Межзвёздный скиталец
Chapter 12
AndI,theunconquerableandindestructibleI,survive.AmIanythelessforthesemutilations,forthesesubtractionsoftheflesh?Certainlynot.Clipmyhair.Shavefrommewithsharprazorsmylips,mynose,myears—ay,andtearouttheeyesofmebytheroots;andthere,mewedinthatfeaturelessskullthatisattachedtoahackedandmangledtorso,thereinthatcellofthechemicflesh,willstillbeI,unmutilated,undiminished.
Oh,theheartstillbeats.Verywell.Cutouttheheart,or,better,flingtheflesh-remnantintoamachineofathousandbladesandmakemincemeatofit—andI,I,don’tyouunderstand,allthespiritandthemysteryandthevitalfireandlifeofme,amoffandaway.Ihavenotperished.Onlythebodyhasperished,andthebodyisnotI.
IbelieveColoneldeRochaswascorrectwhenheassertedthatunderthecompulsionofhiswillhesentthegirlJosephine,whileshewasinhypnotictrance,backthroughtheeighteenyearsshehadlived,backthroughthesilenceandthedarkereshehadbeenborn,backtothelightofapreviouslivingwhenshewasabedriddenoldman,theex-artilleryman,Jean-ClaudeBourdon.AndIbelievethatColoneldeRochasdidtrulyhypnotizethisresurrectedshadeoftheoldmanand,bycompulsionofwill,sendhimbackthroughtheseventyyearsofhislife,backintothedarkandthroughthedarkintothelightofdaywhenhehadbeenthewickedoldwoman,PhilomèneCarteron.
