the magic skin-第6章

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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　money；　taking　his　father's　corpse　as　a

pledge；　slept　in　an　Arab's　tent　on　the　security　of　his　bare　word；

signed　contracts　in　every　capital　of　Europe；　and　left　my　gold　without

hesitation　in　savage　wigwams。　I　have　attained　everything；　because　I

have　known　how　to　despise　all　things。



〃My　one　ambition　has　been　to　see。　Is　not　Sight　in　a　manner　Insight？

And　to　have　knowledge　or　insight；　is　not　that　to　have　instinctive

possession？　To　be　able　to　discover　the　very　substance　of　fact　and　to

unite　its　essence　to　our　essence？　Of　material　possession　what　abides

with　you　but　an　idea？　Think；　then；　how　glorious　must　be　the　life　of　a

man　who　can　stamp　all　realities　upon　his　thought；　place　the　springs　of

happiness　within　himself；　and　draw　thence　uncounted　pleasures　in　idea；

unspoiled　by　earthly　stains。　Thought　is　a　key　to　all　treasures；　the

miser's　gains　are　ours　without　his　cares。　Thus　I　have　soared　above

this　world；　where　my　enjoyments　have　been　intellectual　joys。　I　have

reveled　in　the　contemplation　of　seas；　peoples；　forests；　and　mountains！

I　have　seen　all　things；　calmly；　and　without　weariness；　I　have　set　my

desires　on　nothing；　I　have　waited　in　expectation　of　everything。　I　have

walked　to　and　fro　in　the　world　as　in　a　garden　round　about　my　own

dwelling。　Troubles；　loves；　ambitions；　losses；　and　sorrows；　as　men　call

them；　are　for　me　ideas；　which　I　transmute　into　waking　dreams；　I

express　and　transpose　instead　of　feeling　them；　instead　of　permitting

them　to　prey　upon　my　life；　I　dramatize　and　expand　them；　I　divert

myself　with　them　as　if　they　were　romances　which　I　could　read　by　the

power　of　vision　within　me。　As　I　have　never　overtaxed　my　constitution；

I　still　enjoy　robust　health；　and　as　my　mind　is　endowed　with　all　the

force　that　I　have　not　wasted；　this　head　of　mine　is　even　better

furnished　than　my　galleries。　The　true　millions　lie　here；〃　he　said；

striking　his　forehead。　〃I　spend　delicious　days　in　communings　with　the

past；　I　summon　before　me　whole　countries；　places；　extents　of　sea；　the

fair　faces　of　history。　In　my　imaginary　seraglio　I　have　all　the　women

that　I　have　never　possessed。　Your　wars　and　revolutions　come　up　before

me　for　judgment。　What　is　a　feverish　fugitive　admiration　for　some　more

or　less　brightly　colored　piece　of　flesh　and　blood；　some　more　or　less

rounded　human　form；　what　are　all　the　disasters　that　wait　on　your

erratic　whims；　compared　with　the　magnificent　power　of　conjuring　up　the

whole　world　within　your　soul；　compared　with　the　immeasurable　joys　of

movement；　unstrangled　by　the　cords　of　time；　unclogged　by　the　fetters

of　space；　the　joys　of　beholding　all　things；　of　comprehending　all

things；　of　leaning　over　the　parapet　of　the　world　to　question　the　other

spheres；　to　hearken　to　the　voice　of　God？　There；〃　he　burst　out；

vehemently；　〃there　are　To　Will　and　To　have　your　Will；　both　together；〃

he　pointed　to　the　bit　of　shagreen；　〃there　are　your　social　ideas；　your

immoderate　desires；　your　excesses；　your　pleasures　that　end　in　death；

your　sorrows　that　quicken　the　pace　of　life；　for　pain　is　perhaps　but　a

violent　pleasure。　Who　could　determine　the　point　where　pleasure　becomes

pain；　where　pain　is　still　a　pleasure？　Is　not　the　utmost　brightness　of

the　ideal　world　soothing　to　us；　while　the　lightest　shadows　of　the

physical　world　annoy？　Is　not　knowledge　the　secret　of　wisdom？　And　what

is　folly　but　a　riotous　expenditure　of　Will　or　Power？〃



〃Very　good　then；　a　life　of　riotous　excess　for　me！〃　said　the　stranger；

pouncing　upon　the　piece　of　shagreen。



〃Young　man；　beware！〃　cried　the　other　with　incredible　vehemence。



〃I　had　resolved　my　existence　into　thought　and　study；〃　the　stranger

replied；　〃and　yet　they　have　not　even　supported　me。　I　am　not　to　be

gulled　by　a　sermon　worthy　of　Swedenborg；　nor　by　your　Oriental　amule