the brotherhood of consolation-第25章

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terrible　and　laborious　that　it　made　a　violent　impression　on　my　son…in…
law　and　began　the　mortal　melancholy　of　which　he　died；my　daughter；
two　or　three　months　later；　complained　of　a　general　weakness　affecting；
particularly；　her　feet；　which　she　declared　felt　like　cottonwood。　This
debility　changed　to　paralysis；and　what　a　paralysis！　My　daughter's
feet　and　legs　can　be　bent　or　twisted　in　any　way　and　she　does　not　feel
it。　The　limbs　are　there；　apparently　without　blood　or　muscles　or　bones。
This　affection；　which　is　not　connected　with　anything　known　to　science；
spread　to　the　arms　and　hands；　and　we　then　supposed　it　to　be　a　disease
of　the　spinal　cord。　Doctors　and　remedies　only　made　matters　worse　until
at　last　my　poor　daughter　could　not　be　moved　without　dislocating　either
the　shoulders；　the　arms；　or　the　knees。　I　kept　an　admirable　surgeon
almost　constantly　in　the　house；　who；　with　the　doctor；　or　doctors　（for
many　came　out　of　interest　in　the　case）；　replaced　the　dislocated　limbs；
sometimes；　would　you　believe　it　monsieur？　three　and　four　times　a
day！　Ah！This　disease　has　so　many　forms　that　I　forgot　to　tell　you
that　during　the　first　period　of　weakness；　before　the　paralysis　began；
the　strangest　signs　of　catalepsy　appearedyou　know　what　catalepsy　is。
She　remained　for　days　with　her　eyes　wide　open；　motionless；　in　whatever
position　she　was　when　the　attack　seized　her。　The　worst　symptoms　of
that　strange　affection　were　shown；　even　those　of　lockjaw。　This　phase
of　her　illness　suggested　to　me　the　idea　of　employing　magnetism；　and　I
was　about　to　do　so　when　the　paralysis　began。　My　daughter；　monsieur；
has　a　miraculous　clear…sightedness；　her　soul　has　been　the　theatre　of
all　the　wonders　of　somnambulism；　just　as　her　body　has　been　that　of　all
diseases。〃

Godefroid　began　to　ask　himself　if　the　old　man　were　really　sane。

〃So　that　I；〃　continued　Monsieur　Bernard　paying　no　attention　to　the
expression　in　Godefroid's　eyes；　〃even　I；　a　child　of　the　eighteenth
century；　fed　on　Voltaire；　Diderot；　Helvetius；I；　a　son　of　the
Revolution；　who　scoff　at　all　that　antiquity　and　the　middle…ages　tell
us　of　demoniacal　possession；well；　monsieur；　I　affirm　that　nothing
but　such　possession　can　explain　the　condition　of　my　child。　As　a
somnambulist　she　has　never　been　able　to　tell　us　the　cause　of　her
sufferings；　she　has　never　perceived　it；　and　all　the　remedies　she　has
proposed　when　in　that　state；　though　carefully　carried　out；　have　done
her　no　good。　For　instance；　she　wished　to　be　wrapped　in　the　carcass　of
a　freshly　killed　pig；　then　she　ordered　us　to　run　the　sharp　points　of
ret…hot　magnets　into　her　legs；　and　to　put　hot　sealing…wax　on　her
spine〃

Godefroid　looked　at　him　in　amazement。

〃And　then！　what　endless　other　troubles；　monsieur！　her　teeth　fell　out；
she　became　deaf；　then　dumb；　and　then；　after　six　months　of　absolute
dumbness；　utter　deafness；　speech　and　hearing　have　returned　to　her！　She
recovered；　just　as　capriciously　as　she　had　lost；　the　use　of　her　hands。
But　her　feet　have　continued　in　the　same　hapless　condition　for　the　last
seven　years。　She　has　shown　marked　and　well…characterized　symptoms　of
hydrophobia。　Not　only　does　the　sight　of　water；　the　sound　of　water；　the
presence　of　a　glass　or　a　cup　fling　her　at　times　into　a　state　of　fury；
but　she　barks　like　a　dog；　that　melancholy　bark；　or　rather　howl；　a　dog
utters　when　he　hears　an　organ。　Several　times　we　have　thought　her
dying；　and　the　priests　had　administered　the　last　sacraments；　but　she
has　always　returned　to　life　to　suffer　with　her　full　reason　and　the
most　absolute　clearness　of　mind；　for　her　faculties　of　heart　and　soul
are　still　untouched。　Though　she　has　lived；　monsieur；　she　has　caused
the　deaths　of　her　mother　and　her　husband；　who　have　not　been　able　to
endure　the　suffering　of　such　scenes。　Alas！　monsieur；　those　distressing
scenes　are　becoming　worse。　All　the　natural　functions　are　perverted；
the　Faculty　alone　can　explain　the　strange　aberration　of　the　organs。
She　was　in　this　state　when　I　brought　her　from　the　provinces　to　Paris
in　1829；　because　the　two　or　three　distinguished　doctors　to　whom　I
wrote；　Desplein；　Bianchon；　and　Haudry；　thought　from　my　letters　that　I
was　telling　them　fables。　Magnetism　was　then　energetically　denied　by
all　the　schools　of　medicine；　and　without　saying　that　they　doubted
either　my　word　or　that　of　the　provincial　doctors；　they　said　we　could
not　have　observed　thoroughly；　or　else　we　had　been　misled　by　the
exaggeration　which　patients　are　apt　to　indulge　in。　But　they　were
forced　to　change　their　minds　when　they　saw　my　daughter；　and　it　is　to
the　phenomena　they　then　observed　that　the　great　researches　made　in
these　latter　days　are　owing；　for　I　must　tell　you　that　they　class　my
daughter's　singular　state　as　a　form　of　neurosis。　At　the　last
consultation　of　these　gentlemen　they　decided　to　stop　all　medicines；　to
let　nature　alone　and　study　it。　Since　then　I　have　had　but　one　doctor；
and　he　is　the　doctor　who　attends　the　poor　of　this　quarter。　We　do
nothing　for　her　now　but　alleviate　pain；　for　we　know　not　the　cause　of
it。〃

Here　the　old　man　stopped　as　if　overcome　with　his　harrowing　confidence。

〃For　the　last　five　years；〃　he　continued；　〃my　daughter　alternates
between　revivals　and　relapses；　but　no　new　phenomena　have　appeared。　She
suffers　more　or　less　from　the　varied　nervous　attacks　I　have　briefly
described　to　you；　but　the　paralysis　of　the　legs　and　the　derangement　of
the　natural　functions　are　constant。　The　poverty　into　which　we　fell；
and　which　alas！　is　only　increasing；　obliged　me　to　leave　the　rooms　that
I　took；　in　1829；　in　the　faubourg　du　Roule。　My　daughter　cannot　endure
the　fatigue　of　moving；　I　came　near　losing　her　when　I　brought　her　to
Paris；　and　again　when　I　removed　her　to　this　house。　Here　my　worst
financial　misfortunes　have　come　upon　me。　After　thirty　years　in　the
public　service　I　was　made　to　wait　four　years　before　my　pension　was
granted。　I　have　only　received　it　during　the　last　six　months　and　even
then　the　new　government　has　sternly　cut　it　down　to　the　minimum。〃

Godefroid　made　a　gesture　of　surprise　which　seemed　to　ask　for　a　more
complete　confidence。　The　old　man　so　understood　it；　for　he　answered
immediately；　casting　a　reproachful　glance　to　heaven：

〃I　am　one　of　the　thousand　victims　of　political　reaction。　I　conceal　my
name　because　it　is　the　mark　for　many　a　revenge。　If　the　lessons　of
experience　were　not　always　wasted　from　one　generation　to　another　I
should　warn　you；　young　man；　never　to　adopt　the　sternness　of　any
policy。　Not　that　I　regret　having　done　my　duty；　my　conscience　is
perfectly　clear　on　that　score；　but　the　powers　of　to…day　have　not　that
solidarity　which　formerly　bound　all　governments　together　as
governments；　no　matter　how　different　they　might　be；　if　to…day　they
reward　zealous　agents　it　is　because　they　are　afraid　of　them。　The
instrument　they　have　used；　no　matter　how　faithful　it　has　been；　is；
sooner　or　later；　cast　aside。　You　see　in　me　one　of　the　firmest
supporters　of　the　government　of　the　elder　branch　of　the　Bourbons；　as　I
was　later　of　the　Imperial　power；　yet　here　I　am　in　penury！　Since　I　am
too　proud　to　beg；　they　have　never　dreamed　that　I　suffer　untold　misery。
Five　days　ago；　monsieur；　the　doctor　who　takes　care　of　my　daughter；　or
rather　I　should　say；　observes　her；　told　me　that　he　was　unable　to　cure
a　disease　the　forms　of　which　varied　perpetually。　He　says　that　neurotic
patients　are　the　despair　of　science；　for　the　causes　of　their
conditions　are　only　to　be　found　in　some　as　yet　unexplored　system。　He
advised　me　to　have　recourse　to　a　physician　who　has　been　called　a
quack；　but　he　carefully　pointed　out　that　this　man　was　a　stranger；　a
Polish　Jew；　a　refugee；　and　that　the　Parisian　doctors　were　extremely
jealous　of　certain　wonderful　cures　he　had　made；　and　also　of　the
opinion　expressed　by　many　that　he　is　very　learned　and　extremely　able。
Only；　Dr。　Berton　says；　he　is　very　exacting　and　overbearing。　He　selects
his　patients；　and　will　not　allow　an　instant　of　his　time　to　be　wasted；
and　he　isa　communist！　His　name　is　Halpersohn。　My　grandson　has　been
twice　to　find　him；　but　he　is　always　too　busy　to　attend　to　him；　he　has
not　been　to　see　us；　I　fully　understand　why。〃

〃Why？〃　asked　Godefroid。

〃Because　my　grandson；　who　is　sixteen　years　old；　is　even　more　shabbily
dressed　than　I　am。　Would　you　believe　it；　monsieur？　I　/dare/　not　go　to
that　doctor；　my　clothes　are　so　out　of　keeping　with　a　man　of　my　age　and
dignity。　If　he　saw　the　father　as　shabby　as　I　am；　and　the　boy　even
worse；　he　might　not　give　my　daughter　the　needful　attention；　he　would
treat　us　as　doctors　treat　the　poor。　And　think；　my　dear　monsieur；　that
I　love　my　daughter　for　all　the　suffering　she　has　caused　me；　just　as　I
used　to　love　her　for　the　joys　I　had　in　her。　She　has　become　angelic。
Alas！　she　is　nothing　now　but　a　soul；　a　soul　which　beams　upon　her　son
and　me；　the　body　no　longer　exists；　she　has　conquered　suffering。　Think
what　a　spectacle　for　a　father！　The　whole　world；　to　my　daughter；　is
within　the　walls　of　her　room。　I　keep　it　filled　with　flowers；　for　she
loves　them。　She　reads　a　great　deal；　and　when　she　has　the　use　of　her
hands　she　works　like　a　fairy。　She　has　no　conception　of　the　horrible
poverty　to　which　we　are　reduced。　This　makes　our　household　way　of　life
so　strange；　so　eccentric；　that　we　cannot　admit　visitors。　Do　you　now
understand　me；　monsieur？　Can　you　not　see　how　impossible　a　neighbor　is？
I　should　have　to　ask　for　so　much　forbearance　from　him　that　the
obligation　would　be　too　heavy。　Besides；　I　have　no　time　for　friends；　I
educate　my　grandson；　and　I　have　so　much　other　work　to　do　that　I　only
sleep　three；　or　at　most　four　hours　at　night。〃

〃Monsieur；〃　said　Godefroid；　who　had　listened　patiently；　observing　the
old　man　with　sorrowful　attention；　〃I　will　be　your　neighbor；　and　I　will
help　you。〃

A　scornful　gesture；　even　an　impatient　one；　escaped　the　old　man；　for　he
was　one　who　believed　in　nothing　good　in　human　nature。

〃I　will　help　you；〃　pursued　Godefroid；　taking　his　hand；　〃but　in　my　own
way。　Listen　to　me。　What　do　you　mean　to　make　of　your　grandson？〃

〃He　is　soon　to　enter　the　Law　school。　I　am　bringing　him　up　to　the　bar。〃

〃Then　he　will　cost　you　six　hundred　francs　a　year。〃

The　old　man　made　no　reply。

〃I　myself；〃　continued　Godefroid　after　a　pause；　〃have　nothing；　but　I
may　be　able　to　do　much。　I　will　obtain　the　Polish　doctor　for　you。　And
if　your　daughter　is　curable　she　shall　be　cured。　We　will　find　some　way
of　paying　Halpersohn。〃

〃Oh！　if　my　daughter　be　cured　I　will　make　a　sacrifice　I　can　make　but
once；〃　cried　the　old　man。　〃I　will　sell　the　pear　I　have　kept　for　a
thirsty　day。〃

〃You　shall　keep　the　pair〃

〃Oh；　youth！　youth！〃　exclaimed　Monsieur　Bernard；　shaking　his　head。
〃Adieu；　monsieur；　or　rather；　au　revoir。　This　is　the　hour　for　the
Library；　and　as　my　books　are　all　sold　I　am　obliged　to　go　there　every
day　to　do　my　work。　I　shall　bear　in　mind　the　kindness　you　express；　but
I　must　wait　and　see　whether　you　will　grant　us　the　consideration　I　must
ask　from　my　neighbor。　That　is　all　I　expect　of　you。〃

〃Yes；　monsieur；　let　me　be　your　neighbor；　for；　I　assure　you；　Barbet　is
not　a　man　to　allow　the　rooms　to　be　long　unrented；　and　you　might　have
far　worse　neighbors　than　I。　I　do　not　ask　you　to　believe　in　me；　only　to
let　me　be　useful　to　you。〃

〃What　object　have　you？〃　said　the　old　man；　preparing　to　go　do