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wore his fair hair； now grown scanty； curled about his temples with a
refinement of vanity。
The Greek cap that he wore was pulled to one side by the weight of its
tassel； too heavy for the light material of which it was made。 He had
let the paper…knife fall at his feet； a malachite blade with gold
mounting； which he had used to cut the leaves of the book。 The amber
mouthpiece of a magnificent Indian hookah lay on his knee； the
enameled coils lay like a serpent in the room； but he had forgotten to
draw out its fresh perfume。 And yet there was a complete contradiction
between the general feebleness of his young frame and the blue eyes；
where all his vitality seemed to dwell； an extraordinary intelligence
seemed to look out from them and to grasp everything at once。
That expression was painful to see。 Some would have read despair in
it； and others some inner conflict terrible as remorse。 It was the
inscrutable glance of helplessness that must perforce consign its
desires to the depths of its own heart； or of a miser enjoying in
imagination all the pleasures that his money could procure for him；
while he declines to lessen his hoard； the look of a bound Prometheus；
of the fallen Napoleon of 1815； when he learned at the Elysee the
strategical blunder that his enemies had made； and asked for twenty…
four hours of command in vain； or rather it was the same look that
Raphael had turned upon the Seine； or upon his last piece of gold at
the gaming…table only a few months ago。
He was submitting his intelligence and his will to the homely common…
sense of an old peasant whom fifty years of domestic service had
scarcely civilized。 He had given up all the rights of life in order to
live； he had despoiled his soul of all the romance that lies in a
wish； and almost rejoiced at thus becoming a sort of automaton。 The
better to struggle with the cruel power that he had challenged； he had
followed Origen's example； and had maimed and chastened his
imagination。
The day after he had seen the diminution of the Magic Skin； at his
sudden accession of wealth； he happened to be at his notary's house。 A
well…known physician had told them quite seriously； at dessert； how a
Swiss attacked by consumption had cured himself。 The man had never
spoken a word for ten years； and had compelled himself to draw six
breaths only； every minute； in the close atmosphere of a cow…house；
adhering all the time to a regimen of exceedingly light diet。 〃I will
be like that man；〃 thought Raphael to himself。 He wanted life at any
price； and so he led the life of a machine in the midst of all the
luxury around him。
The old professor confronted this youthful corpse and shuddered； there
seemed something unnatural about the meagre； enfeebled frame。 In the
Marquis； with his eager eyes and careworn forehead； he could hardly
recognize the fresh…cheeked and rosy pupil with the active limbs； whom
he remembered。 If the worthy classicist； sage critic； and general
preserver of the traditions of correct taste had read Byron； he would
have thought that he had come on a Manfred when he looked to find
Childe Harold。
〃Good day； pere Porriquet；〃 said Raphael； pressing the old
schoolmaster's frozen fingers in his own damp ones； 〃how are you？〃
〃I am very well；〃 replied the other； alarmed by the touch of that
feverish hand。 〃But how about you？〃
〃Oh； I am hoping to keep myself in health。〃
〃You are engaged in some great work； no doubt？〃
〃No；〃 Raphael answered。 〃Exegi monumemtum； pere Porriquet； I have
contributed an important page to science； and have now bidden her
farewell for ever。 I scarcely know where my manuscript is。〃
〃The style is no doubt correct？〃 queried the schoolmaster。 〃You； I
hope； would never have adopted the barbarous language of the new
school； which fancies it has worked such wonders by discovering
Ronsard！〃
〃My work treats of physiology pure and simple。〃
〃Oh； then； there is no more to be said；〃 the schoolmaster answered。
〃Grammar must yield to the exigencies of discovery。 Nevertheless；
young man； a lucid and harmonious stylethe diction of Massillon； of
M。 de Buffon； of the great Racinea classical style； in short； can
never spoil anythingBut； my friend；〃 the schoolmaster interrupted
himself； 〃I was forgetting the object of my visit； which concerns my
own interests。〃
Too late Raphael recalled to mind the verbose eloquence and elegant
circumlocutions which in a long professorial career had grown habitual
to his old tutor； and almost regretted that he had admitted him； but
just as he was about to wish to see him safely outside； he promptly
suppressed his secret desire with a stealthy glance at the Magic Skin。
It hung there before him； fastened down upon some white material；
surrounded by a red line accurately traced about its prophetic
outlines。 Since that fatal carouse； Raphael had stifled every least
whim； and had lived so as not to cause the slightest movement in the
terrible talisman。 The Magic Skin was like a tiger with which he must
live without exciting its ferocity。 He bore patiently； therefore； with
the old schoolmaster's prolixity。
Porriquet spent an hour in telling him about the persecutions directed
against him ever since the Revolution of July。 The worthy man； having
a liking for strong governments； had expressed the patriotic wish that
grocers should be left to their counters； statesmen to the management
of public business； advocates to the Palais de Justice； and peers of
France to the Luxembourg； but one of the popularity…seeking ministers
of the Citizen King had ousted him from his chair； on an accusation of
Carlism； and the old man now found himself without pension or post；
and with no bread to eat。 As he played the part of guardian angel to a
poor nephew； for whose schooling at Saint Sulpice he was paying； he
came less on his own account than for his adopted child's sake； to
entreat his former pupil's interest with the new minister。 He did not
ask to be reinstated； but only for a position at the head of some
provincial school。
QRaphael had fallen a victim to unconquerable drowsiness by the time
that the worthy man's monotonous voice ceased to sound in his ears。
Civility had compelled him to look at the pale and unmoving eyes of
the deliberate and tedious old narrator； till he himself had reached
stupefaction； magnetized in an inexplicable way by the power of
inertia。
〃Well； my dear pere Porriquet；〃 he said； not very certain what the
question was to which he was replying； 〃but I can do nothing for you；
nothing at all。 I WISH VERY HEARTILY that you may succeed〃
All at once； without seeing the change wrought on the old man's sallow
and wrinkled brow by these conventional phrases； full of indifference
and selfishness； Raphael sprang to his feet like a startled roebuck。
He saw a thin white line between the black piece of hide and the red
tracing about it； and gave a cry so fearful t