Парфюмер. История одного убийцы

Chapter 11

           Andevenoncetheyhadlearnedtouseretortsandalembicsfordistillingherbs,flowers,andwoodsandstealingthearomaticbaseoftheirvaporsintheformofvolatileoils,tocrushseedsandpitsandfruitrindsinoakpresses,andtoextractthescentfrompetalswithcarefullyfilteredoils-eventhen,thenumberofperfumeshadbeenmodest.InthosedaysafigurelikePelissierwouldhavebeenanimpossibility,forbackthenjustfortheproductionofasimplepomadeyouneededabilitiesofwhichthisvinegarmixercouldnotevendream.Youhadtobeablenotmerelytodistill,butalsotoactasmakerofsalves,apothecary,alchemist,andcraftsman,merchant,humanist,andgardenerallinone.Youhadtobeabletodistinguishsheepsuetfromcalves’suet,avictoriavioletfromaparmaviolet.YouhadtobefluentinLatin.Youhadtoknowwhenheliotropeisharvestedandwhenpelargoniumblooms,andthatthejasmineblossomlosesitsscentatsunrise.ObviouslyPelissierhadnotthevaguestnotionofsuchmatters.HehadprobablyneverleftParis,neverinallhislifeseenjasmineinbloom.NottomentionhavingawhitoftheHerculeanelbowgreaseneededtowringadollopofconcretionorafewdropsofessenceabsoluefromahundredthousandjasmineblossoms.Probablyheknewsuchthings-knewjasmine-onlyasabottleofdarkbrownliquidconcentratethatstoodinhislockedcabinetalongsidethemanyotherbottlesfromwhichhemixedhisfashionableperfumes.No,inthegoodolddaysoftruecraftsmen,amanlikethiscoxcombPelissierwouldneverhavegothisfootinthedoor.

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