armadale-第141章

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home？　Ask　them！　Will　ten　minutes'　irritation　from　a　barking　dog
or　a　screeching　child　undo　every　atom　of　good　done　to　a　nervous
sufferer　by　a　month's　medical　treatment？　There　isn't　a　competent
doctor　in　England　who　will　venture　to　deny　it！　On　those　plain
grounds　my　System　is　based。　I　assert　the　medical　treatment　of
nervous　suffering　to　be　entirely　subsidiary　to　the　moral
treatment　of　it。　That　moral　treatment　of　it　you　find　here。　That
moral　treatment；　sedulously　pursued　throughout　the　day；　follows
the　sufferer　into　his　room　at　night；　and　soothes；　helps　and　cures
him；　without　his　own　knowledgeyou　shall　see　how。〃

The　doctor　paused　to　take　breath　and　looked；　for　the　first　time
since　the　visitors　had　entered　the　house；　at　Miss　Gwilt。　For　the
first　time；　on　her　side；　she　stepped　forward　among　the　audience；
and　looked　at　him　in　return。　After　a　momentary　obstruction　in　the
shape　of　a　cough；　the　doctor　went　on。

〃Say；　ladies　and　gentlemen；〃　he　proceeded；　〃that　my　patient　has
just　come　in。　His　mind　is　one　mass　of　nervous　fancies　and
caprices；　which　his　friends　（with　the　best　possible　intentions）
have　been　ignorantly　irritating　at　home。　They　have　been　afraid　of
him；　for　instance；　at　night。　They　have　forced　him　to　have
somebody　to　sleep　in　the　room　with　him；　or　they　have　forbidden
him；　in　case　of　accidents；　to　lock　his　door。　He　comes　to　me　the
first　night；　and　says：　'Mind；　I　won't　have　anybody　in　my
room！''Certainly　not！''I　insist　on　locking　my　door。''By　all
means！'　In　he　goes；　and　locks　his　door；　and　there　he　is；　soothed
and　quieted；　predisposed　to　confidence；　predisposed　to　sleep；　by
having　his　own　way。　'This　is　all　very　well；'　you　may　say；　'but
suppose　something　happens；　suppose　he　has　a　fit　in　the　night；
what　then？'　You　shall　see！　Hallo；　my　young　friend！〃　cried　the
doctor；　suddenly　addressing　the　sleepy　little　boy。　〃Let's　have　a
game。　You　shall　be　the　poor　sick　man；　and　I'll　be　the　good
doctor。　Go　into　that　room　and　lock　the　door。　There's　a　brave　boy！
Have　you　locked　it？　Very　good！　Do　you　think　I　can't　get　at　you　if
I　like？　I　wait　till　you're　asleepI　press　this　little　white
button；　hidden　here　in　the　stencilled　pattern　of　the　outer
wallthe　mortise　of　the　lock　inside　falls　back　silently　against
the　door…postand　I　walk　into　the　room　whenever　I　like。　The　same
plan　is　pursued　with　the　window。　My　capricious　patient　won't　open
it　at　night；　when　he　ought。　I　humor　him　again。　'Shut　it；　dear
sir；　by　all　means！'　As　soon　as　he　is　asleep；　I　pull　the　black
handle　hidden　here；　in　the　corner　of　the　wall。　The　window　of　the
room　inside　noiselessly　opens；　as　you　see。　Say　the　patient's
caprice　is　the　other　wayhe　persists　in　opening　the　window　when
he　ought　to　shut　it。　Let　him！　by　all　means；　let　him！　I　pull　a
second　handle　when　he　is　snug　in　his　bed；　and　the　window
noiselessly　closes　in　a　moment。　Nothing　to　irritate　him；　ladies
and　gentlemenabsolutely　nothing　to　irritate　him！　But　I　haven't
done　with　him　yet。　Epidemic　disease；　in　spite　of　all　my
precautions；　may　enter　this　Sanitarium；　and　may　render　the
purifying　of　the　sick…room　necessary。　Or　the　patient's　case　may
be　complicated　by　other　than　nervous　maladysay；　for　instance；
asthmatic　difficulty　of　breathing。　In　the　one　case；　fumigation　is
necessary；　in　the　other；　additional　oxygen　in　the　air　will　give
relief。　The　epidemic　nervous　patient　says；　'I　won't　be　smoked
under　my　own　nose！'　The　asthmatic　nervous　patient　gasps　with
terror　at　the　idea　of　a　chemical　explosion　in　his　room。　I
noiselessly　fumigate　one　of　them；　I　noiselessly　oxygenize　the
other；　by　means　of　a　simple　Apparatus　fixed　outside　in　the　corner
here。　It　is　protected　by　this　wooden　casing；　it　is　locked　with　my
own　key；　and　it　communicates　by　means　of　a　tube　with　the　interior
of　the　room。　Look　at　it！〃

With　a　preliminary　glance　at　Miss　Gwilt；　the　doctor　unlocked　the
lid　of　the　wooden　casing；　and　disclosed　inside　nothing　more
remarkable　than　a　large　stone　jar；　having　a　glass　funnel；　and　a
pipe　communicating　with　the　wall；　inserted　in　the　cork　which
closed　the　mouth　of　it。　With　another　look　at　Miss　Gwilt；　the
doctor　locked　the　lid　again；　and　asked；　in　the　blandest　manner；
whether　his　System　was　intelligible　now？

〃I　might　introduce　you　to　all　sorts　of　other　contrivances　of　the
same　kind；〃　he　resumed；　leading　the　way　downstairs；　〃but　it　would
be　only　the　same　thing　over　and　over　again。　A　nervous　patient　who
always　has　his　own　way　is　a　nervous　patient　who　is　never　worried；
and　a　nervous　patient　who　is　never　worried　is　a　nervous　patient
cured。　There　it　is　in　a　nutshell！　Come　and　see　the　Dispensary；
ladies；　the　Dispensary　and　the　kitchen　next！〃

Once　more；　Miss　Gwilt　dropped　behind　the　visitors；　and　waited
alonelooking　steadfastly　at　the　Room　which　the　doctor　had
opened；　and　at　the　apparatus　which　the　doctor　had　unlocked。
Again；　without　a　word　passing　between　them；　she　had　understood
him。　She　knew；　as　well　as　if　he　had　confessed　it；　that　he　was
craftily　putting　the　necessary　temptation　in　her　way；　before
witnesses　who　could　speak　to　the　superficially　innocent　acts
which　they　had　seen；　if　anything　serious　happened。　The　apparatus；
originally　constructed　to　serve　the　purpose　of　the　doctor's
medical　crotchets；　was　evidently　to　be　put　to　some　other　use；　of
which　the　doctor　himself　had　probably　never　dreamed　till　now。　And
the　chances　were　that；　before　the　day　was　over；　that　other　use
would　be　privately　revealed　to　her　at　the　right　moment；　in　the
presence　of　the　right　witness。　〃Armadale　will　die　this　time；〃　she
said　to　herself；　as　she　went　slowly　down　the　stairs。　〃The　doctor
will　kill　him；　by　my　hands。〃

The　visitors　were　in　the　Dispensary　when　she　joined　them。　All　the
ladies　were　admiring　the　beauty　of　the　antique　cabinet；　and；　as　a
necessary　consequence；　all　the　ladies　were　desirous　of　seeing
what　was　inside。　The　doctorafter　a　preliminary　look　at　Miss
Gwiltgood…humoredly　shook　his　head。　〃There　is　nothing　to
interest　you　inside；〃　he　said。　〃Nothing　but　rows　of　little　shabby
bottles　containing　the　poisons　used　in　medicine　which　I　keep
under　lock　and　key。　Come　to　the　kitchen；　ladies；　and　honor　me
with　your　advice　on　domestic　matters　below　stairs。〃　He　glanced
again　at　Miss　Gwilt　as　the　company　crossed　the　hall；　with　a　look
which　said　plainly；　〃Wait　here。〃

In　another　quarter　of　an　hour　the　doctor　had　expounded　his　views
on　cookery　and　diet；　and　the　visitors　（duly　furnished　with
prospectuses）　were　taking　leave　of　him　at　the　door。　〃Quite　an
intellectual　treat！〃　they　said　to　each　other；　as　they　streamed
out　again　in　neatly　dressed　procession　through　the　iron　gates。
〃And　what　a　very　superior　man！〃

The　doctor　turned　back　to　the　Dispensary；　humming　absently　　to
himself；　and　failing　entirely　to　observe　the　corner　of　the　hall
in　which　Miss　Gwilt　stood　retired。　After　an　instant's　hesitation；
she　followed　him。　The　as　sistant　was　in　the　room　when　she　entered
itsummoned　by　his　employer　the　moment　before。

〃Doctor；〃　she　said；　coldly　and　mechanically；　as　if　she　was
repeating　a　lesson；　〃I　am　as　curious　as　the　other　ladies　about
that　pretty　cabinet　of　yours。　Now　they　are　all　gone；　won't　you
show　the　inside　of　it　to　_me？_〃

The　doctor　laughed　in　his　pleasantest　manner。

〃The　old　story；〃　he　said。　〃Blue…Beard's　locked　chamber；　and
female　curiosity！　（Don't　go；　Benjamin；　don't　go。）　My　dear　lady；
what　interest　can　you　possibly　have　in　looking　at　a　medical
bottle；　simply　because　it　happens　to　be　a　bottle　of　poison？〃

She　repeated　her　lesson　for　the　second　time。

〃I　have　the　interest　of　looking　at　it；〃　she　said；　〃and　of
thinking；　if　it　got　into　some　people's　hands；　of　the　terrible
things　it　might　do。〃

The　doctor　glanced　at　his　assistant　with　a　compassionate　smile。

〃Curious；　Benjamin；〃　he　said；　〃the　romantic　view　taken　of　these
drugs　of　ours　by　the　unscientific　mind！　My　dear　lady；〃　he　added；
turning　to　Miss　Gwilt；　〃if　_that_　is　the　interest　you　attach　to
looking　at　poisons；　you　needn't　ask　me　to　unlock　my　cabinetyou
need　only　look　about　you　round　the　shelves　of　this　room。　There
are　all　sorts　of　medical　liquids　and　substances　in　those
bottlesmost　innocent；　most　useful　in　themselveswhich；　in
combination　with　other　substances　and　other　liquids；　become
poisons　as　terrible　and　as　deadly　as　any　that　I　have　in　my
cabinet　under　lock　and　key。〃

She　looked　at　him　for　a　moment；　and　creased　to　the　opposite　side
of　the　room。

〃Show　me　one；〃　she　said；

Still　smiling　as　good…humoredly　as　ever；　the　doctor　humored　his
nervous　patient。　He　pointed　to　the　bottle　from　which　he　had
privately　removed　the　yellow　liquid　on　the　previous　day；　and
which　he　had　filled　up　again　with　a　carefully…colored　imitation
in　the　shape　of　a　mixture　of　his　own。

〃Do　you　see　that　bottle；〃　he　said〃that　plump；　round；
comfortable…looking　bottle？　Never　mind　the　name　of　what　is　beside
it；　let　us　stick　to　the　bottle；　and　distinguish　it；　if　you　like；
by　giving　it　a　name　of　our　own。　Suppose　we　call　it　'our　Stout
Friend'？　Very　good。　Our　Stout　Friend；　by　himself；　is　a　most
harmless　and　useful　medicine。　He　is　freely　dispensed　every　day　to
tens　of　thousands　of　patients　all　over　the　civilized　world。　He
has　made　no　romantic　appearances　in　courts　of　law；　he　has　excited
no　breathless　interest　in　novels；　he　has　played　no　terrifying
part　on　the　stage。　There　he　is；　an　innocent；　inoffensive
creature；　who　troubles　nobody　with　the　responsibility　of　locking
him　up！　_But_　bring　him　into　contact　with　something
elseintroduce　him　to　the　acquaintance　of　a　certain　common
mineral　substance；　of　a　universally　accessible　kind；　broken　into
fragments；　provide　yourself　with　（say）　six　doses　of　our　Stout
Friend；　and　pour　those　doses　consecutively　on　the　fragments　I
have　mentioned；　at　intervals　of　not　less　than　five　minutes。
Quantities　of　little　bubbles　will　rise　at　every　pouring；　collect
the　gas　in　those　bubbles；　and　convey　it　into　a　closed
chamberand　let　Samson　himself　be　in　that　closed　chamber；　our
stout　Friend　will　kill　him　in　half　an　hour！　Will　kill　him　slowly；
without　his　seeing　anything；　without　his　smelling　anything；
without　his　feeling　anything　but　sleepiness。　Will　kill　him；　and
tell　the　whole　College　of　Surgeons　nothing；　if　they　examine　him
after　death；　but　that　he　died　of　apoplexy　or　congestion　of　the
lungs！　What　do　you　think　of　_that；_　my　dear　lady；　in　the　way　of
mystery　and　romance？　Is　our　harmless　Stout　Friend　as　interesting
_now_　as　if　he　rejoiced　in　the　terrible　popular　fame　of　the
Arsenic　and　the　Strychnine　which　I　keep　locked　up　there？　Don't
suppose　I　am　exaggerating！　Don't　suppose　I'm　inventing　a　story　to
put　you　off　with；　as　the　children　say。　Ask　Benjamin　there；〃　said
the　doctor；　appealing　to　his　assistant；　with　his　eyes　fixed　on
Miss　Gwilt。　〃Ask　Benjamin；〃　he　repeated；　with　the　steadiest
emphasis　on　the　next　words；　〃if　six　doses　from　that　bottle；　at
intervals　of　five　minutes　each；　would　not；　under　the　conditions　I
have　stated；　produce　the　results　I　have　described？〃

The　Resident　Dispenser；　modestly　admiring　Miss　Gwilt　at　a
distance；　started　and　colored　up。　He　was　plainly　gratified　by　the
little　attention　which　had　included　him　in　the　conversation。

〃The　doctor　is　quite　right；　ma'am；〃　he　said；　addressing　Miss
Gwilt；　with　his　best　bow；　〃the　production　of　the　ga