THE FRENCH CONVULS1VES. 449 



dyed and he was habited in ultra-fashionable extravagance. ^ While 

 contemplating this species of decorated skeleton, whose satanic smile 

 recalled to his mind the ideal features which painters have given to 

 the Mephistophiles of Goethe,, he was at a loss to recollect where he 

 had seen this fantastic figure. But when he beheld him take the 

 arm of a beautiful opera-dancer, arrayed in all the costliness of Ori- 

 ental magnificence, he bethought him of the satirical wish, with 

 which he had received the fatal present from the aged merchant ; 

 and as he contemplated the humiliation of that sublime wisdom, 

 whose fall might have been deemed impossible, he enjoyed all the 

 luxury of revenge. 



" ' Well, sir/ said he, stopping the Jew, ' have you forgotten the severe 

 maxims of your philosophy ?' ' Ah ! ah !' replied the merchant, in a broken 

 voice, ' I am as happy as a young man. I had taken the cross-ground of 

 existence : there is a whole life in one hour of love/ " 



Raphael had scarce entered his box, when Pauline, the gentle 

 pupil of his lonely garret, took her seat almost by his side, amid a 

 buzz of general admiration, extorted by her surpassing grace and 

 loveliness. They were both petrified at this unexpected meeting ; 

 but restraining the violence of their feelings, they agreed on an inter- 

 view for the next day. On the following morning, Raphael again 

 tempts the power of the talisman. f I wish to be loved by Pauline/ 

 said he. His interview with her takes place in the identical garret 

 where they had first known and loved each other. By the return of 

 a long-lost father, who had been taken prisoner in the Russian cam- 

 paign, she has been raised to dignity and affluence. His wish of the 

 morning is realized to the utmost. The love of Pauline is character- 

 ized by all the unbounded passion, all the deep and thrilling tender- 

 ness and sensibility, all the sublime devotion, even to self-sacrifice, 

 which it is possible for the most ardent imagination to conceive. 

 Compared to her's, the passion of Haidee loses part of its intensity. 

 On his return home, while thinking of the sudden and complete 

 realization of his wisheSj a cold thought passed through his soul. He 

 looked upon the talisman it had shrunk a little. 



Two months pass away in the uninterrupted enjoyment of all the 

 happiness that passionate love can bestow, when he is seized with a 

 violent inflammation of the lungs, and rapidly reduced to a skeleton. 

 He consults the most celebrated physicians, who order him to repair 

 to Aix-la-Chapelle. Thither he accordingly goes ; but his presence 

 becomes odious to the gay society of the place, and he is politely re- 

 quested to withdraw. This his pride forbids ; and one of the com- 

 pany having undertaken to compel him, a challenge is given and ac- 

 cepted. 



" The following morning the adversary of Raphael was the first to arrive 

 at the ground, accompanied by a surgeon and two witnesses. ' An excel- 

 lent place !' said he, gaily ; ' what a beautiful morning for an affair !' and 

 he gazed on the blue vault of heaven, the lake and its rocks, without the 

 slightest feeling of doubt or sadness. ' By just winging him/ continued he, 

 ' I shall send him to bed for a month, at least eh, Doctor ?' ' At least/ 

 replied the surgeon ; ' but pray leave off fiddling with that cane, or you will 

 irritate the nerves of your hand, so as to interfere with the accuracv of vpur 



M.M. No. 88. 3 D 



