himself　fell　prone　on　the　floor。
  A　hideous　shrieking　sound　rang　through　the　workshops。　The　water　in　the
  machine　had　broken　the　chamber；　and　now　spouted　out　in　a　jet　of
  incalculable　force；　luckily　it　went　in　the　direction　of　an　old
  furnace；　which　was　overthrown；　enveloped　and　carried　away　by　a
  waterspout。
  〃Ha！〃　remarked　Planchette　serenely；　〃the　piece　of　skin　is　as　safe　and
  sound　as　my　eye。　There　was　a　flaw　in　your　reservoir　somewhere；　or　a
  crevice　in　the　large　tube〃
  〃No；　no；　I　know　my　reservoir。　The　devil　is　in　your　contrivance；　sir；
  you　can　take　it　away；〃　and　the　German　pounced　upon　a　smith's　hammer；
  flung　the　skin　down　on　an　anvil；　and；　with　all　the　strength　that　rage
  gives；　dealt　the　talisman　the　most　formidable　blow　that　had　ever
  resounded　through　his　workshops。
  〃There　is　not　so　much　as　a　mark　on　it！〃　said　Planchette；　stroking　the
  perverse　bit　of　skin。
  The　workmen　hurried　in。　The　foreman　took　the　skin　and　buried　it　in　the
  glowing　coal　of　a　forge；　while；　in　a　semi…circle　round　the　fire；　they
  all　awaited　the　action　of　a　huge　pair　of　bellows。　Raphael；
  Spieghalter；　and　Professor　Planchette　stood　in　the　midst　of　the　grimy
  expectant　crowd。　Raphael；　looking　round　on　faces　dusted　over　with　iron
  filings；　white　eyes；　greasy　blackened　clothing；　and　hairy　chests；
  could　have　fancied　himself　transported　into　the　wild　nocturnal　world
  of　German　ballad　poetry。　After　the　skin　had　been　in　the　fire　for　ten
  minutes；　the　foreman　pulled　it　out　with　a　pair　of　pincers。
  〃Hand　it　over　to　me；〃　said　Raphael。
  The　foreman　held　it　out　by　way　of　a　joke。　The　Marquis　readily　handled
  it；　it　was　cool　and　flexible　between　his　fingers。　An　exclamation　of
  alarm　went　up；　the　workmen　fled　in　terror。　Valentin　was　left　alone
  with　Planchette　in　the　empty　workshop。
  〃There　is　certainly　something　infernal　in　the　thing！〃　cried　Raphael；
  in　desperation。　〃Is　no　human　power　able　to　give　me　one　more　day　of
  existence？〃
  〃I　made　a　mistake；　sir；〃　said　the　mathematician；　with　a　penitent
  expression；　〃we　ought　to　have　subjected　that　peculiar　skin　to　the
  action　of　a　rolling　machine。　Where　could　my　eyes　have　been　when　I
  suggested　compression！〃
  〃It　was　I　that　asked　for　it；〃　Raphael　answered。
  The　mathematician　heaved　a　sigh　of　relief；　like　a　culprit　acquitted　by
  a　dozen　jurors。　Still；　the　strange　problem　afforded　by　the　skin
  interested　him；　he　meditated　a　moment；　and　then　remarked：
  〃This　unknown　material　ought　to　be　treated　chemically　by　re…agents。
  Let　us　call　on　Japhetperhaps　the　chemist　may　have　better　luck　than
  the　mechanic。〃
  Valentin　urged　his　horse　into　a　rapid　trot；　hoping　to　find　the
  chemist；　the　celebrated　Japhet；　in　his　laboratory。
  〃Well；　old　friend；〃　Planchette　began；　seeing　Japhet　in　his　armchair；
  examining　a　precipitate；　〃how　goes　chemistry？〃
  〃Gone　to　sleep。　Nothing　new　at　all。　The　Academie；　however；　has
  recognized　the　existence　of　salicine；　but　salicine；　asparagine；
  vauqueline；　and　digitaline　are　not　really　discoveries〃
  〃Since　you　cannot　invent　substances；〃　said　Raphael；　〃you　are　obliged
  to　fall　back　on　inventing　names。〃
  〃Most　emphatically　true；　young　man。〃
  〃Here；〃　said　Planchette；　addressing　the　chemist；　〃try　to　analyze　this
  composition；　if　you　can　extract　any　element　whatever　from　it；　I
  christen　it　diaboline　beforehand；　for　we　have　just　smashed　a　hydraulic
  press　in　trying　to　compress　it。〃
  〃Let's　see！　let's　have　a　look　at　it！〃　cried　the　delighted　chemist；　〃it
  may；　perhaps；　be　a　fresh　element。〃
  〃It　is　simply　a　piece　of　the　skin　of　an　ass；　sir；〃　said　Raphael。
  〃Sir！〃　said　the　illustrious　chemist　sternly。
  〃I　am　not　joking；〃　the　Marquis　answered；　laying　the　piece　of　skin
  before　him。
  Baron　Japhet　applied　the　nervous　fibres　of　his　tongue　to　the　skin；　he
  had　skill　in　thus　detecting　salts；　acids；　alkalis；　and　gases。　After
  several　experiments；　he　remarked：
  〃No　taste　whatever！　Come；　we　will　give　it　a　little　fluoric　acid　to
  drink。〃
  Subjected　to　the　influence　of　this　ready　solvent　of　animal　tissue；　the
  skin　underwent　no　change　whatsoever。
  〃It　is　not　shagreen　at　all！〃　the　chemist　cried。　〃We　will　treat　this
  unknown　mystery　as　a　mineral；　and　try　its　mettle　by　dropping　it　in　a
  crucible　where　I　have　at　this　moment　some　red　potash。〃
  Japhet　went　out；　and　returned　almost　immediately。
  〃Allow　me　to　cut　away　a　bit　of　this　strange　substance；　sir；〃　he　said
  to　Raphael；　〃it　is　so　extraordinary〃
  〃A　bit！〃　exclaimed　Raphael；　〃not　so　much　as　a　hair's…breadth。　You　may
  try；　though；〃　he　added；　half　banteringly；　half　sadly。
  The　chemist　broke　a　razor　in　his　desire　to　cut　the　skin；　he　tried　to
  break　it　by　a　powerful　electric　shock；　next　he　submitted　it　to　the
  influence　of　a　galvanic　battery；　but　all　the　thunderbolts　his　science
  wotted　of　fell　harmless　on　the　dreadful　talisman。
  It　was　seven　o'clock　in　the　evening。　Planchette；　Japhet；　and　Raphael；
  unaware　of　the　flight　of　time；　were　awaiting　the　outcome　of　a　final
  experiment。　The　Magic　Skin　emerged　triumphant　from　a　formidable
  encounter　in　which　it　had　been　engaged　with　a　considerable　quantity　of
  chloride　of　nitrogen。
  〃It　is　all　over　with　me；〃　Raphael　wailed。　〃It　is　the　finger　of　God！　I
  shall　die！〃　and　he　left　the　two　amazed　scientific　men。
  〃We　must　be　very　careful　not　to　talk　about　this　affair　at　the
  Academie；　our　colleagues　there　would　laugh　at　us；〃　Planchette　remarked
  to　the　chemist；　after　a　long　pause；　in　which　they　looked　at　each　other
  without　daring　to　communicate　their　thoughts。　The　learned　pair　looked
  like　two　Christians　who　had　issued　from　their　tombs　to　find　no　God　in
  the　heavens。　Science　had　been　powerless；　acids；　so　much　clear　water；
  red　potash　had　been　discredited；　the　galvanic　battery　and　electric
  shock　had　been　a　couple　of　playthings。
  〃A　hydraulic　press　broken　like　a　biscuit！〃　commented　Planchette。
  〃I　believe　in　the　devil；〃　said　the　Baron　Japhet；　after　a　moment's
  silence。
  〃And　I　in　God；〃　replied　Planchette。
  Each　spoke　in　character。　The　universe　for　a　mechanician　is　a　machine
  that　requires　an　operator；　for　chemistrythat　fiendish　employment　of
  decomposing　all　thingsthe　world　is　a　gas　endowed　with　the　power　of
  movement。
  〃We　cannot　deny　the　fact；〃　the　chemist　replied。
  〃Pshaw！　those　gentlemen　the　doctrinaires　have　invented　a　nebulous
  aphorism　for　our　consolationStupid　as　a　fact。〃
  〃Your　aphorism；〃　said　the　chemist；　〃seems　to　me　as　a　fact　very
  stupid。〃
  They　began　to　laugh；　and　went　off　to　dine　like　folk　for　whom　a　miracle
  is　nothing　more　than　a　phenomenon。
  Valentin　reached　his　own　house　shivering　with　rage　and　consumed　with
  anger。　He　had　no　more　faith　in　anything。　Conflicting　thoughts　shifted
  and　surged　to　and　fro　in　his　brain；　as　is　the　case　with　every　man
  brought　face　to　face　with　an　inconceivable　fact。　He　had　readily
  believed　in　some　hidden　flaw　in　Spieghalter's　apparatus；　he　had　not
  been　surprised　by　the　incompetence　and　failure　of　science　and　of　fire；
  but　the　flexibility　of　the　skin　as　he　handled　it；　taken　with　its
  stubbornness　when　all　means　of　destruction　that　man　possesses　had　been
  brought　to　bear　upon　it　in　vainthese　things　terrified　him。　The
  incontrovertible　fact　made　him　dizzy。
  〃I　am　mad；〃　he　muttered。　〃I　have　had　no　food　since　the　morning；　and
  yet　I　am　neither　hungry　nor　thirsty；　and　there　is　a　fire　in　my　breast
  that　burns　me。〃
  He　put　back　the　skin　in　the　frame　where　it　had　been　enclosed　but
  lately；　drew　a　line　in　red　ink　about　the　actual　configuration　of　the
  talisman；　and　seated　himself　in　his　armchair。
  〃Eight　o'clock　already！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃To…day　has　gone　like　a　dream。〃
  He　leaned　his　elbow　on　the　arm　of　the　chair；　propped　his　head　with　his
  left　hand；　and　so　remained；　lost　in　secret　dark　reflections　and
  consuming　thoughts　that　men　condemned　to　die　bear　away　with　them。
  〃O　Pauline！〃　he　cried。　〃Poor　child！　there　are　gulfs　that　love　can
  never　traverse；　despite　the　strength　of　his　wings。〃
  Just　then　he　very　distinctly　heard　a　smothered　sigh；　and　knew　by　one
  of　the　most　tender　privileges　of　passionate　love　that　it　was　Pauline's
  breathing。
  〃That　is　my　death　warrant；〃　he　said　to　himself。　〃If　she　were　there；　I
  should　wish　to　die　in　her　arms。〃
  A　burst　of　gleeful　and　hearty　laughter　made　him　turn　his　face　towards
  the　bed；　he　saw　Pauline's　face　through　the　transparent　curtains；
  smiling　like　a　child　for　gladness　over　a　successful　piece　of　mischief。
  Her　pretty　hair　fell　over　her　shoulders　in　countless　curls；　she　looked
  like　a　Bengal　rose　upon　a　pile　of　white　roses。
  〃I　cajoled　Jonathan；〃　said　she。　〃Doesn't　the　bed　belong　to　me；　to　me
  who　am　your　wife？　Don't　scold　me；　darling；　I　only　wanted　to　surprise
  you；　to　sleep　beside　you。　Forgive　me　for　my　freak。〃
  She　sprang　out　of　bed　like　a　kitten；　showed　herself　gleaming　in　her
  lawn　raiment；　and　sat　down　on　Raphael's　knee。
  〃Love；　what　gulf　were　you　talking　about？〃　she　said；　with　an　anxious
  expression　apparent　upon　her　face。
  〃Death。〃
  〃You　hurt　me；〃　she　answered。　〃There　are　some　thoughts　upon　which　we；
  poor　women　that　we　are；　cannot　dwell；　they　are　death　to　us。　Is　it
  strength　of　love　in　us；　or　lack　of　courage？　I　cannot　tell。　Death　does
  not　frighten　me；〃　she　began　again；　laughingly。　〃To　die　with　you；　both
  together；　to…morrow　morning；　in　one　last　embrace；　would　be