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！
to reform it。 Raoul； let us do him this justice； presents in his
person something fine； fantastic； and extraordinary； which needs a
frame。 His enemies； or his friends； they are about the same thing；
agree that nothing could harmonize better with his mind than his
outward form。
Raoul Nathan would； perhaps； be more singular if left to his natural
self than he is with his various accompaniments。 His worn and haggard
face gives him an appearance of having fought with angels or devils；
it bears some resemblance to that the German painters give to the dead
Christ； countless signs of a constant struggle between failing human
nature and the powers on high appear in it。 But the lines in his
hollow cheeks； the projections of his crooked； furrowed skull； the
caverns around his eyes and behind his temples； show nothing weakly in
his constitution。 His hard membranes； his visible bones are the signs
of remarkable solidity； and though his skin； discolored by excesses；
clings to those bones as if dried there by inward fires； it
nevertheless covers a most powerful structure。 He is thin and tall。
His long hair； always in disorder； is worn so for effect。 This ill…
combed； ill…made Byron has heron legs and stiffened knee…joints； an
exaggerated stoop； hands with knotty muscles； firm as a crab's claws；
and long； thin； wiry fingers。 Raoul's eyes are Napoleonic； blue eyes；
which pierce to the soul； his nose is crooked and very shrewd； his
mouth charming； embellished with the whitest teeth that any woman
could desire。 There is fire and movement in the head； and genius on
that brow。 Raoul belongs to the small number of men who strike your
mind as you pass them； and who； in a salon； make a luminous spot to
which all eyes are attracted。
He makes himself remarked also by his 〃neglige；〃 if we may borrow from
Moliere the word which Eliante uses to express the want of personal
neatness。 His clothes always seem to have been twisted； frayed； and
crumpled intentionally； in order to harmonize with his physiognomy。 He
keeps one of his hands habitually in the bosom of his waistcoat in the
pose which Girodet's portrait of Monsieur de Chateaubriand has
rendered famous； but less to imitate that great man （for he does not
wish to resemble any one） than to rumple the over…smooth front of his
shirt。 His cravat is no sooner put on than it is twisted by the
convulsive motions of his head； which are quick and abrupt； like those
of a thoroughbred horse impatient of harness； and constantly tossing
up its head to rid itself of bit and bridle。 His long and pointed
beard is neither combed； nor perfumed； nor brushed； nor trimmed； like
those of the elegant young men of society； he lets it alone； to grow
as it will。 His hair； getting between the collar of his coat and his
cravat； lies luxuriantly on his shoulders； and greases whatever spot
it touches。 His wiry； bony hands ignore a nailbrush and the luxury of
lemon。 Some of his cofeuilletonists declare that purifying waters
seldom touch their calcined skin。
In short； the terrible Raoul is grotesque。 His movements are jerky； as
if produced by imperfect machinery； his gait rejects all idea of
order； and proceeds by spasmodic zig…zags and sudden stoppages； which
knock him violently against peaceable citizens on the streets and
boulevards of Paris。 His conversation； full of caustic humor； of
bitter satire； follows the gait of his body； suddenly it abandons its
tone of vengeance and turns sweet； poetic； consoling； gentle； without
apparent reason； he falls into inexplicable silences； or turns
somersets of wit； which at times are somewhat wearying。 In society； he
is boldly awkward； and exhibits a contempt for conventions and a
critical air about things respected which makes him unpleasant to
narrow minds； and also to those who strive to preserve the doctrines
of old…fashioned； gentlemanly politeness； but for all that there is a
sort of lawless originality about him which women do not dislike。
Besides； to them； he is often most amiably courteous； he seems to take
pleasure in making them forget his personal singularities； and thus
obtains a victory over antipathies which flatters either his vanity；
his self…love； or his pride。
〃Why do you present yourself like that？〃 said the Marquise de
Vandenesse one day。
〃Pearls live in oyster…shells；〃 he answered； conceitedly。
To another who asked him somewhat the same question； he replied；
〃If I were charming to all the world； how could I seem better still to
the one woman I wish to please？〃
Raoul Nathan imports this same natural disorder （which he uses as a
banner） into his intellectual life； and the attribute is not
misleading。 his talent is very much that of the poor girls who go
about in bourgeois families to work by the day。 He was first a critic；
and a great critic； but he felt himself cheated in that vocation。 His
articles were equal to books； he said。 The profits of theatrical work
then allured him； but； incapable of the slow and steady application
required for stage arrangement； he was forced to associate with
himself a vaudevillist； du Bruel； who took his ideas； worked them
over； and reduced them into those productive little pieces； full of
wit； which are written expressly for actors and actresses。 Between
them； they had invented Florine； an actress now in vogue。
Humiliated by this association； which was that of the Siamese twins；
Nathan had produced alone； at the Theatre…Francais； a serious drama；
which fell with all the honors of war amid salvos of thundering
articles。 In his youth he had once before appeared at the great and
noble Theatre…Francais in a splendid romantic play of the style of
〃Pinto；〃a period when the classic reigned supreme。 The Odeon was so
violently agitated for three nights that the play was forbidden by the
censor。 This second piece was considered by many a masterpiece； and
won him more real reputation than all his productive little pieces
done with collaborators；but only among a class to whom little
attention is paid； that of connoisseurs and persons of true taste。
〃Make another failure like that；〃 said Emile Blondet； 〃and you'll be
immortal。〃
But instead of continuing in that difficult path； Nathan had fallen；
out of sheer necessity； into the powder and patches of eighteenth…
century vaudeville； costume plays； and the reproduction； scenically；
of successful novels。
Nevertheless； he passed for a great mind which had not said its last
word。 He had； moreover； attempted permanent literature； having
published three novels； not to speak of several others which he kept
in press like fish in a tank。 One of these three books； the first
（like that of many writers who can only make one real trip into
literature）； had obtained a very brilliant success。 This work；
imprudently placed in the front rank； this really artistic work he was
never weary of calling the finest book of the period； the novel of the
century。
R