?© de, 1799-1850 / 2008-06-29 00:00:00
EBOOK THE MAGIC SKIN ***
Produced by Dagny; and Bonnie Sala
THE MAGIC SKIN
BY
HONORE DE BALZAC
Translated by
Ellen Marriage
To Monsieur Savary, Member of Le Academie des Sciences.
[omitted: a drawing representing the serpentine
path made by the tip of a stick when flourished.]
STERNE--Tristram Shandy, ch. cccxxii.
I
THE TALISMAN
Towards the end of the month of October 1829 a young man entered the
Palais-Royal just as the gaming-houses opened, agreeably to the law
which protects a passion by its very nature easily excisable. He
mounted the staircase of one of the gambling hells distinguished by
the number 36, without too much deliberation.
"Your hat, sir, if you please?" a thin, querulous voice called out. A
little old man, crouching in the darkness behind a railing, suddenly
rose and exhibited his features, carved after a mean design.
As you enter a gaming-house the law despoils you of your hat at the
outset.
Read more
Parts:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20