The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 238: what you’re looking at

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a a THE MYSTRRIES OF THE COURT. 227 deeply, deeply on your account! . Therefore pray listen to me. I am convinced that you enter- tein unfounded ideas in respect to your own health. The mind is suffering ; and in ite sufferings influ- ences the body: but if the mind were restored to its natural tone, the physical sufferings would themselves cease. You have lately looked better than I have seen you ever since you first came to the Chateau. There is a colour upon your cheeks Now do not interrupt me !—not for worlds would I deceive you—and I positively declare that it is not a hectic glow, spot-like and unnatural— bat it is a natural bloom shading gradually “Kinough, Clarine!”” interrupted Zoe gently. “I comprehend the excellence of your motive—I appreciate all your kindness. But there is within me a feeling, which I cannot explain, but which is nevertheless an unmistakable warning——— “Would to heaven,” exclaimed Clarine vohe-. mently, “that you would take proper professional advice upon this subject! If it be really as you think, there can be no harm in your receiving the | conviction that it is eo: but if, on the other hand, you should find that you have deceived yourself— Ah, dearest Zoe! will is not be your duty to cling to life? Did you not a little while back assure me that if you were walking on the edge of a pre- cipice, and that if there were danger of your fall- ing into the abyss, you would retreat rapidly,—be- cause you hold life to be a ancred gift from heaven —s gift which you are to preserve with all possible care until it be taken away from you by Him who originally gave it |” “This is true, Clarine!” anewered Zoe, slowly en Thtien, my beloved friend,” continued Mademoiselle Volney, “however bitter may be your cup of affliction, you are too good and have too profound a sense of your religious obligation, to put an end to your own existence. Bné, on the other hand, aught you to suffer yourself to fade and perish prematurely, if there be on earth the means of restoration? That God who breathed into our mortal clay.the breath of life, has stored the world with herbs and minerals end various substances, expresely injended for the preservation of that lifo by warding off diponse, or grappling with it and conquering if; agd within the spape of human intelligence he haa given a skill for com- prehending how all these euratives and preventives may be used. What is more beautiful than the medical art P—does it not, with all ite appliances and its wondroys capabilities, prove itself to be an effluence from heaven ?—and does not the mere existence of that art teach us the highest moral lessons? If we may not suddenly cecape from life by means of suicide, neither must we suffer our- selves to perish under the influence of illness or dis- ease without invoking the aid of that sublime art which heaven has associated with the destiny of man.” and solemnity, to the eloquent language which was thus flowing from her friend’s lips. She re- cognised all the truthfulness of the reasoning: the whole matter assumed a new aspect to her view ; and her soul reosived the conviction that if she felt it to be wrong to harbour even the slightest thought of self-destruction, it was scarcely less re- pugnant to the will of heaven to yield herself up to the ravages of disease without a single effort to baffle them. “ You have convinced me, my dear Clarine (” Zoe at length said, in a low deep voice: “ you have opened my eyes to a new and sublime truth f Yes—I will follow your counsel Olarine, in the enthusiasm of her joyous feel- ings, caught Zoe’s hands in her own, and pressed them fervidly. “This very day—this very hour, dearest, dearest friend,” cried Mademoiselle Volney, “ must you enter upon this new path. Do you not remem ber Alfred told us yesterday that Baron Louis, the celebrated Parisian physician—he who has acquired guoh renown in the use of the stethoscopo—has arrived in the village to pase a fow weeks for the benefit of his own health? Oome at once I—let us proceed to his residence! Nothing will now eatisfy me until you have recsived this eminent man’s opinion |” After all that had just taken place—with the new impression upon her mind—and considering the assurances she had within the last few minutes given to her friend, Zoe could not possibly refuse the proposition that was thus made. They were close ppon the eutekiré of the village; and in the neighbourkood wae the picturesque little villa which Baron Louis had hired for the few weeks he pur- posed to remain in that district. With a palpi- tating heart Zoe suffered herself to be led along ; aad with enthusiastic did Clarine con- It was now about five o'clock in the afternoon ; and Baron Louie was just returning from an excursion on horesback. On learning the object of the two ladies—or rather we should say one of them—ho courteously invited them to enter,—though with a smile giving them to understand that when visit- ing this Pyrenean district he had no thought of pureuing his professional avocations. Zoe would have retired : but the sealous Cllarine led her on- ward; and they entered the neatly furnished par- lour of the villa. Baron Louis awaited such explanations as Lady Octavian Meredith might have to give him. She hesitated and spoke nervously: but Clarine came to her aid. The young lady said cnough to make the physician comprehend that Zoe had certain causes for sorrow and unhappiness, and that she had recently fancied she was labouring under a pulmonary complaint. The Baron proceeded to make the weual examination by means of the stethoscope; and Olarine awaited the result with perhape far more anxiety than that which Zoo her- self experienced. At length the opinion was de- livered ; and it was to the effect that Lady Octe- vian Meredith needed naught but skilful and com- petent professional treatment in order to be re- stored to perfect physical health. Zoe was well nigh overcome by her feelings on receiving this intelligence: but Clarine clapped her hands with an almost childish, ebullition of joy, and folded her beloved friend in her arms. When the fires gush of feelings on the part of the young ladies was over and when they grew somewhat more composed, they both thanked the learned physician for the trouble be had taken and the delicate kindness he had shown in the pro- ceeding; and then Zoe placed a considerable fee COMME HOG cS) (CO