what　every　desire　of　his　must　cost　him　in　the　days　of　his　life。　He
  believed　in　the　powers　of　the　Magic　Skin　at　last；　he　listened　to　every
  breath　he　drew；　he　felt　ill　already；　he　asked　himself：
  〃Am　I　not　consumptive？　Did　not　my　mother　die　of　a　lung　complaint？〃
  〃Aha；　Raphael！　what　fun　you　will　have！　What　will　you　give　me？〃　asked
  Aquilina。
  〃Here's　to　the　death　of　his　uncle；　Major　O'Flaharty！　There　is　a　man
  for　you。〃
  〃He　will　be　a　peer　of　France。〃
  〃Pooh！　what　is　a　peer　of　France　since　July？〃　said　the　amateur　critic。
  〃Are　you　going　to　take　a　box　at　the　Bouffons？〃
  〃You　are　going　to　treat　us　all；　I　hope？〃　put　in　Bixiou。
  〃A　man　of　his　sort　will　be　sure　to　do　things　in　style；〃　said　Emile。
  The　hurrah　set　up　by　the　jovial　assembly　rang　in　Valentin's　ears；　but
  he　could　not　grasp　the　sense　of　a　single　word。　Vague　thoughts　crossed
  him　of　the　Breton　peasant's　life　of　mechanical　labor；　without　a　wish
  of　any　kind；　he　pictured　him　burdened　with　a　family；　tilling　the　soil；
  living　on　buckwheat　meal；　drinking　cider　out　of　a　pitcher；　believing
  in　the　Virgin　and　the　King；　taking　the　sacrament　at　Easter；　dancing　of
  a　Sunday　on　the　green　sward；　and　understanding　never　a　word　of　the
  rector's　sermon。　The　actual　scene　that　lay　before　him；　the　gilded
  furniture；　the　courtesans；　the　feast　itself；　and　the　surrounding
  splendors；　seemed　to　catch　him　by　the　throat　and　made　him　cough。
  〃Do　you　wish　for　some　asparagus？〃　the　banker　cried。
  〃I　WISH　FOR　NOTHING！〃　thundered　Raphael。
  〃Bravo！〃　Taillefer　exclaimed；　〃you　understand　your　position；　a　fortune
  confers　the　privilege　of　being　impertinent。　You　are　one　of　us。
  Gentlemen；　let　us　drink　to　the　might　of　gold！　M。　Valentin　here；　six
  times　a　millionaire；　has　become　a　power。　He　is　a　king；　like　all　the
  rich；　everything　is　at　his　disposal；　everything　lies　under　his　feet。
  From　this　time　forth　the　axiom　that　'all　Frenchmen　are　alike　in　the
  eyes　of　the　law；'　is　for　him　a　fib　at　the　head　of　the　Constitutional
  Charter。　He　is　not　going　to　obey　the　lawthe　law　is　going　to　obey
  him。　There　are　neither　scaffolds　nor　executioners　for　millionaires。〃
  〃Yes；　there　are；〃　said　Raphael；　〃they　are　their　own　executioners。〃
  〃Here　is　another　victim　of　prejudices！〃　cried　the　banker。
  〃Let　us　drink！〃　Raphael　said；　putting　the　talisman　into　his　pocket。
  〃What　are　you　doing？〃　said　Emile；　checking　his　movement。　〃Gentlemen；〃
  he　added；　addressing　the　company；　who　were　rather　taken　aback　by
  Raphael's　behavior；　〃you　must　know　that　our　friend　Valentin　herewhat
  am　I　saying？I　mean　my　Lord　Marquis　de　Valentinis　in　the　possession
  of　a　secret　for　obtaining　wealth。　His　wishes　are　fulfilled　as　soon　as
  he　knows　them。　He　will　make　us　all　rich　together；　or　he　is　a　flunkey；
  and　devoid　of　all　decent　feeling。〃
  〃Oh；　Raphael　dear；　I　should　like　a　set　of　pearl　ornaments！〃　Euphrasia
  exclaimed。
  〃If　he　has　any　gratitude　in　him；　he　will　give　me　a　couple　of　carriages
  with　fast　steppers；〃　said　Aquilina。
  〃Wish　for　a　hundred　thousand　a　year　for　me！〃
  〃Indian　shawls！〃
  〃Pay　my　debts！〃
  〃Send　an　apoplexy　to　my　uncle；　the　old　stick！〃
  〃Ten　thousand　a　year　in　the　funds；　and　I'll　cry　quits　with　you；
  Raphael！〃
  〃Deeds　of　gift　and　no　mistake；〃　was　the　notary's　comment。
  〃He　ought；　at　least；　to　rid　me　of　the　gout！〃
  〃Lower　the　funds！〃　shouted　the　banker。
  These　phrases　flew　about　like　the　last　discharge　of　rockets　at　the　end
  of　a　display　of　fireworks；　and　were　uttered；　perhaps；　more　in　earnest
  than　in　jest。
  〃My　good　friend；〃　Emile　said　solemnly；　〃I　shall　be　quite　satisfied
  with　an　income　of　two　hundred　thousand　livres。　Please　to　set　about　it
  at　once。〃
  〃Do　you　not　know　the　cost；　Emile？〃　asked　Raphael。
  〃A　nice　excuse！〃　the　poet　cried；　〃ought　we　not　to　sacrifice　ourselves
  for　our　friends？〃
  〃I　have　almost　a　mind　to　wish　that　you　all　were　dead；〃　Valentin　made
  answer；　with　a　dark；　inscrutable　look　at　his　boon　companions。
  〃Dying　people　are　frightfully　cruel；〃　said　Emile；　laughing。　〃You　are
  rich　now；〃　he　went　on　gravely；　〃very　well；　I　will　give　you　two　months
  at　most　before　you　grow　vilely　selfish。　You　are　so　dense　already　that
  you　cannot　understand　a　joke。　You　have　only　to　go　a　little　further　to
  believe　in　your　Magic　Skin。〃
  Raphael　kept　silent；　fearing　the　banter　of　the　company；　but　he　drank
  immoderately；　trying　to　drown　in　intoxication　the　recollection　of　his
  fatal　power。
  III
  THE　AGONY
  In　the　early　days　of　December　an　old　man　of　some　seventy　years　of　age
  pursued　his　way　along　the　Rue　de　Varenne；　in　spite　of　the　falling
  rain。　He　peered　up　at　the　door　of　each　house；　trying　to　discover　the
  address　of　the　Marquis　Raphael　de　Valentin；　in　a　simple；　childlike
  fashion；　and　with　the　abstracted　look　peculiar　to　philosophers。　His
  face　plainly　showed　traces　of　a　struggle　between　a　heavy　mortification
  and　an　authoritative　nature；　his　long；　gray　hair　hung　in　disorder
  about　a　face　like　a　piece　of　parchment　shriveling　in　the　fire。　If　a
  painter　had　come　upon　this　curious　character；　he　would；　no　doubt；　have
  transferred　him　to　his　sketchbook　on　his　return；　a　thin；　bony　figure；
  clad　in　black；　and　have　inscribed　beneath　it：　〃Classical　poet　in
  search　of　a　rhyme。〃　When　he　had　identified　the　number　that　had　been
  given　to　him；　this　reincarnation　of　Rollin　knocked　meekly　at　the　door
  of　a　splendid　mansion。
  〃Is　Monsieur　Raphael　in？〃　the　worthy　man　inquired　of　the　Swiss　in
  livery。
  〃My　Lord　the　Marquis　sees　nobody；〃　said　the　servant；　swallowing　a　huge
  morsel　that　he　had　just　dipped　in　a　large　bowl　of　coffee。
  〃There　is　his　carriage；〃　said　the　elderly　stranger；　pointing　to　a　fine
  equipage　that　stood　under　the　wooden　canopy　that　sheltered　the　steps
  before　the　house；　in　place　of　a　striped　linen　awning。　〃He　is　going
  out；　I　will　wait　for　him。〃
  〃Then　you　might　wait　here　till　to…morrow　morning；　old　boy；〃　said　the
  Swiss。　〃A　carriage　is　always　waiting　for　monsieur。　Please　to　go　away。
  If　I　were　to　let　any　stranger　come　into　the　house　without　orders；　I
  should　lose　an　income　of　six　hundred　francs。〃
  A　tall　old　man；　in　a　costume　not　unlike　that　of　a　subordinate　in　the
  Civil　Service；　came　out　of　the　vestibule　and　hurried　part　of　the　way
  down　the　steps；　while　he　made　a　survey　of　the　astonished　elderly
  applicant　for　admission。
  〃What　is　more；　here　is　M。　Jonathan；〃　the　Swiss　remarked；　〃speak　to
  him。〃
  Fellow…feeling　of　some　kind；　or　curiosity；　brought　the　two　old　men
  together　in　a　central　space　in　the　great　entrance…court。　A　few　blades
  of　grass　were　growing　in　the　crevices　of　the　pavement；　a　terrible
  silence　reigned　in　that　great　house。　The　sight　of　Jonathan's　face
  would　have　made　you　long　to　understand　the　mystery　that　brooded　over
  it；　and　that　was　announced　by　the　smallest　trifles　about　the
  melancholy　place。
  When　Raphael　inherited　his　uncle's　vast　estate；　his　first　care　had
  been　to　seek　out　the　old　and　devoted　servitor　of　whose　affection　he
  knew　that　he　was　secure。　Jonathan　had　wept　tears　of　joy　at　the　sight
  of　his　young　master；　of　whom　he　thought　he　had　taken　a　final　farewell；
  and　when　the　marquis　exalted　him　to　the　high　office　of　steward；　his
  happiness　could　not　be　surpassed。　So　old　Jonathan　became　an
  intermediary　power　between　Raphael　and　the　world　at　large。　He　was　the
  absolute　disposer　of　his　master's　fortune；　the　blind　instrument　of　an
  unknown　will；　and　a　sixth　sense；　as　it　were；　by　which　the　emotions　of
  life　were　communicated　to　Raphael。
  〃I　should　like　to　speak　with　M。　Raphael；　sir；〃　said　the　elderly　person
  to　Jonathan；　as　he　climbed　up　the　steps　some　way；　into　a　shelter　from
  the　rain。
  〃To　speak　with　my　Lord　the　Marquis？〃　the　steward　cried。　〃He　scarcely
  speaks　even　to　me；　his　foster…father！〃
  〃But　I　am　likewise　his　foster…father；〃　said　the　old　man。　〃If　your　wife
  was　his　foster…mother；　I　fed　him　myself　with　the　milk　of　the　Muses。　He
  is　my　nursling；　my　child；　carus　alumnus！　I　formed　his　mind；　cultivated
  his　understanding；　developed　his　genius；　and；　I　venture　to　say　it；　to
  my　own　honor　and　glory。　Is　he　not　one　of　the　most　remarkable　men　of
  our　epoch？　He　was　one　of　my　pupils　in　two　lower　forms；　and　in
  rhetoric。　I　am　his　professor。〃
  〃Ah；　sir；　then　you　are　M。　Porriquet？〃
  〃Exactly；　sir；　but〃
  〃Hush！　hush！〃　Jonathan　called　to　two　underlings；　whose　voices　broke
  the　monastic　silence　that　shrouded　the　house。
  〃But　is　the　Marquis　ill；　sir？〃　the　professor　continued。
  〃My　dear　sir；〃　Jonathan　replied；　〃Heaven　only　knows　what　is　the　matter
  with　my　master。　You　see；　there　are　not　a　couple　of　houses　like　ours
  anywhere　in　Paris。　Do　you　understand？　Not　two　houses。　Faith；　that
  there　are　not。　My　Lord　the　Marquis　had　this　hotel　purchased　for　him；
  it　formerly　belonged　to　a　duke　and　a　peer　of　France；　then　he　spent
  three　hundred　thousand　francs　over　furnishing　it。　That's　a　good　deal；
  you　know；　three　hundred　thousand　francs！　But　every　room　in　the　house
  is　a　perfect　wonder。　'Good；'　said　I　to　myself　when　I　saw　this
  magnificence；　'it　is　just　like　it　used　to　be　in　the　time　of　my　lord；
  his　late　grandfather；　and　the　young　marquis　is　going　to　entertain　all
  Paris　and　the　Court！'　Nothing　of　the　kind！　My　lord　refused　to　see　any
  one　whatever。　'Tis　a　funny　life　that　he　leads；　M。　Porriquet；　you
  understand。　An　inconciliable　life。　He　rises　eve