the magic skin-第21节

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inexpressible　thought。　By　sheer　contemplation　of　the　things　about　me　I

discerned　an　expression　and　a　character　in　each。　If　the　setting　sun

happened　to　steal　in　through　my　narrow　window；　they　would　take　new

colors；　fade　or　shine；　grow　dull　or　gay；　and　always　amaze　me　with　some

new　effect。　These　trifling　incidents　of　a　solitary　life；　which　escape

those　preoccupied　with　outward　affairs；　make　the　solace　of　prisoners。

And　what　was　I　but　the　captive　of　an　idea；　imprisoned　in　my　system；

but　sustained　also　by　the　prospect　of　a　brilliant　future？　At　each

obstacle　that　I　overcame；　I　seemed　to　kiss　the　soft　hands　of　a　woman

with　a　fair　face；　a　wealthy；　well…dressed　woman；　who　should　some　day

say　softly；　while　she　caressed　my　hair：



〃　'Poor　Angel；　how　thou　hast　suffered！'



〃I　had　undertaken　two　great　worksone　a　comedy　that　in　a　very　short

time　must　bring　me　wealth　and　fame；　and　an　entry　into　those　circles

whither　I　wished　to　return；　to　exercise　the　royal　privileges　of　a　man

of　genius。　You　all　saw　nothing　in　that　masterpiece　but　the　blunder　of

a　young　man　fresh　from　college；　a　babyish　fiasco。　Your　jokes　clipped

the　wings　of　a　throng　of　illusions；　which　have　never　stirred　since

within　me。　You；　dear　Emile；　alone　brought　soothing　to　the　deep　wounds

that　others　had　made　in　my　heart。　You　alone　will　admire　my　'Theory　of

the　Will。'　I　devoted　most　of　my　time　to　that　long　work；　for　which　I

studied　Oriental　languages；　physiology　and　anatomy。　If　I　do　not

deceive　myself；　my　labors　will　complete　the　task　begun　by　Mesmer；

Lavater；　Gall；　and　Bichat；　and　open　up　new　paths　in　science。



〃There　ends　that　fair　life　of　mine；　the　daily　sacrifice；　the

unrecognized　silkworm's　toil；　that　is；　perhaps；　its　own　sole

recompense。　Since　attaining　years　of　discretion；　until　the　day　when　I

finished　my　'Theory；'　I　observed；　learned；　wrote；　and　read

unintermittingly；　my　life　was　one　long　imposition；　as　schoolboys　say。

Though　by　nature　effeminately　attached　to　Oriental　indolence；　sensual

in　tastes；　and　a　wooer　of　dreams；　I　worked　incessantly；　and　refused　to

taste　any　of　the　enjoyments　of　Parisian　life。　Though　a　glutton；　I

became　abstemious；　and　loving　exercise　and　sea　voyages　as　I　did；　and

haunted　by　the　wish　to　visit　many　countries；　still　child　enough　to

play　at　ducks　and　drakes　with　pebbles　over　a　pond；　I　led　a　sedentary

life　with　a　pen　in　my　fingers。　I　liked　talking；　but　I　went　to　sit　and

mutely　listen　to　professors　who　gave　public　lectures　at　the

Bibliotheque　or　the　Museum。　I　slept　upon　my　solitary　pallet　like　a

Benedictine　brother；　though　woman　was　my　one　chimera；　a　chimera　that

fled　from　me　as　I　wooed　it！　In　short；　my　life　has　been　a　cruel

contradiction；　a　perpetual　cheat。　After　that；　judge　a　man！



〃Sometimes　my　natural　propensities　broke　out　like　a　fire　long

smothered。　I　was　debarred　from　the　women　whose　society　I　desired；

stripped　of　everything　and　lodged　in　an　artist's　garret；　and　by　a　sort

of　mirage　or　calenture　I　was　surrounded　by　captivating　mistresses。　I

drove　through　the　streets　of　Paris；　lolling　on　the　soft　cushions　of　a

fine　equipage。　I　plunged　into　dissipation；　into　corroding　vice；　I

desired　and　possessed　everything；　for　fasting　had　made　me　light…headed

like　the　tempted　Saint　Anthony。　Slumber；　happily；　would　put　an　end　at

last　to　these　devastating　trances；　and　on　the　morrow　science　would

beckon　me；　smiling；　and　I　was　faithful　to　her。　I　imagine　that　women

reputed　virtuous；　must　often　fall　a　prey　to　these　insane　tempests　of

desire　and　passion；　which　rise　in　us　in　spite　of　ourselves。　Such

dreams　have　a　charm　of　their　own；　they　are　something　akin　to　evening

gossip　round　the　winter　fire；　when　one　sets　out　for　some　voyage　in

China。　But　what　becomes　of　virtue　during　these　delicious　excursions；

when　fancy　overleaps　all　difficulties？



〃During　the　first　ten　months　of　seclusion　I　led　the　life　of　poverty

and　solitude　that　I　have　described　to　you；　I　used　to　steal　out

unobserved　every　morning　to　buy　my　own　provisions　for　the　day；　I

tidied　my　room；　I　was　at　once　master　and　servant；　and　played　the

Diogenes　with　incredible　spirit。　But　afterwards；　while　my　hostess　and

her　daughter　watched　my　ways　and　behavior；　scrutinized　my　appearance

and　divined　my　poverty；　there　could　not　but　be　some　bonds　between　us；

perhaps　because　they　were　themselves　so　very　poor。　Pauline；　the

charming　child；　whose　latent　and　unconscious　grace　had；　in　a　manner；

brought　me　there；　did　me　many　services　that　I　could　not　well　refuse。

All　women　fallen　on　evil　days　are　sisters；　they　speak　a　common

language；　they　have　the　same　generositythe　generosity　that　possesses

nothing；　and　so　is　lavish　of　its　affection；　of　its　time；　and　of　its

very　self。



〃Imperceptibly　Pauline　took　me　under　her　protection；　and　would　do

things　for　me。　No　kind　of　objection　was　made　by　her　mother；　whom　I

even　surprised　mending　my　linen；　she　blushed　for　the　charitable

occupation。　In　spite　of　myself；　they　took　charge　of　me；　and　I　accepted

their　services。



〃In　order　to　understand　the　peculiar　condition　of　my　mind；　my

preoccupation　with　work　must　be　remembered；　the　tyranny　of　ideas；　and

the　instinctive　repugnance　that　a　man　who　leads　an　intellectual　life

must　ever　feel　for　the　material　details　of　existence。　Could　I　well

repulse　the　delicate　attentions　of　Pauline；　who　would　noiselessly

bring　me　my　frugal　repast；　when　she　noticed　that　I　had　taken　nothing

for　seven　or　eight　hours？　She　had　the　tact　of　a　woman　and　the

inventiveness　of　a　child；　she　would　smile　as　she　made　sign　to　me　that

I　must　not　see　her。　Ariel　glided　under　my　roof　in　the　form　of　a　sylph

who　foresaw　every　want　of　mine。



〃One　evening　Pauline　told　me　her　story　with　touching　simplicity。　Her

father　had　been　a　major　in　the　horse　grenadiers　of　the　Imperial　Guard。

He　had　been　taken　prisoner　by　the　Cossacks；　at　the　passage　of

Beresina；　and　when　Napoleon　later　on　proposed　an　exchange；　the　Russian

authorities　made　search　for　him　in　Siberia　in　vain；　he　had　escaped

with　a　view　of　reaching　India；　and　since　then　Mme。　Gaudin；　my

landlady；　could　hear　no　news　of　her　husband。　Then　came　the　disasters

of　1814　and　1815；　and；　left　alone　and　without　resource；　she　had

decided　to　let　furnished　lodgings　in　order　to　keep　herself　and　her

daughter。



〃She　always　hoped　to　see　her　husband　again。　Her　greatest　trouble　was

about　her　daughter's　education；　the　Princess　Borghese　was　her

Pauline's　godmother；　and　Pauline　must　not　be　unworthy　of　the　fair

future　promised　by　her　imperial　protectress。　When　Mme。　Gaudin　confided

to　me　this　heavy　trouble　that　preyed　upon　her；　she　said；　with　sharp

pain　in　her　voice；　'I　would　give　up　the　property　and　the　scrap　of

paper　that　makes　Gaudin　a　baron　of　the　empire；　and　all　our　rights　to

the　endowment　of　Wistchnau；　if　only　Pauline　could　be　brought　up　at

Saint…Denis？'　Her　words　struck　me；　now　I　could　show　my　gratitude　for

the　kindnesses　expended　on　me　by　the　two　women；　all　at　once　the　idea

of　offering　to　finish　Pauline's　education　occurred　to　me；　and　the

offer　was　made　and　accepted　in　the　most　perfect　simplicity。　In　this

way　I　came　to　have　some　hours　of　recreation。　Pauline　had　natural

aptitude；　she　learned　so　quickly；　that　she　soon　surpassed　me　at　the

piano。　As　she　became　accustomed　to　think　aloud　in　my　presence；　she

unfolded　all　the　sweet　refinements　of　a　heart　that　was　opening　itself

out　to　life；　as　some　flower…cup　opens　slowly　to　the　sun。　She　listened

to　me；　pleased　and　thoughtful；　letting　her　dark　velvet　eyes　rest　upon

me　with　a　half　smile　in　them；　she　repeated　her　lessons　in　soft　and

gentle　tones；　and　showed　childish　glee　when　I　was　satisfied　with　her。

Her　mother　grew　more　and　more　anxious　every　day　to　shield　the　young

girl　from　every　danger　（for　all　the　beauty　promised　in　early　life　was

developing　in　the　crescent　moon）；　and　was　glad　to　see　her　spend　whole

days　indoors　in　study。　My　piano　was　the　only　one　she　could　use；　and

while　I　was　out　she　practised　on　it。　When　I　came　home；　Pauline　would

be　in　my　room；　in　her　shabby　dress；　but　her　slightest　movement

revealed　her　slender　figure　in　its　attractive　grace；　in　spite　of　the

coarse　materials　that　she　wore。　As　with　the　heroine　of　the　fable　of

'Peau…d'Ane；'　a　dainty　foot　peeped　out　of　the　clumsy　shoes。　But　all

her　wealth　of　girlish　beauty　was　as　lost　upon　me。　I　had　laid　commands

upon　myself　to　see　a　sister　only　in　Pauline。　I　dreaded　lest　I　should

betray　her　mother's　faith　in　me。　I　admired　the　lovely　girl　as　if　she

had　been　a　picture；　or　as　the　portrait　of　a　dead　mistress；　she　was　at

once　my　child　and　my　statue。　For　me；　another　Pygmalion；　the　maiden

with　the　hues　of　life　and　the　living　voice　was　to　become　a　form　of

inanimate　marble。　I　was　very　strict　with　her；　but　the　more　I　made　her

feel　my　pedagogue's　severity；　the　more　gentle　and　submissive　she　grew。



〃If　a　generous　feeling　strengthened　me　in　my　reserve　and　self…

restraint；　prudent　considerations　were　not　lacking　beside。　Integrity

of　purpose　cannot；　I　think；　fail　to　acco