the magic skin-第42章
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〃Since you cannot invent substances；〃 said Raphael； 〃you are obliged
to fall back on inventing names。〃
〃Most emphatically true； young man。〃
〃Here；〃 said Planchette； addressing the chemist； 〃try to analyze this
composition； if you can extract any element whatever from it； I
christen it diaboline beforehand； for we have just smashed a hydraulic
press in trying to compress it。〃
〃Let's see！ let's have a look at it！〃 cried the delighted chemist； 〃it
may； perhaps； be a fresh element。〃
〃It is simply a piece of the skin of an ass； sir；〃 said Raphael。
〃Sir！〃 said the illustrious chemist sternly。
〃I am not joking；〃 the Marquis answered； laying the piece of skin
before him。
Baron Japhet applied the nervous fibres of his tongue to the skin； he
had skill in thus detecting salts； acids； alkalis； and gases。 After
several experiments； he remarked：
〃No taste whatever！ Come； we will give it a little fluoric acid to
drink。〃
Subjected to the influence of this ready solvent of animal tissue； the
skin underwent no change whatsoever。
〃It is not shagreen at all！〃 the chemist cried。 〃We will treat this
unknown mystery as a mineral； and try its mettle by dropping it in a
crucible where I have at this moment some red potash。〃
Japhet went out； and returned almost immediately。
〃Allow me to cut away a bit of this strange substance； sir；〃 he said
to Raphael； 〃it is so extraordinary〃
〃A bit！〃 exclaimed Raphael； 〃not so much as a hair's…breadth。 You may
try； though；〃 he added； half banteringly； half sadly。
The chemist broke a razor in his desire to cut the skin； he tried to
break it by a powerful electric shock； next he submitted it to the
influence of a galvanic battery； but all the thunderbolts his science
wotted of fell harmless on the dreadful talisman。
It was seven o'clock in the evening。 Planchette； Japhet； and Raphael；
unaware of the flight of time； were awaiting the outcome of a final
experiment。 The Magic Skin emerged triumphant from a formidable
encounter in which it had been engaged with a considerable quantity of
chloride of nitrogen。
〃It is all over with me；〃 Raphael wailed。 〃It is the finger of God！ I
shall die！〃 and he left the two amazed scientific men。
〃We must be very careful not to talk about this affair at the
Academie； our colleagues there would laugh at us；〃 Planchette remarked
to the chemist； after a long pause； in which they looked at each other
without daring to communicate their thoughts。 The learned pair looked
like two Christians who had issued from their tombs to find no God in
the heavens。 Science had been powerless； acids； so much clear water；
red potash had been discredited； the galvanic battery and electric
shock had been a couple of playthings。
〃A hydraulic press broken like a biscuit！〃 commented Planchette。
〃I believe in the devil；〃 said the Baron Japhet； after a moment's
silence。
〃And I in God；〃 replied Planchette。
Each spoke in character。 The universe for a mechanician is a machine
that requires an operator； for chemistrythat fiendish employment of
decomposing all thingsthe world is a gas endowed with the power of
movement。
〃We cannot deny the fact；〃 the chemist replied。
〃Pshaw！ those gentlemen the doctrinaires have invented a nebulous
aphorism for our consolationStupid as a fact。〃
〃Your aphorism；〃 said the chemist； 〃seems to me as a fact very
stupid。〃
They began to laugh； and went off to dine like folk for whom a miracle
is nothing more than a phenomenon。
Valentin reached his own house shivering with rage and consumed with
anger。 He had no more faith in anything。 Conflicting thoughts shifted
and surged to and fro in his brain； as is the case with every man
brought face to face with an inconceivable fact。 He had readily
believed in some hidden flaw in Spieghalter's apparatus； he had not
been surprised by the incompetence and failure of science and of fire；
but the flexibility of the skin as he handled it； taken with its
stubbornness when all means of destruction that man possesses had been
brought to bear upon it in vainthese things terrified him。 The
incontrovertible fact made him dizzy。
〃I am mad；〃 he muttered。 〃I have had no food since the morning； and
yet I am neither hungry nor thirsty； and there is a fire in my breast
that burns me。〃
He put back the skin in the frame where it had been enclosed but
lately； drew a line in red ink about the actual configuration of the
talisman； and seated himself in his armchair。
〃Eight o'clock already！〃 he exclaimed。 〃To…day has gone like a dream。〃
He leaned his elbow on the arm of the chair； propped his head with his
left hand； and so remained； lost in secret dark reflections and
consuming thoughts that men condemned to die bear away with them。
〃O Pauline！〃 he cried。 〃Poor child！ there are gulfs that love can
never traverse； despite the strength of his wings。〃
Just then he very distinctly heard a smothered sigh； and knew by one
of the most tender privileges of passionate love that it was Pauline's
breathing。
〃That is my death warrant；〃 he said to himself。 〃If she were there； I
should wish to die in her arms。〃
A burst of gleeful and hearty laughter made him turn his face towards
the bed； he saw Pauline's face through the transparent curtains；
smiling like a child for gladness over a successful piece of mischief。
Her pretty hair fell over her shoulders in countless curls； she looked
like a Bengal rose upon a pile of white roses。
〃I cajoled Jonathan；〃 said she。 〃Doesn't the bed belong to me； to me
who am your wife？ Don't scold me； darling； I only wanted to surprise
you； to sleep beside you。 Forgive me for my freak。〃
She sprang out of bed like a kitten； showed herself gleaming in her
lawn raiment； and sat down on Raphael's knee。
〃Love； what gulf were you talking about？〃 she said； with an anxious
expression apparent upon her face。
〃Death。〃
〃You hurt me；〃 she answered。 〃There are some thoughts upon which we；
poor women that we are； cannot dwell； they are death to us。 Is it
strength of love in us； or lack of courage？ I cannot tell。 Death does
not frighten me；〃 she began again； laughingly。 〃To die with you； both
together； to…morrow morning； in one last embrace； would be joy。 It
seems to me that even then I should have lived more than a hundred
years。 What does the number of days matter if we have spent a whole
lifetime of peace and love in one night； in one hour？〃
〃You are right； Heaven is speaking through that pretty mouth of yours。
Grant that I may kiss you； and let us die；〃 said Raphael。
〃Then let us die；〃 she said； laughing。
Towards nine o'clock in the morning the daylight streamed through the
chinks of the window shutters。 Obscured somewhat by the muslin
curtains； it yet sufficed to show clearly the rich colors of the
carpet； the silks and furniture of the room； where the two lovers were
lying asleep。 The gilding sparkled here and there。 A ray of sunshine
fell and faded upon the soft down quilt that the freaks of live had
thrown to the ground。 The outlines of Pauline's dress； hanging from a
cheval glass； appeared like a shadowy ghost。 Her dainty shoes had been
left at a distance from the bed。 A nightingale came to perch upon the
sill； its trills repeated over again； and the sounds of its wings
suddenly shaken out for flight； awoke Raphael。
〃For me to die；〃 he said； following out a thought begun in his dream；
〃my organization； the mechanism of flesh and bone； that is quickened
by the will in me； and makes of me an individual MAN； must display
some perceptible disease。 Doctors ought to understand the symptoms of
any attack on vitality； and could tell me whether I am sick or sound。〃
He gazed at his sleeping wife。 She had stretched her head out to him；
expressing in this way even while she slept the anxious tenderness of
love。 Pauline seemed to look at him as she lay with her face turned
towards him in an attitude as full of grace as a young child's； with
her pretty； half…opened mouth held out towards him； as she drew her
light； even breath。 Her little pearly teeth seemed to heighten the
redness of the fresh lips with the smile hovering over them。 The red
glow in her complexion was brighter； and its whiteness was； so to
speak； whiter still just then than in the most impassioned moments of
the waking day。 In her unconstrained grace； as she lay； so full of
believing trust； the adorable attractions of childhood were added to
the enchantments of love。
Even the most unaffected women still obey certain social conventions；
which restrain the free expansion of the soul within them during their
waking hours； but slumber seems to give them back the spontaneity of
life which makes infancy lovely。 Pauline blushed for nothing； she was
like one of those beloved and heavenly beings； in whom reason has not
yet put motives into their actions and mystery into their glances。 Her
profile stood out in sharp relief against the fine cambric of the
pillows； there was a certain sprightliness about her loose hair in
confusion； mingled with the deep lace ruffles； but she was sleeping in
happiness； her long lashes were tightly pressed against her cheeks； as
if to secure her eyes from too strong a light； or to aid an effort of
her soul to recollect and to hold fast a bliss that had been perfect
but fleeting。 Her tiny pink and white ear； framed by a lock of her
hair and outlined by a wrapping of Mechlin lace； would have made an
artist； a painter； an old man； wildly in love； and would perhaps have
restored a madman to his senses。
Is it not an ineffable bliss to behold the woman that you love；
sleeping； smiling in a peaceful dream beneath your protection； loving
you even in dreams； even at the point where the individual seems to
cease to exist； offering to you yet the mute lips that speak to you in
slumber of the latest kiss？ Is it not indescribable happiness to see a
trusting woman； half…clad； but wrapped round in her love as by a cloak
modesty in the midst of dishevelmentto see admiringly her
scattered clothing； the silken stocking hastily put off to please you
last evening； the unclasped girdle that implies a boundless faith in
you。 A whole romance lies there in that girdle； the woman that it used
to protect exists no longer； she is yours； she has become YOU；
henceforward any betrayal of her is a blow dealt at yourself。
In this softened mood Raphael's eyes wandered over the room； now
filled with memories and love； and where the very daylight seemed to
take delightful hues。 Then he turned his gaze at last upon the
outlines of the woman's form； upon youth and purity； and love that
even now had no thought that was not for him alone； above all things；
and longed to live for ever。 As his eyes fell upon Pauline； her own
opened at once as
