the magic skin-第54节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



affected；　diversely　nourished；　adapted　to　perform　different　functions；

and　to　induce　a　condition　necessary　to　the　accomplishment　of　an　order

of　things　which　is　unknown　to　us。　The　sublime　will　has　so　wrought　that

a　little　portion　of　the　great　All　is　set　within　us　to　sustain　the

phenomena　of　living；　in　every　man　it　formulates　itself　distinctly；

making　each；　to　all　appearance；　a　separate　individual；　yet　in　one

point　co…existent　with　the　infinite　cause。　So　we　ought　to　make　a

separate　study　of　each　subject；　discover　all　about　it；　find　out　in

what　its　life　consists；　and　wherein　its　power　lies。　From　the　softness

of　a　wet　sponge　to　the　hardness　of　pumice…stone　there　are　infinite

fine　degrees　of　difference。　Man　is　just　like　that。　Between　the　sponge…

like　organizations　of　the　lymphatic　and　the　vigorous　iron　muscles　of

such　men　as　are　destined　for　a　long　life；　what　a　margin　for　errors　for

the　single　inflexible　system　of　a　lowering　treatment　to　commit；　a

system　that　reduces　the　capacities　of　the　human　frame；　which　you

always　conclude　have　been　over…excited。　Let　us　look　for　the　origin　of

the　disease　in　the　mental　and　not　in　the　physical　viscera。　A　doctor　is

an　inspired　being；　endowed　by　God　with　a　special　giftthe　power　to

read　the　secrets　of　vitality；　just　as　the　prophet　has　received　the

eyes　that　foresee　the　future；　the　poet　his　faculty　of　evoking　nature；

and　the　musician　the　power　of　arranging　sounds　in　an　harmonious　order

that　is　possibly　a　copy　of　an　ideal　harmony　on　high。〃



〃There　is　his　everlasting　system　of　medicine；　arbitrary；　monarchical；

and　pious；〃　muttered　Brisset。



〃Gentlemen；〃　Maugredie　broke　in　hastily；　to　distract　attention　from

Brisset's　comment；　〃don't　let　us　lose　sight　of　the　patient。〃



〃What　is　the　good　of　science？〃　Raphael　moaned。　〃Here　is　my　recovery

halting　between　a　string　of　beads　and　a　rosary　of　leeches；　between

Dupuytren's　bistoury　and　Prince　Hohenlohe's　prayer。　There　is　Maugredie

suspending　his　judgment　on　the　line　that　divides　facts　from　words；

mind　from　matter。　Man's　'it　is；'　and　'it　is　not；'　is　always　on　my

track；　it　is　the　Carymary　Carymara　of　Rabelais　for　evermore：　my

disorder　is　spiritual；　Carymary；　or　material；　Carymara。　Shall　I　live？

They　have　no　idea。　Planchette　was　more　straightforward　with　me；　at　any

rate；　when　he　said；　'I　do　not　know。'　〃



Just　then　Valentin　heard　Maugredie's　voice。



〃The　patient　suffers　from　monomania；　very　good；　I　am　quite　of　that

opinion；〃　he　said；　〃but　he　has　two　hundred　thousand　a　year；

monomaniacs　of　that　kind　are　very　uncommon。　As　for　knowing　whether　his

epigastric　region　has　affected　his　brain；　or　his　brain　his　epigastric

region；　we　shall　find　that　out；　perhaps；　whenever　he　dies。　But　to

resume。　There　is　no　disputing　the　fact　that　he　is　ill；　some　sort　of

treatment　he　must　have。　Let　us　leave　theories　alone；　and　put　leeches

on　him；　to　counteract　the　nervous　and　intestinal　irritation；　as　to　the

existence　of　which　we　all　agree；　and　let　us　send　him　to　drink　the

waters；　in　that　way　we　shall　act　on　both　systems　at　once。　If　there

really　is　tubercular　disease；　we　can　hardly　expect　to　save　his　life；

so　that〃



Raphael　abruptly　left　the　passage；　and　went　back　to　his　armchair。　The

four　doctors　very　soon　came　out　of　the　study；　Horace　was　the

spokesman。



〃These　gentlemen；〃　he　told　him；　〃have　unanimously　agreed　that　leeches

must　be　applied　to　the　stomach　at　once；　and　that　both　physical　and

moral　treatment　are　imperatively　needed。　In　the　first　place；　a

carefully　prescribed　rule　of　diet；　so　as　to　soothe　the　internal

irritation〃here　Brisset　signified　his　approval；　〃and　in　the　second；

a　hygienic　regimen；　to　set　your　general　condition　right。　We　all；

therefore；　recommend　you　to　go　to　take　the　waters　in　Aix　in　Savoy；　or；

if　you　like　it　better；　at　Mont　Dore　in　Auvergne；　the　air　and　the

situation　are　both　pleasanter　in　Savoy　than　in　the　Cantal；　but　you

will　consult　your　own　taste。〃



Here　it　was　Cameristus　who　nodded　assent。



〃These　gentlemen；〃　Bianchon　continued；　〃having　recognized　a　slight

affection　of　the　respiratory　organs；　are　agreed　as　to　the　utility　of

the　previous　course　of　treatment　that　I　have　prescribed。　They　think

that　there　will　be　no　difficulty　about　restoring　you　to　health；　and

that　everything　depends　upon　a　wise　and　alternate　employment　of　these

various　means。　And〃



〃And　that　is　the　cause　of　the　milk　in　the　cocoanut；〃　said　Raphael；

with　a　smile；　as　he　led　Horace　into　his　study　to　pay　the　fees　for　this

useless　consultation。



〃Their　conclusions　are　logical；〃　the　young　doctor　replied。　〃Cameristus

feels；　Brisset　examines；　Maugredie　doubts。　Has　not　man　a　soul；　a　body；

and　an　intelligence？　One　of　these　three　elemental　constituents　always

influences　us　more　or　less　strongly；　there　will　always　be　the　personal

element　in　human　science。　Believe　me；　Raphael；　we　effect　no　cures；　we

only　assist　them。　Another　systemthe　use　of　mild　remedies　while

Nature　exerts　her　powerslies　between　the　extremes　of　theory　of

Brisset　and　Cameristus；　but　one　ought　to　have　known　the　patient　for

some　ten　years　or　so　to　obtain　a　good　result　on　these　lines。　Negation

lies　at　the　back　of　all　medicine；　as　in　every　other　science。　So

endeavor　to　live　wholesomely；　try　a　trip　to　Savoy；　the　best　course　is；

and　always　will　be；　to　trust　to　Nature。〃



It　was　a　month　later；　on　a　fine　summer…like　evening；　that　several

people；　who　were　taking　the　waters　at　Aix；　returned　from　the　promenade

and　met　together　in　the　salons　of　the　Club。　Raphael　remained　alone　by

a　window　for　a　long　time。　His　back　was　turned　upon　the　gathering；　and

he　himself　was　deep　in　those　involuntary　musings　in　which　thoughts

arise　in　succession　and　fade　away；　shaping　themselves　indistinctly；

passing　over　us　like　thin；　almost　colorless　clouds。　Melancholy　is

sweet　to　us　then；　and　delight　is　shadowy；　for　the　soul　is　half　asleep。

Valentin　gave　himself　up　to　this　life　of　sensations；　he　was　steeping

himself　in　the　warm；　soft　twilight；　enjoying　the　pure　air　with　the

scent　of　the　hills　in　it；　happy　in　that　he　felt　no　pain；　and　had

tranquilized　his　threatening　Magic　Skin　at　last。　It　grew　cooler　as　the

red　glow　of　the　sunset　faded　on　the　mountain　peaks；　he　shut　the　window

and　left　his　place。



〃Will　you　be　so　kind　as　not　to　close　the　windows；　sir？〃　said　an　old

lady；　〃we　are　being　stifled〃



The　peculiarly　sharp　and　jarring　tones　in　which　the　phrase　was　uttered

grated　on　Raphael's　ears；　it　fell　on　them　like　an　indiscreet　remark

let　slip　by　some　man　in　whose　friendship　we　would　fain　believe；　a　word

which　reveals　unsuspected　depths　of　selfishness　and　destroys　some

pleasing　sentimental　illusion　of　ours。　The　Marquis　glanced；　with　the

cool　inscrutable　expression　of　a　diplomatist；　at　the　old　lady；　called

a　servant；　and；　when　he　came；　curtly　bade　him：



〃Open　that　window。〃



Great　surprise　was　clearly　expressed　on　all　faces　at　the　words。　The

whole　roomful　began　to　whisper　to　each　other；　and　turned　their　eyes

upon　the　invalid；　as　though　he　had　given　some　serious　offence。

Raphael；　who　had　never　quite　managed　to　rid　himself　of　the　bashfulness

of　his　early　youth；　felt　a　momentary　confusion；　then　he　shook　off　his

torpor；　exerted　his　faculties；　and　asked　himself　the　meaning　of　this

strange　scene。



A　sudden　and　rapid　impulse　quickened　his　brain；　the　past　weeks

appeared　before　him　in　a　clear　and　definite　vision；　the　reasons　for

the　feelings　he　inspired　in　others　stood　out　for　him　in　relief；　like

the　veins　of　some　corpse　which　a　naturalist；　by　some　cunningly

contrived　injection；　has　colored　so　as　to　show　their　least

ramifications。



He　discerned　himself　in　this　fleeting　picture；　he　followed　out　his　own

life　in　it；　thought　by　thought；　day　after　day。　He　saw　himself；　not

without　astonishment；　an　absent　gloomy　figure　in　the　midst　of　these

lively　folk；　always　musing　over　his　own　fate；　always　absorbed　by　his

own　sufferings；　seemingly　impatient　of　the　most　harmless　chat。　He　saw

how　he　had　shunned　the　ephemeral　intimacies　that　travelers　are　so

ready　to　establishno　doubt　because　they　feel　sure　of　never　meeting

each　other　againand　how　he　had　taken　little　heed　of　those　about　him。

He　saw　himself　like　the　rocks　without；　unmoved　by　the　caresses　or　the

stormy　surgings　of　the　waves。



Then；　by　a　gift　of　insight　seldom　accorded；　he　read　the　thoughts　of

all　those　about　him。　The　light　of　a　candle　revealed　the　sardonic

profile　and　yellow　cranium　of　an　old　man；　he　remembered　now　that　he

had　won　from　him；　and　had　never　proposed　that　the　other　should　have

his　revenge；　a　little　further　on　he　saw　a　pretty　woman；　whose　lively

advances　he　had　met　with　frigid　coolness；　there　was　not　a　face　there

that　did　not　reproach　him　with　some　wrong　done；　inexplicably　to　all

appearance；　but　the　real　offence　in　every　case　lay　in　some

mortification；　some　invisible　hurt　dealt　to　self…love。　He　had

unintentionally　jarred　on　all　the　small　susceptibilities　of　the　circle

round　about　him。