a mortal antipathy-第28章

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Soon；　ataxic　（irregular）　nervous　symptoms　declared　themselves；　and　it

became　plain　that　the　system　had　been　infected　by　the　poison。



The　symptoms　were　very　much　like　those　of　malignant　fever；　such　as

distress　about　the　region　of　the　heart；　difficulty　of　breathing；

collapse　of　all　the　vital　powers；　threatening　immediate　death。　　From

these　first　symptoms　the　child　rallied；　but　his　entire　organism　had

been　profoundly　affected　by　the　venom　circulating　through　it。　　His

constitution　has　never　thrown　off　the　malady　resulting　from　this

toxic　（poisonous）　agent。　　The　phenomena　which　have　been　observed　in

this　young　patient　correspond　so　nearly　with　those　enumerated　in　the

elaborate　essay　of　the　celebrated　Baglivi　that　one　might　think　they

had　been　transcribed　from　his　pages。



〃He　is　very　fond　of　solitude；of　wandering　about　in　churchyards　and

other　lonely　places。　　He　was　once　found　hiding　in　an　empty　tomb；

which　had　been　left　open。　　His　aversion　to　certain　colors　is

remarkable。　　Generally　speaking；　he　prefers　bright　tints　to　darker

ones；　but　his　likes　and　dislikes　are　capricious；　and　with　regard　to

some　colors　his　antipathy　amounts　to　positive　horror。　　Some　shades

have　such　an　effect　upon　him　that　he　cannot　remain　in　the　room　with

them；　and　if　he　meets　any　one　whose　dress　has　any　of　that　particular

color　he　will　turn　away　or　retreat　so　as　to　avoid　passing　that

person。　　Among　these；　purple　and　dark　green　are　the　least　endurable。

He　cannot　explain　the　sensations　which　these　obnoxious　colors　produce

except　by　saying　that　it　is　like　the　deadly　feeling　from　a　blow　on

the　epigastrium　（pit　of　the　stomach）。



〃About　the　same　season　of　the　year　at　which　the　tarantular　poisoning

took　place　he　is　liable　to　certain　nervous　seizures；　not　exactly　like

fainting　or　epilepsy；　but　reminding　the　physician　of　those

affections。　　All　the　other　symptoms　are　aggravated　at　this　time。



〃In　other　respects　than　those　mentioned　the　boy　is　in　good　health。

He　is　fond　of　riding；　and　has　a　pony　on　which　he　takes　a　great　deal

of　exercise；　which　seems　to　do　him　more　good　than　any　other　remedy。



〃The　influence　of　music；　to　which　so　much　has　been　attributed　by

popular　belief　and　even　by　the　distinguished　Professor　to　whom　we

shall　again　refer；　has　not　as　yet　furnished　any　satisfactory　results。

If　the　graver　symptoms　recur　while　the　patient　is　under　our

observation；　we　propose　to　make　use　of　an　agency　discredited　by

modern　skepticism；　but　deserving　of　a　fair　trial　as　an　exceptional

remedy　for　an　exceptional　disease。



〃The　following　extracts　from　the　work　of　the　celebrated　Italian

physician　of　the　last　century　are　given　by　the　writer　of　the　paper　in

the　Giornale　in　the　original　Latin；　with　a　translation　into　Italian；

subjoined。　　Here　are　the　extracts；　or　rather　here　is　a　selection　from

them；　with　a　translation　of　them　into　English。



〃After　mentioning　the　singular　aversion　to　certain　colors　shown　by

the　subject　of　Tarantism；　Baglivi　writes　as　follows：

〃'Et　si　astantes　incedant　vestibus　eo　colore　difusis；　qui　Tarantatis

ingrates　est；　necesse　est　ut　ab　illorum　aspectu　recedant；　nam　ad

intuitum　molesti　coloris　angore　cordis；　et　symptomatum　recrudescantia

stating　corripiuntur。'　（G。　　Baglivi；　Op。　　Omnia；　page　614。　　Lugduni；

1745。）



〃That　is；　'if　the　persons　about　the　patient　wear　dresses　of　the　color

which　is　offensive　to　him；　he　must　get　away　from　the　sight　of　them；

for　on　seeing　the　obnoxious　color　he　is　at　once　seized　with　distress

in　the　region　of　the　heart；　and　a　renewal　of　his　symptoms。'



〃As　to　the　recurrence　of　the　malady；　Baglivi　says：

〃'Dam　calor　solis　ardentius　exurere　incip　at；　quod　contingit　circa

initia　Julii　et　Augusti；　Tarantati　lente　venientem　recrudescentiam

veneni　percipiunt。'　（Ibid。；　page　619。）



〃Which　I　render；　'When　the　heat　of　the　sun　begins　to　burn　more

fiercely；　which　happens　about　the　beginning　of　July　and　August；　the

subjects　of　Tarantism　perceive　the　gradually　approaching

recrudescence　（returning　symptoms）　of　the　poisoning。　　Among　the

remedies　most　valued　by　this　illustrious　physician　is　that　mentioned

in　the　following　sentence：

〃'Laudo　magnopere　equitationes　in　aere　rusticano　factas　singulis

diebus；　hord　potissimum　matutina；　quibus　equitationibus　morbos

chronicos　pene　incurabiles　protanus　eliminavi。'



〃　Or　in　translation；

〃'I　commend　especially　riding　on　horseback　in　country　air；　every　day；

by　preference　in　the　morning　hours；　by　the　aid　of　which　horseback

riding　I　have　driven　off　chronic　diseases　which　were　almost

incurable。'〃



Miss　Vincent　read　this　paper　aloud　to　Dr。　Butts；　and　handed　it　to　him

to　examine　and　consider。　　He　listened　with　a　grave　countenance　and

devout　attention。



As　she　finished　reading　her　account；　she　exclaimed　in　the　passionate

tones　of　the　deepest　conviction；



〃There；　doctor！　　Have　n't　I　found　the　true　story　of　this　strange

visitor？　　Have　n't　I　solved　the　riddle　of　the　Sphinx？　　Who　can　this

man　be　but　the　boy　of　that　story？　　Look　at　the　date　of　the　journal

when　he　was　eleven　years　old；　it　would　make　him　twenty…five　now；　and

that　is　just　about　the　age　the　people　here　think　he　must　be　of。　　What

could　account　so　entirely　for　his　ways　and　actions　as　that　strange

poisoning　which　produces　the　state　they　call　Tarantism？　　I　am　just　as

sure　it　must　be　that　as　I　am　that　I　am　alive。　　Oh；　doctor；　doctor；　I

must　be　right；this　Signprino　M　。　　。　　。　　Ch　。　　。　　。　　was　the　boy

Maurice　Kirkwood；　and　the　story　accounts　for　everything；his

solitary　habits；　his　dread　of　people；it　must　be　because　they　wear

the　colors　he　can't　bear。　　His　morning　rides　on　horseback；　his　coming

here　just　as　the　season　was　approaching　which　would　aggravate　all　his

symptoms；　does　n't　all　this　prove　that　I　must　be　right　in　my

conjecture；no；　my　conviction？〃



The　doctor　knew　too　much　to　interrupt　the　young　enthusiast；　and　so　he

let　her　run　on　until　she　ran　down。　　He　was　more　used　to　the　rules　of

evidence　than　she　was；　and　could　not　accept　her　positive　conclusion

so　readily　as　she　would　have　liked　to　have　him。　　He　knew　that

beginners　are　very　apt　to　make　what　they　think　are　discoveries。　　But

he　had　been　an　angler　and　knew　the　meaning　of　a　yielding　rod　and　an

easy…running　reel。　　He　said　quietly；



〃You　are　a　most　sagacious　young　lady；　and　a　very　pretty　prima　facie

case　it　is　that　you　make　out。　　I　can　see　no　proof　that　Mr。　Kirkwood

is　not　the　same　person　as　the　M　。　　。　　。　　Ch　。　　。　　。　　of　the　medical

journal；that　is；　if　I　accept　your　explanation　of　the　difference　in

the　initials　of　these　two　names。　　Even　if　there　were　a　difference；

that　would　not　disprove　their　identity；　for　the　initials　of　patients

whose　cases　are　reported　by　their　physicians　are　often　altered　for

the　purpose　of　concealment。　　I　do　not　know；　however；　that　Mr。

Kirkwood　has　shown　any　special　aversion　to　any　particular　color。　　It

might　be　interesting　to　inquire　whether　it　is　so；　but　it　is　a

delicate　matter。　　I　don't　exactly　see　whose　business　it　is　to

investigate　Mr。　Maurice　Kirkwood's　idiosyncrasies　and　constitutional

history。　　If　he　should　have　occasion　to　send　for　me　at　any　time；　he

might　tell　me　all　about　himself；　in　confidence；　you　know。　　These　old

accounts　from　Baglivi　are　curious　and　interesting；　but　I　am　cautious

about　receiving　any　stories　a　hundred　years　old；　if　they　involve　an

improbability；　as　his　stories　about　the　cure　of　the　tarantula　bite　by

music　certainly　do。　　I　am　disposed　to　wait　for　future　developments；

bearing　in　mind；　of　course；　the　very　singular　case　you　have

unearthed。　　It　wouldn't　be　very　strange　if　our　young　gentleman　had　to

send　for　me　before　the　season　is　over。　　He　is　out　a　good　deal　before

the　dew　is　off　the　grass；　which　is　rather　risky　in　this　neighborhood

as　autumn　comes　on。　　I　am　somewhat　curious；　I　confess；　about　the

young　man；　but　I　do　not　meddle　where　I　am　not　asked　for　or　wanted；

and　I　have　found　that　eggs　hatch　just　as　well　if　you　let　them　alone

in　the　nest　as　if　you　take　them　out　and　shake　them　every　day。　　This

is　a　wonderfully　interesting　supposition　of　yours；　and　may　prove　to

be　strictly　in　accordance　with　the　facts。　　But　I　do　not　think　we　have

all　the　facts　in　this　young　man's　case。　　If　it　were　proved　that　he

had　an　aversion　to　any　color；　it　would　greatly　strengthen　your　case。

His　'antipatia；'　as　his　man　called　it；　must　be　one　which　covers　a

wide　ground；　to　account　for　his　self…isolation；and　the　color

hypothesis　seems　as　plausible　as　any。　　But；　my　dear　Miss　Vincent；

I　think　you　had　better　leave　your　singular　and　striking　hypothesis　in

my　keeping　for　a　while；　rather　than　let　it　get　abroad　in　a　community

like　this；　where　so　many　tongues　are　in　active　exercise。　　I　will

carefully　study　this　paper；　if　you　will　leave　it　with　me；　and　we　will

talk　the　whole　matter　over。　　It　is　a　fair　subject　for　speculation；

only　we　must　keep　quiet　about　it。〃



This　long　speech　gave　Lurida's　perfervid　brain　time　to　cool　off　a

little。　　She　left　the　paper　with　the　doctor；　telling　him　she　would

come　for　it　the　next　day；　and　went　off　to　tell　the　result　of　this

visit　to　her　bosom　friend；　Miss　Euthymia　Tower。









XV



DR。　BUTTS　CALLS　ON　EUTHYMIA。



The　doctor　was　troubled　in　thinking　over　his　interview　with　the　young

lady。　　She　was　fully　possessed　with　the　idea　that　she　had　discovered

the　secret　which　had　defied　the　most　sagacious　heads　of　the　village。

It　was　of　no　use　to　oppose　her　while　her　mind　was　in　an　excited

state。　　But　he　felt　it　his　duty　to　guard　her　against　any　possible

results　of　indiscretion　into　which　her　eagerness　and　her　theory　of

the　equality；　almost　the　identity；　of　the　sexes　might　betray　her。

Too　much　of　the　woman　in　a　daughter　of　our　race　leads　her　to　forget

danger。　　Too　little　of　the　woman　prompts　her　to　defy　it。　　Fortunately

for　this　last　class　of　women；　they　are　not　quite　so　likely　to　be

perilously　seductive　as　their　more　emphatically　feminine　sisters。



Dr。　Butts　had　known　Lurida　and　her　friend　from　the　days　of　their

infancy。　　He　had　watched　the　development　of　Lurida's　intelligence

from　its　precocious　nursery…life　to　the　full　vigor　of　its　trained

faculties。　　He　had　looked　with　admiration　on　the　childish　beauty　of

Euthymia；　and　had　seen　her　grow　up　to　womanhood；　every　year　making

her　more　attractive。　　He　knew　that　if　anything　was　to　be　done　with

his　self…willed　young　scholar　and　friend；　it　would　be　more　easily

effected　through　the　medium　of　Euthymia　than　by　direct　advice　to　the

young　lady　herself。　　So　the　thoughtful　doctor　made　up　his　mind　to

have　a　good　talk　with　Euthymia；　and　put　her　on　her　guard；　if　Lurida

showed　any　tendency　to　forget　the　conventionalities　in　her　eager

pursuit　of　knowledge。



For　the　doctor's　horse　and　chaise　to　stop　at　the　door　of　Miss

Euthymia　Tower's　parental　home　was　an　event　strange　enough　to　set　all

the　tongues　in　the　village　going。　　This　was　one　of　those　families

where　illness　was　hardly　looked　for　among　the　pos