sarrasine-第3节

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upon　his　chair　with　great　caution；　mumbling　some　unintelligible　words。
His　cracked　voice　resembled　the　noise　made　by　a　stone　falling　into　a
well。　The　young　woman　nervously　pressed　my　hand；　as　if　she　were　trying
to　avoid　a　precipice；　and　shivered　when　that　man；　at　whom　she　happened
to　be　looking；　turned　upon　her　two　lifeless；　sea…green　eyes；　which
could　be　compared　to　nothing　save　tarnished　mother…of…pearl。

〃I　am　afraid；〃　she　said；　putting　her　lips　to　my　ear。

〃You　can　speak；〃　I　replied；　〃he　hears　with　great　difficulty。〃

〃You　know　him；　then？〃

〃Yes。〃

Thereupon　she　summoned　courage　to　scrutinize　for　a　moment　that
creature　for　which　no　human　language　has　a　name；　form　without
substance；　a　being　without　life；　or　life　without　action。　She　was　under
the　spell　of　that　timid　curiosity　which　impels　women　to　seek　perilous
excitement；　to　gaze　at　chained　tigers　and　boa…constrictors；　shuddering
all　the　while　because　the　barriers　between　them　are　so　weak。　Although
the　little　old　man's　back　was　bent　like　a　day…laborer's；　it　was　easy
to　see　that　he　must　formerly　have　been　of　medium　height。　His　excessive
thinness；　the　slenderness　of　his　limbs；　proved　that　he　had　always　been
of　slight　build。　He　wore　black　silk　breeches　which　hung　about　his
fleshless　thighs　in　folds；　like　a　lowered　veil。　An　anatomist　would
instinctively　have　recognized　the　symptoms　of　consumption　in　its
advanced　stages；　at　sight　of　the　tiny　legs　which　served　to　support
that　strange　frame。　You　would　have　said　that　they　were　a　pair　of
cross…bones　on　a　gravestone。　A　feeling　of　profound　horror　seized　the
heart　when　a　close　scrutiny　revealed　the　marks　made　by　decrepitude
upon　that　frail　machine。

He　wore　a　white　waistcoat　embroidered　with　gold；　in　the　old　style；　and
his　linen　was　of　dazzling　whiteness。　A　shirt…frill　of　English　lace；
yellow　with　age；　the　magnificence　of　which　a　queen　might　have　envied；
formed　a　series　of　yellow　ruffles　on　his　breast；　but　upon　him　the　lace
seemed　rather　a　worthless　rag　than　an　ornament。　In　the　centre　of　the
frill　a　diamond　of　inestimable　value　gleamed　like　a　sun。　That
superannuated　splendor；　that　display　of　treasure；　of　great　intrinsic
worth；　but　utterly　without　taste；　served　to　bring　out　in　still　bolder
relief　the　strange　creature's　face。　The　frame　was　worthy　of　the
portrait。　That　dark　face　was　full　of　angles　and　furrowed　deep　in　every
direction；　the　chin　was　furrowed；　there　were　great　hollows　at　the
temples；　the　eyes　were　sunken　in　yellow　orbits。　The　maxillary　bones；
which　his　indescribable　gauntness　caused　to　protrude；　formed　deep
cavities　in　the　centre　of　both　cheeks。　These　protuberances；　as　the
light　fell　upon　them；　caused　curious　effects　of　light　and　shadow　which
deprived　that　face　of　its　last　vestige　of　resemblance　to　the　human
countenance。　And　then；　too；　the　lapse　of　years　had　drawn　the　fine；
yellow　skin　so　close　to　the　bones　that　it　described　a　multitude　of
wrinkles　everywhere；　either　circular　like　the　ripples　in　the　water
caused　by　a　stone　which　a　child　throws　in；　or　star…shaped　like　a　pane
of　glass　cracked　by　a　blow；　but　everywhere　very　deep；　and　as　close
together　as　the　leaves　of　a　closed　book。　We　often　see　more　hideous　old
men；　but　what　contributed　more　than　aught　else　to　give　to　the　spectre
that　rose　before　us　the　aspect　of　an　artificial　creation　was　the　red
and　white　paint　with　which　he　glistened。　The　eyebrows　shone　in　the
light　with　a　lustre　which　disclosed　a　very　well　executed　bit　of
painting。　Luckily　for　the　eye；　saddened　by　such　a　mass　of　ruins；　his
corpse…like　skull　was　concealed　beneath　a　light　wig；　with　innumerable
curls　which　indicated　extraordinary　pretensions　to　elegance。　Indeed；
the　feminine　coquettishness　of　this　fantastic　apparition　was
emphatically　asserted　by　the　gold　ear…rings　which　hung　at　his　ears；　by
the　rings　containing　stones　of　marvelous　beauty　which　sparkled　on　his
fingers；　like　the　brilliants　in　a　river　of　gems　around　a　woman's　neck。
Lastly；　this　species　of　Japanese　idol　had　constantly　upon　his　blue
lips；　a　fixed；　unchanging　smile；　the　shadow　of　an　implacable　and
sneering　laugh；　like　that　of　a　death's　head。　As　silent　and　motionless
as　a　statue；　he　exhaled　the　musk…like　odor　of　the　old　dresses　which　a
duchess'　heirs　exhume　from　her　wardrobe　during　the　inventory。　If　the
old　man　turned　his　eyes　toward　the　company；　it　seemed　that　the
movements　of　those　globes；　no　longer　capable　of　reflecting　a　gleam；
were　accomplished　by　an　almost　imperceptible　effort；　and；　when　the
eyes　stopped；　he　who　was　watching　them　was　not　certain　finally　that
they　had　moved　at　all。　As　I　saw；　beside　that　human　ruin；　a　young　woman
whose　bare　neck　and　arms　and　breast　were　white　as　snow；　whose　figure
was　well…rounded　and　beautiful　in　its　youthful　grace；　whose　hair；
charmingly　arranged　above　an　alabaster　forehead；　inspired　love；　whose
eyes　did　not　receive　but　gave　forth　light；　who　was　sweet　and　fresh；
and　whose　fluffy　curls；　whose　fragrant　breath；　seemed　too　heavy；　too
harsh；　too　overpowering　for　that　shadow；　for　that　man　of　dustah！　the
thought　that　came　into　my　mind　was　of　death　and　life；　an　imaginary
arabesque；　a　half…hideous　chimera；　divinely　feminine　from　the　waist
up。

〃And　yet　such　marriages　are　often　made　in　society！〃　I　said　to　myself。

〃He　smells　of　the　cemetery！〃　cried　the　terrified　young　woman；　grasping
my　arm　as　if　to　make　sure　of　my　protection；　and　moving　about　in　a
restless；　excited　way；　which　convinced　me　that　she　was　very　much
frightened。　〃It's　a　horrible　vision；〃　she　continued；　〃I　cannot　stay
here　any　longer。　If　I　look　at　him　again　I　shall　believe　that　Death
himself　has　come　in　search　of　me。　But　is　he　alive？〃

She　placed　her　hand　on　the　phenomenon；　with　the　boldness　which　women
derive　from　the　violence　of　their　wishes；　but　a　cold　sweat　burst　from
her　pores；　for；　the　instant　she　touched　the　old　man；　she　heard　a　cry
like　the　noise　made　by　a　rattle。　That　shrill　voice；　if　indeed　it　were
a　voice；　escaped　from　a　throat　almost　entirely　dry。　It　was　at　once
succeeded　by　a　convulsive　little　cough　like　a　child's；　of　a　peculiar
resonance。　At　that　sound；　Marianina；　Filippo；　and　Madame　de　Lanty
looked　toward　us；　and　their　glances　were　like　lightning　flashes。　The
young　woman　wished　that　she　were　at　the　bottom　of　the　Seine。　She　took
my　arm　and　pulled　me　away　toward　a　boudoir。　Everybody；　men　and　women；
made　room　for　us　to　pass。　Having　reached　the　further　end　of　the　suite
of　reception…rooms；　we　entered　a　small　semi…circular　cabinet。　My
companion　threw　herself　on　a　divan；　breathing　fast　with　terror；　not
knowing　where　she　was。

〃You　are　mad；　madame；〃　I　said　to　her。

〃But；〃　she　rejoined；　after　a　moment's　silence；　during　which　I　gazed　at
her　in　admiration；　〃is　it　my　fault？　Why　does　Madame　de　Lanty　allow
ghosts　to　wander　round　her　house？〃

〃Nonsense；〃　I　replied；　〃you　are　doing　just　what　fools　do。　You　mistake
a　little　old　man　for　a　spectre。〃

〃Hush；〃　she　retorted；　with　the　imposing；　yet　mocking；　air　which　all
women　are　so　well　able　to　assume　when　they　are　determined　to　put
themselves　in　the　right。　〃Oh！　what　a　sweet　boudoir！〃　she　cried；
looking　about　her。　〃Blue　satin　hangings　always　produce　an　admirable
effect。　How　cool　it　is！　Ah！　the　lovely　picture！〃　she　added；　rising　and
standing　in　front　of　a　magnificently　framed　painting。

We　stood　for　a　moment　gazing　at　that　marvel　of　art；　which　seemed　the
work　of　some　supernatural　brush。　The　picture　represented　Adonis
stretched　out　on　a　lion's　skin。　The　lamp；　in　an　alabaster　vase；
hanging　in　the　centre　of　the　boudoir；　cast　upon　the　canvas　a　soft
light　which　enabled　us　to　grasp　all　the　beauties　of　the　picture。

〃Does　such　a　perfect　creature　exist？〃　she　asked　me；　after　examining
attentively；　and　not　without　a　sweet　smile　of　satisfaction；　the
exquisite　grace　of　the　outlines；　the　attitude；　the　color；　the　hair；　in
fact　everything。

〃He　is　too　beautiful　for　a　man；〃　she　added；　after　such　a　scrutiny　as
she　would　have　bestowed　upon　a　rival。

Ah！　how　sharply　I　felt　at　that　moment　those　pangs　of　jealousy　in　which
a　poet　had　tried　in　vain　to　make　me　believe！　the　jealousy　of
engravings；　of　pictures；　of　statues；　wherein　artists　exaggerate　human
beauty；　as　a　result　of　the　doctrine　which　leads　them　to　idealize
everything。

〃It　is　a　portrait；〃　I　replied。　〃It　is　a　product　of　Vien's　genius。　But
that　great　painter　never　saw　the　original；　and　your　admiration　will　be
modified　somewhat　perhaps；　when　I　tell　you　that　this　study　was　made
from　a　statue　of　a　woman。〃

〃But　who　is　it？〃

I　hesitated。

〃I　insist　upon　knowing；〃　she　added　earnestly。

〃I　believe；〃　I　said；　〃that　this　/Adonis/　represents　aa　relative　of
Madame　de　Lanty。〃

I　had　the　chagrin　of　seeing　that　she　was　lost　in　contemplation　of　that
figure。　She　sat　down　in　silence；　and　I　seated　myself　beside　her　and
took　her　hand　without　her　noticing　it。　Forgotten　for　a　portrait！　At
that　moment　we　heard　in　the　silence　a　woman's　footstep　and　the　faint
rustling　of　a　dress。　We　saw　the　youthful　Marianina　enter　the　boudoir；
even　more　resplendent　by　reason　of　her　grace　and　her　fresh　costume；
she　was　walking　slowly　and　leading　with　motherly　care；　with　a
daughter's　solicitude；　the　spectre　in　human　attire；　who　had　driven　us
from　the　music…room；　as　she