Beadle's Dime Library No. 230 — page 19: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

rr — — re = as he heard how I had been startled on my first visit. The intelligence relieved my mind; for. it’s not a nica thing to come on a tiger or a python in the dark, even if they do call him tame. I found the house lighted up with Japanese lanterns, and was taken up to the sick-room, where r Angela was quietly counting her beads by the bedside, as placid and ready as usual. I beard her mutter ‘‘ in secula seculorum,” as " The Flying Dute an ——— — — — + — —---- * sible for her first shock, with which connected in some way, innocent, no doubt, but still more or less direct. Will you tell me, or not, what you know as to her first illness? If you do so, I can save her, If you will not, I must give up the case.” He started slightly. “* Give up the case?” “‘I mean what I say,” said I gravely. “TI am a physician; but I cannot work a miracle.” He turned away his faee and remained silent I came in, showing she had just. finished her | for more than a minute, while I watched him prayers. : “Well, sister, how’s the patient?” I asked. ‘Sleeping, ever since. She woke once, and asked for water, and I gave her her stimulants.” ‘* Any delirium?” Sister Angela hesitated. ‘‘She mutters ever name, I never heard, Mongo?” “ Mungo?” said I. ‘Yes, that is it?” said Sister Angela, tri- umphant y. Cert: iy: It's a Scotch name, Scotch all over, like Sholto. It’s her grandfather’s Chris- tian name.” Sister Angela looked relieved. ** Oh, that is it.” I knew well enough what the r child had been muttering about. Her mind had been running on Mungo Johnston even during health, and her brain trouble possibly had some connec- tion with it, . I went and looked at her as she lay there, and on my word I found it very hard to retain my professional self-control and treat her as a mere patient. AJl the wasting and fever had not taken away her childish beauty, It bad rather invested it with a touching pathos, bard to re- sist. One feels so sorry for an innocent child, struggling, with its puny strength, against the power of the destroyer that fells the mightiest man. I felt her pulse and was delighted to find it steady and nearly normal. She was sleeping heavily and I told Sister Angela to let her alone as long as she could, and keep every one away, even her grandfather. I kuew that if she woke sensible, the presence of a nun would agitate her less than any person she knew, who could recall the past to her. I remained in the room nearly an hour, watch- ing ber closely, and detected no signs of deliri- um. At last l went away, promising to return in the morning, and I was there again an hour after sunrise, to find her awake and staring wistfully around the room, evidently quite ra- tional. Sister Angela told me she had not said a word, but appeared to be p zzled as to where she was, though perfectly docile and obedient. Now came the ticklish time to me. My patient was sensible, but as weak as a baby. She recognized me at once, for I saw her smile faintly, as if she were amused at some- thing, and I knew whatit was. I foronce made a donkey of myself before her at Singapore, and she remembered it. But the physician in me, at that moment, had quite swallowed up the donkey, and I only felt glad that she recognized me without agitation. | So I said to her, as gently as possible: “Tm your doctor now. Don’t try to talk. ‘You have been very ill, but you’re getting bet- ter. This lady is Sister Angela, the best nurse Iknow. Do just as she tells you, and I'll let you talk tomorrow. I am going toask you some questions. If you want to say ‘yes,’ close now and then some there such a name as ungry ?”’ ur Bye If you want to say ‘no,’ close your | lips e@ you he closed her eyes and smiled. I was de- | ) lighted \\ Give her some chicken broth, Sister Angela,” I said, ‘and put something in it.” Sister Angela was a regular trump of a nurse. She had it ready in the next room, and my pa- | tient had not to wait over a minute before she was being fed like a baby with broth and brandy. She Tok it with a relish, and then dropped off into a doze which deepened into a regular slum- ber, and 1 made Sister Angela darken up the room while I went down to see my millionaire, I found bim waiting for me, and his pale face wore a look of relief when I told him that my tient was better, and that, if we could keep er from agitation, she would pull through, ‘‘ What do vou wish me to do?” he asked. “ Well, sir,” I said, “it depends on whether you will answer me fully, or not, what I ask ou, . He frowned slightly. | ‘“* What do wish to ask?” I saw there was some confoundei mystery about the man; but I bad a life at stake, and I couldn’t afford to be delicate, so I said: ‘Mr. Vanderdecken, to save that child up- stairs, 1 must know exactly what was the agi- tating cause of ber first trouble, She has had a severe shock, and if I am groping in the dark as to what it was, she may be agitated again, If that takes place, if anything calls back to her memory the begianing of her illness, she'll go off like a snuffed out candle. I presume, from your silenge, that you feel, in some sort, respon- \ | | c closely, The man was agitated: that was clear. At last he said in a low tone; ** Ask on.” ‘“* Will you answer without reserve?” I asked. ‘*T will,” he answered; and I saw he meant it. ‘‘ Where did the first shock take place?” said I “On my yacht—the Phantom.” ‘*‘Of what nature was it?’ } “An experiment of mine on her superstition, and that of her grandfather.” ‘* What kind of an experiment?” *‘An optical illusion, thrown with a magne- sium lantern on a thundercloud at night.” “*Did that throw her into a fever?” “No. It frightened her, and predisposed her to impressions on her imagination,” ** W hat was the immediate shock?” ‘* Another optical illusion.” “Where did that occur!” **In the cabin of the Phantom.” “* What did she see there?’ ‘‘ A person she thought dead.” “Indeed? What was your object in frighten- ing this poor child?” Hie hesitated a long time, but at last said: ‘* A kind one, I assure you. My intention was good, but I made a mistake.” “What followed that experiment?” “The poor child had a headache, but I did not think of it as anything serious. I—” Here he stopped quite a long time, drew a heavy sigh, and added in a lew voice: ‘‘ I permitted the experiment to be repeated, and she fellinto a fever. That is all, sir, on my honor. I would give all my fortune to undo what has been done. I promise to follow your advice, and do as you order me hereafter. Can I do more?” I let him talk on, and then I said: ‘You could hardly do less, sir, as a gentile- man. You -ee of a person thought to be dead, Is he alive ‘* He is,” said Vanderdecken, almost in a whis- per. ‘Then why did you not tell her he was alive, and save her all this torture?” Vanderdecken avas silent, and I saw he did not intend to answer; so I went on se- vena ‘* Why did not that person come himself like aman, instead of masquerading as a ghost? It has been an infamous conspiracy all round, sir, and I don’t know which is most to blame, you or this young man, Mungo Johnston. You have both been practicing on the nerves of a young girl with all the resources of science, aided by er innocence; and by Heaven, Mr. Vander- decken, you and he ought to be ashamed of yourselves!” I was pretty warm by the time I finished, for the physician and the rival (yes, lown that—I don’t want to blink my own asinine folly) were up in arms to resent this poor child's treat- ment. Mr. Vanderdecken heard me like a marble statue. He showed neither anger nor disapproval. He just waited till I had finished, and replied calmly: ‘Dr, Peters, as a physician you have a right to say What vou please, As aman you bave no right to blame others till you have heard both sides of the story. J am responsible for the whole matter, and no one else. Do you under- stand me? J am responsible, for all was done by my orders, which no one in my employment has ever dared to disobey.” “Then,” said I, sternly, ‘‘if that child dies, you bave murdered ber as much as if you had shot her!’ CHAPTER IIT. THE CLAWS UNDER THE VELVET. I EXPECTED the man would break out, for I knew he had the temper of a demon hidden under bis marble exterior. His temper» ment showed that, and the color of his skin. Nature meant him for a savage chief, with no restraint on his passions. To my surprise, he only bowed his head cold- ly, saying: ‘‘I do not dispute your conclusion, sir, though your language is not polite. You are an advo- cate of vivisection, [ understand.” ‘‘What has that to do with this case?’ I asked, angrily, for any bumavitarian nonsense always nettles me, and I thought he was trying to evade my point. “Simply this, sir. You do not hesitate to tor- ure dumb animals for the sake of saving hu- man lives, J have facts to prove which require ou were. ee ee ee experiment in order to secure results affecting the whole human race, and I differ from you only in this, that Ido not pretend to deny my cruelty. But discussion is idle. hat do you wish me to do? I will do it. Hf you ask it, I will leave this house and remove all objects likely to recall the past to your patient. Act your pleasure, I give you carte blanche,” thing. Quarreling wouldn’t help Mamie Bruce, So I said— pretty coldly, I confess: __ ‘“There’s only one way to save her life or reason, I must make her think she’s in her grandfather’s house in' Batavia and that she fell illin Singapore. The rest must be a drea As for J ohneton ) He interrupted me. “You w names, I could not help seeing he was right in =I I have my reasous for it.” **Reason!” T echoed, getting mad again ‘what reason? If the man’s alive I’m not oing to bide the fact when my patient gets well.” — ‘* Nevertheless,” be said, * you'll doso. Fur- ther, you will not mention what I bave told’ you to any living being, till I give you - mission. Is that plain, Dr. Peters?’ : | ee He was as cold as ever, but the devil had waked up in bis dark eyes, and they showed a good deal of the whites, as he spoke in a slow, precise way, showing he meant every word. But my blood was up, and 1 don’t bear to be threatened by. any mixed breed of man; so I | looked him in the eye and answered; “* Yes, it’s plain, I'l be plain, too. I give BO such pledge. If you've got Johnston hidden away anywhere, I want you to produce him, or I lay an information before the authorities as to this whole business. Is that plain, Mr. Van- derdecken?” I gould see, under bis marble exterior, that he was keeping down his wild beast of a temper by a strong effort; but when I had finished he ai fa and replied to me in a low, musical voice: “Dr. Peters, did you ever see a bull charge a locomotive?’ “No,” I said; ‘‘ but I don’t need to see it. The locomotive might kill the bull, but it’s chances to one the bull would throw the engine off the track. You can’t scare me, Mr, Vander- decken.” He smiled as if he didn’t resent my boldness, and said: : “Dr. Peters, I’ve said once, I like you. Don’t - force me to take measures to protect myself at the expense of your life and your patient’s, | have my reasons for all I do; and I bave too many foes, watching my ove movement, to hesitate, when the question lies between my life, in which many are concerned, and individ- ual lives, which concern only their families. You have found out certain things about me— not much, but enough to attract suspicion if made public—and those things you have gained from my weaker nature, in your capacity as a physician, ‘Now, sir, understand me. I don’t appeal to your fears; for I see you’re a brave man and J] reepect you. I simply tell you this: Rather than sacrifice what is bound up in me, you and your patient and your patient’s whole family must go under the wheels of my destiny and be crushed. child upstairs, come to my terms at once. That is all. I give you five minutes to decide, and will leave you alone to think it over.” And up be got, cold as an iceberg; walked to the door of his grand saloon, and went out. Bat before the door closed, I had the pleasure of seeing the grim face of his pet tiger; heard bim say sometbing to the beast; and saw it lie down by the doorway, eying me steadily, I think, if that man had Rawa a trace of an- ger, I should have held out; but there was some- tbing in his face so absolutely serene and mer- ciless, as he passed me, that I saw he meant what he said, and began to understand his hola ou we ay Johnston, if he were really any where around. Mr. Vanderdecken was clearly, in his sphere a perfectly irresponsible despot, who value@ buman life no more than I did that of a cat. I confess that bis reference to vivisection rather staggered me. I remember when first FE saw Professor Scowleigh operate on the senso nerves of a living cat, spread out on the ing-table, the screams of the poor beast sickene me; but use had made me forget the pain to the individual in the benefit to mankind, and I have assisted at more than fifty vivisections since then, to prove a single fact, worth more to me than the lives of a hecatomb of elephants, ay, or millions either, Now, for the first time, I be to see the cat’s side of the story; and, by Jove, I began to feel for it. | I was just as powerless as the cat on the dis- secting-table, after it has been spread out, with- out realizing what is coming rill it is too late resist. Vand rdecken had got me, and not me, but all the otbers; and I saw, from the loo in his face, that be would annihilate us all as thea STS Soe we Mey Der, ws gan k better o ! pte crotchets. and oj he was aronnd in ava, “ecomicbooks oblige me by not mentioning » (lf you wish to save the life ‘the oss el — “ -~ _ : ~~ =—_ i] Pa | ’ - - ‘ " ow - re ee Em — a a ¢ y —— ——" > * ‘ - « a * ws ~ ~- - + _ ~ > Ore 9 Es Oe ee Oo ee -