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！
The Magic Skin
by Honore de Balzac
Translated by Ellen Marriage
To Monsieur Savary； Member of Le Academie des Sciences。
I
THE TALISMAN
Towards the end of the month of October 1829 a young man entered the
Palais…Royal just as the gaming…houses opened； agreeably to the law
which protects a passion by its very nature easily excisable。 He
mounted the staircase of one of the gambling hells distinguished by
the number 36； without too much deliberation。
〃Your hat； sir； if you please？〃 a thin； querulous voice called out。 A
little old man； crouching in the darkness behind a railing； suddenly
rose and exhibited his features； carved after a mean design。
As you enter a gaming…house the law despoils you of your hat at the
outset。 Is it by way of a parable； a divine revelation？ Or by exacting
some pledge or other； is not an infernal compact implied？ Is it done
to compel you to preserve a respectful demeanor towards those who are
about to gain money of you？ Or must the detective； who squats in our
social sewers； know the name of your hatter； or your own； if you
happen to have written it on the lining inside？ Or； after all； is the
measurement of your skull required for the compilation of statistics
as to the cerebral capacity of gamblers？ The executive is absolutely
silent on this point。 But be sure of this； that though you have
scarcely taken a step towards the tables； your hat no more belongs to
you now than you belong to yourself。 Play possesses you； your fortune；
your cap； your cane； your cloak。
As you go out； it will be made clear to you； by a savage irony； that
Play has yet spared you something； since your property is returned。
For all that； if you bring a new hat with you； you will have to pay
for the knowledge that a special costume is needed for a gambler。
The evident astonishment with which the young man took a numbered
tally in exchange for his hat； which was fortunately somewhat rubbed
at the brim； showed clearly enough that his mind was yet untainted；
and the little old man； who had wallowed from his youth up in the
furious pleasures of a gambler's life； cast a dull； indifferent glance
over him； in which a philosopher might have seen wretchedness lying in
the hospital； the vagrant lives of ruined folk； inquests on numberless
suicides； life…long penal servitude and transportations to
Guazacoalco。
His pallid； lengthy visage appeared like a haggard embodiment of the
passion reduced to its simplest terms。 There were traces of past
anguish in its wrinkles。 He supported life on the glutinous soups at
Darcet's； and gambled away his meagre earnings day by day。 Like some
old hackney which takes no heed of the strokes of the whip； nothing
could move him now。 The stifled groans of ruined players； as they
passed out； their mute imprecations； their stupefied faces； found him
impassive。 He was the spirit of Play incarnate。 If the young man had
noticed this sorry Cerberus； perhaps he would have said； 〃There is
only a pack of cards in that heart of his。〃
The stranger did not heed this warning writ in flesh and blood； put
here； no doubt； by Providence； who has set loathing on the threshold
of all evil haunts。 He walked boldly into the saloon； where the rattle
of coin brought his senses under the dazzling spell of an agony of
greed。 Most likely he had been drawn thither by that most convincing
of Jean Jacques' eloquent periods； which expresses； I think； this
melancholy thought； 〃Yes； I can imagine that a man may take to
gambling when he sees only his last shilling between him and death。〃
There is an illusion about a gambling saloon at night as vulgar as
that of a bloodthirsty drama； and just as effective。 The rooms are
filled with players and onlookers； with poverty…stricken age； which
drags itself thither in search of stimulation； with excited faces； and
revels that began in wine； to end shortly in the Seine。 The passion is
there in full measure； but the great number of the actors prevents you
from seeing the gambling…demon face to face。 The evening is a harmony
or chorus in which all take part； to which each instrument in the
orchestra contributes his share。 You would see there plenty of
respectable people who have come in search of diversion； for which
they pay as they pay for the pleasures of the theatre； or of gluttony；
or they come hither as to some garret where they cheapen poignant
regrets for three months to come。
Do you understand all the force and frenzy in a soul which impatiently
waits for the opening of a gambling hell？ Between the daylight gambler
and the player at night there is the same difference that lies between
a careless husband and the lover swooning under his lady's window。
Only with morning comes the real throb of the passion and the craving
in its stark horror。 Then you can admire the real gambler； who has
neither eaten； slept； thought； nor lived； he has so smarted under the
scourge of his martingale； so suffered on the rack of his desire for a
coup of trente…et…quarante。 At that accursed hour you encounter eyes
whose calmness terrifies you； faces that fascinate； glances that seem
as if they had power to turn the cards over and consume them。 The
grandest hours of a gambling saloon are not the opening ones。 If Spain
has bull…fights； and Rome once had her gladiators； Paris waxes proud
of her Palais…Royal； where the inevitable roulettes cause blood to
flow in streams； and the public can have the pleasure of watching
without fear of their feet slipping in it。
Take a quiet peep at the arena。 How bare it looks！ The paper on the
walls is greasy to the height of your head； there is nothing to bring
one reviving thought。 There is not so much as a nail for the
convenience of suicides。 The floor is worn and dirty。 An oblong table
stands in the middle of the room； the tablecloth is worn by the
friction of gold； but the straw…bottomed chairs about it indicate an
odd indifference to luxury in the men who will lose their lives here
in the quest of the fortune that is to put luxury within their reach。
This contradiction in humanity is seen wherever the soul reacts
powerfully upon itself。 The gallant would clothe his mistress in
silks； would deck her out in soft Eastern fabrics； though he and she
must lie on a truckle…bed。 The ambitious dreamer sees himself at the
summit of power； while he slavishly prostrates himself in the mire。
The tradesman stagnates in his damp； unhealthy shop； while he builds a
great mansion for his son to inherit prematurely； only to be ejected
from it by law proceedings at his own brother's instance。
After all； is there a less pleasing thing in the world than a house of
pleasure？ Singular question！ Man is always at strife with himself。 His
present woes give the lie to his hopes； yet he looks to a future which
is not his； to indemnify him for these present sufferings； setting
upon all his actions the seal of inconsequence and of the weakness of
his nature。 We have nothing here below in full measure but misfortune。
There were several gamblers in the room already when the young man
entered。 Three bald…headed seniors were lounging round the green
table。 Imperturbable as diplomatists； those plaster…cast faces of
theirs betokened blunted sensibilities； and hearts which had long
forgotten how to throb； even when a woman's dowry was the stake。 A
young Italian； olive…hued and dark…haired； sat at one end； with his
elbows on the table； seeming to listen to the presentiments of luck
that dictate a gambler's 〃Yes〃 or 〃No。〃 The glow of fire and gold was
on that southern face。 Some seven or eight onlookers stood by way of
an audience； awaiting a drama composed of the strokes of chance； the
faces of the actors； the circulation of coin； and the motion of the
croupier's rake； much as a silent； motionless crowd watches the
headsman in the Place de Greve。 A tall； thin man； in a threadbare
coat； held a card in one hand； and a pin in the other； to mark the
numbers of Red or Black。 He seemed a modern Tantalus； with all the
pleasures of his epoch at his lips； a hoardless miser drawing in
imaginary gains； a sane species of lunatic who consoles himself in his
misery by chimerical dreams； a man who touches peril and vice as a
young priest handles the unconsecrated wafer in the white mass。
One or two experts at the game； shrewd speculators； had placed
themselves opposite the bank； like old convicts who have lost all fear
of the hulks； they meant to try two or three coups； and then to depart
at once with the expected gains； on which they lived。 Two elderly
waiters dawdled about with their arms folded； looking from time to
time into the garden from the windows； as if to show their
insignificant faces as a sign to passers…by。
The croupier and banker threw a ghastly and withering glance at the
punters； and cried； in a sharp voice； 〃Make your game！〃