the magic skin- 第51部分

Innocent　is　situated。　The　view　from　this　promontory；　as　one　may　call

it；　comprises　the　heights　of　Bugey　with　the　Rhone　flowing　at　their

foot；　and　the　end　of　the　lake；　but　Raphael　liked　to　look　at　the

opposite　shore　from　thence；　at　the　melancholy　looking　Abbey　of　Haute…

Combe；　the　burying…place　of　the　Sardinian　kings；　who　lie　prostrate

there　before　the　hills；　like　pilgrims　come　at　last　to　their　journey's

end。　The　silence　of　the　landscape　was　broken　by　the　even　rhythm　of　the

strokes　of　the　oar；　it　seemed　to　find　a　voice　for　the　place；　in

monotonous　cadences　like　the　chanting　of　monks。　The　Marquis　was

surprised　to　find　visitors　to　this　usually　lonely　part　of　the　lake；

and　as　he　mused；　he　watched　the　people　seated　in　the　boat；　and

recognized　in　the　stern　the　elderly　lady　who　had　spoken　so　harshly　to

him　the　evening　before。



No　one　took　any　notice　of　Raphael　as　the　boat　passed；　except　the

elderly　lady's　companion；　a　poor　old　maid　of　noble　family；　who　bowed

to　him；　and　whom　it　seemed　to　him　that　he　saw　for　the　first　time。　A


few　seconds　later　he　had　already　forgotten　the　visitors；　who　had

rapidly　disappeared　behind　the　promontory；　when　he　heard　the

fluttering　of　a　dress　and　the　sound　of　light　footsteps　not　far　from

him。　He　turned　about　and　saw　the　companion；　and；　guessing　from　her

embarrassed　manner　that　she　wished　to　speak　with　him；　he　walked

towards　her。



She　was　somewhere　about　thirty…six　years　of　age；　thin　and　tall；

reserved　and　prim；　and；　like　all　old　maids；　seemed　puzzled　to　know

which　way　to　look；　an　expression　no　longer　in　keeping　with　her

measured；　springless；　and　hesitating　steps。　She　was　both　young　and　old

at　the　same　time；　and；　by　a　certain　dignity　in　her　carriage；　showed

the　high　value　which　she　set　upon　her　charms　and　perfections。　In

addition；　her　movements　were　all　demure　and　discreet；　like　those　of

women　who　are　accustomed　to　take　great　care　of　themselves；　no　doubt

because　they　desire　not　to　be　cheated　of　love；　their　destined　end。



〃Your　life　is　in　danger；　sir；　do　not　come　to　the　Club　again！〃　she

said；　stepping　back　a　pace　or　two　from　Raphael；　as　if　her　reputation

had　already　been　compromised。



〃But；　mademoiselle；〃　said　Raphael；　smiling；　〃please　explain　yourself

more　clearly；　since　you　have　condescended　so　far〃



〃Ah；〃　she　answered；　〃unless　I　had　had　a　very　strong　motive；　I　should

never　have　run　the　risk　of　offending　the　countess；　for　if　she　ever

came　to　know　that　I　had　warned　you〃



〃And　who　would　tell　her；　mademoiselle？〃　cried　Raphael。



〃True；〃　the　old　maid　answered。　She　looked　at　him；　quaking　like　an　owl

out　in　the　sunlight。　〃But　think　of　yourself；〃　she　went　on；　〃several

young　men；　who　want　to　drive　you　away　from　the　baths；　have　agreed　to

pick　a　quarrel　with　you；　and　to　force　you　into　a　duel。〃



The　elderly　lady's　voice　sounded　in　the　distance。



〃Mademoiselle；〃　began　the　Marquis；　〃my　gratitude〃　But　his

protectress　had　fled　already；　she　had　heard　the　voice　of　her　mistress

squeaking　afresh　among　the　rocks。



〃Poor　girl！　unhappiness　always　understands　and　helps　the　unhappy；〃

Raphael　thought；　and　sat　himself　down　at　the　foot　of　a　tree。



The　key　of　every　science　is；　beyond　cavil；　the　mark　of　interrogation；

we　owe　most　of　our　greatest　discoveries　to　a　WHY？　and　all　the　wisdom

in　the　world；　perhaps；　consists　in　asking　WHEREFORE？　in　every

connection。　But；　on　the　other　hand；　this　acquired　prescience　is　the

ruin　of　our　illusions。



So　Valentin；　having　taken　the　old　maid's　kindly　action　for　the　text　of

his　wandering　thoughts；　without　the　deliberate　promptings　of

philosophy；　must　find　it　full　of　gall　and　wormwood。



〃It　is　not　at　all　extraordinary　that　a　gentlewoman's　gentlewoman

should　take　a　fancy　to　me；〃　said　he　to　himself。　〃I　am　twenty…seven

years　old；　and　I　have　a　title　and　an　income　of　two　hundred　thousand　a

year。　But　that　her　mistress；　who　hates　water　like　a　rabid　catfor　it

would　be　hard　to　give　the　palm　to　either　in　that　matterthat　her

mistress　should　have　brought　her　here　in　a　boat！　Is　not　that　very

strange　and　wonderful？　Those　two　women　came　into　Savoy　to　sleep　like

marmots；　they　ask　if　day　has　dawned　at　noon；　and　to　think　that　they

could　get　up　this　morning　before　eight　o'clock；　to　take　their　chances

in　running　after　me！〃



Very　soon　the　old　maid　and　her　elderly　innocence　became；　in　his　eyes；

a　fresh　manifestation　of　that　artificial；　malicious　little　world。　It

was　a　paltry　device；　a　clumsy　artifice；　a　piece　of　priest's　or　woman's

craft。　Was　the　duel　a　myth；　or　did　they　merely　want　to　frighten　him？

But　these　petty　creatures；　impudent　and　teasing　as　flies；　had

succeeded　in　wounding　his　vanity；　in　rousing　his　pride；　and　exciting

his　curiosity。　Unwilling　to　become　their　dupe；　or　to　be　taken　for　a

coward；　and　even　diverted　perhaps　by　the　little　drama；　he　went　to　the

Club　that　very　evening。



He　stood　leaning　against　the　marble　chimney…piece；　and　stayed　there

quietly　in　the　middle　of　the　principal　saloon；　doing　his　best　to　give

no　one　any　advantage　over　him；　but　he　scrutinized　the　faces　about　him；

and　gave　a　certain　vague　offence　to　those　assembled；　by　his

inspection。　Like　a　dog　aware　of　his　strength；　he　awaited　the　contest

on　his　own　ground；　without　necessary　barking。　Towards　the　end　of　the

evening　he　strolled　into　the　cardroom；　walking　between　the　door　and

another　that　opened　into　the　billiard…room；　throwing　a　glance　from

time　to　time　over　a　group　of　young　men　that　had　gathered　there。　He

heard　his　name　mentioned　after　a　turn　or　two。　Although　they　lowered

their　voices；　Raphael　easily　guessed　that　he　had　become　the　topic　of

their　debate；　and　he　ended　by　catching　a　phrase　or　two　spoken　aloud。



〃You？〃



〃Yes；　I。〃



〃I　dare　you　to　do　it！〃



〃Let　us　make　a　bet　on　it！〃



〃Oh；　he　will　do　it。〃



Just　as　Valentin；　curious　to　learn　the　matter　of　the　wager；　came　up　to

pay　closer　attention　to　what　they　were　saying；　a　tall；　strong；　good…

looking　young　fellow；　who；　however；　possessed　the　impertinent　stare

peculiar　to　people　who　have　material　force　at　their　back；　came　out　of

the　billiard…room。



〃I　am　deputed；　sir；〃　he　said　coolly　addressing　the　Marquis；　〃to　make

you　aware　of　something　which　you　do　not　seem　to　know；　your　face　and

person　generally　are　a　source　of　annoyance　to　every　one　here；　and　to

me　in　particular。　You　have　too　much　politeness　not　to　sacrifice

yourself　to　the　public　good；　and　I　beg　that　you　will　not　show　yourself

in　the　Club　again。〃



〃This　sort　of　joke　has　been　perpetrated　before；　sir；　in　garrison　towns

at　the　time　of　the　Empire；　but　nowadays　it　is　exceedingly　bad　form；〃

said　Raphael　drily。



〃I　am　not　joking；〃　the　young　man　answered；　〃and　I　repeat　it：　your

health　will　be　considerably　the　worse　for　a　stay　here；　the　heat　and

light；　the　air　of　the　saloon；　and　the　company　are　all　bad　for　your

complaint。〃



〃Where　did　you　study　medicine？〃　Raphael　inquired。



〃I　took　my　bachelor's　degree　on　Lepage's　shooting…ground　in　Paris；　and

was　made　a　doctor　at　Cerizier's；　the　king　of　foils。〃



〃There　is　one　last　degree　left　for　you　to　take；〃　said　Valentin；　〃study

the　ordinary　rules　of　politeness；　and　you　will　be　a　perfect

gentlemen。〃



The　young　men　all　came　out　of　the　billiard…room　just　then；　some

disposed　to　laugh；　some　silent。　The　attention　of　other　players　was

drawn　to　the　matter；　they　left　their　cards　to　watch　a　quarrel　that

rejoiced　their　instincts。　Raphael；　alone　among　this　hostile　crowd；　did

his　best　to　keep　cool；　and　not　to　put　himself　in　any　way　in　the　wrong；

but　his　adversary　having　ventured　a　sarcasm　containing　an　insult

couched　in　unusually　keen　language；　he　replied　gravely：



〃We　cannot　box　men's　ears；　sir；　in　these　days；　but　I　am　at　a　loss　for

any　word　by　which　to　stigmatize　such　cowardly　behavior　as　yours。〃



〃That's　enough；　that's　enough。　You　can　come　to　an　explanation　to…

morrow；〃　several　young　men　exclaimed；　interposing　between　the　two

champions。



Raphael　left　the　room　in　the　character　of　aggressor；　after　he　had

accepted　a　proposal　to　meet　near　the　Chateau　de　Bordeau；　in　a　little

sloping　meadow；　not　very　far　from　the　newly　made　road；　by　which　the

man　who　came　off　victorious　could　reach　Lyons。　Raphael　must　now　either

take　to　his　bed　or　leave　the　baths。　The　visitors　had　gained　their

point。　At　eight　o'clock　next　morning　his　antagonist；　followed　by　two

seconds　and　a　surgeon；　arrived　first　on　the　ground。



〃We　shall　do　very　nicely　here；　glorious　weather　for　a　duel！〃　he　cried

gaily；　looking　at　the　blue　vault　of　sky　above；　at　the　waters　of　the

lake；　and　the　rocks；　without　a　single　melancholy　presentiment　or　doubt

of　the　issue。　〃If　I　wing　him；〃　he　went　on；　〃I　shall　send　him　to　bed

for　a　month；　eh；　doctor？〃



〃At　the　very　least；〃　the　surgeon　replied；　〃but　let　that　willow　twig

alone；　or　you　will　weary　your　wrist；　and　then　you　will　not　fire

steadily。　You　might　kill　your　man　instead　of　wounding　him。〃



The　noise　of　a　carriage　was　heard　approaching。



〃Here　he　is；〃　said　the　seconds；　who　soon　descried　a　caleche　coming

along　the　road；　it　was　drawn　by　four　horses；　and　there　were　two

postilions。



〃What　a　queer　proceeding！〃　said　Valentin's　antagonist；　〃here　he　comes

post…haste　to　be　shot。〃



The　slightest　incident　about　a　duel；　as　about　a　stake　at　cards；　makes

an　impression　on　the　minds　of　those　deeply　concerned　in　the　results　of

the　affair；　so　the　young　man　awaited　the　arrival　of　the　carriage　with

a　kind　of　uneasiness。　It　stopped　in　the　road；　old　Jonathan　laboriously

descended　from　it；　in　the　first　place；　to　assist　Raphael　to　alight；　he

supported　him　with　his　feeble　arms；　and　showed　him　all　the　minute

attentions　that　a　lover　lavishes　upon　his　mistress。　Both　became　lost

to　sight　in　the　footpath　that　lay　between　the　highroad　and　the　field

where　the　duel　was　to　take　place；　they　were　walking　slowly；　and　did

not　appear　again　for　some　time　after。　The　four　onlookers　at　this

strange　spectacle　fel