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sudden accession of wealth； he happened to be at his notary's house。 A
well…known physician had told them quite seriously； at dessert； how a
Swiss attacked by consumption had cured himself。 The man had never
spoken a word for ten years； and had compelled himself to draw six
breaths only； every minute； in the close atmosphere of a cow…house；
adhering all the time to a regimen of exceedingly light diet。 〃I will
be like that man；〃 thought Raphael to himself。 He wanted life at any
price； and so he led the life of a machine in the midst of all the
luxury around him。
The old professor confronted this youthful corpse and shuddered； there
seemed something unnatural about the meagre； enfeebled frame。 In the
Marquis； with his eager eyes and careworn forehead； he could hardly
recognize the fresh…cheeked and rosy pupil with the active limbs； whom
he remembered。 If the worthy classicist； sage critic； and general
preserver of the traditions of correct taste had read Byron； he would
have thought that he had come on a Manfred when he looked to find
Childe Harold。
〃Good day； pere Porriquet；〃 said Raphael； pressing the old
schoolmaster's frozen fingers in his own damp ones； 〃how are you？〃
〃I am very well；〃 replied the other； alarmed by the touch of that
feverish hand。 〃But how about you？〃
〃Oh； I am hoping to keep myself in health。〃
〃You are engaged in some great work； no doubt？〃
〃No；〃 Raphael answered。 〃Exegi monumemtum； pere Porriquet； I have
contributed an important page to science； and have now bidden her
farewell for ever。 I scarcely know where my manuscript is。〃
〃The style is no doubt correct？〃 queried the schoolmaster。 〃You； I
hope； would never have adopted the barbarous language of the new
school； which fancies it has worked such wonders by discovering
Ronsard！〃
〃My work treats of physiology pure and simple。〃
〃Oh； then； there is no more to be said；〃 the schoolmaster answered。
〃Grammar must yield to the exigencies of discovery。 Nevertheless；
young man； a lucid and harmonious stylethe diction of Massillon； of
M。 de Buffon； of the great Racinea classical style； in short； can
never spoil anythingBut； my friend；〃 the schoolmaster interrupted
himself； 〃I was forgetting the object of my visit； which concerns my
own interests。〃
Too late Raphael recalled to mind the verbose eloquence and elegant
circumlocutions which in a long professorial career had grown habitual
to his old tutor； and almost regretted that he had admitted him； but
just as he was about to wish to see him safely outside； he promptly
suppressed his secret desire with a stealthy glance at the Magic Skin。
It hung there before him； fastened down upon some white material；
surrounded by a red line accurately traced about its prophetic
outlines。 Since that fatal carouse； Raphael had stifled every least
whim； and had lived so as not to cause the slightest movement in the
terrible talisman。 The Magic Skin was like a tiger with which he must
live without exciting its ferocity。 He bore patiently； therefore； with
the old schoolmaster's prolixity。
Porriquet spent an hour in telling him about the persecutions directed
against him ever since the Revolution of July。 The worthy man； having
a liking for strong governments； had expressed the patriotic wish that
grocers should be left to their counters； statesmen to the management
of public business； advocates to the Palais de Justice； and peers of
France to the Luxembourg； but one of the popularity…seeking ministers
of the Citizen King had ousted him from his chair； on an accusation of
Carlism； and the old man now found himself without pension or post；
and with no bread to eat。 As he played the part of guardian angel to a
poor nephew； for whose schooling at Saint Sulpice he was paying； he
came less on his own account than for his adopted child's sake； to
entreat his former pupil's interest with the new minister。 He did not
ask to be reinstated； but only for a position at the head of some
provincial school。
QRaphael had fallen a victim to unconquerable drowsiness by the time
that the worthy man's monotonous voice ceased to sound in his ears。
Civility had compelled him to look at the pale and unmoving eyes of
the deliberate and tedious old narrator； till he himself had reached
stupefaction； magnetized in an inexplicable way by the power of
inertia。
〃Well； my dear pere Porriquet；〃 he said； not very certain what the
question was to which he was replying； 〃but I can do nothing for you；
nothing at all。 I WISH VERY HEARTILY that you may succeed〃
All at once； without seeing the change wrought on the old man's sallow
and wrinkled brow by these conventional phrases； full of indifference
and selfishness； Raphael sprang to his feet like a startled roebuck。
He saw a thin white line between the black piece of hide and the red
tracing about it； and gave a cry so fearful that the poor professor
was frightened by it。
〃Old fool！ Go！〃 he cried。 〃You will be appointed as headmaster！
Couldn't you have asked me for an annuity of a thousand crowns rather
than a murderous wish？ Your visit would have cost me nothing。 There
are a hundred thousand situations to be had in France； but I have only
one life。 A man's life is worth more than all the situations in the
world。Jonathan！〃
Jonathan appeared。
〃This is your doing； double…distilled idiot！ What made you suggest
that I should see M。 Porriquet？〃 and he pointed to the old man； who
was petrified with fright。 〃Did I put myself in your hands for you to
tear me in pieces？ You have just shortened my life by ten years！
Another blunder of this kind； and you will lay me where I have laid my
father。 Would I not far rather have possessed the beautiful Foedora？
And I have obliged that old hulk insteadthat rag of humanity！ I had
money enough for him。 And； moreover； if all the Porriquets in the
world were dying of hunger； what is that to me？〃
Raphael's face was white with anger； a slight froth marked his
trembling lips； there was a savage gleam in his eyes。 The two elders
shook with terror in his presence like two children at the sight of a
snake。 The young man fell back in his armchair； a kind of reaction
took place in him； the tears flowed fast from his angry eyes。
〃Oh； my life！〃 he cried； 〃that fair life of mine。 Never to know a
kindly thought again； to love no more； nothing is left to me！〃
He turned to the professor and went on in a gentle voice〃The harm is
done； my old friend。 Your services have been well repaid； and my
misfortune has at any rate contributed to the welfare of a good and
worthy man。〃
His tones betrayed so much feeling that the almost unintelligible
words drew tears from the two old men； such tears as are shed over
some pathetic song in a foreign tongue。
〃He is epileptic；〃 muttered Porriquet。
〃I understand your kind intentions； my friend；〃 Raphael answered
gently。 〃You would make excuses for me。 Ill…health cannot be helped；
but ingratitude is a grievous fault。 Leave me now；〃 he added。 〃To…
morrow or the next day； or possibly to…night； you will receive your
appointment； Resistance has triumphed over Motion。 Farewell。〃
The old schoolmaster went away； full of keen apprehension as to
Valentin's sanity。 A thrill of horror ran through him； there had been
something supernatural； he thought； in the scene he had passed
through。 He could hardly believe his own impressions； and questioned
them like one awakened from a painful dream。
〃Now attend to me； Jonathan；〃 said the young man to his old servant。
〃Try to understand the charge confided to you。〃
〃Yes； my Lord Marquis。〃
〃I am as a man outlawed from humanity。〃
〃Yes； my Lord Marquis。〃
〃All the pleasures of life disport themselves round my bed of death；
and dance about me like fair women； but if I beckon to them； I must
die。 Death always confronts me。 You must be the barrier between the
world and me。〃
〃Yes； my Lord Marquis；〃 said the old servant； wiping the drops of
perspiration from his wrinkled forehead。 〃But if you don't wish to see
pretty women； how will you manage at the Italiens this evening？ An
English family is returning to London； and I have taken their box for
the rest of the season； and it is in a splendid positionsuperb； in
the first row。
Raphael； deep in his own deep musings； paid no attention to him。
Do you see that splendid equipage； a brougham painted a dark brown
color； but with the arms of an ancient and noble family shining from
the panels？ As it rolls past； all the shop…girls admire it； and look
longingly at the yellow satin lining； the rugs from la Savonnerie； the
daintiness and freshness of every detail； the silken cushions and
tightly…fitting glass windows。 Two liveried footmen are mounted behind
this aristocratic carriage； and within； a head lies back among the
silken cushions； the feverish face and hollow eyes of Raphael；
melancholy and sad。 Emblem of the doom of wealth！ He flies across
Paris like a rocket； and reaches the peristyle of the Theatre Favart。
The passers…by make way for him； the two footmen help him to alight；
an envious crowd looking on the while。
〃What has that fellow done to be so rich？〃 asks a poor law…student；
who cannot listen to the magica