the magic skin-第7节
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The stranger could scarcely suppress a smile as he shook his head。
〃Perhaps your father has expressed his regret for your birth a little
too sharply？ Or have you disgraced yourself？〃
〃If I meant to be disgraced； I should live。〃
〃You have been hissed perhaps at the Funambules？ Or you have had to
compose couplets to pay for your mistress' funeral？ Do you want to be
cured of the gold fever？ Or to be quit of the spleen？ For what blunder
is your life forfeit？〃
〃You must not look among the common motives that impel suicides for
the reason of my death。 To spare myself the task of disclosing my
unheard…of sufferings； for which language has no name； I will tell you
thisthat I am in the deepest； most humiliating； and most cruel
trouble； and；〃 he went on in proud tones that harmonized ill with the
words just uttered； 〃I have no wish to beg for either help or
sympathy。〃
〃Eh！ eh！〃
The two syllables which the old man pronounced resembled the sound of
a rattle。 Then he went on thus：
〃Without compelling you to entreat me； without making you blush for
it； and without giving you so much as a French centime； a para from
the Levant； a German heller； a Russian kopeck； a Scottish farthing； a
single obolus or sestertius from the ancient world； or one piastre
from the new； without offering you anything whatever in gold； silver；
or copper； notes or drafts； I will make you richer； more powerful； and
of more consequence than a constitutional king。〃
The young man thought that the older was in his dotage； and waited in
bewilderment without venturing to reply。
〃Turn round；〃 said the merchant； suddenly catching up the lamp in
order to light up the opposite wall； 〃look at that leathern skin；〃 he
went on。
The young man rose abruptly； and showed some surprise at the sight of
a piece of shagreen which hung on the wall behind his chair。 It was
only about the size of a fox's skin； but it seemed to fill the deep
shadows of the place with such brilliant rays that it looked like a
small comet； an appearance at first sight inexplicable。 The young
sceptic went up to this so…called talisman； which was to rescue him
from all points of view； and he soon found out the cause of its
singular brilliancy。 The dark grain of the leather had been so
carefully burnished and polished； the striped markings of the graining
were so sharp and clear； that every particle of the surface of the bit
of Oriental leather was in itself a focus which concentrated the
light； and reflected it vividly。
He accounted for this phenomenon categorically to the old man； who
only smiled meaningly by way of answer。 His superior smile led the
young scientific man to fancy that he himself had been deceived by
some imposture。 He had no wish to carry one more puzzle to his grave；
and hastily turned the skin over； like some child eager to find out
the mysteries of a new toy。
〃Ah；〃 he cried； 〃here is the mark of the seal which they call in the
East the Signet of Solomon。〃
〃So you know that； then？〃 asked the merchant。 His peculiar method of
laughter； two or three quick breathings through the nostrils； said
more than any words however eloquent。
〃Is there anybody in the world simple enough to believe in that idle
fancy？〃 said the young man； nettled by the spitefulness of the silent
chuckle。 〃Don't you know；〃 he continued； 〃that the superstitions of
the East have perpetuated the mystical form and the counterfeit
characters of the symbol； which represents a mythical dominion？ I have
no more laid myself open to a charge of credulity in this case； than
if I had mentioned sphinxes or griffins； whose existence mythology in
a manner admits。〃
〃As you are an Orientalist；〃 replied the other； 〃perhaps you can read
that sentence。〃
He held the lamp close to the talisman； which the young man held
towards him； and pointed out some characters inlaid in the surface of
the wonderful skin； as if they had grown on the animal to which it
once belonged。
〃I must admit；〃 said the stranger； 〃that I have no idea how the
letters could be engraved so deeply on the skin of a wild ass。〃 And he
turned quickly to the tables strewn with curiosities and seemed to
look for something。
〃What is it that you want？〃 asked the old man。
〃Something that will cut the leather； so that I can see whether the
letters are printed or inlaid。〃
The old man held out his stiletto。 The stranger took it and tried to
cut the skin above the lettering； but when he had removed a thin
shaving of leather from them； the characters still appeared below； so
clear and so exactly like the surface impression； that for a moment he
was not sure that he had cut anything away after all。
〃The craftsmen of the Levant have secrets known only to themselves；〃
he said； half in vexation； as he eyed the characters of this Oriental
sentence。
〃Yes；〃 said the old man； 〃it is better to attribute it to man's agency
than to God's。〃
The mysterious words were thus arranged：
＇Drawing of apparently Sanskrit characters omitted＇
Or； as it runs in English：
POSSESSING ME THOU SHALT POSSESS ALL THINGS。
BUT THY LIFE IS MINE； FOR GOD HAS SO WILLED IT。
WISH； AND THY WISHES SHALL BE FULFILLED；
BUT MEASURE THY DESIRES； ACCORDING
TO THE LIFE THAT IS IN THEE。
THIS IS THY LIFE；
WITH EACH WISH I MUST SHRINK
EVEN AS THY OWN DAYS。
WILT THOU HAVE ME？ TAKE ME。
GOD WILL HEARKEN UNTO THEE。
SO BE IT！
〃So you read Sanskrit fluently；〃 said the old man。 〃You have been in
Persia perhaps； or in Bengal？〃
〃No； sir；〃 said the stranger； as he felt the emblematical skin
curiously。 It was almost as rigid as a sheet of metal。
The old merchant set the lamp back again upon the column； giving the
other a look as he did so。 〃He has given up the notion of dying
already；〃 the glance said with phlegmatic irony。
〃Is it a jest； or is it an enigma？〃 asked the younger man。
The other shook his head and said soberly：
〃I don't know how to answer you。 I have offered this talisman with its
terrible powers to men with more energy in them than you seem to me to
have； but though they laughed at the questionable power it might exert
over their futures； not one of them was ready to venture to conclude
the fateful contract proposed by an unknown force。 I am of their
opinion； I have doubted and refrained； and〃
〃Have you never even tried its power？〃 interrupted the young stranger。
〃Tried it！〃 exclaimed the old man。 〃Suppose that you were on the
column in the Place Vendome； would you try flinging yourself into
space？ Is it possible to stay the course of life？ Has a man ever been
known to die by halves？ Before you came here； you had made up your
mind to kill yourself； but all at once a mystery fills your mind； and
you think no more about death。 You child！ Does not any one day of your
life afford mysteries more absorbing？ Listen to me。 I saw the
licentious days of Regency。 I was like you； then； in poverty； I have
begged my bread； but for all that； I am now a centenarian with a
couple of years to spare； and a millionaire to boot。 Misery was the
making of me； ignorance has made me learned。 I will tell you in a few
words the great secret of human life。 By two instinctive processes man
exhausts the springs of life within him。 Two verbs cover all the forms
which these two causes of death may takeTo Will and To have your
Will。 Between these two limits of human activity the wise have
discovered an intermediate formula； to which I owe my good fortune and
long life。 To Will consumes us； and To have our Will destroys us； but
To Know steeps our feeble organisms in perpetual calm。 In me Thought
has destroyed Will； so that Power is relegated to the ordinary
functions of my economy。 In a word； it is not in the heart which can
be broken； or in the senses that become deadened； but it is in the
brain that cannot waste away and survives everything else； that I have
set my life。 Moderation has kept mind and body unruffled。 Yet； I have
seen the whole world。 I have learned all languages； lived after every
manner。 I have lent a Chinaman money； taking his father's corpse as a
pledge； slept in an Arab's tent on the security of his bare word；
signed contracts in every capital of Europe； and left my gold without
hesitation in savage wigwams。 I have attained everything； because I
have known how to despise all things。
〃My one ambition has been to see。 Is not Sight in a manner Insight？
And to have knowledge or insight； is not that to have instinctive
possession？ To be able to discover the very substance of fact and to
unite its essence to our essence？ Of material possession what abides
with you but an idea？ Think； then； how glorious must be the life of a
man who can stamp all realities upon his thought； place the springs of
happiness within himself； and draw thence uncounted pleasures in idea；
unspoiled by earthly stai
