the magic skin-第47章

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pay　closer　attention　to　what　they　were　saying；　a　tall；　strong；　good…

looking　young　fellow；　who；　however；　possessed　the　impertinent　stare

peculiar　to　people　who　have　material　force　at　their　back；　came　out　of

the　billiard…room。



〃I　am　deputed；　sir；〃　he　said　coolly　addressing　the　Marquis；　〃to　make

you　aware　of　something　which　you　do　not　seem　to　know；　your　face　and

person　generally　are　a　source　of　annoyance　to　every　one　here；　and　to

me　in　particular。　You　have　too　much　politeness　not　to　sacrifice

yourself　to　the　public　good；　and　I　beg　that　you　will　not　show　yourself

in　the　Club　again。〃



〃This　sort　of　joke　has　been　perpetrated　before；　sir；　in　garrison　towns

at　the　time　of　the　Empire；　but　nowadays　it　is　exceedingly　bad　form；〃

said　Raphael　drily。



〃I　am　not　joking；〃　the　young　man　answered；　〃and　I　repeat　it：　your

health　will　be　considerably　the　worse　for　a　stay　here；　the　heat　and

light；　the　air　of　the　saloon；　and　the　company　are　all　bad　for　your

complaint。〃



〃Where　did　you　study　medicine？〃　Raphael　inquired。



〃I　took　my　bachelor's　degree　on　Lepage's　shooting…ground　in　Paris；　and

was　made　a　doctor　at　Cerizier's；　the　king　of　foils。〃



〃There　is　one　last　degree　left　for　you　to　take；〃　said　Valentin；　〃study

the　ordinary　rules　of　politeness；　and　you　will　be　a　perfect

gentlemen。〃



The　young　men　all　came　out　of　the　billiard…room　just　then；　some

disposed　to　laugh；　some　silent。　The　attention　of　other　players　was

drawn　to　the　matter；　they　left　their　cards　to　watch　a　quarrel　that

rejoiced　their　instincts。　Raphael；　alone　among　this　hostile　crowd；　did

his　best　to　keep　cool；　and　not　to　put　himself　in　any　way　in　the　wrong；

but　his　adversary　having　ventured　a　sarcasm　containing　an　insult

couched　in　unusually　keen　language；　he　replied　gravely：



〃We　cannot　box　men's　ears；　sir；　in　these　days；　but　I　am　at　a　loss　for

any　word　by　which　to　stigmatize　such　cowardly　behavior　as　yours。〃



〃That's　enough；　that's　enough。　You　can　come　to　an　explanation　to…

morrow；〃　several　young　men　exclaimed；　interposing　between　the　two

champions。



Raphael　left　the　room　in　the　character　of　aggressor；　after　he　had

accepted　a　proposal　to　meet　near　the　Chateau　de　Bordeau；　in　a　little

sloping　meadow；　not　very　far　from　the　newly　made　road；　by　which　the

man　who　came　off　victorious　could　reach　Lyons。　Raphael　must　now　either

take　to　his　bed　or　leave　the　baths。　The　visitors　had　gained　their

point。　At　eight　o'clock　next　morning　his　antagonist；　followed　by　two

seconds　and　a　surgeon；　arrived　first　on　the　ground。



〃We　shall　do　very　nicely　here；　glorious　weather　for　a　duel！〃　he　cried

gaily；　looking　at　the　blue　vault　of　sky　above；　at　the　waters　of　the

lake；　and　the　rocks；　without　a　single　melancholy　presentiment　or　doubt

of　the　issue。　〃If　I　wing　him；〃　he　went　on；　〃I　shall　send　him　to　bed

for　a　month；　eh；　doctor？〃



〃At　the　very　least；〃　the　surgeon　replied；　〃but　let　that　willow　twig

alone；　or　you　will　weary　your　wrist；　and　then　you　will　not　fire

steadily。　You　might　kill　your　man　instead　of　wounding　him。〃



The　noise　of　a　carriage　was　heard　approaching。



〃Here　he　is；〃　said　the　seconds；　who　soon　descried　a　caleche　coming

along　the　road；　it　was　drawn　by　four　horses；　and　there　were　two

postilions。



〃What　a　queer　proceeding！〃　said　Valentin's　antagonist；　〃here　he　comes

post…haste　to　be　shot。〃



The　slightest　incident　about　a　duel；　as　about　a　stake　at　cards；　makes

an　impression　on　the　minds　of　those　deeply　concerned　in　the　results　of

the　affair；　so　the　young　man　awaited　the　arrival　of　the　carriage　with

a　kind　of　uneasiness。　It　stopped　in　the　road；　old　Jonathan　laboriously

descended　from　it；　in　the　first　place；　to　assist　Raphael　to　alight；　he

supported　him　with　his　feeble　arms；　and　showed　him　all　the　minute

attentions　that　a　lover　lavishes　upon　his　mistress。　Both　became　lost

to　sight　in　the　footpath　that　lay　between　the　highroad　and　the　field

where　the　duel　was　to　take　place；　they　were　walking　slowly；　and　did

not　appear　again　for　some　time　after。　The　four　onlookers　at　this

strange　spectacle　felt　deeply　moved　by　the　sight　of　Valentin　as　he

leaned　on　his　servant's　arm；　he　was　wasted　and　pale；　he　limped　as　if

he　had　the　gout；　went　with　his　head　bowed　down；　and　said　not　a　word。

You　might　have　taken　them　for　a　couple　of　old　men；　one　broken　with

years；　the　other　worn　out　with　thought；　the　elder　bore　his　age　visibly

written　in　his　white　hair；　the　younger　was　of　no　age。



〃I　have　not　slept　all　night；　sir；〃　so　Raphael　greeted　his　antagonist。



The　icy　tone　and　terrible　glance　that　went　with　the　words　made　the

real　aggressor　shudder；　he　know　that　he　was　in　the　wrong；　and　felt　in

secret　ashamed　of　his　behavior。　There　was　something　strange　in

Raphael's　bearing；　tone；　and　gesture；　the　Marquis　stopped；　and　every

one　else　was　likewise　silent。　The　uneasy　and　constrained　feeling　grew

to　a　height。



〃There　is　yet　time；〃　he　went　on；　〃to　offer　me　some　slight　apology；　and

offer　it　you　must；　or　you　will　die　sir！　You　rely　even　now　on　your

dexterity；　and　do　not　shrink　from　an　encounter　in　which　you　believe

all　the　advantage　to　be　upon　your　side。　Very　good；　sir；　I　am　generous；

I　am　letting　you　know　my　superiority　beforehand。　I　possess　a　terrible

power。　I　have　only　to　wish　to　do　so；　and　I　can　neutralize　your　skill；

dim　your　eyesight；　make　your　hand　and　pulse　unsteady；　and　even　kill

you　outright。　I　have　no　wish　to　be　compelled　to　exercise　my　power；　the

use　of　it　costs　me　too　dear。　You　would　not　be　the　only　one　to　die。　So

if　you　refuse　to　apologize　to　me；　not　matter　what　your　experience　in

murder；　your　ball　will　go　into　the　waterfall　there；　and　mine　will

speed　straight　to　your　heart　though　I　do　not　aim　it　at　you。〃



Confused　voices　interrupted　Raphael　at　this　point。　All　the　time　that

he　was　speaking；　the　Marquis　had　kept　his　intolerably　keen　gaze　fixed

upon　his　antagonist；　now　he　drew　himself　up　and　showed　an　impassive

face；　like　that　of　a　dangerous　madman。



〃Make　him　hold　his　tongue；〃　the　young　man　had　said　to　one　of　his

seconds；　〃that　voice　of　his　is　tearing　the　heart　out　of　me。〃



〃Say　no　more；　sir；　it　is　quite　useless；〃　cried　the　seconds　and　the

surgeon；　addressing　Raphael。



〃Gentlemen；　I　am　fulfilling　a　duty。　Has　this　young　gentleman　any　final

arrangements　to　make？〃



〃That　is　enough；　that　will　do。〃



The　Marquis　remained　standing　steadily；　never　for　a　moment　losing

sight　of　his　antagonist；　and　the　latter　seemed；　like　a　bird　before　a

snake；　to　be　overwhelmed　by　a　well…nigh　magical　power。　He　was

compelled　to　endure　that　homicidal　gaze；　he　met　and　shunned　it

incessantly。



〃I　am　thirsty；　give　me　some　water〃　he　said　again　to　the　second。



〃Are　you　nervous？〃



〃Yes；〃　he　answered。　〃There　is　a　fascination　about　that　man's　glowing

eyes。〃



〃Will　you　apologize？〃



〃It　is　too　late　now。〃



The　two　antagonists　were　placed　at　fifteen　paces'　distance　from　each

other。　Each　of　them　had　a　brace　of　pistols　at　hand；　and；　according　to

the　programme　prescribed　for　them；　each　was　to　fire　twice　when　and　how

he　pleased；　but　after　the　signal　had　been　given　by　the　seconds。



〃What　are　you　doing；　Charles？〃　exclaimed　the　young　man　who　acted　as

second　to　Raphael's　antagonist；　〃you　are　putting　in　the　ball　before

the　powder！〃



〃I　am　a　dead　man；〃　he　muttered；　by　way　of　answer；　〃you　have　put　me

facing　the　sun〃



〃The　sun　lies　behind　you；〃　said　Valentin　sternly　and　solemnly；　while

he　coolly　loaded　his　pistol　without　heeding　the　fact　that　the　signal

had　been　given；　or　that　his　antagonist　was　carefully　taking　aim。



There　was　something　so　appalling　in　this　supernatural　unconcern；　that

it　affected　even　the　two　postilions；　brought　thither　by　a　cruel

curiosity。　Raphael　was　either　trying　his　power　or　playing　with　it；　for

he　talked　to　Jonathan；　and　looked　towards　him　as　he　received　his

adversary's　fire。　Charles'　bullet　broke　a　branch　of　willow；　and

ricocheted　over　the　surface　of　the　water；　Raphael　fired　at　random；　and

shot　his　antagonist　through　the　heart。　He　did　not　heed　the　young　man

as　he　dropped；　he　hurriedly　sought　the　Magic　Skin　to　see　what　another

man's　life　had　cost　him。　The　talisman　was　no　larger　than　a　small　oak…

leaf。



〃What　are　you　gaping　at；　you　postilions　over　there？　Let　us　be　off；〃

said　the　Marquis。



That　same　evening　he　crossed　the　French　border；　immediately　set　out

for　Auvergne；　and　reached　the　springs　of　Mont　Dore。　As　he　traveled；

there　surged　up　in　his　heart；　all　at　once；　one　of　those　thoughts　that

come　to　us　as　a　ray　of　sunlight　pierces　through　the　thick　mists　in

some　dark　valleya　sad　enlightenment；　a　pitiless　sagacity　that　lights

up　the　accomplished　fact　for　us；　that　lays　our　errors　bare；　and　leaves

us　without　excuse　in　our　own　eyes。　It　suddenly　struck　him　that　the

possession　of　power；　no　matter　how　enormous；　did　not　bring　with　it　the

knowledge　how　to　use　it。　The　sceptre　is　a　plaything　for　a　child；　an

axe　for　a　Richelieu；　and　for　a　Napoleon　a　lever　by　which　to　move　the

world。　Power　leaves　us　just　as　it　finds　us；　only　great　natures　grow

greater　by　its　means。　Raphael　had　had　everything　in　his　power；　and　he

had　done　nothing。



At　the　springs　of　Mont　Dore　he　came　again　in　contact　with　a　little

world　of　people；　who　invariably　shunned　him　with　the　eager　haste　that

animals　display　when　they　scent　afar　off　one　of　their　own　species

lying　dead；　and　flee　away。　The　dislike　was　mutual。　His　late　adventure

had　given　him　a　deep　distaste　for　society；　his　first　care；

consequently；　was　to　find　a　lodging　at　some　distance　from　the

neighborhood　of　the　springs。　Instinctively　he　felt　within　him　the　need

of　close　contact　with　nature；　of　natural　emotions；　and　of　the

vegetative　life　into　which　we　sink　so　gladly　among　the　fields。



The　day　after　he　arrived　he　climbed　the　Pic　de　Sancy；　not　without

difficulty；　and　visited　the　higher　valleys；　the　skyey　nooks；

undiscovered　lakes；　and　peasants'　huts　about　Mont　Dore；　a　country

whose　stern　and　wild　features　are　now　beginning　to　tempt　the　brushes

of　our　artists；　for　sometimes　wonderfully　fresh　and　charming　views　are

to　be　found　there；　affording　a　strong　contrast　to　the　frowning　brows

of　those　lonely　hills。



Barely　a　league　from　the　village　Raphael　discovered　a　nook　where

nature　seemed　to　have　taken　a　pleasure　in　hiding　away　all　her

treasures　like　some　glad　and　mischievous　child。　At　the　first　sight　of

this　unspoiled　and　picturesque　retreat；　he　determined　to　take　up　his

abode　in　it。　There；　life　must　needs　be　peaceful；　natural；　and

fruitful；　like　the　life　of　a　plant。



Imagine　for　yourself　an　inverted　cone　of　granite　hollowed　out　on　a

large　scale；　a　sort　of　basin　with　its　sides　divided　up　by　queer

winding　paths。　On　one　side　lay　level　stretches　with　no　growth　upon

them；　a　bluish　uniform　surface；　over　which　the　rays　of　the　sun　fell　as

upon　a　mirror；　on　the　other　lay　cliffs　split　open　by　fissures　and

frowning　ravines；　great　blocks　of　lav