the magic skin(驴皮记)-第47章

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cheek…bones；　streaked　with　red　veins　like　a　vine…leaf　in　autumn；　the
angular　features；　all　were　characteristics　of　strength；　even　where
strength　existed　no　longer。　The　hard　hands；　now　that　they　toiled　no
longer；　had　preserved　their　scanty　white　hair；　his　bearing　was　that　of
an　absolutely　free　man；　it　suggested　the　thought　that；　had　he　been　an
Italian；　he　would　have　perhaps　turned　brigand；　for　the　love　of　the
liberty　so　dear　to　him。　The　child　was　a　regular　mountaineer；　with　the
black　eyes　that　can　face　the　sun　without　flinching；　a　deeply　tanned
complexion；　and　rough　brown　hair。　His　movements　were　like　a　bird's
swift；　decided；　and　unconstrained；　his　clothing　was　ragged；　the　white；
fair　skin　showed　through　the　rents　in　his　garments。　There　they　both
stood　in　silence；　side　by　side；　both　obeying　the　same　impulse；　in　both

faces　were　clear　tokens　of　an　absolutely　identical　and　idle　life。　The
old　man　had　adopted　the　child's　amusements；　and　the　child　had　fallen
in　with　the　old　man's　humor；　there　was　a　sort　of　tacit　agreement
between　two　kinds　of　feebleness；　between　failing　powers　well…nigh
spent　and　powers　just　about　to　unfold　themselves。

Very　soon　a　woman　who　seemed　to　be　about　thirty　years　old　appeared　on
the　threshold　of　the　door；　spinning　as　she　came。　She　was　an
Auvergnate；　a　high…colored；　comfortable…looking；　straightforward　sort
of　person；　with　white　teeth；　her　cap　and　dress；　the　face；　full　figure；
and　general　appearance；　were　of　the　Auvergne　peasant　stamp。　So　was　her
dialect；　she　was　a　thorough　embodiment　of　her　district；　its
hardworking　ways；　its　thrift；　ignorance；　and　heartiness　all　met　in
her。

She　greeted　Raphael；　and　they　began　to　talk。　The　dogs　quieted　down；
the　old　man　went　and　sat　on　a　bench　in　the　sun；　the　child　followed　his
mother　about　wherever　she　went；　listening　without　saying　a　word；　and
staring　at　the　stranger。

〃You　are　not　afraid　to　live　here；　good　woman？〃

〃What　should　we　be　afraid　of；　sir？　When　we　bolt　the　door；　who　ever
could　get　inside？　Oh；　no；　we　aren't　afraid　at　all。　And　besides；〃　she
said；　as　she　brought　the　Marquis　into　the　principal　room　in　the　house；
〃what　should　thieves　come　to　take　from　us　here？〃

She　designated　the　room　as　she　spoke；　the　smoke…blackened　walls；　with
some　brilliant　pictures　in　blue；　red；　and　green；　an　〃End　of　Credit；〃　a
Crucifixion；　and　the　〃Grenadiers　of　the　Imperial　Guard〃　for　their　sole
ornament；　the　furniture　here　and　there；　the　old　wooden　four…post
bedstead；　the　table　with　crooked　legs；　a　few　stools；　the　chest　that
held　the　bread；　the　flitch　that　hung　from　the　ceiling；　a　jar　of　salt；
a　stove；　and　on　the　mantleshelf　a　few　discolored　yellow　plaster
figures。　As　he　went　out　again　Raphael　noticed　a　man　half…way　up　the
crags；　leaning　on　a　hoe；　and　watching　the　house　with　interest。

〃That's　my　man；　sir；〃　said　the　Auvergnate；　unconsciously　smiling　in
peasant　fashion；　〃he　is　at　work　up　there。〃

〃And　that　old　man　is　your　father？〃

〃Asking　your　pardon；　sir；　he　is　my　man's　grandfather。　Such　as　you　see
him；　he　is　a　hundred　and　two；　and　yet　quite　lately　he　walked　over　to
Clermont　with　our　little　chap！　Oh；　he　has　been　a　strong　man　in　his
time；　but　he　does　nothing　now　but　sleep　and　eat　and　drink。　He　amuses
himself　with　the　little　fellow。　Sometimes　the　child　trails　him　up　the
hillsides；　and　he　will　just　go　up　there　along　with　him。〃

Valentin　made　up　his　mind　immediately。　He　would　live　between　this
child　and　old　man；　breathe　the　same　air；　eat　their　bread；　drink　the
same　water；　sleep　with　them；　make　the　blood　in　his　veins　like　theirs。
It　was　a　dying　man's　fancy。　For　him　the　prime　model；　after　which　the
customary　existence　of　the　individual　should　be　shaped；　the　real
formula　for　the　life　of　a　human　being；　the　only　true　and　possible
life；　the　life…ideal；　was　to　become　one　of　the　oysters　adhering　to
this　rock；　to　save　his　shell　a　day　or　two　longer　by　paralyzing　the
power　of　death。　One　profoundly　selfish　thought　took　possession　of　him；
and　the　whole　universe　was　swallowed　up　and　lost　in　it。　For　him　the
universe　existed　no　longer；　the　whole　world　had　come　to　be　within
himself。　For　the　sick；　the　world　begins　at　their　pillow　and　ends　at
the　foot　of　the　bed；　and　this　countryside　was　Raphael's　sick…bed。

Who　has　not；　at　some　time　or　other　in　his　life；　watched　the　comings
and　goings　of　an　ant；　slipped　straws　into　a　yellow　slug's　one
breathing…hole；　studied　the　vagaries　of　a　slender　dragon…fly；　pondered
admiringly　over　the　countless　veins　in　an　oak…leaf；　that　bring　the
colors　of　a　rose　window　in　some　Gothic　cathedral　into　contrast　with
the　reddish　background？　Who　has　not　looked　long　in　delight　at　the
effects　of　sun　and　rain　on　a　roof　of　brown　tiles；　at　the　dewdrops；　or
at　the　variously　shaped　petals　of　the　flower…cups？　Who　has　not　sunk
into　these　idle；　absorbing　meditations　on　things　without；　that　have　no
conscious　end；　yet　lead　to　some　definite　thought　at　last。　Who；　in
short；　has　not　led　a　lazy　life；　the　life　of　childhood；　the　life　of　the
savage　without　his　labor？　This　life　without　a　care　or　a　wish　Raphael
led　for　some　days'　space。　He　felt　a　distinct　improvement　in　his
condition；　a　wonderful　sense　of　ease；　that　quieted　his　apprehensions
and　soothed　his　sufferings。

He　would　climb　the　crags；　and　then　find　a　seat　high　up　on　some　peak
whence　he　could　see　a　vast　expanse　of　distant　country　at　a　glance；　and
he　would　spend　whole　days　in　this　way；　like　a　plant　in　the　sun；　or　a
hare　in　its　form。　And　at　last；　growing　familiar　with　the　appearances
of　the　plant…life　about　him；　and　of　the　changes　in　the　sky；　he
minutely　noted　the　progress　of　everything　working　around　him　in　the
water；　on　the　earth；　or　in　the　air。　He　tried　to　share　the　secret
impulses　of　nature；　sought　by　passive　obedience　to　become　a　part　of
it；　and　to　lie　within　the　conservative　and　despotic　jurisdiction　that
regulates　instinctive　existence。　He　no　longer　wished　to　steer　his　own
course。

Just　as　criminals　in　olden　times　were　safe　from　the　pursuit　of
justice；　if　they　took　refuge　under　the　shadow　of　the　altar；　so　Raphael
made　an　effort　to　slip　into　the　sanctuary　of　life。　He　succeeded　in
becoming　an　integral　part　of　the　great　and　mighty　fruit…producing
organization；　he　had　adapted　himself　to　the　inclemency　of　the　air；　and
had　dwelt　in　every　cave　among　the　rocks。　He　had　learned　the　ways　and
habits　of　growth　of　every　plant；　had　studied　the　laws　of　the
watercourses　and　their　beds；　and　had　come　to　know　the　animals；　he　was
at　last　so　perfectly　at　one　with　this　teeming　earth；　that　he　had　in
some　sort　discerned　its　mysteries　and　caught　the　spirit　of　it。

The　infinitely　varied　forms　of　every　natural　kingdom　were；　to　his
thinking；　only　developments　of　one　and　the　same　substance；　different
combinations　brought　about　by　the　same　impulse；　endless　emanations
from　a　measureless　Being　which　was　acting；　thinking；　moving；　and
growing；　and　in　harmony　with　which　he　longed　to　grow；　to　move；　to
think；　and　act。　He　had　fancifully　blended　his　life　with　the　life　of
the　crags；　he　had　deliberately　planted　himself　there。　During　the
earliest　days　of　his　sojourn　in　these　pleasant　surroundings；　Valentin
tasted　all　the　pleasures　of　childhood　again；　thanks　to　the　strange
hallucination　of　apparent　convalescence；　which　is　not　unlike　the
pauses　of　delirium　that　nature　mercifully　provides　for　those　in　pain。
He　went　about　making　trifling　discoveries；　setting　to　work　on　endless
things；　and　finishing　none　of　them；　the　evening's　plans　were　quite
forgotten　in　the　morning；　he　had　no　cares；　he　was　happy；　he　thought
himself　saved。

One　morning　he　had　lain　in　bed　till　noon；　deep　in　the　dreams　between
sleep　and　waking；　which　give　to　realities　a　fantastic　appearance；　and
make　the　wildest　fancies　seem　solid　facts；　while　he　was　still
uncertain　that　he　was　not　dreaming　yet；　he　suddenly　heard　his　hostess
giving　a　report　of　his　health　to　Jonathan；　for　the　first　time。
Jonathan　came　to　inquire　after　him　daily；　and　the　Auvergnate；　thinking
no　doubt　that　Valentin　was　still　asleep；　had　not　lowered　the　tones　of
a　voice　developed　in　mountain　air。

〃No　better　and　no　worse；〃　she　said。　〃He　coughed　all　last　night　again
fit　to　kill　himself。　Poor　gentleman；　he　coughs　and　spits　till　it　is
piteous。　My　husband　and　I　often　wonder　to　each　other　where　he　gets　the
strength　from　to　cough　like　that。　It　goes　to　your　heart。　What　a　cursed
complaint　it　is！　He　has　no　strength　at　all。　I　am　always　afraid　I　shall
find　him　dead　in　his　bed　some　morning。　He　is　every　bit　as　pale　as　a
waxen　Christ。　DAME！　I　watch　him　while　he　dresses；　his　poor　body　is　as
thin　as　a　nail。　And　he　does　not　feel　well　now；　but　no　matter。　It's　all
the　same；　he　wears　himself　out　with　running　about　as　if　he　had　health
and　to　spare。　All　the　same；　he　is　very　brave；　for　he　never　complains
at　all。　But　really　he　would　be　better　under　the　earth　than　on　it；　for
he　is　enduring　the　agonies　of　Christ。　I　don't　wish　that　myself；　sir；
it　is　quite　in　our　interests；　but　even　if　he　didn't　pay　us　what　he
does；　I　should　be　just　as　fond　of　him；　it　is　not　our　own　interest　that
is　our　motive。

〃Ah；　mon　Dieu！〃　she　continued；　〃Parisians　are　the　people　for　these
dogs'　diseases。　Where　did　he　catch　it；　now？　Poor　young　man！　And　he　is
so　sure　that　he　is　going　to　get　well！　That　fever　just　gnaws　him；　you
know；　it　eats　him　away；　it　will　be　the　death　of　him。　He　has　no　notion
whatever　of　that；　he　does　not　know　it；　sir；　he　sees　nothingYou
mustn't　cry　about　him；　M。　Jonathan；　you　must　remember　that　he　will　be
happy；　and　will　not　suffer　any　more。　You　ought　to　make　a　neuvaine　for
him；　I　have　seen　wonderful　cures　come　of　the　nine　days'　prayer；　and　I
would　gladly　pay　for　a　wax　taper　to　save　such　a　gentle　creature；　so
good　he　is；　a　paschal　lamb〃

As　Raphael's　voice　had　grown　too　weak　to　allow　him　to　make　himself
heard；　he　was　compelled　to　listen　to　this　horrible　loquacity。　His
irritation；　however；　drove　him　out　of　bed　at　length；　and　he　appeared
upon　the　threshold。

〃Old　scoundrel！〃　he　shouted　to　Jonathan；　〃do　you　mean　to　put　me　to
death？〃

The　peasant　woman　took　him　for　a　ghost；　and　fled。

〃I　forbid　you　to　have　any　anxiety　whatever　about　my　health；〃　Raphael
went　on。

〃Yes；　my　Lord　Marquis；〃　said　the　old　servant；　wiping　away　his　tears。

〃And　for　the　future　you　had　very　much　better　not　come　here　without　my
orders。〃

Jonathan　meant　to　be　obedient；　but　in　the　look　full　of　pity　and
devotion　that　he　gave　the　Marquis　before　he　went；　Raphael　read　his　own
death…warrant。　Utterly　disheartened；　brought　all　at　once　to　a　sense　of
his　real　position；　Valentin　sat　down　on　the　threshold；　locked　his　arms
across　his　chest；　and　bowed　his　head。　Jonathan　turned　to　his　master　in
alarm；　with　〃My　Lord〃

〃Go　away；　go　away；〃　cried　the　invalid。

In　the　hours　of　the　next　morning；　Raphael　climbed　the　crags；　and　sat
down　in　a　mossy　cleft　in　the　rocks；　whence　he　could　see　the　narrow
path　along　which　the　water　for　the　dwelling　was　carried。　At　the　base
of　the　hill　he　saw　Jonathan　in　conversation　with　the　Auvergnate。　Some
malicious　power　interpreted　for　him　all　the　woman's　forebodings；　and
filled　the　breeze　and　the　silence　with　her　ominous　words。　Thrilled
with　horror；　he　took　refuge　among　the　highest　summits　of　the
mountains；　and　stayed　there　till　the　evening；　but　ye