the magic skin-第44章

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young　doctor。



〃A　'Theory　of　the　Will；'　〃



〃The　devil！　but　that's　a　big　subject。　He　is　exhausted；　I　say；　by　too

much　brain…work；　by　irregular　courses；　and　by　the　repeated　use　of　too

powerful　stimulants。　Violent　exertion　of　body　and　mind　has　demoralized

the　whole　system。　It　is　easy；　gentlemen；　to　recognize　in　the　symptoms

of　the　face　and　body　generally　intense　irritation　of　the　stomach；　an

affection　of　the　great　sympathetic　nerve；　acute　sensibility　of　the

epigastric　region；　and　contraction　of　the　right　and　left

hypochondriac。　You　have　noticed；　too；　the　large　size　and　prominence　of

the　liver。　M。　Bianchon　has；　besides；　constantly　watched　the　patient；

and　he　tells　us　that　digestion　is　troublesome　and　difficult。　Strictly

speaking；　there　is　no　stomach　left；　and　so　the　man　has　disappeared。

The　brain　is　atrophied　because　the　man　digests　no　longer。　The

progressive　deterioration　wrought　in　the　epigastric　region；　the　seat

of　vitality；　has　vitiated　the　whole　system。　Thence；　by　continuous

fevered　vibrations；　the　disorder　has　reached　the　brain　by　means　of　the

nervous　plexus；　hence　the　excessive　irritation　in　that　organ。　There　is

monomania。　The　patient　is　burdened　with　a　fixed　idea。　That　piece　of

skin　really　contracts；　to　his　way　of　thinking；　very　likely　it　always

has　been　as　we　have　seen　it；　but　whether　it　contracts　or　no；　that

thing　is　for　him　just　like　the　fly　that　some　Grand　Vizier　or　other　had

on　his　nose。　If　you　put　leeches　at　once　on　the　epigastrium；　and　reduce

the　irritation　in　that　part；　which　is　the　very　seat　of　man's　life；　and

if　you　diet　the　patient；　the　monomania　will　leave　him。　I　will　say　no

more　to　Dr。　Bianchon；　he　should　be　able　to　grasp　the　whole　treatment

as　well　as　the　details。　There　may　be；　perhaps；　some　complication　of

the　diseasethe　bronchial　tubes；　possibly；　may　be　also　inflamed；　but

I　believe　that　treatment　for　the　intestinal　organs　is　very　much　more

important　and　necessary；　and　more　urgently　required　than　for　the

lungs。　Persistent　study　of　abstract　matters；　and　certain　violent

passions；　have　induced　serious　disorders　in　that　vital　mechanism。

However；　we　are　in　time　to　set　these　conditions　right。　Nothing　is　too

seriously　affected。　You　will　easily　get　your　friend　round　again；〃　he

remarked　to　Bianchon。



〃Our　learned　colleague　is　taking　the　effect　for　the　cause；〃　Cameristus

replied。　〃Yes；　the　changes　that　he　has　observed　so　keenly　certainly

exist　in　the　patient；　but　it　is　not　the　stomach　that；　by　degrees；　has

set　up　nervous　action　in　the　system；　and　so　affected　the　brain；　like　a

hole　in　a　window　pane　spreading　cracks　round　about　it。　It　took　a　blow

of　some　kind　to　make　a　hole　in　the　window；　who　gave　the　blow？　Do　we

know　that？　Have　we　investigated　the　patient's　case　sufficiently？　Are

we　acquainted　with　all　the　events　of　his　life？



〃The　vital　principle；　gentlemen；〃　he　continued；　〃the　Archeus　of　Van

Helmont；　is　affected　in　his　casethe　very　essence　and　centre　of　life

is　attacked。　The　divine　spark；　the　transitory　intelligence　which　holds

the　organism　together；　which　is　the　source　of　the　will；　the

inspiration　of　life；　has　ceased　to　regulate　the　daily　phenomena　of　the

mechanism　and　the　functions　of　every　organ；　thence　arise　all　the

complications　which　my　learned　colleague　has　so　thoroughly

appreciated。　The　epigastric　region　does　not　affect　the　brain　but　the

brain　affects　the　epigastric　region。　No；〃　he　went　on；　vigorously

slapping　his　chest；　〃no；　I　am　not　a　stomach　in　the　form　of　a　man。　No；

everything　does　not　lie　there。　I　do　not　feel　that　I　have　the　courage

to　say　that　if　the　epigastric　region　is　in　good　order；　everything　else

is　in　a　like　condition



〃We　cannot　trace；〃　he　went　on　more　mildly；　〃to　one　physical　cause　the

serious　disturbances　that　supervene　in　this　or　that　subject　which　has

been　dangerously　attacked；　nor　submit　them　to　a　uniform　treatment。　No

one　man　is　like　another。　We　have　each　peculiar　organs；　differently

affected；　diversely　nourished；　adapted　to　perform　different　functions；

and　to　induce　a　condition　necessary　to　the　accomplishment　of　an　order

of　things　which　is　unknown　to　us。　The　sublime　will　has　so　wrought　that

a　little　portion　of　the　great　All　is　set　within　us　to　sustain　the

phenomena　of　living；　in　every　man　it　formulates　itself　distinctly；

making　each；　to　all　appearance；　a　separate　individual；　yet　in　one

point　co…existent　with　the　infinite　cause。　So　we　ought　to　make　a

separate　study　of　each　subject；　discover　all　about　it；　find　out　in

what　its　life　consists；　and　wherein　its　power　lies。　From　the　softness

of　a　wet　sponge　to　the　hardness　of　pumice…stone　there　are　infinite

fine　degrees　of　difference。　Man　is　just　like　that。　Between　the　sponge…

like　organizations　of　the　lymphatic　and　the　vigorous　iron　muscles　of

such　men　as　are　destined　for　a　long　life；　what　a　margin　for　errors　for

the　single　inflexible　system　of　a　lowering　treatment　to　commit；　a

system　that　reduces　the　capacities　of　the　human　frame；　which　you

always　conclude　have　been　over…excited。　Let　us　look　for　the　origin　of

the　disease　in　the　mental　and　not　in　the　physical　viscera。　A　doctor　is

an　inspired　being；　endowed　by　God　with　a　special　giftthe　power　to

read　the　secrets　of　vitality；　just　as　the　prophet　has　received　the

eyes　that　foresee　the　future；　the　poet　his　faculty　of　evoking　nature；

and　the　musician　the　power　of　arranging　sounds　in　an　harmonious　order

that　is　possibly　a　copy　of　an　ideal　harmony　on　high。〃



〃There　is　his　everlasting　system　of　medicine；　arbitrary；　monarchical；

and　pious；〃　muttered　Brisset。



〃Gentlemen；〃　Maugredie　broke　in　hastily；　to　distract　attention　from

Brisset's　comment；　〃don't　let　us　lose　sight　of　the　patient。〃



〃What　is　the　good　of　science？〃　Raphael　moaned。　〃Here　is　my　recovery

halting　between　a　string　of　beads　and　a　rosary　of　leeches；　between

Dupuytren's　bistoury　and　Prince　Hohenlohe's　prayer。　There　is　Maugredie

suspending　his　judgment　on　the　line　that　divides　facts　from　words；

mind　from　matter。　Man's　'it　is；'　and　'it　is　not；'　is　always　on　my

track；　it　is　the　Carymary　Carymara　of　Rabelais　for　evermore：　my

disorder　is　spiritual；　Carymary；　or　material；　Carymara。　Shall　I　live？

They　have　no　idea。　Planchette　was　more　straightforward　with　me；　at　any

rate；　when　he　said；　'I　do　not　know。'　〃



Just　then　Valentin　heard　Maugredie's　voice。



〃The　patient　suffers　from　monomania；　very　good；　I　am　quite　of　that

opinion；〃　he　said；　〃but　he　has　two　hundred　thousand　a　year；

monomaniacs　of　that　kind　are　very　uncommon。　As　for　knowing　whether　his

epigastric　region　has　affected　his　brain；　or　his　brain　his　epigastric

region；　we　shall　find　that　out；　perhaps；　whenever　he　dies。　But　to

resume。　There　is　no　disputing　the　fact　that　he　is　ill；　some　sort　of

treatment　he　must　have。　Let　us　leave　theories　alone；　and　put　leeches

on　him；　to　counteract　the　nervous　and　intestinal　irritation；　as　to　the

existence　of　which　we　all　agree；　and　let　us　send　him　to　drink　the

waters；　in　that　way　we　shall　act　on　both　systems　at　once。　If　there

really　is　tubercular　disease；　we　can　hardly　expect　to　save　his　life；

so　that〃



Raphael　abruptly　left　the　passage；　and　went　back　to　his　armchair。　The

four　doctors　very　soon　came　out　of　the　study；　Horace　was　the

spokesman。



〃These　gentlemen；〃　he　told　him；　〃have　unanimously　agreed　that　leeches

must　be　applied　to　the　stomach　at　once；　and　that　both　physical　and

moral　treatment　are　imperatively　needed。　In　the　first　place；　a

carefully　prescribed　rule　of　diet；　so　as　to　soothe　the　internal

irritation〃here　Brisset　signified　his　approval；　〃and　in　the　second；

a　hygienic　regimen；　to　set　your　general　condition　right。　We　all；

therefore；　recommend　you　to　go　to　take　the　waters　in　Aix　in　Savoy；　or；

if　you　like　it　better；　at　Mont　Dore　in　Auvergne；　the　air　and　the

situation　are　both　pleasanter　in　Savoy　than　in　the　Cantal；　but　you

will　consult　your　own　taste。〃



Here　it　was　Cameristus　who　nodded　assent。



〃These　gentlemen；〃　Bianchon　continued；　〃having　recognized　a　slight

affection　of　the　respiratory　organs；　are　agreed　as　to　the　utility　of

the　previous　course　of　treatment　that　I　have　prescribed。　They　think

that　there　will　be　no　difficulty　about　restoring　you　to　health；　and

that　everything　depends　upon　a　wise　and　alternate　employment　of　these

various　means。　And〃



〃And　that　is　the　cause　of　the　milk　in　the　cocoanut；〃　said　Raphael；

with　a　smile；　as　he　led　Horace　into　his　study　to　pay　the　fees　for　this

useless　consultation。



〃Their　conclusions　are　logical；〃　the　young　doctor　replied。　〃Cameristus

feels；　Brisset　examines；　Maugredie　doubts。　Has　not　man　a　soul；　a　body；

and　an　intelligence？　One　of　these　three　elemental　constituents　always

influences　us　more　or　less　strongly；　there　will　always　be　the　personal

element　in　human　science。　Believe　me；　Raphael；　we　effect　no　cures；　we

only　assist　them。　Another　systemthe　use　of　mild　remedies　while

Nature　exerts　her　powerslies　between　the　extremes　of　theory　of

Brisset　and　Cameristus；　but　one　ought　to　have　known　the　patient　for

some　ten　years　or　so　to　obtain　a　good　result　on　these　lines。　Negation

lies　at　the　back　of　all　medicine；　as　in　every　other　science。　So

endeavor　to　live　wholesomely；　try　a　trip　to　Savoy；　the　best　course　is；

and　always　will　be；　to　trust　to　Nature。〃



It　was　a　month　later；　on　a　fine　summer…like　evening；　that　several

people；　who　were　taking　the　waters　at　Aix；　returned　from　the　promenade

and　met　together　in　the　salons　of　the　Club。　Raphael　remained　alone　by

a　window　for　a　long　time。　His　back　was　turned　upon　the　gathering；　and

he　himself　was　deep　in　those　involuntary　musings　in　which　thoughts

arise　in　succession　and　fade　away；　shaping　themselves　indistinctly；

passing　over　us　like　thin；　almost　colorless　clouds。　Melancholy　is

sweet　to　us　then；　and　delight　is　shadowy；　for　the　soul　is　half　asleep。

Valentin　gave　himself　up　to　this　life　of　sensations；　he　was　steeping

himself　in　the　warm；　soft　twilight；　enjoying　the　pure　air　with　the

scent　of　the　hills　in　it；　happy　in　that　he　felt　no　pain；　and　had

tranquilized　his　threatening　Magic　Skin　at　last。　It　grew　cooler　as　the

red　glow　of　the　sunset　faded　on　the　mountain　peaks；　he　shut　the　window

and　left　his　place。



〃Will　you　be　so　kind　as　not　to　close　the　windows；　sir？〃　said　an　old

lady；　〃we　are　being　stifled〃



The　peculiarly　sharp　and　jarring　tones　in　which　the　phrase　was　uttered

grated　on　Raphael's　ears；　it　fell　on　them　like　an　indiscreet　remark

let　slip　by　some　man　in　whose　friendship　we　would　fain　believe；　a　word

which　reveals　unsuspected　depths　of　selfishness　and　destroys　some

pleasing　sentimental　illusion　of　ours。　The　Marquis　glanced；　with　the

cool　inscrutable　expression　of　a　diplomatist；　at　the　old　lady；　called

a　servant；　and；　when　he　came；　curtly　bade　him：



〃Open　that　window。〃



Great　surprise　was　clearly　expressed　on　all　faces　at　the　words。　The

whole　roomful　began　to　whisper　to　each　other；　and　turned　their　eyes

upon　the　invalid；　as　though　h