the magic skin-第23章

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pleasant　heartiness　in　the　worthy　woman's　looks　and　tones；　which；　if

it　could　not　remove　trouble；　at　any　rate　soothed　and　quieted　it；　and

deadened　the　pain。　Pauline；　keener…sighted　than　her　mother；　studied　me

uneasily；　her　quick　eyes　seemed　to　read　my　life　and　my　future。　I

thanked　the　mother　and　daughter　by　an　inclination　of　the　head；　and

hurried　away；　I　was　afraid　I　should　break　down。



〃I　found　myself　alone　under　my　roof；　and　laid　myself　down　in　my

misery。　My　unhappy　imagination　suggested　numberless　baseless　projects；

and　prescribed　impossible　resolutions。　When　a　man　is　struggling　in　the

wreck　of　his　fortunes；　he　is　not　quite　without　resources；　but　I　was

engulfed。　Ah；　my　dear　fellow；　we　are　too　ready　to　blame　the　wretched。

Let　us　be　less　harsh　on　the　results　of　the　most　powerful　of　all　social

solvents。　Where　poverty　is　absolute　there　exist　no　such　things　as

shame　or　crime；　or　virtue　or　intelligence。　I　knew　not　what　to　do；　I

was　as　defenceless　as　a　maiden　on　her　knees　before　a　beast　of　prey。　A

penniless　man　who　has　no　ties　to　bind　him　is　master　of　himself　at　any

rate；　but　a　luckless　wretch　who　is　in　love　no　longer　belongs　to

himself；　and　may　not　take　his　own　life。　Love　makes　us　almost　sacred　in

our　own　eyes；　it　is　the　life　of　another　that　we　revere　within　us；　then

and　so　it　begins　for　us　the　cruelest　trouble　of　allthe　misery　with　a

hope　in　it；　a　hope　for　which　we　must　even　bear　our　torments。　I　thought

I　would　go　to　Rastignac　on　the　morrow　to　confide　Foedora's　strange

resolution　to　him；　and　with　that　I　slept。



〃　'Ah；　ha！'　cried　Rastignac；　as　he　saw　me　enter　his　lodging　at　nine

o'clock　in　the　morning。　'I　know　what　brings　you　here。　Foedora　has

dismissed　you。　Some　kind　souls；　who　were　jealous　of　your　ascendency

over　the　countess；　gave　out　that　you　were　going　to　be　married。　Heaven

only　knows　what　follies　your　rivals　have　equipped　you　with；　and　what

slanders　have　been　directed　at　you。'



〃　'That　explains　everything！'　I　exclaimed。　I　remembered　all　my

presumptuous　speeches；　and　gave　the　countess　credit　for　no　little

magnanimity。　It　pleased　me　to　think　that　I　was　a　miscreant　who　had　not

been　punished　nearly　enough；　and　I　saw　nothing　in　her　indulgence　but

the　long…suffering　charity　of　love。



〃　'Not　quite　so　fast；'　urged　the　prudent　Gascon；　'Foedora　has　all　the

sagacity　natural　to　a　profoundly　selfish　woman；　perhaps　she　may　have

taken　your　measure　while　you　still　coveted　only　her　money　and　her

splendor；　in　spite　of　all　your　care；　she　could　have　read　you　through

and　through。　She　can　dissemble　far　too　well　to　let　any　dissimulation

pass　undetected。　I　fear；'　he　went　on；　'that　I　have　brought　you　into　a

bad　way。　In　spite　of　her　cleverness　and　her　tact；　she　seems　to　me　a

domineering　sort　of　person；　like　every　woman　who　can　only　feel

pleasure　through　her　brain。　Happiness　for　her　lies　entirely　in　a

comfortable　life　and　in　social　pleasures；　her　sentiment　is　only

assumed；　she　will　make　you　miserable；　you　will　be　her　head　footman。'



〃He　spoke　to　the　deaf。　I　broke　in　upon　him；　disclosing；　with　an

affectation　of　light…heartedness；　the　state　of　my　finances。



〃　'Yesterday　evening；'　he　rejoined；　'luck　ran　against　me；　and　that

carried　off　all　my　available　cash。　But　for　that　trivial　mishap；　I

would　gladly　have　shared　my　purse　with　you。　But　let　us　go　and

breakfast　at　the　restaurant；　perhaps　there　is　good　counsel　in

oysters。'



〃He　dressed；　and　had　his　tilbury　brought　round。　We　went　to　the　Cafe　de

Paris　like　a　couple　of　millionaires；　armed　with　all　the　audacious

impertinence　of　the　speculator　whose　capital　is　imaginary。　That　devil

of　a　Gascon　quite　disconcerted　me　by　the　coolness　of　his　manners　and

his　absolute　self…possession。　While　we　were　taking　coffee　after　an

excellent　and　well…ordered　repast；　a　young　dandy　entered；　who　did　not

escape　Rastignac。　He　had　been　nodding　here　and　there　among　the　crowd

to　this　or　that　young　man；　distinguished　both　by　personal　attractions

and　elegant　attire；　and　now　he　said　to　me：



〃　'Here's　your　man；'　as　he　beckoned　to　this　gentleman　with　a　wonderful

cravat；　who　seemed　to　be　looking　for　a　table　that　suited　his　ideas。



〃　'That　rogue　has　been　decorated　for　bringing　out　books　that　he

doesn't　understand　a　word　of；'　whispered　Rastignac；　'he　is　a　chemist；

a　historian；　a　novelist；　and　a　political　writer；　he　has　gone　halves；

thirds；　or　quarters　in　the　authorship　of　I　don't　know　how　many　plays；

and　he　is　as　ignorant　as　Dom　Miguel's　mule。　He　is　not　a　man　so　much　as

a　name；　a　label　that　the　public　is　familiar　with。　So　he　would　do　well

to　avoid　shops　inscribed　with　the　motto；　〃Ici　l'on　peut　ecrire　soi…

meme。〃　He　is　acute　enough　to　deceive　an　entire　congress　of

diplomatists。　In　a　couple　of　words；　he　is　a　moral　half…caste；　not

quite　a　fraud；　nor　entirely　genuine。　But；　hush！　he　has　succeeded

already；　nobody　asks　anything　further；　and　every　one　calls　him　an

illustrious　man。'



〃　'Well；　my　esteemed　and　excellent　friend；　and　how　may　Your

Intelligence　be？'　So　Rastignac　addressed　the　stranger　as　he　sat　down

at　a　neighboring　table。



〃　'Neither　well　nor　ill；　I　am　overwhelmed　with　work。　I　have　all　the

necessary　materials　for　some　very　curious　historical　memoirs　in　my

hands；　and　I　cannot　find　any　one　to　whom　I　can　ascribe　them。　It

worries　me；　for　I　shall　have　to　be　quick　about　it。　Memoirs　are　falling

out　of　fashion。'



〃　'What　are　the　memoirscontemporaneous；　ancient；　or　memoirs　of　the

court；　or　what？'



〃　'They　relate　to　the　Necklace　affair。'



〃　'Now；　isn't　that　a　coincidence？'　said　Rastignac；　turning　to　me　and

laughing。　He　looked　again　to　the　literary　speculation；　and　said；

indicating　me：



〃　'This　is　M。　de　Valentin；　one　of　my　friends；　whom　I　must　introduce　to

you　as　one　of　our　future　literary　celebrities。　He　had　formerly　an

aunt；　a　marquise；　much　in　favor　once　at　court；　and　for　about　two　years

he　has　been　writing　a　Royalist　history　of　the　Revolution。'



〃Then；　bending　over　this　singular　man　of　business；　he　went　on：



〃　'He　is　a　man　of　talent；　and　a　simpleton　that　will　do　your　memoirs

for　you；　in　his　aunt's　name；　for　a　hundred　crowns　a　volume。'



〃　'It's　a　bargain；'　said　the　other；　adjusting　his　cravat。　'Waiter；　my

oysters。'



〃　'Yes；　but　you　must　give　me　twenty…five　louis　as　commission；　and　you

will　pay　him　in　advance　for　each　volume；'　said　Rastignac。



〃　'No；　no。　He　shall　only　have　fifty　crowns　on　account；　and　then　I

shall　be　sure　of　having　my　manuscript　punctually。'



〃Rastignac　repeated　this　business　conversation　to　me　in　low　tones；　and

then；　without　giving　me　any　voice　in　the　matter；　he　replied：



〃　'We　agree　to　your　proposal。　When　can　we　call　upon　you　to　arrange　the

affair？'



〃　'Oh；　well！　Come　and　dine　here　to…morrow　at　seven　o'clock。'



〃We　rose。　Rastignac　flung　some　money　to　the　waiter；　put　the　bill　in

his　pocket；　and　we　went　out。　I　was　quite　stupified　by　the　flippancy

and　ease　with　which　he　had　sold　my　venerable　aunt；　la　Marquise　de

Montbauron。



〃　'I　would　sooner　take　ship　for　the　Brazils；　and　give　the　Indians

lessons　in　algebra；　though　I　don't　know　a　word　of　it；　than　tarnish　my

family　name。'



〃Rastignac　burst　out　laughing。



〃　'How　dense　you　are！　Take　the　fifty　crowns　in　the　first　instance；　and

write　the　memoirs。　When　you　have　finished　them；　you　will　decline　to

publish　them　in　your　aunt's　name；　imbecile！　Madame　de　Montbauron；　with

her　hooped　petticoat；　her　rank　and　beauty；　rouge　and　slippers；　and　her

death　upon　the　scaffold；　is　worth　a　great　deal　more　than　six　hundred

francs。　And　then；　if　the　trade　will　not　give　your　aunt　her　due；　some

old　adventurer；　or　some　shady　countess　or　other；　will　be　found　to　put

her　name　to　the　memoirs。'



〃　'Oh；'　I　groaned；　'why　did　I　quit　the　blameless　life　in　my　garret？

This　world　has　aspects　that　are　very　vilely　dishonorable。'



〃　'Yes；'　said　Rastignac；　'that　is　all　very　poetical；　but　this　is　a

matter　of　business。　What　a　child　you　are！　Now；　listen　to　me。　As　to

your　work；　the　public　will　decide　upon　it；　and　as　for　my　literary

middle…man；　hasn't　he　devoted　eight　years　of　his　life　to　obtaining　a

footing　in　the　book…trade；　and　paid　heavily　for　his　experience？　You

divide　the　money　and　the　labor　of　the　book　with　him　very　unequally；

but　isn't　yours　the　better　part？　Twenty…five　louis　means　as　much　to

you　as　a　thousand　francs　does　to　him。　Come；　you　can　write　historical

memoirs；　a　work　of　art　such　as　never　was；　since　Diderot　once　wrote　six

sermons　for　a　hundred　crowns！'



〃　'After　all；'　I　said；　in　agitation；　'I　cannot　choose　but　do　it。　So；

my　dear　friend；　my　thanks　are　due　to　you。　I　shall　be　quite　rich　with

twenty…five　louis。'



〃　'Richer　than　you　think；'　he　laughed。　'If　I　have　my　commission　from

Finot　in　this　matter；　it　goes　to　you；　can't　you　see？　Now　let　us　go　to

the　Bois　de　Boulogne；'　he　said；　'we　shall　see　your　countess　there；　and

I　will　show　you　the　pretty　little　widow　that　I　am　to　marrya　charming

woman；　an　Alsacienne；　rather　plump。　She　reads　Kant；　Schiller；　Jean

Paul；　and　a　host　of　lachrymose　books。　She　has　a　mania　for　continually

asking　my　opinion；　and　I　have　to　look　as　if　I　entered　into　all　this

German　sensibility；　and　to　know　a　pack　of　balladsdrugs；　all　of　them；

that　my　doctor　absolutely　prohibits。　As　yet　I　have　not　been　able　to

wean　her　from　her　literary　enthusiasms；　she　sheds　torrents　of　tears　as

she　reads　Goethe；　and　I　have　to　weep　a　little　myself　to　please　her；

for　she　has　an　income　of　fifty　thousand　livres；　my　dear　boy；　and　the

prettiest　little　hand　and　foot　in　the　world。　Oh；　if　she　would　only　say

mon　ange　and　brouiller　instead　of　mon　anche　and　prouiller；　she　would

be　perfection！'



〃We　saw　the　countess；　radiant　amid　the　splendors　of　her　equipage。　The

coquette　bowed　very　graciously　to　us　both；　and　the　smile　she　gave　me

seemed　to　me　to　be　divine　and　full　of　love。　I　was　very　happy；　I

fancied　myself　beloved；　I　had　money；　a　wealth　of　love　in　my　heart；　and

my　troubles　were　over。　I　was　light…hearted；　blithe；　and　content。　I

found　my　friend's　lady…love　charming。　Earth　and　air　and　heavenall

natureseemed　to　reflect　Foedora's　smile　for　me。



〃As　we　returned　through　the　Champs…Elysees；　we　paid　a　visit　to

Rastignac's　hatter　and　tailor。　Thanks　to　the　'Necklace；'　my

insignificant　peace…footing　was　to　end；　and　I　made　formidable

preparations　for　a　campaign。　Henceforward　I　need　not　shrink　from　a

contest　with　the　spruce　and　fashionable　young　men　who　made　Foedora's

circle。　I　went　home；　locked　myself　in；　and　stood　by　my　dormer　window；

outwardly　calm　enough；　but　in　reality　I　bade　a　last　good…bye　to　the

roofs　without。　I　began　to　live　in　the　future；　rehearsed　my　life　drama；

and　discounted　love　and　its　happiness。　Ah；　how　stormy　life　can　grow　to

be　within　the　four　walls　of　a　garret！　The　soul　within　us　is　like　a

fairy；　she　turns　straw　into　diamonds　for　us；　and　for　us；　at　a　touch　of

her　wand；　enchanted　palaces　arise；　as　flowers　in　the　meadows　spring　up

towards　the　sun。