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persons having ventured to question the Comte de Lanty indiscreetly；
that cold and reserved individual seemed not to understand their
questions。 And so； after many attempts； which the circumspection of
all the members of the family rendered fruitless； no one sought to
discover a secret so well guarded。 Society spies； triflers； and
politicians； weary of the strife； ended by ceasing to concern
themselves about the mystery。
But at that moment； it may be； there were in those gorgeous salons
philosophers who said to themselves； as they discussed an ice or a
sherbet； or placed their empty punch glasses on a tray：
〃I should not be surprised to learn that these people are knaves。 That
old fellow who keeps out of sight and appears only at the equinoxes or
solstices； looks to me exactly like an assassin。〃
〃Or a bankrupt。〃
〃There's very little difference。 To destroy a man's fortune is worse
than to kill the man himself。〃
〃I bet twenty louis； monsieur； there are forty due me。〃
〃Faith； monsieur； there are only thirty left on the cloth。〃
〃Just see what a mixed company there is！ One can't play cards in
peace。〃
〃Very true。 But it's almost six months since we saw the Spirit。 Do you
think he's a living being？〃
〃Well； barely。〃
These last remarks were made in my neighborhood by persons whom I did
not know； and who passed out of hearing just as I was summarizing in
one last thought my reflections； in which black and white； life and
death； were inextricably mingled。 My wandering imagination； like my
eyes； contemplated alternately the festivities； which had now reached
the climax of their splendor； and the gloomy picture presented by the
gardens。 I have no idea how long I meditated upon those two faces of
the human medal； but I was suddenly aroused by the stifled laughter of
a young woman。 I was stupefied at the picture presented to my eyes。 By
virtue of one of the strangest of nature's freaks； the thought half
draped in black； which was tossing about in my brain； emerged from it
and stood before me personified； living； it had come forth like
Minerva from Jupiter's brain； tall and strong； it was at once a
hundred years old and twenty…two； it was alive and dead。 Escaped from
his chamber； like a madman from his cell； the little old man had
evidently crept behind a long line of people who were listening
attentively to Marianina's voice as she finished the cavatina from
/Tancred/。 He seemed to have come up through the floor； impelled by
some stage mechanism。 He stood for a moment motionless and sombre；
watching the festivities； a murmur of which had perhaps reached his
ears。 His almost somnambulistic preoccupation was so concentrated upon
things that； although he was in the midst of many people； he saw
nobody。 He had taken his place unceremoniously beside one of the most
fascinating women in Paris； a young and graceful dancer； with slender
figure； a face as fresh as a child's； all pink and white； and so
fragile； so transparent； that it seemed that a man's glance must pass
through her as the sun's rays pass through flawless glass。 They stood
there before me； side by side； so close together； that the stranger
rubbed against the gauze dress； and the wreaths of flowers； and the
hair； slightly crimped； and the floating ends of the sash。
I had brought that young woman to Madame de Lanty's ball。 As it was
her first visit to that house； I forgave her her stifled laugh； but I
hastily made an imperious sign which abashed her and inspired respect
for her neighbor。 She sat down beside me。 The old man did not choose
to leave the charming creature； to whom he clung capriciously with the
silent and apparently causeless obstinacy to which very old persons
are subject； and which makes them resemble children。 In order to sit
down beside the young lady he needed a folding…chair。 His slightest
movements were marked by the inert heaviness； the stupid hesitancy；
which characterize the movements of a paralytic。 He sat slowly down
upon his chair with great caution； mumbling some unintelligible words。
His cracked voice resembled the noise made by a stone falling into a
well。 The young woman nervously pressed my hand； as if she were trying
to avoid a precipice； and shivered when that man； at whom she happened
to be looking； turned upon her two lifeless； sea…green eyes； which
could be compared to nothing save tarnished mother…of…pearl。
〃I am afraid；〃 she said； putting her lips to my ear。
〃You can speak；〃 I replied； 〃he hears with great difficulty。〃
〃You know him； then？〃
〃Yes。〃
Thereupon she summoned courage to scrutinize for a moment that
creature for which no human language has a name； form without
substance； a being without life； or life without action。 She was under
the spell of that timid curiosity which impels women to seek perilous
excitement； to gaze at chained tigers and boa…constrictors； shuddering
all the while because the barriers between them are so weak。 Although
the little old man's back was bent like a day…laborer's； it was easy
to see that he must formerly have been of medium height。 His excessive
thinness； the slenderness of his limbs； proved that he had always been
of slight build。 He wore black silk breeches which hung about his
fleshless thighs in folds； like a lowered veil。 An anatomist would
instinctively have recognized the symptoms of consumption in its
advanced stages； at sight of the tiny legs which served to support
that strange frame。 You would have said that they were a pair of
cross…bones on a gravestone。 A feeling of profound horror seized the
heart when a close scrutiny revealed the marks made by decrepitude
upon that frail machine。
He wore a white waistcoat embroidered with gold； in the old style； and
his linen was of dazzling whiteness。 A shirt…frill of English lace；
yellow with age； the magnificence of which a queen might have envied；
formed a series of yellow ruffles on his breast； but upon him the lace
seemed rather a worthless rag than an ornament。 In the centre of the
frill a diamond of inestimable value gleamed like a sun。 That
superannuated splendor； that display of treasure； of great intrinsic
worth； but utterly without taste； served to bring out in still bolder
relief the strange creature's face。 The frame was worthy of the
portrait。 That dark face was full of angles and furrowed deep in every
direction； the chin was furrowed； there were great hollows at the
temples； the eyes were sunken in yellow orbits。 The maxillary bones；
which his indescribable gauntness caused to protrude； formed deep
cavities in the centre of both cheeks。 These protuberances； as the
light fell upon them； caused curious effects of light and shadow which
deprived that face of its last vestige of resemblance to the human
countenance。 And then； too； the lapse of years had drawn the fine；
yellow skin so close to the bones that it described a multitude of
wrinkles everywhere； either circular like the ripples in the water
caused by a stone which a child throws in； or star…shaped like a pane
of glass cracked by a blow； but everywhere very deep； and as close
together as the leaves of a closed book。 We often see more hideous old
men；