the magic skin-第51节

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expression；　〃we　ought　to　have　subjected　that　peculiar　skin　to　the

action　of　a　rolling　machine。　Where　could　my　eyes　have　been　when　I

suggested　compression！〃



〃It　was　I　that　asked　for　it；〃　Raphael　answered。



The　mathematician　heaved　a　sigh　of　relief；　like　a　culprit　acquitted　by

a　dozen　jurors。　Still；　the　strange　problem　afforded　by　the　skin

interested　him；　he　meditated　a　moment；　and　then　remarked：



〃This　unknown　material　ought　to　be　treated　chemically　by　re…agents。

Let　us　call　on　Japhetperhaps　the　chemist　may　have　better　luck　than

the　mechanic。〃



Valentin　urged　his　horse　into　a　rapid　trot；　hoping　to　find　the

chemist；　the　celebrated　Japhet；　in　his　laboratory。



〃Well；　old　friend；〃　Planchette　began；　seeing　Japhet　in　his　armchair；

examining　a　precipitate；　〃how　goes　chemistry？〃



〃Gone　to　sleep。　Nothing　new　at　all。　The　Academie；　however；　has

recognized　the　existence　of　salicine；　but　salicine；　asparagine；

vauqueline；　and　digitaline　are　not　really　discoveries〃



〃Since　you　cannot　invent　substances；〃　said　Raphael；　〃you　are　obliged

to　fall　back　on　inventing　names。〃



〃Most　emphatically　true；　young　man。〃



〃Here；〃　said　Planchette；　addressing　the　chemist；　〃try　to　analyze　this

composition；　if　you　can　extract　any　element　whatever　from　it；　I

christen　it　diaboline　beforehand；　for　we　have　just　smashed　a　hydraulic

press　in　trying　to　compress　it。〃



〃Let's　see！　let's　have　a　look　at　it！〃　cried　the　delighted　chemist；　〃it

may；　perhaps；　be　a　fresh　element。〃



〃It　is　simply　a　piece　of　the　skin　of　an　ass；　sir；〃　said　Raphael。



〃Sir！〃　said　the　illustrious　chemist　sternly。



〃I　am　not　joking；〃　the　Marquis　answered；　laying　the　piece　of　skin

before　him。



Baron　Japhet　applied　the　nervous　fibres　of　his　tongue　to　the　skin；　he

had　skill　in　thus　detecting　salts；　acids；　alkalis；　and　gases。　After

several　experiments；　he　remarked：



〃No　taste　whatever！　Come；　we　will　give　it　a　little　fluoric　acid　to

drink。〃



Subjected　to　the　influence　of　this　ready　solvent　of　animal　tissue；　the

skin　underwent　no　change　whatsoever。



〃It　is　not　shagreen　at　all！〃　the　chemist　cried。　〃We　will　treat　this

unknown　mystery　as　a　mineral；　and　try　its　mettle　by　dropping　it　in　a

crucible　where　I　have　at　this　moment　some　red　potash。〃



Japhet　went　out；　and　returned　almost　immediately。



〃Allow　me　to　cut　away　a　bit　of　this　strange　substance；　sir；〃　he　said

to　Raphael；　〃it　is　so　extraordinary〃



〃A　bit！〃　exclaimed　Raphael；　〃not　so　much　as　a　hair's…breadth。　You　may

try；　though；〃　he　added；　half　banteringly；　half　sadly。



The　chemist　broke　a　razor　in　his　desire　to　cut　the　skin；　he　tried　to

break　it　by　a　powerful　electric　shock；　next　he　submitted　it　to　the

influence　of　a　galvanic　battery；　but　all　the　thunderbolts　his　science

wotted　of　fell　harmless　on　the　dreadful　talisman。



It　was　seven　o'clock　in　the　evening。　Planchette；　Japhet；　and　Raphael；

unaware　of　the　flight　of　time；　were　awaiting　the　outcome　of　a　final

experiment。　The　Magic　Skin　emerged　triumphant　from　a　formidable

encounter　in　which　it　had　been　engaged　with　a　considerable　quantity　of

chloride　of　nitrogen。



〃It　is　all　over　with　me；〃　Raphael　wailed。　〃It　is　the　finger　of　God！　I

shall　die！〃　and　he　left　the　two　amazed　scientific　men。



〃We　must　be　very　careful　not　to　talk　about　this　affair　at　the

Academie；　our　colleagues　there　would　laugh　at　us；〃　Planchette　remarked

to　the　chemist；　after　a　long　pause；　in　which　they　looked　at　each　other

without　daring　to　communicate　their　thoughts。　The　learned　pair　looked

like　two　Christians　who　had　issued　from　their　tombs　to　find　no　God　in

the　heavens。　Science　had　been　powerless；　acids；　so　much　clear　water；

red　potash　had　been　discredited；　the　galvanic　battery　and　electric

shock　had　been　a　couple　of　playthings。



〃A　hydraulic　press　broken　like　a　biscuit！〃　commented　Planchette。



〃I　believe　in　the　devil；〃　said　the　Baron　Japhet；　after　a　moment's

silence。



〃And　I　in　God；〃　replied　Planchette。



Each　spoke　in　character。　The　universe　for　a　mechanician　is　a　machine

that　requires　an　operator；　for　chemistrythat　fiendish　employment　of

decomposing　all　thingsthe　world　is　a　gas　endowed　with　the　power　of

movement。



〃We　cannot　deny　the　fact；〃　the　chemist　replied。



〃Pshaw！　those　gentlemen　the　doctrinaires　have　invented　a　nebulous

aphorism　for　our　consolationStupid　as　a　fact。〃



〃Your　aphorism；〃　said　the　chemist；　〃seems　to　me　as　a　fact　very

stupid。〃



They　began　to　laugh；　and　went　off　to　dine　like　folk　for　whom　a　miracle

is　nothing　more　than　a　phenomenon。



Valentin　reached　his　own　house　shivering　with　rage　and　consumed　with

anger。　He　had　no　more　faith　in　anything。　Conflicting　thoughts　shifted

and　surged　to　and　fro　in　his　brain；　as　is　the　case　with　every　man

brought　face　to　face　with　an　inconceivable　fact。　He　had　readily

believed　in　some　hidden　flaw　in　Spieghalter's　apparatus；　he　had　not

been　surprised　by　the　incompetence　and　failure　of　science　and　of　fire；

but　the　flexibility　of　the　skin　as　he　handled　it；　taken　with　its

stubbornness　when　all　means　of　destruction　that　man　possesses　had　been

brought　to　bear　upon　it　in　vainthese　things　terrified　him。　The

incontrovertible　fact　made　him　dizzy。



〃I　am　mad；〃　he　muttered。　〃I　have　had　no　food　since　the　morning；　and

yet　I　am　neither　hungry　nor　thirsty；　and　there　is　a　fire　in　my　breast

that　burns　me。〃



He　put　back　the　skin　in　the　frame　where　it　had　been　enclosed　but

lately；　drew　a　line　in　red　ink　about　the　actual　configuration　of　the

talisman；　and　seated　himself　in　his　armchair。



〃Eight　o'clock　already！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃To…day　has　gone　like　a　dream。〃



He　leaned　his　elbow　on　the　arm　of　the　chair；　propped　his　head　with　his

left　hand；　and　so　remained；　lost　in　secret　dark　reflections　and

consuming　thoughts　that　men　condemned　to　die　bear　away　with　them。



〃O　Pauline！〃　he　cried。　〃Poor　child！　there　are　gulfs　that　love　can

never　traverse；　despite　the　strength　of　his　wings。〃



Just　then　he　very　distinctly　heard　a　smothered　sigh；　and　knew　by　one

of　the　most　tender　privileges　of　passionate　love　that　it　was　Pauline's

breathing。



〃That　is　my　death　warrant；〃　he　said　to　himself。　〃If　she　were　there；　I

should　wish　to　die　in　her　arms。〃



A　burst　of　gleeful　and　hearty　laughter　made　him　turn　his　face　towards


the　bed；　he　saw　Pauline's　face　through　the　transparent　curtains；

smiling　like　a　child　for　gladness　over　a　successful　piece　of　mischief。

Her　pretty　hair　fell　over　her　shoulders　in　countless　curls；　she　looked

like　a　Bengal　rose　upon　a　pile　of　white　roses。



〃I　cajoled　Jonathan；〃　said　she。　〃Doesn't　the　bed　belong　to　me；　to　me

who　am　your　wife？　Don't　scold　me；　darling；　I　only　wanted　to　surprise

you；　to　sleep　beside　you。　Forgive　me　for　my　freak。〃



She　sprang　out　of　bed　like　a　kitten；　showed　herself　gleaming　in　her

lawn　raiment；　and　sat　down　on　Raphael's　knee。



〃Love；　what　gulf　were　you　talking　about？〃　she　said；　with　an　anxious

expression　apparent　upon　her　face。



〃Death。〃



〃You　hurt　me；〃　she　answered。　〃There　are　some　thoughts　upon　which　we；

poor　women　that　we　are；　cannot　dwell；　they　are　death　to　us。　Is　it

strength　of　love　in　us；　or　lack　of　courage？　I　cannot　tell。　Death　does

not　frighten　me；〃　she　began　again；　laughingly。　〃To　die　with　you；　both

together；　to…morrow　morning；　in　one　last　embrace；　would　be　joy。　It

seems　to　me　that　even　then　I　should　have　lived　more　than　a　hundred

years。　What　does　the　number　of　days　matter　if　we　have　spent　a　whole

lifetime　of　peace　and　love　in　one　night；　in　one　hour？〃



〃You　are　right；　Heaven　is　speaking　through　that　pretty　mouth　of　yours。

Grant　that　I　may　kiss　you；　and　let　us　die；〃　said　Raphael。



〃Then　let　us　die；〃　she　said；　laughing。



Towards　nine　o'clock　in　the　morning　the　daylight　streamed　through　the

chinks　of　the　window　shutters。　Obscured　somewhat　by　the　muslin

curtains；　it　yet　sufficed　to　show　clearly　the　rich　colors　of　the

carpet；　the　silks　and　furniture　of　the　room；　where　the　two　lovers　were

lying　asleep。　The　gilding　sparkled　here　and　there。　A　ray　of　sunshine

fell　and　faded　upon　the　soft　down　quilt　that　the　freaks　of　live　had

thrown　to　the　ground。　The　outlines　of　Pauline's　dress；　hanging　from　a

cheval　glass；　appeared　like　a　shadowy　ghost。　Her　dainty　shoes　had　been

left　at　a　distance　from　the　bed。　A　nightingale　came　to　perch　upon　the

sill；　its　trills　repeated　over　again；　and　the　sounds　of　its　wings

suddenly　shaken　out　for　flight；　awoke　Raphael。



〃For　me　to　die；〃　he　said；　following　out　a　thought　begun　in　his　dream；

〃my　organization；　the　mechanism　of　flesh　and　bone；　that　is　quickened

by　the　will　in　me；　and　makes　of　me　an　individual　MAN；　must　display

some　perceptible　disease。　Doctors　ought　to　understand　the　symptoms　of

any　attack　on　vitality；　and　could　tell　me　whether　I　am　sick　or　sound。〃



He　gazed　at　his　sleeping　wife。　She　had　stretched　her　head　out　to　him；

expressing　in　this　way　even　while　she　slept　the　anxious　tenderness　of

love