the magic skin-第8章

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ingenuousness　in　his　tones　that　set　these　writers；　the　hope　of　young

France；　in　a　roar。　〃So　far　our　blasphemies　have　been　uttered　over　our

cups；　we　have　passed　our　judgments　on　life　while　drunk；　and　taken　men

and　affairs　in　an　after…dinner　frame　of　mind。　We　were　innocent　of

action；　we　were　bold　in　words。　But　now　we　are　to　be　branded　with　the

hot　iron　of　politics；　we　are　going　to　enter　the　convict's　prison　and

to　drop　our　illusions。　Although　one　has　no　belief　left；　except　in　the

devil；　one　may　regret　the　paradise　of　one's　youth　and　the　age　of

innocence；　when　we　devoutly　offered　the　tip　of　our　tongue　to　some　good

priest　for　the　consecrated　wafer　of　the　sacrament。　Ah；　my　good

friends；　our　first　peccadilloes　gave　us　so　much　pleasure　because　the

consequent　remorse　set　them　off　and　lent　a　keen　relish　to　them；　but

nowadays〃



〃Oh！　now；〃　said　the　first　speaker；　〃there　is　still　left〃



〃What？〃　asked　another。



〃Crime〃



〃There　is　a　word　as　high　as　the　gallows　and　deeper　than　the　Seine；〃

said　Raphael。



〃Oh；　you　don't　understand　me；　I　mean　political　crime。　Since　this

morning；　a　conspirator's　life　is　the　only　one　I　covet。　I　don't　know

that　the　fancy　will　last　over　to…morrow；　but　to…night　at　least　my

gorge　rises　at　the　anaemic　life　of　our　civilization　and　its　railroad

evenness。　I　am　seized　with　a　passion　for　the　miseries　of　retreat　from

Moscow；　for　the　excitements　of　the　Red　Corsair；　or　for　a　smuggler's

life。　I　should　like　to　go　to　Botany　Bay；　as　we　have　no　Chartreaux　left

us　here　in　France；　it　is　a　sort　of　infirmary　reserved　for　little　Lord

Byrons　who；　having　crumpled　up　their　lives　like　a　serviette　after

dinner；　have　nothing　left　to　do　but　to　set　their　country　ablaze；　blow

their　own　brains　out；　plot　for　a　republic　or　clamor　for　a　war〃



〃Emile；〃　Raphael's　neighbor　called　eagerly　to　the　speaker；　〃on　my

honor；　but　for　the　revolution　of　July　I　would　have　taken　orders；　and

gone　off　down　into　the　country　somewhere　to　lead　the　life　of　an

animal；　and〃



〃And　you　would　have　read　your　breviary　through　every　day。〃



〃Yes。〃



〃You　are　a　coxcomb！〃



〃Why；　we　read　the　newspapers　as　it　is！〃



〃Not　bad　that；　for　a　journalist！　But　hold　your　tongue；　we　are　going

through　a　crowd　of　subscribers。　Journalism；　look　you；　is　the　religion

of　modern　society；　and　has　even　gone　a　little　further。〃



〃What　do　you　mean？〃



〃Its　pontiffs　are　not　obliged　to　believe　in　it　any　more　than　the

people　are。〃



Chatting　thus；　like　good　fellows　who　have　known　their　De　Viris

illustribus　for　years　past；　they　reached　a　mansion　in　the　Rue　Joubert。



Emile　was　a　journalist　who　had　acquired　more　reputation　by　dint　of

doing　nothing　than　others　had　derived　from　their　achievements。　A　bold；

caustic；　and　powerful　critic；　he　possessed　all　the　qualities　that　his

defects　permitted。　An　outspoken　giber；　he　made　numberless　epigrams　on

a　friend　to　his　face；　but　would　defend　him；　if　absent；　with　courage

and　loyalty。　He　laughed　at　everything；　even　at　his　own　career。　Always

impecunious；　he　yet　lived；　like　all　men　of　his　calibre；　plunged　in

unspeakable　indolence。　He　would　fling　some　word　containing　volumes　in

the　teeth　of　folk　who　could　not　put　a　syllable　of　sense　into　their

books。　He　lavished　promises　that　he　never　fulfilled；　he　made　a　pillow

of　his　luck　and　reputation；　on　which　he　slept；　and　ran　the　risk　of

waking　up　to　old　age　in　a　workhouse。　A　steadfast　friend　to　the　gallows

foot；　a　cynical　swaggerer　with　a　child's　simplicity；　a　worker　only

from　necessity　or　caprice。



〃In　the　language　of　Maitre　Alcofribas；　we　are　about　to　make　a　famous

troncon　de　chiere　lie；〃　he　remarked　to　Raphael　as　he　pointed　out　the

flower…stands　that　made　a　perfumed　forest　of　the　staircase。



〃I　like　a　vestibule　to　be　well　warmed　and　richly　carpeted；〃　Raphael

said。　〃Luxury　in　the　peristyle　is　not　common　in　France。　I　feel　as　if

life　had　begun　anew　here。〃



〃And　up　above　we　are　going　to　drink　and　make　merry　once　more；　my　dear

Raphael。　Ah！　yes；〃　he　went　on；　〃and　I　hope　we　are　going　to　come　off

conquerors；　too；　and　walk　over　everybody　else's　head。〃



As　he　spoke；　he　jestingly　pointed　to　the　guests。　They　were　entering　a

large　room　which　shone　with　gilding　and　lights；　and　there　all　the

younger　men　of　note　in　Paris　welcomed　them。　Here　was　one　who　had　just

revealed　fresh　powers；　his　first　picture　vied　with　the　glories　of

Imperial　art。　There；　another；　who　but　yesterday　had　launched　forth　a

volume；　an　acrid　book　filled　with　a　sort　of　literary　arrogance；　which

opened　up　new　ways　to　the　modern　school。　A　sculptor；　not　far　away；

with　vigorous　power　visible　in　his　rough　features；　was　chatting　with

one　of　those　unenthusiastic　scoffers　who　can　either　see　excellence

anywhere　or　nowhere；　as　it　happens。　Here；　the　cleverest　of　our

caricaturists；　with　mischievous　eyes　and　bitter　tongue；　lay　in　wait

for　epigrams　to　translate　into　pencil　strokes；　there；　stood　the　young

and　audacious　writer；　who　distilled　the　quintessence　of　political

ideas　better　than　any　other　man；　or　compressed　the　work　of　some

prolific　writer　as　he　held　him　up　to　ridicule；　he　was　talking　with　the

poet　whose　works　would　have　eclipsed　all　the　writings　of　the　time　if

his　ability　had　been　as　strenuous　as　his　hatreds。　Both　were　trying　not

to　say　the　truth　while　they　kept　clear　of　lies；　as　they　exchanged

flattering　speeches。　A　famous　musician　administered　soothing

consolation　in　a　rallying　fashion；　to　a　young　politician　who　had　just

fallen　quite　unhurt；　from　his　rostrum。　Young　writers　who　lacked　style

stood　beside　other　young　writers　who　lacked　ideas；　and　authors　of

poetical　prose　by　prosaic　poets。



At　the　sight　of　all　these　incomplete　beings；　a　simple　Saint　Simonian；

ingenuous　enough　to　believe　in　his　own　doctrine；　charitably　paired

them　off；　designing；　no　doubt；　to　convert　them　into　monks　of　his

order。　A　few　men　of　science　mingled　in　the　conversation；　like　nitrogen

in　the　atmosphere；　and　several　vaudevillistes　shed　rays　like　the

sparking　diamonds　that　give　neither　light　nor　heat。　A　few　paradox…

mongers；　laughing　up　their　sleeves　at　any　folk　who　embraced　their

likes　or　dislikes　in　men　or　affairs；　had　already　begun　a　two…edged

policy；　conspiring　against　all　systems；　without　committing　themselves

to　any　side。　Then　there　was　the　self…appointed　critic　who　admires

nothing；　and　will　blow　his　nose　in　the　middle　of　a　cavatina　at　the

Bouffons；　who　applauds　before　any　one　else　begins；　and　contradicts

every　one　who　says　what　he　himself　was　about　to　say；　he　was　there

giving　out　the　sayings　of　wittier　men　for　his　own。　Of　all　the

assembled　guests；　a　future　lay　before　some　five；　ten　or　so　should

acquire　a　fleeting　renown；　as　for　the　rest；　like　all　mediocrities；

they　might　apply　to　themselves　the　famous　falsehood　of　Louis　XVIII。；

Union　and　oblivion。



The　anxious　jocularity　of　a　man　who　is　expending　two　thousand　crowns

sat　on　their　host。　His　eyes　turned　impatiently　towards　the　door　from

time　to　time；　seeking　one　of　his　guests　who　kept　him　waiting。　Very

soon　a　stout　little　person　appeared；　who　was　greeted　by　a

complimentary　murmur；　it　was　the　notary　who　had　invented　the　newspaper

that　very　morning。　A　valet…de…chambre　in　black　opened　the　doors　of　a

vast　dining…room；　whither　every　one　went　without　ceremony；　and　took

his　place　at　an　enormous　table。



Raphael　took　a　last　look　round　the　room　before　he　left　it。　His　wish

had　been　realized　to　the　full。　The　rooms　were　adorned　with　silk　and

gold。　Countless　wax　tapers　set　in　handsome　candelabra　lit　up　the

slightest　details　of　gilded　friezes；　the　delicate　bronze　sculpture；

and　the　splendid　colors　of　the　furniture。　The　sweet　scent　of　rare

flowers；　set　in　stands　tastefully　made　of　bamboo；　filled　the　air。

Everything；　even　the　curtains；　was　pervaded　by　elegance　without

pretension；　and　there　was　a　certain　imaginative　charm　about　it　all

which　acted　like　a　spell　on　the　mind　of　a　needy　man。



〃An　income　of　a　hundred　thousand　livres　a　year　is　a　very　nice

beginning　of　the　catechism；　and　a　wonderful　assistance　to　putting

morality　into　our　actions；〃　he　said；　sighing。　〃Truly　my　sort　of　virtue

can　scarcely　go　afoot；　and　vice　means；　to　my　thinking；　a　garret；　a

threadbare　coat；　a　gray　hat　in　winter　time；　and　sums　owing　to　the

porter。　。　。　。　I　should　like　to　live　in　the　lap　of　luxury　a　year；　or

six　months；　no　matter！　And　then　afterwards；　die。　I　should　have　known；

exhausted；　and　consumed　a　thousand　lives；　at　any　rate。〃



〃Why；　you　are　taking　the　tone　of　a　stockbroker　in　good　luck；〃　said

Emile；　who　overheard　him。　〃Pooh！　your　riches　would　be　a　burden　to　you

as　soon　as　you　found　that　they　would　spoil　your　chances　of　coming　out

above　the　rest　of　us。　Hasn't　the　artist　always　kept　the　balance　true

between　the　poverty　of　riches　and　the　riches　of　poverty？　And　isn't

struggle　a　necessity　to　some　of　us？　Look　out　for　your　digestion；　and

only　look；〃　he　added；　with　a　mock…heroic　gesture；　〃at　the　majestic；

thrice　holy；　and　edifying　appearance　of　this　amiable　capitalist's

dining…room。　That　man　has　in　reality　only　made　his　money　for　our

benefit。　Isn't　he　a　kind　of　sponge　of　the　polyp　order；　overlooked　by

naturalists；　which　should　be　carefully　squeezed　before　he　is　left　for

his　heirs　to　feed　upon？　There　is　style；　isn't　there；　about　those　bas…

reliefs　that　adorn　the　walls？　And　the　lustres；　and　the　pictures；　what

luxury　well　carried　out！　If　one　may　believe　those　who　envy　him；　or　who

know；　or　think　they　know；　the　origins　of　his　life；　then　this　man　got

rid　of　a　German　and　some　othershis　best　friend　for　one；　and　the

mother　of　that　friend；　during　the　Revolution。　Could　you　house　crimes

under　the　venerable　Taillefer's　silvering　locks？　He　looks　to　me　a　very

worthy　man。　Only　see　how　the　silver　sparkles；　and　is　every　glittering

ray　like　a　stab　of　a　dagger　to　him？　。　。　。　Let　us　go　in；　one　might　as

well　believe　in　Mahomet。　If　common　report　speak　truth；　here　are　thirty

men　of　talent；　and　good　fellows　too；　prepared　to　dine　off　the　flesh

and　blood　of　a　whole　family；　。　。　。　and　here　are　we　ourselves；　a　pair

of　youngsters　full　of　open…hearted　enthusiasm；　and　we　shall　be

partakers　in　his　guilt。　I　have　a　mind　to　ask　our　capitalist　whether　he

is　a　respectable　character。　。　。　。〃



〃No；　not　now；〃　cried　Raphael；　〃but　when　he　is　dead　drunk；　we　shall

have　had　our　dinner　then。〃



The　two　friends　sat　down　laughing。　First　of　all；　by　a　glance　more

rapid　than　a　word；　each　paid　his　tribute　of　admiration　to　the　splendid

general　effect　of　the　long　table；　white　as　a　bank　of　freshly…fallen

snow；　with　its　symmetrical　line　of　covers；　crowned　with　their　pale

golden　rolls　of　bread。　Rainbow　colors　gleamed　in　the　starry　rays　of

light　reflected　by　the　glass；　the　lights　of　the　tapers　crossed　and

recrossed　each　other　indefinitely；　the　dishes　covered　with　their

silver　domes　whetted　both　appetite　and　curiosity。



Few　words　were　spoken。　Neighbors　exchanged　glances　as　the　Maderia

circulated。　Then　the　first　c