〃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 stains。 Thought is a key to all treasures； the
miser's gains are ours without his cares。 Thus I have soared above
this world； where my enjoyments have been intellectual joys。 I have
reveled in the contemplation of seas； peoples； forests； and mountains！
I have seen all things； calmly； and without weariness； I have set my
desires on nothing； I have waited in expectation of everything。 I have
walked to and fro in the world as in a garden round about my own
dwelling。 Troubles； loves； ambitions； losses； and sorrows； as men call
them； are for me ideas； which I transmute into waking dreams； I
express and transpose instead of feeling them； instead of permitting
them to prey upon my life； I dramatize and expand them； I divert
myself with them as if they were romances which I could read by the
power of vision within me。 As I have never overtaxed my constitution；
I still enjoy robust health； and as my mind is endowed with all the
force that I have not wasted； this head of mine is even better
furnished than my galleries。 The true millions lie here；〃 he said；
striking his forehead。 〃I spend delicious days in communings with the
past； I summon before me whole countries； places； extents of sea； the
fair faces of history。 In my imaginary seraglio I have all the women
that I have never possessed。 Your wars and revolutions come up before
me for judgment。 What is a feverish fugitive admiration for some more
or less brightly colored piece of flesh and blood； some more or less
rounded human form； what are all the disasters that wait on your
erratic whims； compared with the magnificent power of conjuring up the
whole world within your soul； compared with the immeasurable joys of
movement； unstrangled by the cords of time； unclogged by the fetters
of space； the joys of beholding all things； of comprehending all
things； of leaning over the parapet of the world to question the other
spheres； to hearken to the voice of God？ There；〃 he burst out；
vehemently； 〃there are To Will and To have your Will； both together；〃
he pointed to the bit of shagreen； 〃there are your social ideas； your
immoderate desires； your excesses； your pleasures that end in death；
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