the magic skin-第59节

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to　left；　bringing　out　all　the　colors　of　its　plants　and　trees；　the

yellowish　or　gray　bases　of　the　crags；　the　different　shades　of　the

green　leaves；　the　masses　of　flowers；　pink；　blue；　or　white；　the

climbing　plants　with　their　bell…like　blossoms；　and　the　shot　velvet　of

the　mosses；　the　purple…tinted　blooms　of　the　heather；everything　was

either　brought　into　relief　or　made　fairer　yet　by　the　enchantment　of

the　light　or　by　the　contrasting　shadows；　and　this　was　the　case　most　of

all　with　the　sheet　of　water；　wherein　the　house；　the　trees；　the　granite

peaks；　and　the　sky　were　all　faithfully　reflected。　Everything　had　a

radiance　of　its　own　in　this　delightful　picture；　from　the　sparkling

mica…stone　to　the　bleached　tuft　of　grass　hidden　away　in　the　soft

shadows；　the　spotted　cow　with　its　glossy　hide；　the　delicate　water…

plants　that　hung　down　over　the　pool　like　fringes　in　a　nook　where　blue

or　emerald　colored　insects　were　buzzing　about；　the　roots　of　trees　like

a　sand…besprinkled　shock　of　hair　above　grotesque　faces　in　the　flinty

rock　surface；all　these　things　made　a　harmony　for　the　eye。



The　odor　of　the　tepid　water；　the　scent　of　the　flowers；　and　the　breath

of　the　caverns　which　filled　the　lonely　place　gave　Raphael　a　sensation

that　was　almost　enjoyment。　Silence　reigned　in　majesty　over　these

woods；　which　possibly　are　unknown　to　the　tax…collector；　but　the

barking　of　a　couple　of　dogs　broke　the　stillness　all　at　once；　the　cows

turned　their　heads　towards　the　entrance　of　the　valley；　showing　their

moist　noses　to　Raphael；　stared　stupidly　at　him；　and　then　fell　to

browsing　again。　A　goat　and　her　kid；　that　seemed　to　hang　on　the　side　of

the　crags　in　some　magical　fashion；　capered　and　leapt　to　a　slab　of

granite　near　to　Raphael；　and　stayed　there　a　moment；　as　if　to　seek　to

know　who　he　was。　The　yapping　of　the　dogs　brought　out　a　plump　child；

who　stood　agape；　and　next　came　a　white…haired　old　man　of　middle

height。　Both　of　these　two　beings　were　in　keeping　with　the

surroundings；　the　air；　the　flowers；　and　the　dwelling。　Health　appeared

to　overflow　in　this　fertile　region；　old　age　and　childhood　thrived

there。　There　seemed　to　be；　about　all　these　types　of　existence；　the

freedom　and　carelessness　of　the　life　of　primitive　times；　a　happiness

of　use　and　wont　that　gave　the　lie　to　our　philosophical　platitudes；　and

wrought　a　cure　of　all　its　swelling　passions　in　the　heart。



The　old　man　belonged　to　the　type　of　model　dear　to　the　masculine　brush

of　Schnetz。　The　countless　wrinkles　upon　his　brown　face　looked　as　if

they　would　be　hard　to　the　touch；　the　straight　nose；　the　prominent

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；　ha