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！
your sorrows that quicken the pace of life； for pain is perhaps but a
violent pleasure。 Who could determine the point where pleasure becomes
pain； where pain is still a pleasure？ Is not the utmost brightness of
the ideal world soothing to us； while the lightest shadows of the
physical world annoy？ Is not knowledge the secret of wisdom？ And what
is folly but a riotous expenditure of Will or Power？〃
〃Very good then； a life of riotous excess for me！〃 said the stranger；
pouncing upon the piece of shagreen。
〃Young man； beware！〃 cried the other with incredible vehemence。
〃I had resolved my existence into thought and study；〃 the stranger
replied； 〃and yet they have not even supported me。 I am not to be
gulled by a sermon worthy of Swedenborg； nor by your Oriental amulet；
nor yet by your charitable endeavors to keep me in a world wherein
existence is no longer possible for me。 。 。 。 Let me see now；〃 he
added； clutching the talisman convulsively； as he looked at the old
man； 〃I wish for a royal banquet； a carouse worthy of this century；
which； it is said； has brought everything to perfection！ Let me have
young boon companions； witty； unwarped by prejudice； merry to the
verge of madness！ Let one wine succeed another； each more biting and
perfumed than the last； and strong enough to bring about three days of
delirium！ Passionate women's forms should grace that night！ I would be
borne away to unknown regions beyond the confines of this world； by
the car and four…winged steed of a frantic and uproarious orgy。 Let us
ascend to the skies； or plunge ourselves in the mire。 I do not know if
one soars or sinks at such moments； and I do not care！ Next； I bid
this enigmatical power to concentrate all delights for me in one
single joy。 Yes； I must comprehend every pleasure of earth and heaven
in the final embrace that is to kill me。 Therefore； after the wine； I
wish to hold high festival to Priapus； with songs that might rouse the
dead； and kisses without end； the sound of them should pass like the
crackling of flame through Paris； should revive the heat of youth and
passion in husband and wife； even in hearts of seventy years。〃
A laugh burst from the little old man。 It rang in the young man's ears
like an echo from hell； and tyrannously cut him short。 He said no
more。
〃Do you imagine that my floors are going to open suddenly； so that
luxuriously…appointed tables may rise through them； and guests from
another world？ No； no； young madcap。 You have entered into the compact
now； and there is an end of it。 Henceforward； your wishes will be
accurately fulfilled； but at the expense of your life。 The compass of
your days； visible in that skin； will contract according to the
strength and number of your desires； from the least to the most
extravagant。 The Brahmin from whom I had this skin once explained to
me that it would bring about a mysterious connection between the
fortunes and wishes of its possessor。 Your first wish is a vulgar one；
which I could fulfil； but I leave that to the issues of your new
existence。 After all； you were wishing to die； very well； your suicide
is only put off for a time。〃
The stranger was surprised and irritated that this peculiar old man
persisted in not taking him seriously。 A half philanthropic intention
peeped so clearly forth from his last jesting observation； that he
exclaimed：
〃I shall soon see； sir； if any change comes over my fortunes in the
time it will take to cross the width of the quay。 But I should like us
to be quits for such a momentous service； that is； if you are not
laughing at an unlucky wretch； so I wish that you may fall in love
with an opera…dancer。 You would understand the pleasures of
intemperance then； and might perhaps grow lavish of the wealth that
you have husbanded so philosophically。〃
He went out without heeding the old man's heavy sigh； went back
through the galleries and down the staircase； followed by the stout
assistant who vainly tried to light his passage； he fled with the
haste of a robber caught in the act。 Blinded by a kind of delirium； he
did not even notice the unexpected flexibility of the piece of
shagreen； which coiled itself up； pliant as a glove in his excited
fingers； till it would go into the pocket of his coat； where he
mechanically thrust it。 As he rushed out of the door into the street；
he ran up against three young men who were passing arm…in…arm。
〃Brute！〃
〃Idiot！〃
Such were the gratifying expressions exchanged between them。
〃Why； it is Raphael！〃
〃Good！ we were looking for you。〃
〃What！ it is you； then？〃
These three friendly exclamations quickly followed the insults； as the
light of a street lamp； flickering in the wind； fell upon the
astonished faces of the group。
〃My dear fellow； you must come with us！〃 said the young man that
Raphael had all but knocked down。
〃What is all this about？〃
〃Come along； and I will tell you the history of it as we go。〃
By fair means or foul； Raphael must go along with his friends towards
the Pont des Arts； they surrounded him； and linked him by the arm
among their merry band。
〃We have been after you for about a week；〃 the speaker went on。 〃At
your respectable hotel de Saint Quentin； where； by the way； the sign
with the alternate black and red letters cannot be removed； and hangs
out just as it did in the time of Jean Jacques； that Leonarda of yours
told us that you were off into the country。 For all that； we certainly
did not look like duns； creditors； sheriff's officers； or the like。
But no matter！ Rastignac had seen you the evening before at the
Bouffons； we took courage again； and made it a point of honor to find
out whether you were roosting in a tree in the Champs…Elysees； or in
one of those philanthropic abodes where the beggars sleep on a
twopenny rope； or if； more luckily； you were bivouacking in some
boudoir or other。 We could not find you anywhere。 Your name was not in
the jailers' registers at the St。 Pelagie nor at La Force！ Government
departments； cafes； libraries； lists of prefects' names； newspaper
offices； restaurants； greenroomsto cut it short； every lurking place
in Paris； good or bad； has been explored in the most expert manner。 We
bewailed the loss of a man endowed with such genius； that one might
look to find him at Court or in the common jails。 We talked of
canonizing you as a hero of July； and； upon my word； we regretted
you！〃
As he spoke； the friends were crossing the Pont des Arts。 Without
listening to them； Raphael looked at the Seine； at the clamoring waves
that reflected the lights of Paris。 Above that river； in which but now
he had thought to fling himself； the old man's prediction had been
fulfilled； the hour of his death had been already put back by fate。
〃We really regretted you；〃 said his friend； still pursuing his theme。
〃It was a question of a plan in which we included you as a superior
person； that is to say； somebody who can put himself above other
people。 The constitutional thimble…rig is carried on to…day； dear boy；
more seriously than ever。 The infamous monarchy； displaced by the
heroism of the people； was a sort of drab； you could laugh and revel
with her； but La Patrie is a shrewish and virtuous wife； and willy…
nilly you must take her prescribed endearments。 Then besides； as you
know； authority passed over from the Tuileries to the journalists； at
the time when the Budget changed its quarters and went from the
Faubourg Saint…Germain to the Chaussee de Antin。 But this you may not
know perhaps。 The Government； that is； the aristocracy of lawyers and
bankers who represent the country to…day； just as the priests used to
do in the time of the monarchy； has felt the necessity of mystifying
the worthy people of France with a few new words and old ideas； like
philosophers of every school； and all strong intellects ever since
time began。 So now Royalist…national ideas must be inculcated； by
proving to us that it is far better to pay twelve million francs；
thirty…three centimes to La Patrie； represented by Messieurs Such…and…
Such； than to pay eleven hundred million francs； nine centimes to a
king who used to say _I_ instead of WE。 In a word； a journal； with two
or three hundred thousand francs； good； at the back of it； has just
been started； with a view to making an opposition paper to content the
discontented； without prejudice to the national government of the
citizen…king。 We scoff at liberty as at despotism now； and at religion
or incredulity quite impartially。 And since； for us； 'our country'
means a capital where ideas circulate and are sold at so much a line；
a succulent dinner every day； and the play at frequent intervals；
where profligate women swarm； where suppers last on into the next day；
and light loves are hired by the hour like cabs； and since Paris will
always be the most adorable of all countries； the country of joy；
liberty； wit； pretty women； mauvais sujets； and good wine； where the
truncheon of authority never makes itself disagreeably felt； because
one is so close to those who wield it；we； therefore； sectaries of
the god Mephistopheles； have engaged to whitewash the public mind； to
give fresh costumes to the actors； to p