may　show　us　our　folly；

but　good　fortune　will　acquit　us。　You　are　laughing　at　me；〃　she　went　on；

with　a　malicious　glance　at　the　friends；　〃but　am　I　not　right？　I　would

sooner　die　of　pleasure　than　of　illness。　I　am　not　afflicted　with　a

mania　for　perpetuity；　nor　have　I　a　great　veneration　for　human　nature；

such　as　God　has　made　it。　Give　me　millions；　and　I　would　squander　them；

I　should　not　keep　one　centime　for　the　year　to　come。　Live　to　be

charming　and　have　power；　that　is　the　decree　of　my　every　heartbeat。

Society　sanctions　my　life；　does　it　not　pay　for　my　extravagances？　Why

does　Providence　pay　me　every　morning　my　income；　which　I　spend　every

evening？　Why　are　hospitals　built　for　us？　And　Providence　did　not　put

good　and　evil　on　either　hand　for　us　to　select　what　tires　and　pains　us。

I　should　be　very　foolish　if　I　did　not　amuse　myself。〃



〃And　how　about　others？〃　asked　Emile。



〃Others？　Oh；　well；　they　must　manage　for　themselves。　I　prefer　laughing

at　their　woes　to　weeping　over　my　own。　I　defy　any　man　to　give　me　the

slightest　uneasiness。〃



〃What　have　you　suffered　to　make　you　think　like　this？〃　asked　Raphael。



〃I　myself　have　been　forsaken　for　an　inheritance；〃　she　said；　striking

an　attitude　that　displayed　all　her　charms；　〃and　yet　I　had　worked　night

and　day　to　keep　my　lover！　I　am　not　to　be　gulled　by　any　smile　or　vow；

and　I　have　set　myself　to　make　one　long　entertainment　of　my　life。〃



〃But　does　not　happiness　come　from　the　soul　within？〃　cried　Raphael。



〃It　may　be　so；〃　Aquilina　answered；　〃but　is　it　nothing　to　be　conscious

of　admiration　and　flattery；　to　triumph　over　other　women；　even　over　the

most　virtuous；　humiliating　them　before　our　beauty　and　our　splendor？

Not　only　so；　one　day　of　our　life　is　worth　ten　years　of　a　bourgeoise

existence；　and　so　it　is　all　summed　up。〃



〃Is　not　a　woman　hateful　without　virtue？〃　Emile　said　to　Raphael。



Euphrasia's　glance　was　like　a　viper's；　as　she　said；　with　an　irony　in

her　voice　that　cannot　be　rendered：



〃Virtue！　we　leave　that　to　deformity　and　to　ugly　women。　What　would　the

poor　things　be　without　it？〃



〃Hush；　be　quiet；〃　Emile　broke　in。　〃Don't　talk　about　something　you　have

never　known。〃



〃That　I　have　never　known！〃　Euphrasia　answered。　〃You　give　yourself　for

life　to　some　person　you　abominate；　you　must　bring　up　children　who　will

neglect　you；　who　wound　your　very　heart；　and　you　must　say；　'Thank　you！'

for　it；　and　these　are　the　virtues　you　prescribe　to　woman。　And　that　is

not　enough。　By　way　of　requiting　her　self…denial；　you　must　come　and　add

to　her　sorrows　by　trying　to　lead　her　astray；　and　though　you　are

rebuffed；　she　is　compromised。　A　nice　life！　How　far　better　to　keep

one's　freedom；　to　follow　one's　inclinations　in　love；　and　die　young！〃



〃Have　you　no　fear　of　the　price　to　be　paid　some　day　for　all　this？〃



〃Even　then；〃　she　said；　〃instead　of　mingling　pleasures　and　troubles；　my

life　will　consist　of　two　separate　partsa　youth　of　happiness　is

secure；　and　there　may　come　a　hazy；　uncertain　old　age；　during　which　I

can　suffer　at　my　leisure。〃



〃She　has　never　loved；〃　came　in　the　deep　tones　of　Aquilina's　voice。

〃She　never　went　a　hundred　leagues　to　drink　in　one　look　and　a　denial

with　untold　raptures。　She　has　not　hung　her　own　life　on　a　thread；　nor

tried　to　stab　more　than　one　man　to　save　her　sovereign　lord；　her　king；

her　divinity。　。　。　。　Love；　for　her；　meant　a　fascinating　colonel。〃



〃Here　she　is　with　her　La　Rochelle；〃　Euphrasia　made　answer。　〃Love　comes

like　the　wind；　no　one　knows　whence。　And；　for　that　matter；　if　one　of

those　brutes　had　once　fallen　in　love　with　you；　you　would　hold　sensible

men　in　horror。〃



〃Brutes　are　put　out　of　the　question　by　the　Code；〃　said　the　tall；

sarcastic　Aquilina。



〃I　thought　you　had　more　kindness　for　the　army；〃　laughed　Euphrasia。



〃How　happy　they　are　in　their　power　of　dethroning　their　reason　in　this

way；〃　Raphael　exclaimed。



〃Happy？〃　asked　Aquilina；　with　dreadful　look；　and　a　smile　full　of　pity

and　terror。　〃Ah；　you　do　not　know　what　it　is　to　be　condemned　to　a　life

of　pleasure；　with　your　dead　hidden　in　your　heart。　。　。　。〃



A　moment's　consideration　of　the　rooms　was　like　a　foretaste　of　Milton's

Pandemonium。　The　faces　of　those　still　capable　of　drinking　wore　a

hideous　blue　tint；　from　burning　draughts　of　punch。　Mad　dances　were

kept　up　with　wild　energy；　excited　laughter　and　outcries　broke　out　like

the　explosion　of　fireworks。　The　boudoir　and　a　small　adjoining　room

were　strewn　like　a　battlefield　with　the　insensible　and　incapable。

Wine；　pleasure；　and　dispute　had　heated　the　atmosphere。　Wine　and　love；

delirium　and　unconsciousness　possessed　them；　and　were　written　upon　all

faces；　upon　the　furniture；　were　expressed　by　the　surrounding　disorder；

and　brought　light　films　over　the　vision　of　those　assembled；　so　that

the　air　seemed　full　of　intoxicating　vapor。　A　glittering　dust　arose；　as

in　the　luminous　paths　made　by　a　ray　of　sunlight；　the　most　bizarre

forms　flitted　through　it；　grotesque　struggles　were　seen　athwart　it。

Groups　of　interlaced　figures　blended　with　the　white　marbles；　the　noble

masterpieces　of　sculpture　that　adorned　the　rooms。



Though　the　two　friends　yet　preserved　a　sort　of　fallacious　clearness　in

their　ideas　and　voices；　a　feeble　appearance　and　faint　thrill　of

animation；　it　was　yet　almost　impossible　to　distinguish　what　was　real

among　the　fantastic　absurdities　before　them；　or　what　foundation　there