L I E) RAR.Y 
 
 OF THE 
 
 U N IVERSITY 
 
 Of ILLINOIS 
 
 823 
 C372d 
 
Ui 
 
 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS 
 
 IN TWO VOLUMES 
 
ALEXANDER STRAHAN, PUBLISHER 
 
 London , 148, Strand 
 
 New York 139, Grajid Street 
 
DOCTOR AUSTIN'S 
 GUESTS 
 
 By WILLIAM GILBERT 
 
 AUTHOR OF " DE PROFUNDIS," ETC. 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
 ALEXANDER STRAHAN, PUBLISHER 
 
 LONDON AND NEW YORK 
 1866 
 
I. -IN TROD UC TO R Y. 
 
 A FEW years since I brought under the notice 
 of the pubhc — it must be confessed not 
 without fear and trembhng — a description of 
 some cases which had come under my observa- 
 tion during a temporary sojourn in an asylum. 
 I had retired there from the world, to avoid, 
 if possible, yielding to a terrible temptation. 
 I was in danger of committing an action so 
 wicked that I am certain it had never before 
 entered into the imagination of man, and I 
 doubt if even the arch-fiend himself would have 
 had the courage to attempt it in his own person. 
 I promised then that if those memoirs were favour- 
 ably received, I would on some future occasion 
 VOL. I. B 
 
DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 publish a sequel to them ; and this I now offer 
 to the public, trusting it may be received with 
 the same kindness and indulgence as were ex- 
 tended to my earlier venture. 
 
 In my former publication I went somewhat 
 minutely into detail as to the origin of the fearful 
 temptation — (which, through the malice of Satan, 
 is even still continually presenting itself to my 
 imagination) — that induced me to seek pro- 
 tection in an asylum. It would, therefore, be 
 useless to detain the reader by describing it again 
 at any length ; but it is absolutely necessary to 
 refresh his memory on the subject. Along with 
 my son, then a mere lad, I was making some 
 experiments with an air-gun, when I discovered 
 that the expansive force of the condensed air was 
 greater than the amount of physical power required 
 to charge the gun. Somewhat surprised that so 
 simple a conclusion had never been reached before, 
 I began to doubt whether I might not have made 
 some great mistake in the matter, and I at once 
 determined to test the truth of my discovery by 
 every plan my ingenuity could suggest. I cal- 
 culated as correctly as I could the amount of 
 
INTRODUCTORY. 
 
 muscular force needed to charge the gun, and 
 then the amount of momentum requisite to carry 
 the balls the distance they were sent. I tried 
 how far I could throw the balls by the force of 
 my arm, but of course the distance was not a 
 fiftieth part of that they were propelled by the 
 expansion of the condensed air. I made every 
 allowance for loss of power in the arm, and all 
 other contingencies which could present them- 
 selves, but still the increase of force over the 
 amount used to obtain it appeared inexplicable. 
 
 At last, without being able to explain the 
 phenomenon to myself in a quite satisfactory 
 manner, I admitted it to be wholly indisputable. 
 I then began to study how I could utilize the 
 discovery I had made. The idea of developing 
 some grand motive power — of producing some 
 magnificent invention which might benefit man- 
 kind, instead of using it solely as an instrument 
 of destruction — took possession of my mind. 
 At last I resolved to apply it to the purposes 
 of navigation as a substitute for steam power, 
 which was expensive in comparison, and the 
 machinery required bulky and cumbrous. I took 
 
DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 out a patent to protect my Invention, and having 
 purchased a small boat I erected my engine 
 in it. But the boat proved too small for carry- 
 ing out the experiment in an efficient manner, 
 and I was obliged to relinquish the scheme, as 
 the expense I had already incurred had consumed 
 a very considerable amount of my available 
 means. 
 
 I now gave over experiments, and for some 
 time attempted to devote myself to' my pro- 
 fession as a member of the Bar. But I found 
 it impossible to continue : the knowledge of the 
 awful discovery I had made perpetually haunted 
 me ; I upbraided myself with folly in not having 
 given it to the world, whereby I might have in- 
 creased both my reputation and fortune. I could 
 now look calmly on my former efforts, and 
 could easily understand the cause of my failure. 
 At the same time I perceived that to carry out 
 my experiments in applying my invention as a 
 motive power for propelling ships, on such a 
 scale as to insure success, would very far ex- 
 ceed my pecuniary means. I therefore resolved 
 on using it for locomotive engines. I commenced 
 
INTRODUCTORY. 
 
 experimenting on a very moderate scale. So 
 promising did my endeavours appear, that I 
 entertained no doubt I should soon realize my 
 most sanguine hopes. One difficulty only pre- 
 sented itself to me ; that was how I should stop 
 my engine when it had acquired any considerable 
 velocity. As its momentum would naturally be 
 greater in proportion as the atmospheric pressure 
 against it increased, this difficulty grew as I 
 pondered. It startled me to such a degree that 
 I gave orders to stop the completion of my work- 
 ing model till I had devised some means to 
 counteract it. While studying the subject, the 
 remark of Archimedes, that if he had but a 
 fulcrum for his lever he could move the world, 
 perpetually presented itself to my mind. It 
 appeared to me that I had both fulcrum and 
 lever — indeed, far more than both — combined in 
 my invention. By using the force at my com- 
 mand, instead of wasting, it would be constantly 
 increasing. I could easily quadruple it, and if 
 this again were used and a similar result obtained, 
 which would to a certainty be the case, and that 
 again increased in like proportion, what would it 
 
DOCTOR ADSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 arrive at in the end ? The result would be too 
 vast for human imagination to grasp. 
 
 Would to heaven such a conclusion had been 
 a correct one ! Not liking to be thwarted in what 
 I had taken an interest in, I continued my studies. 
 Suddenly the whole matter appeared to me in so 
 clear a light, and all its tremendous combinations 
 were placed so perfectly before me, that I almost 
 trembled at the power which seemed to be de- 
 posited in my hands. In the plainest manner 
 I saw how these forces might be accumulated 
 till they actually reached the infinite, and some 
 occult voice whispered in my ear that I could 
 place myself in a position antagonistic to Deity 
 himself, and that if I pleased I could destroy the 
 universe He had made. I need hardly say that 
 this terrible blasphemy caused me the greatest 
 pain. I prayed most earnestly that I might be 
 relieved from the possession of this terrible power ; 
 but Satan seemed secretly to possess me, and min- 
 gled his temptation with every prayer I uttered. 
 My dear wife and my friends perceived the distress 
 of mind I was labouring under, but they wrongly 
 attributed it to a disturbed brain, and took steps 
 
INTRODUCTORY. 
 
 to place me under restraint. At first I thought of 
 explaining the whole matter to them, and thus 
 prove that I was not insane ; but on consideration 
 I thought it would be more noble to sacrifice 
 myself for the good of the universe. So, submit- 
 ting quietly to their wishes, I became an inmate 
 of a lunatic asylum. 
 
 Being of an active turn of mind, my time did 
 not pass without occupation, though secluded from 
 the world. I took pleasure in marking the dif- 
 ferent peculiarities of my companions, and gave a 
 good deal of attention to psychological studies 
 generally. The result was that I gained a con- 
 siderable insight into the morbid tendencies of the 
 brain. I remained in the asylum for some years, 
 enjoying comparative comfort and security, not 
 having the means for making working models, and 
 otherwise carrying out my designs as to inven- 
 tion. I had no reason to fear the ultimate result, 
 and I was thus relieved from a heavy weight of 
 anxiety. My reasons for quitting it at the last 
 arose from strong doubts I had as to the sanity of 
 Dr. Meadows, the resident physician ; and consi- 
 dering it derogatory for a perfectly sane man like 
 
DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 me, to remain under the care of a possible lunatic, 
 I watched my opportunity, and succeeded in effect- 
 ing my escape, though not without great difficulty, 
 and still greater annoyance, arising from the ab- 
 surd behaviour of an elderly lady patient who ac- 
 companied me, and who laboured under the strange 
 impression that she was the Persian despot, Xerxes. 
 I did not long enjoy my liberty. A few weeks 
 had only elapsed, when I began to think of again 
 commencing my locomotive model. At the same 
 time I strove by every means in my power not to 
 let my thoughts wander beyond the subject I was 
 employed upon. Still I could not divest myself of 
 the notion that if the arch-fiend should be aware 
 }3-' d^my escape, he would again tempt me to rebel 
 against Deity. One day I read in the Times 
 newspaper a description of some experiments of 
 Mr. Home, the spiritualist, and was especially 
 struck by the fact of his rising in his chair and 
 floating in the air round the ceiling. There were 
 several other movements equally startling, and 
 the descriptions given were borne out by state- 
 ments of other journals and magazines of the 
 highest respectability. Mr. Home, I thought, surely 
 
INTRODUCTORY. 
 
 could not be mortal, and if he were not so, he must 
 either be a good or an evil spirit. I obtained as 
 many notes of incidents in his life as I could col- 
 lect, but I was not able to discover one act of 
 immorality or want of integrity, nor did I find one 
 action of so pure a nature as to lead me for one 
 moment to imagine him a good spirit. It there- 
 fore remained for me to discover whether he was 
 an evil spirit. Here, I regret to say, proof was not 
 wanting, and that too of the clearest description, 
 showing that he was either an emissary from the 
 evil one, or possibly Satan himself. It would 
 occupy too much time to detail the many argu- 
 ments which have induced me to come to this con- 
 clusion, and the reader must therefore content him- 
 self with one. Mr. Home (I prefer calling him by 
 that name) could at his will rise through the 
 atmospheric air. The lighter the atmosphere, 
 owing to its distance from the earth, the swifter 
 would be Mr. Home's passage through it ; and when 
 he had at length emerged beyond it, his velocity 
 would be as swift as that of thought itself. And if, 
 inhabiting the ponderable human form, he could rise 
 through the lighter atmospheric fluid, by resuming 
 
DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 his imponderable spirit-nature, he would naturally 
 descend through the air with equal rapidity, his 
 flight becoming the more rapid as the atmosphere 
 near the earth became denser. This, of course, no 
 mortal man could do ; Mr. Home could accomplish 
 it at his will ; and therefore he must be a spirit. As 
 there was not one single grain of evidence to show 
 that he had been sent on a mission from heaven, 
 there was no reason to imagine him a good angel ; 
 and as all his experiments were contrary to the 
 law of the earth's attraction — the basis of the 
 Almighty's work when He formed the world, — as 
 well as to every law of natural philosophy, it was 
 clearly impossible for me to come to any other 
 conclusion than that he was of infernal origin. 
 
 I now began to reflect as to what could be Mr. 
 Home's mission on earth, and the longer I dwelt 
 on the subject the more fully did I become con- 
 vinced that it was to make me the instrument in 
 his plot for the destruction of the universe. This 
 horrible idea so preyed upon my mind ultimately, 
 that I became thoroughly miserable. My dear 
 wife, perceiving my unhappy condition, pitied me 
 from her heart, and again proposed that I should 
 
NTRODUCTORY. 
 
 seclude myself from the world. Without hesita- 
 tion I acted on her suggestion, but under the 
 positive condition that I should not go back to my 
 old quarters. This was agreed to, and I became 
 a resident in an asylum near Salisbury, special 
 instructions having been given to the superin- 
 tending physician that Mr. Home should never be 
 allowed to visit the house during my stay in it ; 
 which agreement, I am bound to say, was rigidly 
 adhered to by the doctor. 
 
 For more than a year the time passed agreeably 
 enough in my new abode. The medical men in 
 charge were learned and gentlemanly, and there 
 was a marked difference in the manner in 
 which they behaved to me, and that which they 
 observed to the other patients. They conversed 
 rationally with me, for instance, on divers subjects 
 of interest, and admitted me into companionship 
 with them, thus completely showing their perfect 
 faith in my sanity. Among the patients also were 
 many who had moved in excellent society, whose 
 malady was either so slight as to be hardly per- 
 ceptible, or who suffered only from occasional 
 attacks. But this agreeable sort of life was not to 
 
DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 continue. A thin, dried-up, dapper little man 
 joined us, by profession a naval officer. For some 
 years he had been in command of a ship on the 
 coast of Africa, in the slave-blockading squadron, I 
 think it was called. He had received a sun- 
 stroke, and had suffered so severely that his life was 
 despaired of. Although restored to comparatively 
 good bodily health, its effects had left a deep 
 impression on his mind. He became irritable, 
 tyrannical, and capricious ; some of his acts indeed 
 were so preposterous, that he received a hint to 
 retire from the service, or be tried by court-martial. 
 This notice had such an effect upon him that he 
 actually became insane. A medical committee 
 came to the conclusion that he would never again 
 be fit to command one of her Majesty's ships, and 
 so he was invalided on a pension. For some time 
 he remained in London, having his fling, as he 
 called it, where his conduct soon became so eccen- 
 tric that his relatives found themselves called upon 
 to interfere, and he became an inmate of our 
 asylum. Here his health rapidly improved, prin- 
 cipally owing to his being unable to obtain ardent 
 spirits, from indulgence in which his malady chiefly 
 
INTRODUCTORY. I3 
 
 arose. But he was never a very agreeable com- 
 panion ; he contradicted in a very rude, off-hand 
 manner any one who happened to utter an opinion 
 which did not coincide with his own. 
 
 The captain had hardly been a month among us 
 before he contrived to quarrel with all the inmates 
 except myself. He managed to keep on tolerably 
 amicable terms with me, in great part perhaps 
 owing to my scrupulously avoiding every subject 
 likely to yield matter of dispute with him, and let- 
 ting him have entirely his own way in every conver- 
 sation. But, peaceable as I was, the captain had 
 apparently determined I should form no exception. 
 One day, after dinner, when I was conversing with 
 a gentleman on the possibility of applying the 
 expansive power of condensed atmospheric air to 
 propelling ships of war in place of steam, the cap- 
 tain suddenly stopped me by saying, — 
 
 " Did I clearly understand you, sir ? Do you 
 propose abohshing steam power in her Majesty's 
 navy, and substituting engines worked by con- 
 densed atmospheric air.''" 
 
 *' I did not propose it professionally," I said, 
 mildly ; " I merely suggested the practicability of 
 
14 DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 an application of the kind ; and I am certain that 
 with your great experience, if you only went a 
 little deeper into the matter you would arrive at 
 the same conclusion." 
 
 "Then, sir," he exclaimed, using an oath which 
 I forbear repeating, "you do me a gross injustice 
 to imagine I am capable for one moment of 
 admitting anything of the kind. I am not the 
 man, sir, to allow an insult of this sort to pass 
 without punishment, I assure you. You have, by 
 your proposition, insulted the British flag, and, 
 as an officer in her Majesty's service, and a gen- 
 tleman, I shall take upon myself the task of 
 redressing it, and severely too, I assure you." 
 
 "You can take any steps you think proper," I 
 replied, quite calmly ; " but at the same time 
 allow me to say you are taking offence where 
 none was intended. It was merely a scientific 
 suggestion I put forth, without any ulterior motive, 
 I assure you." 
 
 " No matter," he said ; " I consider your pro- 
 position to abolish our steam-engines in the navy 
 an insult to the British flag, and as an officer in 
 the service I shall take upon myself to redress it." 
 
NTRODUCTORY. 15 
 
 " Do as you please," I answered ; " I shall hold 
 no further conversation with you." 
 
 He then left the room in a towering passion, 
 which I treated with utter contempt. 
 
 The next morning, as I was taking my accus- 
 tomed walk in the grounds, a friend came up and 
 warned me that the captain was waiting for me ; 
 and as the temper of the silly man was such as 
 might lead him to assault me, he seriously advised 
 me to go into the house. But I treated the 
 matter with complete indifference, as I was by far 
 the stronger man of the two. Still, I confess the 
 idea of a personal altercation annoyed me ex- 
 ceedingly, and I was somewhat at a loss what to 
 do. While deliberating what course I should 
 adopt, the captain advanced towards me, accom- 
 panied by three or four of the patients whom he 
 had invited to be present. I saw by his counte- 
 nance that he was prepared for some energetic 
 procedure, which was further confirmed by his 
 waving in a threatening manner a switch he held 
 in his hand. I stood still to receive him ; and 
 as soon as he had reached me he said, — 
 
 "You thought fit last night, sir, grossly to 
 
i6 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 insult the service in which I have the honour to 
 hold a commission. I must now request you to 
 apologize for your behaviour in an ample and 
 humble manner." 
 
 " I will do nothing of the kind," I replied, now 
 thoroughly angry. "I offered you no affront, and 
 I will make no apology." 
 
 "Then, sir," said he, inflicting a rather sharp 
 cut across my shoulders with the switch, "I beg 
 you will consider yourself horsewhipped." 
 
 I did as he requested, and by way of reply 
 immediately knocked him down. As we were 
 standing on a somewhat steep incline his fall was 
 a very severe one. Though evidently surprised at 
 the manner in which his insult had been received, 
 he rose for the purpose of again attacking me ; but 
 his ankle was so severely sprained that he could 
 not move. His friends immediately assisted in 
 leading him away, while he uttered the most 
 terrific threats of vengeance against me. I was 
 very much annoyed at the whole affair, and not 
 a little ashamed of it also. I endeavoured, 
 however, to continue my walk as though my 
 temper had not been at all ruffled by the assault 
 
INTRODUCTORY. 17 
 
 to which I had been so unjustly subjected ; but 
 feehng I did not perform my part very well, I 
 left the garden and retired to my room, where I 
 stayed for the rest of the day. 
 
 Next morning after breakfast I received a mes- 
 sage from the doctor, saying that he wished 
 particularly to speak to me in his study. I 
 obeyed his summons, and he received me in the 
 most friendly manner. "I have just had a very 
 singular epistle brought to me from the captain," 
 he said. " Here it is — read it." I cast my eye 
 over it rapidly, and could not repress a smile. 
 The captain had written it in the style of a naval 
 despatch, commencing with, "I have the honour 
 to report ; " and he went on to say that, as I 
 had grossly insulted the British flag, he had 
 considered it necessary to demand a humble 
 apology ; and this being insolently refused, he 
 had commenced an attack which he regretted 
 to state did not terminate so successfully as 
 her Majesty's naval operations usually did, owing 
 entirely to the very superior force opposed to 
 him. He closed it by requesting the doctor to 
 give him assistance in making another assault, 
 
 VOL. I. C 
 
i8 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 which he doubted not would fully efface the 
 unpleasant effect his defeat might have tended 
 to create. 
 
 "I think," said I, smihng, "you had better put 
 him under arrest, and order him to be tried by 
 a court-martial." 
 
 "It would certainly serve him right," said the 
 doctor ; " but as I have not the power to put my 
 threat into execution the ridicule might fall upon 
 me. But, seriously, you would greatly oblige me 
 by avoiding any further dispute with the poor 
 fellow. He is an object for your sympathy rather 
 than your anger." 
 
 "But," I said, "could anything be more ridi- 
 culous than his accusation ? " 
 
 " Certainly not, I admit ; at the same time it 
 is a part of his malady to consider that every one 
 he meets, especially if he be a foreigner, is actuated 
 by a desire to insult the British flag, and that it 
 is his duty as an officer in her Majesty's service 
 to resent it. It is annoying, I confess, but he is 
 after all a gallant, worthy little fellow, and you 
 must have some consideration for the misfortune 
 under which he is labouring. Now promise me 
 
INTRODUCTORY. I9 
 
 you will take no notice of his absurdity for the 
 future, but allow his remarks to pass without 
 answer." 
 
 I readily made him the promise he required, 
 and we parted. 
 
 Bad weather now came on, and as I could not 
 take exercise out of doors, I occupied myself with 
 writing up some memoranda of various obscure 
 cases of mental diseases I had met with. These 
 were now very voluminous, and, I may add with- 
 out affectation, very valuable. I had an escritoire 
 of my own in the sitting-room in which I kept 
 the whole of these documents. For some days 
 I had seen nothing of the captain, as he had been 
 confined to his room from the effects of his fall. 
 When he made his appearance among us again 
 he scowled fiercely at me, but said nothing, so I 
 concluded that he had received a lecture from 
 the doctor. But although he said nothing to 
 me, he annoyed me exceedingly by watching me 
 incessantly, and had it not been for the promise 
 I had given I should certainly have explained 
 to him most clearly the opinion I had formed of 
 his conduct. One evening he irritated me so 
 
20 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 much by his behaviour that I locked up my 
 escritoire, at which I had been writing, and went 
 to my bedroom, where I remained till it was time 
 for me to retire for the night. About midnight 
 I was awakened by a strong glare of light out- 
 side my windows. For some time I was puzzled 
 as to what it could be, and at last to gratify my 
 curiosity I rose, but the light abated before I 
 was able to distinguish anything, nor did it 
 again appear. 
 
 The next morning the doctor sent for me into 
 his study. When I entered I could easily per- 
 ceive that something had occurred to annoy him 
 greatly. 
 
 "Sit down," he said to me, "and look over 
 that paper. It is another communication I have 
 received from your amiable friend the captain." 
 
 " Does it in any way relate to me .'' " I inquired, 
 considerably puzzled at his tone and manner. 
 
 "I am exceedingly sorry to say that it does," 
 he answered. 
 
 I opened the captain's letter, which was written 
 on foolscap paper. It began, like the former, 
 with, " I have the honour to report ;" and then 
 
INTRODUCTORY. 21 
 
 went on to say that he had received information that 
 various documents and despatches of considerable 
 importance, and tending greatly to the dishonour 
 of her Majesty's service, had been concealed in 
 a desk in the sitting-room ; and believing that 
 their destruction was most desirable, he had the 
 previous night, when all were asleep, taken the 
 opportunity of seizing them and consigning them 
 to the flames. He concluded by expressing a 
 hope that the doctor would approve of his pro- 
 ceedings, as the operations had been attended 
 with perfect success. 
 
 I was for some moments so surprised that I 
 hardly knew what remark to make. At last I 
 said to the doctor, '' I hope he does not allude 
 to my papers in the escritoire." 
 
 "I am sorry to say that he does," replied the 
 doctor ; " I ascertained the fact before troubling 
 you about it." 
 
 I was utterly aghast at the Intelligence. Here 
 was the accumulated labour of years of profound 
 study destroyed by the act of an execrable little 
 madman in the course of a few minutes. 
 
 " Pray might I ask," I said, as soon as I could 
 
22 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 find words, "what you intend to do with the 
 miscreant." 
 
 "My dear fellow," he answered, "what can I 
 do } I am as much annoyed at the circumstance 
 as you are ; still there is no help for it." 
 
 " Let us clearly understand each other," I said, 
 now greatly enraged ; " if you do not punish him 
 severely, I will." 
 
 "Nonsense!" said the doctor; "as soon as you 
 are a little cooler I am persuaded you will take 
 the same view of his behaviour as I do. I admit 
 it is a most vexatious affair, but like a man of 
 sound sense, as I know you are, you must be 
 aware that it would be an act of gross cruelty to 
 punish a man who is not legally responsible for 
 his actions. Now do think better of it." 
 
 I was so annoyed at the doctor's behaviour 
 that I could restrain myself no longer, but rushed 
 from the room to chastise personally the man 
 who had so wantonly injured me. Fortunately 
 as I now view the matter, I was not allowed to 
 carry out my wishes, for the doctor rung his bell 
 and immediately two assistants made their appear- 
 ance. They were ordered not to allow me to 
 
INTRODUCTORY. 23 
 
 speak to or go near the captain. I was deaf 
 to all reason, however, and attempted to push 
 past them, but they were far too strong for me. 
 Still I persisted, and so violently, that at last 
 they forcibly conducted me to my room, and 
 there kept me a prisoner till my anger had 
 somewhat abated. I remained but a short time 
 in the asylum afterwards. The injury I had 
 suffered from the captain, and the indignity 
 put on me by the doctor in ordering me to be 
 forcibly confined, and this again aggravated by 
 the conduct of the captain, who seemed to consider 
 my incarceration as a triumph for him, so preyed 
 on my spirits, that I became thoroughly miserable. 
 The doctor, I allow, did all in his power to 
 alleviate the chagrin I felt, but without effect ; I 
 became more and more depressed in spirits, and 
 in the end my dear wife was sent for, and I left 
 the establishment. 
 
 I sincerely trust that the reader will not judge 
 me too harshly for my violent behaviour prior to 
 my leaving the Salisbury Asylum. When I 
 think over the matter I candidly admit I am 
 greatly annoyed at it myself, and would most 
 
24 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 willingly have concealed the whole affair ; but my 
 great respect for truth, and my firm determination 
 that not a statement with the slightest taint of 
 unveracity shall appear in this volume, compelled 
 me to speak of it. Still it must be admitted by 
 every right-minded man, that I was suffering at 
 the time under great and wanton provocation. 
 I had not only acquired an intense love for 
 psychological science, but its study seemed to 
 divert my mind from dwelling on the almost 
 insupportable temptation so often presented to it. 
 Nor did I follow the study with any selfish 
 intention whatever ; on the contrary, I was stimu- 
 lated by a strong wish to benefit my fellow- 
 creatures, and for that purpose I had committed 
 to paper many of the most interesting and 
 valuable results of my observation of peculiar 
 cases, especially those which had been treated 
 successfully. And then to find the whole des- 
 troyed in a moment by the vindictive act of an 
 insane little wretch ! I admit that it nearly threw 
 my mind off its equilibrium. At all events, if 
 these reasons do not exonerate me completely 
 from the charge of rude and violent conduct, to 
 
INTRODUCTORY. 25 
 
 which no person can be more naturally opposed 
 than myself, I do sincerely hope they may be 
 accepted as mitigatory circumstances in my case 
 when judgment is passed upon me. 
 
 After I left Sahsbury, and before I became one 
 of Dr. Austin's guests, I resided for a short time in 
 two other asylums. Both of these I was obliged to 
 leave on account of certain objectionable circum- 
 stances in them, which tended to make my dwelling 
 in either impossible. Although these circumstances 
 are not altogether devoid of interest, I fear little 
 pleasure or profit would be derived from their nar- 
 ration. Besides, I was so disguted with the loss of 
 my manuscripts at Salisbury, that I took no notes 
 of any of the cases I met with in either of them. 
 
 At last I had the pleasure of making the 
 acquaintance of Dr. Austin, a physician of emi- 
 nence and great experience in the treatment of 
 mental diseases, who resided in the vicinity of one 
 of the principal towns in Suffolk. And here let me 
 remark on a singular coincidence in the perfectly 
 accidental manner in which I made Dr. Austin's 
 acquaintance, and that of the other medical men 
 in whose establishments I have resided. Not in a 
 
26 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 single Instance was my introduction to either 
 sought or contemplated. Dr. Austin had called 
 on my wife merely to inquire after the character 
 of a page he wished to engage ; but as she was 
 from home at the time I saw him in her stead, and 
 was so much pleased with his great intelligence 
 and gentlemanly manners, that a lengthened con- 
 versation ensued between us. But though, to all 
 human foresight, my introduction to these phy- 
 sicians was unpremeditated, I have nevertheless 
 often thought that the finger of Providence was 
 discernible in the matter, as they always occurred 
 when I was labouring under great distress of mind. 
 It almost seemed to me as if Heaven, knowing the 
 strong exertions I made to subdue the rebellious 
 thoughts with which the fiend inspired me, had 
 mercifully thrown open a path by which I might 
 escape, and to a certain extent atone for my fault 
 by assisting the doctors in their labours to mitigate 
 the sorrows and misfortunes of my fellow-creatures. 
 And it was this feeling chiefly, I might almost say 
 alone, which induced me — a perfectly sane man — 
 to submit so often and so long to the restraint 
 of an asylum. 
 
INTRODUCTORY. 27 
 
 In consequence of my wife being from home, 
 Dr. Austin proposed to call again in the evening 
 to see her, to which I gladly acceded, so much 
 was I pleased with his conversation. Shortly 
 after he left the house my dear wife entered, 
 and I informed her of the doctor's visit, telling 
 her how much I was pleased with him ; and 
 mentioning his promise to call in the evening. 
 I was afraid she might be annoyed at the arrange- 
 ment, as she had a special dislike to strangers 
 calHng in the evening ; but, to my surprise and 
 satisfaction, she said she should be delighted to 
 see him. 
 
 In the evening the doctor called on us, and 
 as the tea-things were on the table, I re- 
 quested him to join us. Without any hesitation 
 he accepted my offer, and we passed a couple of 
 hours very agreeably together. After he had 
 fully satisfied himself as to the character of the 
 page, the conversation turned on other subjects, 
 and I found him to be a well-read scientific man, 
 and a great enthusiast in his profession. He 
 seemed much pleased to find I took so much 
 interest in psychological subjects. 
 
28 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 "I have rarely met," he said, "with any man 
 not in the profession who was so well versed in 
 matters of the kind as yourself. I am very sorry 
 we do not live nearer to each other, as it would 
 give me great pleasure to conduct you over my 
 establishment, and to receive from you any hints 
 as to its arrangements which you might be able 
 to give. You should clearly understand that it is 
 not what is usually termed a lunatic asylum. I 
 receive only twelve ladies or gentlemen whose 
 cases are of the lightest description ; so much so, in 
 fact, that no one who has not gone so deeply as 
 yourself into the subject could detect that there 
 was anything abnormal about them. I do not 
 even call them my patients, I consider them solely 
 as my guests, and treat them as such ; and I 
 assure you a happier little community than we 
 form it would be difficult to meet with." 
 
 "You strongly pique my curiosity," I replied. 
 " I should much like to pay you a visit, and any 
 assistance or advice I could give you would be 
 gladly at your service." 
 
 " But, my dear," said my wife, who had hitherto 
 taken no part in the conversation, "why do you 
 
INTRODUCTORY. 
 
 29 
 
 not accept the doctor's invitation ? You have been 
 far from well lately, and a change of scene and air, 
 I am persuaded, would do you a great deal of 
 good." 
 
 " I should like it above all things," I said ; " but, 
 in the first place, I do not like leaving you ; and, 
 in the next, I fear it might be inconvenient to the 
 doctor." 
 
 "As far as I am concerned," said he, "I 
 assure you that instead of being inconvenient to 
 me, it will give me very great pleasure, and if your 
 good lady will accompany you that pleasure will 
 be enhanced. And remember, too — for I may as 
 well state it candidly, — my invitation is not given 
 solely from courtesy : I am also actuated by a 
 selfish motive, that of obtaining from you any 
 suggestions which you might think could be 
 applied for the advantage of my guests." 
 
 I was so pleased with his frank and engaging 
 manner, that I promised him I would talk the 
 matter over with my wife, and give him an answer 
 the next morning. We then conversed for some 
 time on the subject of my invention, which I ex- 
 plained to him at considerable length. He seemed 
 
30 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 highly pleased with it, and said that he hoped on 
 some future day I would go deeper with him into 
 the subject, as it interested him greatly. In fact, 
 I have generally noticed that all the physicians I 
 have been acquainted with appeared to entertain 
 a far better appreciation of its powers than any 
 other class I have met with. 
 
 After the doctor had left us for the night I 
 talked the matter over with my wife, who kindly 
 promised to accompany me in my visit to his 
 house. This removed my only objection, and 
 when he called the next morning I told him 
 that the following week he would certainly see 
 us, — a piece of information which appeared to give 
 him great satisfaction ; and after describing to us 
 the best manner of making the journey, he left us. 
 I may state that he did not engage the page, as 
 on consideration he did not think him quite 
 strong enough for his purpose. 
 
 A few days after the doctor's visit I left home, 
 accompanied by my wife, and we arrived without 
 difficulty or danger at our journey's end. We 
 took up our quarters for the night in a small road- 
 side inn near Everton House, the doctor's resi- 
 
NTRODUCTORY. 31 
 
 dence, and paid him a visit next day. He 
 seemed delighted to see us, but not in the 
 least surprised, although our arrival had anti- 
 cipated the time fixed on. While my wife 
 remained in the parlour, conversing with Mrs. 
 Austin, whom she found a most amiable, lady- 
 like woman, the doctor conducted me over 
 the house and grounds. I was certainly much 
 pleased with the arrangements, for nothing ap- 
 peared to be wanting which could add to the 
 comfort or safety of the inmates. There was a 
 total absence of that gloomy, decayed look about 
 the house which creates so disagreeable an effect 
 on the beholder in most of our private lunatic 
 asylums. The mansion — for a mansion it was — 
 was of modern date, having been built for a rich 
 merchant, who had died soon after its completion, 
 and whose widow had refused to reside in it. 
 The rooms were lofty, spacious, and well venti- 
 lated ; indeed, every real Improvement in modern 
 house-building had been taken advantage of by 
 the architect when he drew out the design. 
 Beside the drawing and dining rooms — both of 
 ample dimensions — there was an excellent library 
 
32 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 and a good reception-room. I complimented him 
 on there being neither table, cues, nor balls in 
 what was somewhat inaptly called the billiard- 
 room. 
 
 "Well," he rephed, "I wish you could invent 
 some other name for this room, for many of my 
 guests, with great justice, say that it is an ab- 
 surdity to call a room a billiard-room without a 
 table in it, and they frequently insist on my 
 providing them with one. But you will, I am 
 sure, agree with me, that if I complied with their 
 wishes it might possibly be attended with grave 
 consequences ; for although none of my guests 
 are what are ordinarily termed lunatics, yet they 
 occasionally betray somewhat of an excitable 
 temperament, and it would be imprudent not to 
 guard against any sudden fit of anger which 
 billiards might encourage. Now turn it over in 
 your mind, and tell me what other name I can 
 give the room." 
 
 I promised to do as he desired, and he then 
 conducted me round the grounds. They were 
 very extensive, and planned with great taste, the 
 whole being surrounded by a high wall. We 
 
NTRODUCTORY. 33 
 
 dined at the guests' table that day, and found it 
 was as the doctor had said. Not the slightest 
 appearance of mental aberration betrayed itself, 
 except, perhaps, to an experienced eye. In- 
 deed, my wife said, when we met in the drawing- 
 room in the evening, that she did not remember 
 ever having dined in more agreeable society. 
 The guests numbered altogether about a dozen, 
 the majority being evidently well-educated gentle- 
 men. Everything had been conducted during the 
 meal with the most perfect order ; the dinner was 
 admirably cooked, and the attendance excellent. 
 When we parted from the company at night, 
 my wife and myself were so pleased with 
 our visit that we requested permission of the 
 doctor to visit the estabhshment again the next 
 day, so that we might go more minutely into 
 details, — a favour he granted us without the 
 slightest hesitation. 
 
 I slept little that night, so strong had been the 
 impression my visit to the doctor's had made 
 upon me. No sooner had I entered within his 
 gates, and noticed the high walls surrounding the 
 
 VOL. I. D 
 
34 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 grounds, than the feehng of security I had ex- 
 perienced in other estabhshments of the same 
 description again came over me, and the fear 
 of my being impelled to carry out my dreadful 
 secret vanished. It proved to me once more how 
 great was the mercy of Heaven in thus point- 
 ing out to me a way in which I could be delivered 
 from the temptation which oppressed me. A 
 violent desire now came over me to enrol my- 
 self as one of Dr. Austin's guests ; but how to 
 break the matter to my dear wife puzzled me. 
 Two or three times I was on the point of men- 
 tioning my wish to her, but was afraid to 
 begin, lest the intimation would distress her. 
 At last I prayed for courage to make the at- 
 tempt, and that she might receive my resolu- 
 tion with resignation. My prayer in both in- 
 stances was answered. I calmly explained to 
 her my wish, and she received it with meekness 
 and submission. I expressed to her the really 
 profound sorrow it caused me to be separated 
 from her, and I begged that out of the strong 
 love I knew she bore me she would allow 
 
 I 
 
INTRODUCTORY. 35 
 
 me to reside where I should, to a great extent, 
 be safe from the dreadful persecution to which 
 I was exposed. Her eyes filled with tears as 
 she told me in reply how deeply she regretted 
 the cause which required my separation from 
 her ; but as it was her duty to assist me, and 
 to act for both my temporal and spiritual wel- 
 fare, she would offer no objection to my 
 residing with the doctor. I pressed her to my 
 heart, and thanked her warmly for her kindness, 
 to which she attempted a reply, but sobs 
 choked her utterance. At breakfast no conver- 
 sation passed between us, for our hearts were 
 too full. We afterwards visited the doctor, and 
 he kindly consented to admit me into his es- 
 tablishment without further delay. Thinking it 
 better, now that I had broken my wish to m}' 
 wife, to come to a fixed resolution on the sub- 
 ject, it was agreed that I should remain, and that 
 she should proceed home alone. Sad indeed was 
 our leave-taking, and bitterly did we both weep 
 at parting ; but, thank Heaven, we had sufficient 
 courage to submit to the trial. 
 
3^ DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 During my residence at Dr. Austin's I met 
 with many most interesting cases, my notes on 
 some six or seven of which I now offer to the 
 public. 
 
JI.—MR. GUR DON'S PLIGHT. 
 
 'T^HE first case I propose bringing under the 
 notice of the reader not only possesses 
 some interest in itself, but was marked by this 
 peculiarity, that it was possible to distinguish the 
 exact moment the attack commenced, as well as 
 that of its perfect termination. The malady had 
 the effect of turning a man of much learning 
 and most cynical temperament into an object 
 of ridicule even to the most ignorant, while at 
 the same time he was fully aware of the absurd 
 appearance he made, and used every effort in 
 his power to conceal it. 
 
 The hero of my narrative is a certain Mr. 
 Felix Gurdon, a barrister of considerable celebrity 
 
38 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 in criminal practice. At the time the malady 
 attacked him he was about forty years of age, 
 and a confirmed bachelor. He was tall, well- 
 made, and would have been good-looking had 
 it not been for an habitual sneer which seemed 
 to be stamped upon his countenance, giving 
 it a most disagreeable expression. This, I am 
 sorry to say, was a too truthful index to his 
 mind and character. To this failing I must 
 also add another, — he was most selfish and 
 uncharitable. Although his income was con- 
 siderable, and his expenses small, no one could 
 mention a benevolent institution to which he 
 contributed, nor a single instance in which he 
 had assisted the unfortunate with anything like 
 liberality. Whether this unhappy indifference to 
 the woes of others arose from natural disposition, 
 or sprang . from his continually witnessing the 
 worst side of human nature in the practice of 
 his profession, it is impossible to say ; but what- 
 ever was its cause, it would have been difficult 
 to find a more uncharitable man, alike with 
 respect to benevolence in his own person, and 
 that distrust of the existence of such a virtue 
 
MR. GURDONS PLIGHT. 39 
 
 in others which is too often met with in worldly 
 men. At the same time I must admit that he 
 possessed one most estimable quality — that of 
 family affection. Unfortunately, however, all his 
 relations had dropped off, with one solitary ex- 
 ception. This was a niece, the only daughter 
 of an only sister some years deceased, so that 
 he had but little opportunity of practising the 
 one real virtue he had. For this niece he cer- 
 tainly had a great liking. Her father had died 
 when she was an infant, and she generally resided 
 with a paternal relative. She was a fine-grown, 
 handsome girl, about twenty years of age, and on 
 her part entertained a very great regard for her 
 uncle ; perhaps she was the only being in the 
 world who was really fond of him. The family 
 she resided with lived in a house in the country, 
 where there were but few neighbours, and even 
 with those she had little sympathy. She had 
 few indulgences consequently ; but one of them 
 was to pay her uncle a visit for a month or so 
 in the spring of each year. He would then 
 throw aside his usual secluded and unsociable 
 manners, and, accompanied by her, make the 
 
40 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 round of the different theatres and places of 
 amusement in London, besides indulging her 
 in other little gratifications when opportunities 
 presented themselves. 
 
 Mr. Gurdon resided in Chelsea, and had cham- 
 bers in the Temple. On one occasion when his 
 niece was on a visit to him, he received, for the 
 day previous to her departure from town, an 
 invitation for her to join a picnic excursion 
 down the river. The steamboat was to start 
 from London Bridge at eleven o'clock precisely, 
 and all the guests were particularly reminded 
 that, as time and tide wait for no man, it was 
 absolutely necessary for them to be punctual, 
 under the penalty of being left behind. The 
 morning of the day was bright and warm, and 
 Mr. Gurdon proposed they should take one of 
 the small steamboats plying between Chelsea 
 and the City, as likely to prove a more agreeable 
 mode of transit than going by land. To this 
 of course his niece Alice had no objection, and 
 all being in readiness, they left the house and 
 took the steamer at the pier. 
 
MR. GURDON'S plight. 4I 
 
 At first there were but few passengers, but as 
 the boat touched at the different piers many 
 persons came on board, until at last the vessel 
 was so densely crowded, that she lay deep in 
 the water. This and a strong adverse tide, it 
 being at the time almost high water, consider- 
 ably impeded her progress. They had nearly 
 passed under one of the arches of Blackfriars 
 Bridge, when suddenly the vessel lurched, as 
 under some sharp strain, and immediately the 
 paddle-wheels ceased to move. Gurdon, who 
 with his niece was seated near the stern, not 
 only felt the shock, but was also made aware 
 that some accident haltl occurred by the terrified 
 screaming of the women near the centre of the 
 vessel. But of what nature the accident was, he 
 could not divine. He attempted to make his 
 way forward to ascertain, but from the crowded 
 state of the steamer, and the confusion and 
 alarm which prevailed among the passengers, he 
 could neither get forward nor elicit an intelligible 
 answer. He cast a glance over the side of the 
 vessel, and saw that she had lost all steerage 
 
42 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 way, and was fast drifting back with the tide. 
 He reflected for a moment what course to adopt, 
 and as he was a man of considerable nerve — 
 though, as I shall presently show, not to the 
 extent he imagined — he soon made up his mind. 
 He returned to his niece, who had obeyed his 
 injunctions to remain in her seat till his return, 
 and grasping her firmly by the arm, told her 
 not to be frightened. 
 
 " I do not know what kind of accident it may 
 be," he said ; " possibly it is not a serious one 
 after all, but we must be prepared for the worst. 
 When I tell you, leap with me boldly into the 
 water, and I will save yo^, only remember you 
 must be very careful not to lose your presence 
 of mind, but to do exactly as I direct you. I 
 can swim well, but if you get frightened you 
 will drown us both. Now do you clearly under- 
 stand me } " 
 
 " I do, uncle," was her reply ; " I have full con- 
 fidence in you, and will follow your directions. 
 You need not be afraid of me." 
 
 "Very well, my dear, be ready to take a good 
 leap, should it be necessary." 
 
MR. GURDON's plight. 43 
 
 He then remained quite silent, continuing to 
 hold her tightly by the arm above the wrist, 
 while he watched what might next occur. 
 
 The steamer had now drifted till halfway 
 between Blackfriars and Waterloo Bridges. Her 
 crippled state had been observed from the shore, 
 and many wherries had put off to her assistance, 
 into which the passengers were crowding. Gurdon 
 was now more at ease. Although the boat rocked 
 considerably, owing to the alarmed state of the 
 passengers, who hurried from side to .side, he 
 noticed she was no lower in the water than 
 before the accident, which clearly proved that 
 she had not sprung a leak, or only a trifling 
 one. Presently he succeeded in attracting the 
 attention of one of the sailors, who informed 
 him that the piston-rod of the steam engine had 
 broken, but that there was no more mischief 
 done. Gurdon's mind was now at rest ; and 
 withdrawing his hand from his niece's arm he 
 waited patiently till the more terrified of the 
 passengers had disembarked ; and then beckoning 
 to a waterman who was making for the boat, 
 he entered his wherry with Alice, and in a few 
 
44 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 minutes afterwards they were landed ; and taking 
 a cab, they drove to London Bridge wharf. They 
 arrived just in the nick of time, for scarcely were 
 they on board, when the order was given to cast 
 off the ropes, and the next minute they were 
 under weigh, steaming rapidly down the river 
 with the tide, which had now turned. 
 
 Both Gurdon and his niece were scolded for 
 the disappointment their late appearance had 
 threatened to occasion, and many inquiries were 
 made as to its cause, the answers to which of 
 course drew forth many exclamations and regrets. 
 These, however, soon subsided, and other subjects 
 of conversation were brought forward. There is 
 no reason why I should go into the details of 
 the day's pleasures, but suffice it to say they 
 were without alloy ; and late in the evening the 
 party returned to London in safety, highly pleased 
 with their excursion. 
 
 The next morning Alice and her uncle met 
 at the breakfast-table early, as the train by 
 which she was to leave London started from the 
 Euston Square station at ten o'clock. During 
 their meal a considerable portion of their con- 
 
MR. GURDON'S plight. 45 
 
 versation ran on the events of the previous day, 
 but those connected with the accident on board 
 the river steamer were especially dwelt upon. 
 
 ** Tell me, uncle," said Alice, *' how you managed 
 to preserve your coolness so admirably yesterday. 
 For my part, I own I was dreadfully frightened 
 at first ; but when I noticed the calm expression 
 of your face, my fright soon vanished, and I was 
 no more alarmed than I am at this minute. I 
 am certain that if I had been obliged to jump 
 into the water I should have quite preserved my 
 presence of mind." 
 
 " My dear," replied Mr. Gurdon, " the experience 
 I have had in the world — which, as you may 
 imagine, has been very considerable — has taught me 
 that nothing is ever gained by being frightened. 
 At first, perhaps, it was more a matter of prudence 
 with me to keep myself perfectly cool and col- 
 lected in whatever position I might be placed ; 
 but use has now become a second nature with 
 me. Yesterday, for example, I had my wits as 
 much about me at the time of the accident as 
 I had before it occurred. I must also compliment 
 you on your nerve, which was surprising, mar- 
 
46 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 vellous indeed, when compared with that of the 
 other women on board." 
 
 "Yesterday, somehow," said AHce, drawing up 
 the sleeve of her dress and exposing four small 
 marks above the wrist, " I hurt my arm, and I 
 cannot think in what way I did it." 
 
 Gurdon blushed slightly, and remained for the 
 moment silent. The cause of the four small 
 bruises occurred to him readily enough. At the 
 time of the accident he had grasped his niece's 
 arm so tightly that he had left the marks of his 
 finger-tips upon it. He was more vexed at the 
 discovery than might have been imagined, but 
 less from the injury his niece had sustained 
 than from the wound it inflicted on his own 
 vanity. He was sufficiently acquainted with 
 psychology to know that the hand oftener ex- 
 presses the mind than is generally believed. He 
 had frequently seen persons, when under trial, 
 manage to preserve on their countenances an 
 expression of the most placid innocence, even 
 while everything seemed adverse to their cause, 
 while yet they would show by the tremulous and 
 uncontrolled movements of the hand their terrible 
 
 J 
 
MR. GURDON's plight. 47 
 
 anxiety of mind. In fact, this was a favourite 
 method with him when he wished to arrive at a 
 satisfactory conclusion as to the guilt or innocence 
 of a criminal ; and he had often felt considerable 
 contempt for their want of nerve and prudence. 
 But now here was a proof that he himself had 
 been as weak and oblivious on this point as 
 the most timid, trembling pickpocket that ever 
 entered the dock. 
 
 He was aroused from his abstraction by Alice 
 reminding him that the time had almost arrived 
 for them to send for a cab ; and she then left 
 the room to make her preparations for the jour- 
 ney. At last all was in readiness, the cab arrived, 
 and Gurdon escorted his niece to the station, 
 from whence, after a most affectionate leave- 
 taking, he bent his steps to his chambers in the 
 Temple. 
 
 On his arrival, Mr. Gurdon immediately sent 
 a messenger with his wig and gown to await 
 him in the Sessions House in the Borough (it 
 was the first day of term, and he had a case 
 which was expected to come on in the afternoon) 
 Having occupied himself for an hour or so in 
 
48 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 looking over a brief he had that day received, 
 he left his chambers to proceed on foot to the 
 Court-house. He was strolling leisurely along, 
 for he was aware that some time must elapse 
 before his cause could be called. Nothing occurred 
 to arrest his attention till he was crossing Black- 
 friars Bridge. While ascending the rise from the 
 Middlesex side he accidentally turned his eyes 
 on the river. He presently saw a steamer leav- 
 ing the Temple pier, and he watched it as it 
 approached him. As it came nearer the bridge 
 he perceived that it was crowded with passengers, 
 many of whom were evidently of the holiday- 
 making class ; and it brought vividly to his 
 mind the adventure of the day before. The 
 boat arrived at the bridge, and Gurdon stood 
 and looked. The stone parapet had been re- 
 moved, as being too heavy for the arches to 
 support in their decayed condition, and a wooden 
 framework had been erected instead. He leant 
 on this to watch the steamer as she passed be- 
 neath, and he noticed that she went through the 
 same arch as the accident had occurred under 
 the previous day. 
 
 I 
 
MR. GURDON'S plight. 49 
 
 The steamer was now out of sight, and Gurdon 
 had resumed his walk, when he felt a con- 
 siderable vibration in the pavement beneath him. 
 He looked round, and found it was caused by 
 a heavily laden brewer's dray drawn by six 
 horses, which was passing at the moment. Con- 
 tenting himself with inwardly directing an invec- 
 tive against the City authorities for leaving the 
 bridge so long in such a dangerous condition, he 
 continued his walk, and occupied his mind with 
 subjects connected with the cause he had in 
 hand. 
 
 When he arrived at the Court-house, he found 
 that his cause would not be called for some time, 
 if indeed at all that day, as the court was then 
 engaged with a very grave case, which could 
 hardly be finished before the evening. It was 
 one of murder ; and although he had been too 
 much accustomed to cases of the kind to feel 
 deeply interested in them, he resolved on stopping 
 till this one was finished, in order to hear the 
 result. The prisoner was a slight-looking man 
 of about thirty years of age, without anything 
 really bad in the expression of his countenance. 
 
 VOL. I. E 
 
50 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 He was accused of having murdered his wife. 
 The evidence was dead against him, and his 
 counsel could find no better plea in his defence 
 than that he had committed the crime under 
 great excitement. His wife, it appeared, had 
 been a notorious drunkard, habitually neglect- 
 ing the children, and spending the money he 
 gave her for food upon drink. Unfortunately 
 for the man, at the time he had made the assault 
 which caused her death she was not only not 
 drunk, but had not been so for several days, 
 nor had the children during that time been in 
 want of food. 
 
 But beyond the fact that Gurdon had little 
 business of importance to occupy him that day, 
 be had another reason for remaining. He had 
 noticed a circumstance in the demeanour of the 
 prisoner which closely attracted and riveted his 
 attention. During the trial he preserved the 
 utmost placidity of expression, though without 
 stolidity. Judging from his countenance, a casual 
 observer would have come to the conclusion that 
 the man's consciousness of his innocence was 
 supporting him during the trial, and that he felt 
 
MR. GURDON'S plight. 51 
 
 no fear for the result But the prisoner's right 
 hand told a very different tale. With it he 
 clasped the bar in front of the dock as firmly 
 as Gurdon had grasped his niece's arm the 
 day before, and did not release his hold till 
 the jury returned into court with their verdict, 
 which was '' Guilty," with a recommendation to 
 mercy. When the judge, before passing sen- 
 tence, addressed some remarks to the man on 
 his crime, he maintained the same serenity of 
 expression ; but Gurdon could see under the 
 short ragged sleeve of his jacket, that the muscles 
 of the arm and hand started out in full relief 
 with a tension that threatened their rupture. 
 
 The judge said that the recommendation of 
 the jury would be transmitted to the proper 
 quarter, and that although in all probability 
 his Hfe would be spared, still he ought not 
 to imagine that the lenity shown him lessened 
 the abhorrence all good men must feel for the 
 crime he had committed. 
 
 As soon as the prisoner fully understood that 
 his life would be spared, his hand relaxed its long 
 tenacious grasp, and fell languidly by his side, 
 
52 DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 while a cold perspiration came out on his brow, 
 and he was removed from the dock in a fainting 
 condition. The danger of death he had been in 
 dread of so long had vanished, and exhausted 
 nature had given way as soon as the stimulus 
 which had upheld him was withdrawn. 
 
 The trial over, Mr. Gurdon proceeded home- 
 wards without returning to his chambers. His 
 dinner finished, he sat for some time in deep 
 meditation. The events of the last two days 
 had produced a deep but by no means satis- 
 factory impression on his mind. He had hitherto 
 prided himself on his impassibility, and had 
 claimed for himself great superiority over his 
 fellows in that doubtful quality. But now he 
 perceived that he was no more free from power- 
 ful emotions than others when circumstances 
 occurred to develop them. He could not help 
 drawing a comparison between his feelings at the 
 time of the accident on the steamboat with those 
 of the culprit he had seen undergoing his trial in 
 the dock. He had not been aware of the severity 
 of his hold on his niece's arm ; nor had the felon 
 any idea he was so rigidly clasping the bar before 
 
MR. GURDON'S plight. 53 
 
 him. Altogether, the comparison was most hu- 
 miliating to his vanity. He attempted during the 
 evening to shake off the impression it had made 
 on him, but did not succeed, and relief only came 
 with slumber. 
 
 Next morning the sensation had wholly passed 
 away. He left home at an early hour for his 
 chambers ; and after waiting there a few minutes, 
 he proceeded by the same route as on the pre- 
 vious day to the Sessions-house. On the road 
 he was deeply absorbed in thinking out the 
 bearing of the cause he was to plead, and he 
 paid no attention whatever to the objects that 
 lay around him. But suddenly a very singular 
 sensation came over him. He felt a slight 
 tremor, as though his footing had not been 
 firm. He looked round him and perceived that 
 he had just crossed the arch under which the 
 accident had happened, and from which he had 
 watched the steamer the day before. He was 
 somewhat annoyed at this, but he shook off the 
 feeling and proceeded onwards, thinking on other 
 matters. 
 
 About an hour after he had arrived in court, 
 
54 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 his cause was called. He had to defend two 
 men who had committed a daring garotte rob- 
 bery. Although they were notoriously bad cha- 
 racters, the partial intoxication of the prosecutor 
 at the time of the assault, and the obscurity of 
 the locality in which it was committed, rendered 
 it an exceedingly difficult matter to identify them. 
 At first sight there appeared every probability 
 they would escape the punishment they justly 
 merited. Mr. Gurdon was very acute, and easily 
 discovered the weak points of his opponents. 
 He did not much profit by this, however, for 
 his attention was so completely drawn from 
 his brief, that, more from his fault than from 
 want of materials for defence, they were both 
 found guilty. The cause of his abstraction was 
 this : the behaviour of the criminal the day 
 before was still fresh in his memory, and he kept 
 continually watching the demeanour of the two 
 culprits before him. One was a stolid, almost 
 idiotic ruffian, whom the proceedings seemed to 
 stupify, for he showed no sort of feeling or 
 anxiety whatever. The other, who had been the 
 principal actor in the affair, was an active, shrewd, 
 
MR. GURDON's plight. 55 
 
 cunning-looking miscreant. He was evidently 
 keenly alive to the danger of his position ; but 
 he contrived, like most of his class, to command 
 his features to a great degree. He occasionally 
 looked at the witnesses with considerable anxiety, 
 but with no more than might have been shown 
 by an innocent person under such a charge. But 
 his hand spoke differently, and more faithfully. It 
 was never still, but moved or twitched continually ; 
 either it grasped at something, or trembled vio- 
 lently. From this fact, apart from the evidence 
 against the man, Mr. Gurdon easily concluded 
 that he was guilty. Still, his duty compelled him 
 to go on with the defence ; but it occurred to him 
 that others who were watching the prisoners had 
 come to the same conclusion about their guilt as 
 himself, and that they regarded him as merely 
 uttering a string of parrot-like phrases, not one of 
 which he himself believed. From Mr. Gurdon's 
 manner more than from the behaviour of the 
 criminals themselves, their cause was materially 
 injured, and he felt it. The result was that, 
 perhaps for the first time in his life, he got ex- 
 ceedingly nervous, and his defence was altogether 
 
56 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 most unsatisfactory. When he heard the sentence 
 he felt greatly annoyed, and his annoyance was 
 increased by the glance of reproach which the 
 chief culprit cast on him as he was being removed 
 from the dock. 
 
 Vexed at the whole affair, Mr. Gurdon was 
 just on the point of quitting the court, when he 
 was accosted by a friend — an attorney, — who 
 placed a brief in his hand for the next day. This, 
 however, was for the prosecution, and the charge 
 was one of forgery. Mr. Gurdon took the brief, 
 promising to take it home with him and read it 
 carefully ; but he wanted to find out what im- 
 pression the defence he had just conducted had 
 made on his friend, and he asked him if he 
 thought he could have done more for the prisoners 
 than he had done. 
 
 " To speak candidly," was the reply, " I have 
 heard you plead far better than you did to-day." 
 
 " I thought so myself," said Mr. Gurdon, " and I 
 am rather annoyed at the affair. I do not feel at 
 all well, or it would not have happened ; but I will 
 take care you shall have no fault to find with me 
 to-morrow." 
 
MR. GURDON'S plight. 57 
 
 "Of that I am persuaded," said the attorney. 
 " I have to apologize for putting the brief in your 
 hands at so late an hour, but the fact is, the pro- 
 secutor wished it to be given to Mr. X , with 
 
 whom he is acquainted ; so I sent it to him, and 
 it was only this morning he returned it to me. 
 However, the case is somewhat low down in 
 the list, and is certain not to be called till late 
 in the afternoon, or more probably not till the 
 morning after ; so with your rapid reading you 
 will have ample time to get instructed on all the 
 points." 
 
 Mr. Gurdon again promised to give the brief 
 his best attention, and the friends parted. 
 
 The next morning, after breakfast, Mr. Gurdon 
 occupied himself with reading his brief, and re- 
 solving on his mode of conducting the case. His 
 partial failure on the previous day somewhat 
 vexed him ; certainly not from the slightest feel- 
 ing of sympathy with the prisoners, — he was 
 far too just a man for that, — but because his 
 own amour propre had been injured by his in- 
 ability to procure their acquittal. When he had 
 made himself well acquainted with the merits of 
 
58 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 his new case he drove to his chambers, where 
 he remained for a short time answering letters, 
 and then started off on foot for the court. 
 
 He had scarcely reached the arch already- 
 mentioned when the sensation experienced the 
 previous day, but stronger and more defined, 
 came over him. He detected himself actually 
 giving way to a feeling strangely akin to fear. 
 He had almost reached the commencement of 
 the arch when he saw, at some hundred yards 
 distance, a very heavy waggon approaching. It 
 was laden to such a height with sacks of flour, that 
 four powerful horses seemed hardly capable of 
 drawing it. The vibratory movement which Mr. 
 Gurdon had felt when the brewer's dray passed 
 him came vividly before him again, as well as the 
 conclusion which forced itself on his mind as to 
 the dangerous condition of the bridge. He started 
 off almost at a run, that he might arrive at the 
 further buttress of the arch before the waggon had 
 passed it. When halfway across he suddenly 
 stopped. He was naturally a bold man, though 
 hardly so much so as he himself believed, and he 
 felt ashamed of this feeling exercising such power 
 
MR. GURDON'S plight. 59 
 
 over him ; so he resolved to stop till the waggon 
 had passed. When it neared him, as he stood on 
 the middle of the arch, the vibration was very 
 great, and, in spite of himself, and to his great 
 annoyance, he experienced an unmistakable sen- 
 sation of fear. 
 
 When the waggon had passed him, Mr. Gurdon 
 was greatly out of humour with himself, but he 
 continued his road onwards, and in due time 
 arrived in court. His case, however, was not 
 called on that day, but was tolerably certain to 
 be the first called on the morrow. Finding that he 
 would not be wanted, he proceeded by the Surrey 
 side of the river to Westminster Hall, to meet a 
 brother barrister on some business in which they 
 were both interested. 
 
 The next day, in passing the bridge, Mr. 
 Gurdon experienced the same sensation ; but, 
 beyond the extreme annoyance it gave him at 
 the moment, he took no further notice of it. 
 When he reached the court he found he was just 
 in time for his case. He was perfectly success- 
 ful, but it was far easier to manage than his 
 defence of the two garotters. The culprit in this 
 
6o DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 instance was a married man, with a large family 
 of children. He had been employed as book- 
 keeper at a tradesman's in the City, on a salary 
 of twenty-five shillings a week, his office hours 
 being from nine in the morning till nine at night. 
 He had a sickly wife, and his children were all 
 too young to add anything to the family ex- 
 chequer. To meet the doctor's bill which had 
 been incurred by his wife's illness, he had to 
 defer the payment of his rent to his landlord, 
 and the result was that an execution was placed in 
 his house. In order to pay it out he forged his em- 
 ployer's name to a cheque for ten pounds, stilling 
 his conscience meanwhile by promising to himself 
 that he would repay the money before his dis- 
 honesty could be detected. In this, of course, he 
 failed. The forged cheque came into his em- 
 ployer's hands, and suspicion at once fell upon 
 the prisoner, who unhesitatingly acknowledged his 
 guilt, and earnestly implored forgiveness. But 
 his employer, acting, as he stated, solely on con- 
 scientious principles, and not for the gratification 
 of any personal feeling whatever, gave him in 
 charge to a policeman. The prisoner again ac- 
 
MR. gurdon's plight. 6i 
 
 knowledged his guilt before a magistrate, but, 
 at the earnest solicitation of his wife, he with- 
 drew his plea, and was then committed for trial. 
 But the humanity which had actuated the magis- 
 trate in permitting him to withdraw his plea of 
 guilty acted prejudicially for him in another 
 way. The etiquette of the Bar (strangely differ- 
 ing in this from the sister profession of medicine) 
 prohibits the rendering of unpaid services, no 
 matter how poverty-stricken the individual may 
 be. The poor wife was thus obliged to sell 
 the few articles of furniture she possessed, as well 
 as to pawn the greater portion of her own and her 
 children's scanty wardrobe, to provide for her hus- 
 band's defence. With perfect satisfaction she paid 
 the whole proceeds into the hands of the attorney 
 whom she had employed, and congratulated her- 
 self on the largeness of the amount, calculating 
 that the probabilities of her husband's release 
 would be greater in proportion to the money paid 
 for his defence. The prisoner, when he heard of 
 the sum his wife had paid, tried to persuade 
 himself that the prosecution would break down 
 in their proof, and that he would again be set 
 
62 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 at liberty ; but it was impossible for him to 
 succeed for any time in this attempt at self- 
 delusion. The dull, heavy consciousness of his 
 own guilt weighed upon him with a giant's hand, 
 and he entered the dock on the day of his trial 
 with the perfect certainty that he should leave 
 it a convicted felon. 
 
 Mr. Gurdon prosecuted with an amount of 
 ability which the case hardly required, for the 
 self-condemned look of the prisoner assisted 
 him. The jury found a verdict of " Guilty," and 
 the judge, after repeating the stereotyped obser- 
 vations used in cases of fraud about the relative 
 position of employer and employed, sentenced 
 the poor man to two years' imprisonment. 
 
 As he left the dock, pallid and woe-stricken, he 
 cast a reproachful glance on Mr. Gurdon, less for 
 having prosecuted him than for the gratuitous 
 fabrications he had used in the course of his 
 arguments. But Mr. Gurdon felt it not ; he was 
 satisfied that on this occasion he had fully per- 
 formed the duty he had undertaken. As he left 
 the court, the sound of bitter lamentations caught 
 his ear. He looked round and saw a shabbily 
 
MR. gurdon's plight. 6^ 
 
 dressed, sickly-looking woman, with several young 
 children about her, apparently in the greatest 
 distress, and weeping bitterly. The usher of the 
 :ourt, seeing that Mr. Gurdon's attention had been 
 drawn to the group, told him they were the wife 
 and children of the forger who had just been 
 convicted. Mr. Gurdon merely shrugged his 
 shoulders and passed on. He had done his 
 duty, and he had nothing to reproach himself 
 with. 
 
 That day, without any assignable reason, Mr. 
 Gurdon ha^ no appetite for his dinner, and it 
 was carried away almost untasted. During the 
 evening, he felt considerable nervous excite- 
 ment. He was anxious and fretful, as if under 
 the impression that something had occurred to 
 annoy him, without being able to discover any- 
 thing which really justified a feeling of the kind. 
 On the contrary, his vanity had been much flat- 
 tered by his success that day, not only as regarded 
 the verdict, but he had been complimented by 
 several brother barristers on his conduct of the 
 case. He continued in this nervous state till it 
 was considerably past midnight, and he then 
 
64 , DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 « . _ 
 
 sought his bed. It was almost daybreak before 
 he fell asleep, and his slumbers were so broken 
 and disturbed by dreams that they contributed 
 but little to his rest. Among other objects which 
 flitted before his disordered brain were the wife 
 and children of the man against whom he had 
 obtained the verdict. They incessantly pre- 
 sented themselves to his imagination. He felt 
 great annoyance at this, but no sorrow or sym- 
 pathy for their misfortunes. The trial of the day 
 also came before his memory, but without bring- 
 ing with it any satisfaction. ^ 
 
 As soon as the sun had fully risen he got 
 up, and, throwing his dressing-gown over him, 
 snatched up a book from the table and at- 
 tempted to read. But he could not fix his 
 mind on the work, although it was of a most 
 interesting description ; and in a short time he 
 threw it aside and began to turn his ideas to a 
 trial of some importance in the country on which 
 he was engaged. Even here, however, he met with 
 no success ; his thoughts incessantly wandered to 
 some other subject, and at last he again sought 
 his bed, and remained in it -wide awake till the 
 
MR. GURDON's plight. 65 
 
 servant tapped at his door to inform him that it 
 was eight o'clock, his usual hour for rising. 
 
 He dressed himself without care, which was a 
 somewhat unusual circumstance with him, being 
 generally very scrupulous about his toilet. He 
 went down to the breakfast-room, where he 
 found his breakfast in readiness, as well as his 
 morning newspaper lying on the table. He could 
 not eat, all appetite had vanished ; indeed, it was 
 with difficulty he swallowed a single cup of tea. 
 He then applied himself to his paper, and the first 
 thing which caught his eye was a lengthy report 
 of the trial in which he had pleaded the previous 
 day. He naturally felt interested, and commenced 
 to read, but he could not fix his attention upon 
 the subject, his mind incessantly wandering to 
 other matters. He laid down the paper, again 
 took it up, and again laid it down several times, 
 but before he had got halfway through the report 
 he had lost the connection, and in a fit of anger he 
 threw the paper from him, and prepared to set out 
 for his chambers. 
 
 When he arrived at the Temple he was told by 
 his clerk that several letters lay waiting him. He 
 
 VOL. I. F 
 
66 . DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 opened them one by one, and found that some 
 were of importance, one in particular. To it he 
 attempted to give his attention ; but though he 
 tried hard he found it was impossible. Suddenly 
 he was seized with a severe fit of shivering, and as 
 the day was warm and genial he began to suspect 
 that he was not well. He placed his finger on his 
 pulse, and found it was beating rapidly. He now 
 determined to return home, and told his clerk, in 
 case any person called for him, that he should not 
 be back that day, but that he would positively be 
 at his chambers on the morrow. He was' grievously 
 mistaken in this. On arriving at his house he sent 
 for a medical man who resided in the neighbour- 
 hood. He at once pronounced his patient to be in 
 a high fever, and stated that it was necessary for 
 him immediately to seek his bed, and to remain in 
 it. With not a little grudging Mr. Gurdon obeyed 
 these instructions, and did not leave his bed again 
 for several weeks. Typhus in its most severe form 
 set in, and for some days he hung between life and 
 death. At last, thanks to a good constitution, a 
 clever medical adviser, and good nursing, he re- 
 covered from the fever : but so weak did it leave 
 
MR. GURD0>J'S PLIGHT. , 67 
 
 him that it was more than a fortnight before he 
 could stand erect. When he was so far conva- 
 lescent as to be able to be removed, he was 
 taken to Brighton, and remained there for more 
 than a month ; he then returned to town restored 
 to comparative health, though still but the shadow 
 of his former self. 
 
 When Mr. Gurdon arrived in town from Brighton 
 he drove direct from the station to his house in 
 Chelsea. His housekeeper, when she saw him, 
 could not help expressing her surprise at the 
 change that had come over her master. Before 
 his attack of fever he was stout, hale, and active, 
 with a somewhat florid complexion ; but now he 
 was pale, his eyes were sunken, and in person he 
 was miserably attenuated. His medical man called 
 in the evening, and was scarcely less astonished at 
 the change in Mr. Gurdon's appearance than the 
 housekeeper had been. He, however, concealed 
 his thoughts on this subject, contenting himself 
 with simply advising his patient not to apply 
 himself to business for a few days, until he had 
 somewhat recovered from the fatigues of his 
 journey. Mr. Gurdon promised to do this, but 
 
68 . DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 the next morning he found himself so much re- 
 freshed by his night's rest, that he yielded to the 
 strong temptation he felt to recommence his pro- 
 fessional duties. He sent for a cab and drove to 
 his chambers. Here he found not only a vast 
 accumulation of letters and papers awaiting him, 
 but also a brief to defend a man that day at the 
 Surrey Sessions. 
 
 He at once resolved to attend to the latter, and 
 proceeded on foot to the court. When he had 
 arrived at Blackfriars Bridge, the sensation he had 
 before experienced recurred with intense force. It 
 continued to increase till he reached the. northern 
 buttress of the arch, when it became almost insup- 
 portable. Although he attempted to run that he 
 might cross the more rapidly, his legs seemed 
 almost to rock under him, and he soon became 
 unable to move. He felt as though some influence 
 beneath him were attracting him to the water. A 
 heavy vehicle passed at the moment, and the 
 vibration it caused actually terrified him. He 
 caught hold of the woodwork which had replaced 
 the stone balustrade, and he clung to it with the 
 tenacity of desperation. All the time the idea was 
 
MR. GURDON's plight. * 69 
 
 in his mind that the danger was not real, but 
 nevertheless he could not overcome it. He stared 
 helplessly at the crowd which had gathered round 
 him, but said nothing, for he knew only too well 
 that the appearance he presented was absurd and 
 ridiculous. He remained rooted to the spot. 
 Presently it seemed to strike the crowd that he 
 was in a state of intoxication, and he heard the 
 conductor of an omnibus which was passing call 
 out to the driver that "it was rather early for 
 that sort of thing." All this, of course, vexed 
 Mr. Gurdon terribly, but still he was unable to 
 move. At last a policeman thrust himself through 
 the tittering mob, and, seizing him roughly by 
 the arm, insisted that he should move on. As 
 soon as Mr. Gurdon felt the policeman's support, 
 he walked along rapidly ; and the instant he had 
 passed the further buttress the sensation vanished, 
 and he told the astonished policeman that he 
 could now continue on his road without his help. 
 " Very well," said the policeman, '' you may 
 go ; but if I find you collecting a crowd again 
 with your tomfoolery, I will lock you up, as sure 
 as I'm alive." 
 
yo DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 Mr. Gurdon made no reply ; but hailing an 
 empty cab, he got into it, and thus released him- 
 self from the jeering crowd which had followed 
 him. 
 
 When he arrived in court, his sickly appear- 
 ance, which had been increased by his adventure 
 on the bridge, struck all his friends, and they 
 earnestly inquired after his health, and expressed 
 their sympathy Avith him. Their anxiety on his 
 account only added to his nervousness, and after 
 shortly answering them, he ran his eye down the 
 list of cases for the one he had to defend. 
 
 " Looking for your case, Gurdon.''" said a friend 
 to him. " There it is, so low down in the list 
 that I do not think there is the remotest pro- 
 bability of its coming on to-day. If I were 
 you, I would go quietly home and save my- 
 self for to-morrow ; you do not look at all 
 well." 
 
 Mr. Gurdon took his advice, and, getting into 
 a cab, proceeded homewards. 
 
 In the evening, finding himself recruited, he 
 began to turn over in his mind the adventure 
 of the m.orning. He now perceived that the 
 
MR. GURDON S PLIGHT. J I 
 
 feeling under which he had laboured was a false 
 one, the danger being imaginary and unreal. He 
 put the case clearly before himself, and came 
 to the conclusion that without some powerful 
 action of his own brain, some settled resolution 
 to overcome it, it might terminate unhappily. 
 Like most men of ability, there was nothing he 
 dreaded more than disease of the brain ; and 
 he was keenly alive to the certainty of such a 
 disaster if he did not conquer this extraordinary 
 nervousness, under which he had been so long 
 and so painfully suffering. 
 
 This conclusion arrived at, Mr. Gurdon resolved 
 to commence operations next day, and by a 
 powerful effort of the will, conquer the infatuation 
 which had now taken such a grievous hold upon 
 him. Fully armed with this resolution he sought 
 his bed. Sound and refreshing sleep during the 
 night, and a good appetite for breakfast next 
 morning, gave him sufficient stamina and courage 
 for the task he was about to undertake. 
 
 As soon as he had arrived at his chambers, 
 he threw himself into a chair, and calmly re- 
 flected as to what would be the best course to 
 
72 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 adopt in making the experiment To speak truth, 
 although he had braced up his courage to the 
 highest possible point, he still felt a certain mis- 
 giving for which he could not account. The more 
 he thought over the matter the more annoying 
 became this misgiving, and he remained in his 
 chair, undecided what to do, till the clock warned 
 him that it was time for him to proceed to the 
 court. He now hurriedly determined to take his 
 clerk with him. Having invented some excuse 
 for this necessity, he expressed his wish to the 
 clerk, and the pair started off together. They 
 proceeded along Fleet Street, and arrived at the 
 foot of the bridge, without a word being spoken 
 by either. On ascending it, however, Mr. Gurdon 
 suddenly became loquacious ; a circumstance 
 which greatly surprised the clerk, as ordinarily 
 his master was extremely taciturn in his inter- 
 course with him. As they advanced, Mr. Gur- 
 don not only got more fluent, but took the 
 clerk's arm in a puzzling fit of friendliness, and 
 chatted with him the while very affably. Of 
 course the reason for this sudden change in Mr. 
 Gurdon's behaviour was, that they had no sooner 
 
MR. GURDON'S plight. 73 
 
 reached the bridge than the sensation he had 
 formerly experienced came over him, and the 
 nearer he got to the arch it became more and 
 more oppressive. When they had arrived at the 
 buttress of the arch the clerk felt Mr. Gurdon's 
 grasp tighten on his arm. His conversation had 
 also suddenly ceased. Presently he became mo- 
 tionless, and almost sank down on his knees. 
 The idea that he was once more about to make 
 a spectacle of himself, coupled with dread that 
 his clerk should guess the real state of the case, 
 acted as a momentary stimulus to his imagina- 
 tion, and he whispered that he felt very giddy 
 and faint, but that the feeling would go off in 
 a moment. Leaning heavily on the clerk's arm, 
 he managed, not without considerable difficulty, 
 to get beyond the second buttress, when he 
 rapidly recovered himself and proceeded onwards, 
 explaining that he had lately been subject to 
 similar fits of giddiness. The clerk naturally 
 enough attributed this to Mr. Gurdon's recent 
 severe illness. 
 
 It would occupy too much space to go further 
 into detail as to the progress of Mr. Gurdon's 
 
74 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 malady. Suffice it to say, that by no effort could 
 he conquer it. Sometimes he would stand on 
 the buttress of the arch by the hour, without 
 power to go on, and would after all give up the 
 attempt and return. He abstained from crossing 
 the bridge for some time, but as soon as he tried 
 it again, the feeling returned as powerfully as 
 ever. He now resolved on avoiding the bridge 
 altogether, but a new feeling came over him. 
 He fancied that he felt an incessant attraction 
 towards the fatal spot, which attraction diminished 
 in power the farther he was away from it. This 
 feeling at last increased to such a degree, that he 
 would not even go from Fleet Street to Ludgate 
 Hill on foot when business called him into the 
 City, but would always ride in an omnibus, as 
 it gave a greater sense of security. The in- 
 cessant irritation and nervous excitement conse- 
 quent on all this, had so severe an effect upon his 
 mind, that his friends began to be alarmed lest 
 he might commit suicide, and they proposed in- 
 troducing him to Dr. Austin. It required some 
 little courage to make the proposal to him, but 
 at last one of the more intimate of his acquaint- 
 
MR. GURDON's plight. 75 
 
 ances undertook to do so. To his great surprise 
 his advice was accepted with gratitude by Mr. 
 Gurdon, and a few days afterwards he took up 
 his residence among us. 
 
 During his stay, which lasted about eighteen 
 months, he made no intimacies, and was dis- 
 hked by all of us. He never spoke of the 
 bridge, nor did any one mention the subject 
 to him, though we frequently laughed among 
 ourselves at his absurd delusion. At length 
 he was considered to be cured of his monomania, 
 and left us to return home. But although he 
 seemed cured at the time, the germs of the 
 disease were not wholly eradicated. He had 
 hardly arrived at his house when the wish, 
 or rather the attraction, to visit the bridge was 
 again felt. The next morning he left home and 
 proceeded to the Temple. He attempted to 
 occupy himself with business matters, but the old 
 influence became so strong that he could with- 
 stand it no longer. He arose from his chair, and, 
 without saying anything to his clerk, left the 
 Temple. His pace became the more rapid the 
 nearer he approached the centre of the strange 
 
76 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 attraction. Suddenly he stopped at the foot of 
 the bridge, and saw an immense hoarding, on 
 which was written in large letters, " No admittance 
 except on business." He saw also that a further 
 notice had been put up, to the effect that no 
 waggons drawn by more than four horses were 
 allowed to pass over the temporary bridge. During 
 his retirement at the doctor's, the municipal 
 authorities had not only resolved on building a 
 new bridge, but had already commenced destroy- 
 ing the old one. Mr. Gurdon perceiving this, now 
 proceeded over the temporary bridge, feeling no 
 abnormal sensation whatever. Presently he found 
 himself beside the arch which had caused him so 
 much uneasiness, and he stood still to look at 
 it. Workmen in crowds were engaged in removing 
 the masonry, and he noticed that the key-stone 
 had already been taken away. He felt at once 
 that his delusion had entirely fled ; and it has 
 never for a single instant returned. His health is 
 now re-established, and he enjoys a high and 
 deserved reputation in his profession. 
 
III.— PATENT MANIA. 
 
 PART I. 
 
 /^NE of the guests at Dr. Austin's was a Mr. 
 Cochrane, who had reduced himself from 
 comparative affluence to positive poverty by in- 
 dulging a passion for patenting his own inven- 
 tions. He was between fifty and sixty years 
 of age, and a well read and gentlemanly man ; 
 and, apart from his malady, which rarely so 
 obtruded itself as to be offensive, he was a 
 most agreeable companion. In disposition he 
 was exceedingly amiable, and of a decidedly 
 religious temperament. On no point did his 
 insanity manifest itself till the subject of his 
 particular delusion was touched on. His infirmity 
 was of an exceedingly ludicrous description. He 
 
78 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 imagined that he had discovered the means of 
 burning water as fuel, and the absurdity of his 
 behaviour in carrying on his experiments had been 
 the cause of his coming to stay at Dr. Austin's. I 
 had at first conceived a Hking for him, which grew 
 into great friendship ; but, in consequence of a 
 dispute we had one day on some philosophical 
 matters, an estrangement took place which kept us 
 for some months pretty much apart. Thanks to 
 the good offices of the doctor, a reconciliation was 
 at the end of that time effected ; but we were 
 never again altogether the warm friends we had 
 been before the rupture. The cause of our dis- 
 agreement was as follows. 
 
 One fine sunshiny morning we were walking 
 together in the garden conversing very amicably 
 on divers topics unconnected with my narrative, 
 when our talk chanced to turn upon religion. At 
 last the general deluge was spoken of, and Mr. 
 Cochrane dwelt on that for some time, speaking 
 so lucidly and rationally, that it gave me great 
 pleasure to listen to him. 
 
 " It has been a source of great interest to many," 
 I remarked, "to speculate as to the manner in 
 
PATENT MANIA. 79 
 
 which the second destruction of the world will take 
 place. By water it cannot be, as we have the 
 authority and promise of the Deity himself that 
 this mode will not be repeated." 
 
 "It surprises me much," he said, "to find man- 
 kind generally so obtuse on that point, and more 
 especially men of education, yourself among the 
 rest, when the means by which this will be accom- 
 plished are so easily to be discovered." 
 
 " In what way, then, do you hold it will take 
 place ?'' I inquired. 
 
 " By fire, of course. The plan for the ultimate 
 destruction of the world was formed at its creation, 
 and from that moment to this all has been in 
 readiness for the Divine fiat to go forth." 
 
 " I cannot imagine," I said, '' what data author- 
 izes you to come to such a conclusion. That vast 
 subterranean fires exist there can be but little 
 doubt, but that fact itself scarcely establishes the 
 direct and certain conclusion you seem to have 
 drawn. To settle the point satisfactorily is, I 
 fear, above human ingenuity." 
 
 " The theory of subterranean fires being used 
 in the combustion of the world," he said, " I hold 
 
So DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 to be as great an absurdity as the idea that the 
 infernal regions themselves are at this moment 
 beneath our feet — a fallacy which obtained con- 
 siderable credence in the middle ages, but is 
 now, I am happy to say, generally exploded. I 
 have great doubt even as to the existence of these 
 subterranean fires." 
 
 " Then upon what theory can you account for 
 volcanoes ? " I inquired. 
 
 " I believe them to be originated by the escape 
 of gases which are formed in the earth. These 
 inflame when they come into contact with the 
 oxygen of the atmospheric air. Without oxygen, 
 as you know, combustion cannot take place." 
 
 " From what source do you suppose the fire 
 will arise which shall destroy the world — from 
 the sun } " 
 
 " I hold that theory to be even more absurd 
 than that of the subterranean fires. My dear 
 sir, the great mass of combustible matter which 
 has for ages been, and is at present ready for 
 the destruction of the world, is the ocean itself" 
 
 " But you cannot surely mean that the ocean 
 will undergo spontaneous combustion ?" 
 
PATENT MANIA. 8l 
 
 ^' Certainly not ; the idea that the world will 
 be consumed at the last day by any chance or 
 accident of the kind, I hold to be utterly blas- 
 phemous. At the same time I maintain that the 
 ocean is one vast receptacle of inflammable 
 matter." 
 
 " I should much like to hear the arguments 
 on which you found your theory," I said, scarcely 
 able to restrain a laugh at such a palpably 
 ridiculous idea. " I should have thought, that 
 as water is generally regarded as antagonistic 
 to fire, it would have quite a contrary effect to 
 the one you imagine." 
 
 " It perfectly surprises me to hear you utter 
 an opinion of the kind," he said. " Why, the 
 simplest lesson in natural philosophy might have 
 taught you that water contains two distinct ele- 
 ments of combustion ; and from experiments I 
 have made, nothing is easier than to ignite 
 them." 
 
 " Here," I said, pointing to a small tank in the 
 garden, in which Mrs. Austin kept some gold and 
 silver fish, " here is an opportunity for you to 
 prove your assertion. Let me see you burn some 
 
 VOL. I. G 
 
DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 of the water in that tank, and then I will beHeve 
 in your theory." 
 
 " Pardon me," he replied, " ridicule is not ar- 
 gument ; and your remark is anything but a 
 courteous one. That the gases composing water 
 may be separated from each other by a galvanic 
 battery, or by a dozen other means, it would 
 be very uncomplimentary to you to suppose 
 you ignorant of At the same time, the water 
 in that tank would not serve for illustration. 
 Remember, I spoke of the ocean, and not of 
 fresh water." 
 
 " And pray what may the difference be ? " I 
 inquired. 
 
 " Simply this, — that the ocean, being of salt 
 ivater, contains many more elements to assist in 
 the decomposition of the gases than are to be 
 found in fresh water. You seem incredulous, but 
 I know that I am right. At the last day the 
 ocean will ignite by the decomposition of the 
 two gases composing it, through the agency of 
 the salt which it contains." 
 
 I could no longer restrain my merriment at 
 the poor man's absurdity, but fairly burst into a 
 
PATENT MANIA. 83 
 
 fit of laughter, which seemed to give him con- 
 siderable annoyance, for he said angrily, — 
 
 " Laugh as much as you please, sir ; I can very 
 readily take my satisfaction for the impertinence 
 you have offered me. The idea of an individual 
 labouring under such a ridiculous delusion as you 
 are, and laughing at a simple philosophical fact, 
 has something in it so exceedingly ludicrous that 
 it is impossible to be angry with you." 
 
 "My ridiculous delusion!" I replied, my anger 
 now fast rising, " my ridiculous delusion ! and 
 pray, sir, to what may you allude } I believe 
 that any one, even slightly acquainted with the 
 elements of natural philosophy, and not abso- 
 lutely insane or an idiot, will admit that my re- 
 searches may be rightly ranked among the most 
 remarkable of the day. At any rate it is ad- 
 mitted, even by the doctor himself, that I am 
 indisputably the person who discovered that the 
 force produced by the expansion of condensed 
 atmospheric air is greater than the amount of 
 power used in its compression, as you may per- 
 ceive in the action of the common air-gun. The 
 application of that extra or plus force may be 
 
84 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 again applied to the condensation of more air, 
 acquiring a still greater amount of force, which 
 may be again applied, again increasing in power 
 ad infinitum. Of that theory, and its application 
 as a motive power to ships and land locomotives, 
 I am the sole and only author, as my different 
 patents will show." 
 
 " My dear sir," said Mr. Cochrane, " how can 
 you talk such arrant nonsense .'' If you have 
 taken out patents for anything of the kind (and 
 I do not doubt your word, for I have seen patents 
 taken out by others for inventions quite as absurd 
 as your own), your patent agent ought to be pro- 
 secuted as a common swindler. Why, if you but 
 think for a moment you will see, that if you can 
 make force of itself beget force, and can accu- 
 mulate it in the manner you say, you might in 
 time obtain a power equal to that required for 
 the destruction of the world, or even of the uni- 
 verse itself." 
 
 " Madman," I said, by this time highly indig- 
 nant, '' you little know the ground you are tread- 
 ing on. You are perfectly right in your con- 
 clusion, that force may accumulate under my 
 
PATENT MANIA. 85 
 
 process till it reaches the infinite, and that it 
 might be used for the destruction of the world, 
 ay, even of the universe itself! Know also, that 
 it is to deprive myself of the possibility of suc- 
 cumbing to a temptation of the kind that I have 
 consented to become an inmate of this house ; 
 where, not having the means of making my 
 working models, I cannot carry out the idea, 
 however strongly I may be tempted by the 
 powers of darkness to do so." 
 
 Instead of being awe-struck at my candid 
 avowal, as I expected, he burst into a loud, rude 
 laugh. 
 
 " I had no idea," he said, " of the sacrifice you 
 were making, no idea that you had consented to 
 be shut up in a lunatic asylum solely to save 
 the universe from destruction. Upon my word, 
 that is most charitable and self-denying on your 
 part." 
 
 " After all," I replied, greatly enraged, " I have 
 in one respect certainly acted with gross indis- 
 cretion, and that is in conversing on a philosophical 
 subject with a man so ignorant as you are." 
 
 " Excuse me," he said, still laughing ; " I did 
 
S6 DOCTOR Austin's guests, 
 
 not mean to offend you. But when you advance 
 such palpable absurdities as arguments you cannot 
 wonder at my being surprised. Now let us talk 
 rationally for a moment. You told me that if I 
 would set fire to Mrs. Austin's water-tank you 
 would begin to believe that there was something 
 in my theory of the ultimate destruction of the 
 world ; and I gave you my reason why an experi- 
 ment of the kind would not be conclusive. I, 
 in turn, invite you to give me a proof of the 
 correctness of your theory, and I will admit it 
 to be true on due cause shown. The gardener's 
 little boy there is playing with his pop-gun, and 
 you will admit that the principle on w^iich the 
 child's toy acts is identical with that of the air-gun. 
 So you may make your experiment without any 
 difficulty." 
 
 " I admit," said I, " that the principle on which 
 the child's pop-gun acts is very similar to that of 
 the air-gun ; but I must decline making any ex- 
 periment with it. I see perfectly well that you 
 wish to prove my invention ridiculous by the 
 comparison of these two objects — one the very 
 grandest imaginable, and the other the very 
 
PATENT MANIA. 87 
 
 meanest — the universe and the pop-gun ; but I 
 decline to fall into your trap. It is a matter of 
 the utmost indifference to me in what light 
 you regard my invention ; you cannot think it 
 more absurd than I do yours. I will now wish 
 you good morning, and must compliment you on 
 your humanity in refusing to set fire to Mrs. 
 Austin's water-tank, for I am persuaded it was 
 because of your dislike to destroy the gold 
 and silver fish in it that you refused my request, 
 and for no other reason," 
 
 "Laugh at my discoveries as you please," he 
 replied, "you cannot think them more ridiculous 
 than I do your theory of the destruction of the 
 world on the principle of the pop-gun." 
 
 We now separated in high dudgeon, and I bent 
 my steps to another part of the garden, where I 
 met the doctor. He noticed my agitation, and 
 asked me what had occurred to annoy me. I 
 informed him of the gross insults I had received 
 from that wild theorist, Cochrane. 
 
 " You must forgive him, my dear sir," said the 
 doctor ; " I assure you the poor man is far more 
 worthy of your sympathy than your anger." 
 
88 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 " That may all be true enough," I replied ; '* but 
 it was coarse and insulting in him to turn my in- 
 ventions into ridicule, and I sincerely hope you 
 will tell him how highly you think of them, as that 
 might induce him to show more politeness another 
 time, when he understands that you hold my theory 
 to be perfect." 
 
 '' Pardon me," said the doctor, " I do not re- 
 member ever to have told you that I consider it 
 perfect. I admit that as far as it has gone your 
 invention is wonderful, but at the same time it is 
 far from complete." 
 
 "In what way?" I inquired. 
 
 " In the first place, I do not fully comprehend, 
 for example, how, when you have started a loco- 
 motive on a line of rails, and its velocity has 
 increased in proportion with the distance it has 
 run, you will stop it after it has acquired a rapidity 
 of, say, two hundred miles an hour." 
 
 " I assure you my machinery for this purpose is 
 perfect." 
 
 " Perfect as your machinery may be, there are 
 contingencies against which you cannot guard ; the 
 carelessness of engineers and drivers, for instance. 
 
PATENT MANIA. 89 
 
 If a driver in a drunken fit should forget to put 
 the drag on, and the velocity of the train should 
 increase from fifty to a hundred miles an hour, 
 from one hundred to two hundred, from two hun- 
 dred to four, and so on, no one can imagine what 
 would be the result." 
 
 "My dear doctor," I said, "it is impossible for 
 me to explain my system to you in full detail. 
 Only let me have my tools to make my working 
 models, and I will prove all I say to demonstration. 
 Now pray accede to my request. I care little 
 about the opinion of that silly fellow, Cochrane, 
 but I wish to stand high in your estimation." 
 
 The doctor paused for a moment, evidently at a 
 loss what answer to make. At last he said, — 
 
 " My dear friend, I would willingly oblige you, 
 but I beg you to consider what might be the 
 result. If you had your tools, your old desire of 
 destroying the universe might come over you 
 again. Now take my advice and remain as you 
 are. The world is safe now ; let it continue so." 
 
 I reflected for a moment, and then the whole 
 force of his argument rushed upon me. **Yes," I 
 said, "you are right, doctor. I will be content as 
 
90 DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 I am. Perish wealth, perish family aggrandize- 
 ment, perish every worldly consideration, rather 
 than that I should be tempted to commit a sin 
 of the kind. Doctor, you are the best friend I 
 have in this world. But answer me one question 
 candidly, and do not hesitate to tell me the truth 
 if you find my reasoning at fault. Can you see 
 any error in my system that should impede force 
 accumulating from the elasticity of the atmospheric 
 air till it could destroy the universe }'' 
 
 " Frankly," said the doctor, " I see but one. 
 We have no proof that atmospheric air exists 
 beyond a few miles above the surface of the earth. 
 Now when you have consumed that, is it not 
 possible you might fall short of the quantity re- 
 quired for a work of such immense magnitude as 
 the destruction of the universe .'*" 
 
 " I have gone into the calculation to a nicety," 
 I replied, "and the amount is exactly sufficient 
 for the purpose." 
 
 '' Then in Heaven's name keep quiet," said the 
 doctor, " and never again ask for your tools ; for 
 if you have gone as far as that into the matter, 
 there is little more that remains to be done." 
 
PATENT MANIA. 9I 
 
 " Doctor, I will take your advice, and be content 
 as I am. But now tell me something about that 
 man Cochrane. What is his history .?" 
 
 ** He is a poor fellow who has been attacked by 
 a fit of patent mania, which has ruined him." 
 
 " Patent mania !" I remarked, with an expression 
 of surprise. 
 
 " Yes, patent mania. Understand me, I do not 
 mean to say that there is a phase of insanity 
 known to the profession under that name, still 
 less that a malady of the kind is recognized by 
 law ; but I maintain not the less that it exists, 
 and is widely spread in this country. Poor Coch- 
 rane's case is a good example." 
 
 " In what way does it show itself .!*" 
 
 ^'In an unconquerable passion for taking out 
 patents, even at a ruinous expense, for schemes 
 which can never return a shilling, and some- 
 times even for the most preposterous absurd- 
 ities. These persons, while ruining themselves, 
 lead far from unhappy lives, great as may be the 
 misery they inflict on their families and friends. 
 They are perpetually in search of the philosopher's 
 stone ; it is always before their eyes, and appears 
 
92 DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 almost within their grasp. In one week's time 
 they flatter themselves they will certainly be in 
 the possession of an enormous fortune, the realiza- 
 tion of which is, however, delayed from week to 
 week, till they have not a shilling left. Even 
 then they are not convinced, but attribute their 
 want of success to jealousy and opposition, or 
 the parsimony of their friends, who had actually 
 refused to advance them two or three hundred 
 pounds, although they had the promise of a 
 return, in a few months, of as many thousands. 
 I have met with a good number of cases of the 
 kind in the course of my experience. Some 
 time ago I had a patient, a lawyer, who was 
 suffering from a very severe cold. I told him it 
 was necessary he should confine himself to the 
 house for a short time, or the result might be 
 disastrous. 
 
 " ' I will follow your advice to-morrow, doctor,' 
 said he ; ' to-day I cannot.' 
 
 "'Why not.''' I inquired; 'remember, you are 
 the person who will suffer by any imprudence, 
 not your adviser.' 
 
 " * I have no choice,' he replied ; ' I have an 
 
PATENT MANIA. 93 
 
 appointment this morning at my office, and I 
 cannot put it off. A friend of mine has sold an 
 estate in Kent for twenty-five thousand pounds, 
 and the agreement is to be signed to-day. If I 
 am not true to the appointment I may offend one 
 excellent client, and probably lose another.' 
 
 " * I wonder,' I said, laughing, * if you ever met 
 with a doctor able to offer a similar amount of 
 money for an estate?' 
 
 " ' Singularly enough, the-purchaser of.this estate 
 was formerly in the medical profession ; he has 
 quitted it, however, for some time.' 
 
 "'That sufficiently accounts for his being in 
 possession of so large a sum of ready money. 
 What may his name be.'*' 
 k ; " He mentioned the . name of a gentleman I 
 knew intimately. 
 
 " * Why,' I replied, ' there must be some mistake 
 in the matter ; that poor fellow, to my certain 
 knowledge, is not worth five hundred pounds 
 in the world. AH he has to live on is a 
 small sum of money settled on him by a de- 
 ceased relative.' 
 
 *' ' You quite surprise me,' said the solicitor. ' I 
 
94 DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 know nothing of him myself, but my client spoke 
 of him as a man of great wealth. It is a most 
 fortunate circumstance that I saw you, otherwise 
 the affair might have occasioned us some trouble.' 
 
 "The solicitor found on inquiry that my state- 
 ment was correct, and of course the agreement 
 remained unsigned. A few days afterwards the 
 would-be purchaser called on me in a great passion, 
 and not only accused me of hindering him from 
 making an excellent bargain, but of slandering 
 him grossly as well. I inquired in what way. 
 
 " ' By informing the solicitor that I had not the 
 money to complete the purchase.' 
 
 " ' If you have,' I said, * I should certainly be 
 obliged to you for the hundred pounds I advanced 
 you some time since, and which I did at great in- 
 convenience to myself.' 
 
 '' * In a fortnight you shall have it without fail. 
 Still my owing a trifle of the kind to you does not 
 excuse you for your interfering in my affairs as 
 you have done.' 
 
 "'If I have done you any injustice,' I repHed, 
 ' I am sorry for it. Show me that you have the 
 means, or even the probability of getting them. 
 
PATENT MANIA. 95 
 
 to complete the purchase, and I will give you all 
 the redress in my power.' 
 
 " ' In less than a fortnight,' he said, ' my patent 
 for the double-handled bellows will be completed, 
 and then I shall have ample funds.' 
 
 "'How so.?' 
 
 *' * Simply by granting licences to bellows- 
 makers. I intend keeping a royalty of one 
 shilling on every pair made. If they sell only 
 eight hundred thousand, or even two-thirds of 
 that number, it will yield more than sufficient 
 for the purpose.' 
 
 '' * Well,' I replied, ' call on me in a month's 
 time, and if you are in possession of only half the 
 amount you anticipate, I will immediately write to 
 the solicitor, expressing my regret for the state- 
 ment I made.' 
 
 "He then left me, and a fortnight afterwards his 
 patent was sealed. He ordered five hundred pairs 
 of bellows to be made at his own cost, but he 
 could not sell them. Of course he then discovered 
 that if a slight alteration were made in them the 
 objections offered to their use would vanish, and 
 their success would be complete. He again applied 
 
g6 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 to the Patent Office in order to secure to himself 
 the improvements he had made, which he did at 
 a considerable expense. Still his bellows would 
 not sell. He made further improvements, but 
 without any better fortune. At last he spent 
 every farthing he had, and he is now living on a 
 trifling allowance granted him by his friends. 
 Fortunately, he was an old bachelor, and his 
 failure was of comparatively little importance ; 
 but in other cases, where the patent monomaniacs 
 are married and have families, the results are 
 frequently very deplorable. 
 
 *' In Italy, some years since, when I was tra- 
 velling physician to a nobleman, I met with two 
 very droll cases. The first was that of an Italian 
 Count, whose circumstances were at the time 
 greatly embarrassed in consequence of the ex- 
 penses he had incurred in carrying out an in- 
 vention he had secured by patent. He had 
 made a vast machine, in shape something like 
 the hull of a ship, but with expanding ribs, and 
 much lighter in weight. This he covered with 
 thick silk, made impervious to the air by some 
 composition or other being spread over it. The 
 
PATENT MANIA. 97 
 
 ribs were to contract or expand by means of 
 machinery in the inside. His idea was that two 
 or three persons should seat themselves in it when 
 the ribs were contracted together as closely as 
 possible without positively inconveniencing the 
 passengers. The ribs were then to be expanded 
 till the specific gravity of the machine should be 
 lighter than that of the atmospheric air, so that 
 it could rise without difficulty to any altitude they 
 might desire. It may be readily supposed, that 
 by no ingenuity could he make his invention so 
 light of construction that it could leave the ground. 
 But this was not the point which caused him the 
 greatest anxiety. It was to provide for the respi- 
 ration of the crew. It had struck him that the 
 more rarified the air became inside the machine 
 the more difficult would it be to breathe in 
 it ; and when I knew him he was studying 
 in what manner he could overcome that diffi- 
 culty. At first he thought of placing the 
 passengers in a car beneath the machine ; but 
 on consideration he found it would not only 
 increase the weight, which was already too great, 
 but that it would be impossible to work the 
 VOL. I. H 
 
98 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 machinery in a satisfactory manner from the 
 outside. 
 
 " The other case was that of a hairdresser who 
 resided near the Duomo, at Milan. He had a 
 pretty good business, and had made some Httle 
 money, and this had been again increased by the 
 death of a relation, who had left him about eight 
 hundred pounds English. One morning, when I 
 was having my hair cut, he asked me if I were 
 not an Englishman. On my replying in the af- 
 firmative, he said he had a great favour to 
 ask of me. He had made a discovery of immense 
 importance, which he had patented, and, which of 
 course would yield him a large fortune, if he 
 could only carry it out. But in Italy there was 
 little chance of his succeeding ; the people being 
 too dull, and having too little enterprise to appre- 
 ciate it. In England he was certain it would be 
 taken up, as it would be of the greatest possible 
 value to a maritime nation. Could I tell him who 
 were the authorities who had the chief care of the 
 British navy ? and whether it would be difficult for 
 him to obtain an introduction to them ^ I told 
 him that the care of the British navy was en- 
 
PATENT MANIA. 
 
 99 
 
 trusted to the Lords of the Admiralty ; that I 
 thought there would be very little difficulty in 
 getting an introduction to them, if his inven- 
 tion was of such importance as he said. His 
 eye immediately brightened, and he continued, 
 * Did it ever strike you what a vast amount of 
 useful material is yearly thrown away in our 
 business alone } Consider the millions of people 
 who annually have their hair cut six, seven, or 
 even eight times. Why should the hair which is 
 cut off not be applied to the manufacture of 
 cordage ? I maintain it has many advantages 
 over hemp. In the first place the filaments are 
 much stronger and infinitely finer. It will not, 
 like hemp, absorb the water, and consequently 
 the inconvenience which is at present felt in the 
 contraction and expansion of ropes when wet or 
 dry would be wholly got rid of. Lastly, the 
 material itself would be totally inexpensive. What 
 I would propose is, that no one should receive a 
 licence to practise as a hairdresser until he had 
 bound himself, under a severe fine, to send all the 
 hair cut from his customers to the Lords of the 
 Admiralty. Taking into consideration the vast 
 
lOO DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 population of the British colonies, as well as that 
 of the mother country, there would thus be an 
 unlimited supply. I have been occupied,' he went 
 on, ' in making a calculation of the amount London 
 alone would yield ; but before I bring it to a close 
 I wish to find out, if I can, the proportionate 
 number of bald persons in it, so that I might 
 deduct that loss from the grand total. Perhaps 
 you could give me some information on this 
 point r 
 
 *' I told him that I could not, but that I 
 believed the number to be very considerable. 
 
 *' * Well, of course,' he said, ' I must satisfy myself 
 on that point before I make any positive state- 
 ment, as I wish to be correct in every respect' 
 
 " Unfortunately, this conversation with me had 
 the effect of stimulating the poor fellow to greater 
 exertion. He made machine after machine for his 
 cordage, and then improved upon them, thus 
 neglecting his business, which of course gradually 
 fell into other hands. He went on expending 
 his money on this object till, at last, he was 
 left utterly destitute. 
 
 " I consider that patent mania may be divided 
 
PATENT MANIA. 
 
 into two distinct species," continued the doctor. 
 "In the first, the patient's mind, as in the case of 
 my friend the double-handled bellows maker, is so 
 intensely fixed on one subject that it never di- 
 verges. He carries on his invention till he has 
 not a shilling left. After each improvement he 
 finds it as valueless as before in a pecuniary point 
 of view, and still goes on adopting some other 
 modification of his original plan. Thus he con- 
 tinues till he has not a halfpenny of his capital 
 left, and he either dies, or enters a lunatic asylum, 
 under the conviction that if he could only have 
 raised another hundred pounds he would have 
 been able to place his family in affluence. The 
 other class are those who, having secured their 
 patent at a heavy expense, throw it aside even 
 when there is a prospect of its being successful. 
 They dart at some other idea ; take up some other 
 invention, which appears to them at the moment to 
 be more attractive." 
 
 "In which of the two classes," I inquired, "do 
 you place Mr. Cochrane .''" 
 " Decidedly in the former." 
 " And what may be the form of his delusion ? 
 
102 DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 Does he not imagine he has invented a plan for 
 burning sea-water for fuel?" 
 
 " Yes," said the doctor, " and he has ruined him- 
 self in attempting to carry out an idea so utterly- 
 impracticable. He commenced his experiments 
 sanely enough, but by indulging his hobby in 
 a reckless and thoughtless manner, he has ended 
 them in the singular delusion under which he now 
 labours. But I have no time at my disposal to 
 talk longer with you this morning. If you wish to 
 learn anything more about him, come to my room 
 this evening, and take a cup of tea with me, and I 
 will give you a sketch of his history." 
 
 I accepted the doctor's invitation, and we parted. 
 
IV.— PATENT MANIA. 
 PART II. 
 
 T WAS punctual to my engagement with the 
 doctor, and as soon as the tea-things were re- 
 moved he began to relate Mr. Cochrane's history. 
 
 "When very young, Mr. Cochrane obtained an 
 appointment in a public office. He was of retired 
 habits, perfectly gentlemanly in his deportment, 
 economical without being mean, and steady in his 
 method of hving. When about thirty years of age 
 he fell desperately in love, or at least as much so 
 as his prudent nature would allow, with a young 
 lady about five years his junior. She had some 
 little property of her own, which she had in- 
 herited from an aunt, and she had also consider- 
 
I04 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 able expectations from her widowed father, who 
 was reputed to possess great wealth, but who was 
 at the same time exceedingly parsimonious. He 
 had two other daughters, who, unlike their sister, 
 had no independent property of their own ; and, 
 pretending to be under the necessity of giving 
 them dowries when they should marry, he excused 
 himself from settling anything on their sister, 
 telling Mr. Cochrane, by way of excuse and also 
 to console him, that when he, the father, should 
 die, the daughters should inherit equally. 
 
 " Mr. Cochrane, although he placed but slight 
 faith in the old gentleman's excuses, satisfied him- 
 self with the certainty of the sum he should be 
 entitled to in reversion at his decease, and the 
 interest of his intended wife's two thousand 
 five hundred pounds, which had been placed in 
 the funds. He therefore stated that his great 
 happiness in possessing the lady would have 
 been complete even had she had no property of 
 her own. This avowal naturally gave unqualified 
 gratification to the old gentleman, who without 
 further demur bestowed on the young couple his 
 blessing, and they were shortly afterwards married. 
 
PATENT MANIA. jq: 
 
 "It would be very difficult to imagine a more 
 happy vienage than Mr. and Mrs. Cochrane's. 
 They had taken a house in the neighbourhood 
 of Clapham Common, and in it they remained 
 till the death of her father. In the meantime 
 Mrs. Cochrane had borne her husband four child- 
 ren — all girls, somewhat to the parents' dis- 
 appointment. This, however, was considerably 
 neutralized by the fact that they were fine 
 healthy children, extremely intelligent, and pos- 
 sessed of considerable personal beauty as well. 
 
 "The death of Mrs. Cochrane's father occurred 
 when her eldest daughter was about sixteen years 
 of age. If the old gentleman had been avaricious 
 during his lifetime, his children now reaped the 
 benefit of his parsimony. His will was proved 
 under twenty-two thousand pounds ; five thousand 
 of which were left to Mrs. Cochrane, without any 
 restriction or settlement whatever ; and the re- 
 mainder he directed should be divided equally 
 between the other two daughters, neither of whom 
 was married ; and who might now, without demur 
 or dispute on their parts, be considered as old 
 maids. They were, however, exceedingly amiable 
 
io6 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 women, and fondly attached to their sister and 
 her children ; in fact, the only little disagreements 
 which took place between them and their married 
 sister, and which very rarely lasted above a few 
 minutes, arose from the excessive indulgence the 
 two aunts were in the habit of lavishing on their 
 nieces. 
 
 " Mr. Cochrane had now been a sufficient num- 
 ber of years in his office to entitle him to a good 
 pension, and being also possessed of the moneys 
 he had received with his wife, he resolved on 
 quitting the Government service. To this ar- 
 rangement not only did his wife offer no ob- 
 jection, but it was received with perfect satisfaction 
 by the maiden aunts, who proposed taking a 
 cottage near them, in whatever locality they 
 might decide upon. It was some time before 
 Mr. Cochrane fixed on his new residence, as the 
 matter was attended with difficulty. Had he 
 and his wife followed the bent of their own in- 
 clinations they would have preferred some se- 
 cluded spot in the country, but then they had 
 also to take into consideration the future of the 
 young ladies. They could hardly be expected 
 
PATENT MANIA. I07 
 
 when a few years older to take the same dehght 
 in a rural life as their parents and their aunts 
 were likely to do. After careful deliberation, Mr. 
 Cochrane and his wife decided on a handsome 
 house in the vicinity of Hastings, and to it soon 
 afterwards the family removed, while the maiden 
 aunts contented themselves with a pretty cottage 
 in the town. 
 
 "Although the country had great charms for 
 Mr. Cochrane in summer-time, he found it by no 
 means so agreeable in winter, and especially in 
 such weather as confined him within doors. As 
 he naturally possessed a very active mind, and as 
 there were no out-of-door occupations to employ it, 
 he, like many others similarly situated, made for 
 himself what is commonly termed a hobby. For 
 some time he remained undetermined what par- 
 ticular subject he should devote himself to. He 
 touched upon many, but one after the other 
 were thrown aside. Accident at last brought one 
 under his notice, which in the end he definitely 
 adopted. One dull, wet morning, when he was 
 engaged in reading his newspaper, his eye fell upon 
 a long and distressing account of an accident which 
 
io8 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 had occurred in a coal mine, by which many 
 of the unfortunate miners had lost their lives, 
 and their wives and families been plunged into 
 the deepest distress. Mr. Cochrane was much 
 touched by the description, and he began to con- 
 sider what plan could be adopted to prevent for 
 the future the recurrence of such deplorable acci- 
 dents. As he knew nothing whatever of mining 
 operations it was little to be wondered at if he 
 came to no very satisfactory conclusion on the 
 point. After pondering over the subject he threw 
 it aside, and contented himself with blaming not 
 only mine-owners in general for their habitual 
 negligence of their workmen's lives, but also the 
 Government for their apathy in matters of the 
 kind. 
 
 "Although Mr. Cochrane gave up the idea of 
 suggesting any plan for preventing accidents in 
 mines, the description of the catastrophe which 
 he had read had so aroused his sympathy that 
 the subject perpetually recurred to him in an in- 
 definite sort of way. At last the idea struck him 
 that it might be possible to obtain a sufficient 
 supply of fuel for general use without having 
 
PATENT MANIA. I09 
 
 recourse to the dangerous operations of mining. 
 He argued, that as coal was after all but a vege- 
 table deposit, there was certainly as much fuel on 
 the surface of the earth as there was below it, and 
 that coal was but a clumsy material to manage 
 when compared with charcoal. True, there was 
 the cost of production and manufacture to be 
 taken into consideration ; but although wood was 
 scarce and valuable in England, it was abundant 
 in other parts of the world, and might be had in 
 any quantity for the mere trouble of cutting 
 down. As for the expense, he found that in 
 Sweden charcoal was made for as little as half a 
 crown a chaldron, the original cost of the wood not 
 being taken into consideration. It was quite true 
 that its use in private houses, under our present 
 system of warming them, might be dangerous, but 
 for all smelting and manufacturing purposes he felt 
 assured that it would in every respect be far more 
 advantageous than coal. 
 
 "He was now fairly interested in the subject, 
 and began to study it with great assiduity, being 
 stimulated more by zeal for the welfare of hu- 
 manity than any direct pecuniary advantage he 
 
no DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 might derive from it. He bought several works j 
 on the manufacture of charcoal, and having read 
 them carefully, he at last arrived at the con- 
 clusion that it might be made in many parts of the 
 world at a far less cost than it was even in Sweden. 
 He proved that the manufacture of charcoal might 
 be profitably carried on in many of the British 
 colonies. There were, for example, those on the 
 coasts of Africa, where labour was cheap and 
 abundant, and where there were large forests still 
 untouched. He held that its manufacture in these 
 districts would not only supply the natives with 
 industrial occupation, and tend to their ultimate 
 civilization, but would at the same time be the 
 means of increasing the salubrity of the climate 
 by the immense destruction of vegetable matter. 
 
 i 
 
 There now only remained the question of freight 
 to be got over, and this at first sight offered 
 terrible obstacles to the making of charcoal in 
 Africa as a profitable mercantile speculation ; for 
 in no way, owing to the light specific gravity of 
 the charcoal, could as much fuel be carried as 
 would compensate for the cost of freight. 
 
 " Although Mr. Cochrane now gave up the idea 
 
PATENT MANIA. Ill 
 
 of importing charcoal as fuel for manufacturing 
 purposes, he by no means gave up his notion of the 
 practicability of utilizing it to a far greater extent 
 than at present. He reflected on the possibility 
 of establishing stations, for example, at Sierra 
 Leone and Cape Coast Castle, where the African 
 steamers could take charcoal on board at a 
 fourth of the cost of coal. But the difficulty of 
 burning it in the engine-rooms without its being 
 dangerous to human life occurred to him, and for 
 some time put a stop to his speculations. Presently 
 he remembered that it could be burnt in the open 
 air, and even in factories where there was good 
 ventilation, without any injurious effects arising 
 from its use ; and it followed that if good ventila- 
 tion could be provided in the engine-room, it 
 might safely be used there also without any 
 danger to the engineers and stokers employed. 
 He now set about studying by what means this 
 might be accomplished. He at first thought of 
 pumping atmospheric air into the engine-room, 
 but he soon relinquished that idea as impracti- 
 cable. He next proposed to drive a current of 
 steam through his furnaces, so as to supply the 
 
112 DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 burning fuel with sufficient oxygen. He at last 
 hit upon a plan for carrying this theory into 
 execution, so simple and so economical that he 
 was struck with admiration at his own ingenuity, 
 while wondering that an adaptation of the kind 
 had never been thought of before. 
 
 "After well considering his project, to assure 
 himself that there could be no flaw in it, he thought 
 of submitting his invention to a friend, a mechanical 
 engineer, to ascertain his opinion of its merits ; but 
 he reflected that if his plan succeeded, as in all 
 probability it would, the profits would be enormous, 
 and he asked himself why he and his family should 
 not enjoy the benefits arising from it, instead of 
 running the risk of his idea, or some modifica- 
 tion of it, being put forward by others. He 
 therefore abandoned his original intention, and, 
 instead, got his friend to introduce him to a patent 
 agent of well-known ability and integrity. To this 
 gentleman Mr. Cochrane confided his invention, 
 and requested his candid opinion as to its practi- 
 cability. The patent agent examined the plan 
 minutely, and then declined to give a decided 
 opinion on the subject. 
 
PATENT MANIA. 113 
 
 " ' That your invention promises well I admit,' he 
 said ; * and I confess that, even with all my ex- 
 perience to back me, I cannot prove you to be in 
 error in your theory ; but I have seen so many 
 schemes turn out utter failures in the end which 
 at first sight promised as well as this, that I 
 should be deeply grieved if you should have it in 
 your power to say that any want of success you 
 might experience had been caused by my advice to 
 take out a patent. There is also a matter which 
 at the same time I should impress upon you. 
 All experiments with marine engines are exceed- 
 ingly costly, and yours will be particularly so, as 
 it will be impossible to prove your plan to be 
 perfect by a miniature model. You must have a 
 model sufficiently large to contain an engine and 
 furnace, and there must also be room enough 
 in it for a couple of men to attend to them, 
 or you will be incapable of proving that the 
 burning charcoal will not be dangerous to human 
 life. At the same time I allow that, if your inven- 
 tion succeeds, you will without doubt realize an 
 enormous fortune.' 
 
 " Mr. Cochrane left the agent after having paid 
 
 VOL. I. I 
 
DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 great attention to his remarks, but it was the con- 
 cluding one which specially dwelt on his memory. 
 He afterwards paid several visits to this gentleman, 
 and the end of it was that he took out a patent 
 for an apparatus to burn charcoal in marine 
 engines without danger to life. Of course he 
 experienced the usual amount of anxiety while 
 his patent was being taken out ; but at last all 
 was accomplished, and his satisfaction was so 
 great that he paid the whole of the heavy ex- 
 penses without a murmur, fully convinced by this 
 he was purchasing the reversion to a magnificent 
 fortune. 
 
 " He now determined, before bringing his patent 
 fully under the notice of the public, to make 
 his working model such as to enable him to 
 prove to the most sceptical the perfect capabili- 
 ties of his patent. He did so ; but engineering 
 experiments of the kind are proverbially ex- 
 pensive, and almost as frequently unsuccessful. 
 Mr. Cochrane's experiments proved no exception. 
 When he had completed his working model on 
 board an old river steamboat, at the cost of many 
 hundred pounds, it turned out a complete failure. 
 
PATENT MANIA. 
 
 115 
 
 From the rapid development of carbonic acid gas 
 it was found impossible for the engineer and stoker 
 to remain in the engine-room ; and so glaring 
 were other defects in the invention, that Mr. 
 Cochrane was even obliged to acknowledge them 
 himself. The machinery of the boat was, at a 
 heavy cost, reinstated in its original form, and 
 then returned to the owners. 
 
 " For some time after the failure of his scheme 
 Mr. Cochrane remained inactive, but the subject 
 of his invention was perpetually floating in his 
 mind. He also grieved over the heavy expenses he 
 had incurred, which had considerably diminished 
 his income. He now wisely resolved to let the 
 loss be a lesson to him, and to drop the affair alto- 
 gether. He kept to his resolution for about a 
 year, but his desire to become rich by an invention 
 of the kind had never in reality left him for a 
 moment ; and instead of decreasing by lapse of 
 time, it appeared rather to augment m intensity. 
 At last he could support the temptation no 
 longer, and again took up the subject. This time, 
 however, he resolved to be more moderate in his 
 expenditure, and he determined to invent a kind of 
 
ii6 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 fuel — a combination of charcoal and some other 
 substances — which should carry with it its own 
 oxygen in a latent state, and which could only be 
 developed by the heat of the furnace. If this 
 could be accomplished, it would then be perfectly 
 possible for the engineers to work in the engine- 
 rooms without danger or inconvenience. 
 
 " Mr. Cochrane, on the score of economy, now 
 performed his experiments at home, greatly to 
 the annoyance of his family and the servants, as 
 the powdered charcoal, with which he principally 
 worked, in spite of all his precautions, pervaded 
 every room in the house. Still, with the obstinacy 
 of an enthusiast, he went on until he considered 
 his invention perfect. So certain was he of success 
 this time, that, without hesitation, he took out 
 another patent to secure his new invention. All 
 was now in readiness, and he collected a suffi- 
 cient supply of fuel for an experiment on board 
 another small river steamboat, which he hired for 
 the purpose. The steam was got up by common 
 coal, which was then raked out of the furnaces, 
 and the patent fuel put in its place. Alas ! j 
 the experiment was as unsuccessful as the other 
 
 J 
 
PATENT MANIA. II7 
 
 had been. The patent fuel was found to give far 
 less heat than the common coal ; it required a 
 tremendous draught of air to keep it burning; and 
 the engine-room was still greatly inconvenienced 
 with carbonic acid gas, though not nearly to the 
 same extent as in the previous trial. 
 
 " Mr. Cochrane again resolved to give up the 
 idea of becoming wealthy by his own inven- 
 tions, and he endeavoured to occupy himself solely 
 with literature and the affairs of his family. But 
 the patent mania had seized him, and in spite of 
 all his good resolutions his mind was inveterately 
 bent on succeeding. He was now obliged to work 
 on without letting his wife into the secret, for his 
 extravagance had so much reduced their income 
 that she became terribly alarmed as to the possible 
 results, should he pursue his folly further. Nothing, 
 however, could stop the infatuated man ; and to 
 find funds for his purpose, he, unknown to his 
 wife, mortgaged to an insurance office, at a very 
 heavy interest, his pension from the Crown. 
 
 '' It would be useless to detail the different ex- 
 periments made by Mr. Cochrane for improve- 
 ments in the fuel of marine engines, or the 
 
DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 various patents, or amendments of patents, which 
 were taken out to secure his invention. Suffice 
 it to say, none of them proved to be of the 
 sHghtest value ; and yet, as each failed, his de- 
 termination to succeed with a new one became 
 the stronger. His finances in the meantime di- 
 minished rapidly, and he was obliged to remove 
 from the house he had occupied to one of far 
 smaller dimensions. In vain his wife tried to 
 restrain him in his follies, in vain she pointed out 
 to him the inevitable ruin which awaited them all 
 if he did not relinquish his wild schemes. All 
 her remonstrances, however, had no other effect 
 than to draw from him on each occasion the 
 assurance that he was on the point of making a 
 large fortune, and that it would be madness now 
 to desist, when all he had been trying for was 
 actually within his grasp. 
 
 ''The amount of scientific knowledge he had 
 shown in his earlier inventions had now com- 
 pletely vanished ; and he took up ideas utterly at 
 variance with the very first principles of natural 
 philosophy. He entertained thoughts of reducing 
 charcoal to a fraction of its original bulk, so 
 
PATENT MANIA. II9 
 
 that steamships might be able to carry with 
 them sufficient fuel for a long voyage, without 
 being obliged to put into port for coal. But that 
 terrible objection — the generation of carbonic acid 
 gas — not only existed, but he found that the 
 quantity developed was in proportion to the 
 weight of the charcoal and not to its bulk. He 
 then proposed to reduce the charcoal to powder, 
 and after mixing it with water, to compress the 
 whole to one-fifth part of its original bulk, hoping 
 that the water it contained would supply the 
 oxygen necessary for its combustion, but utterly 
 forgetting the incompressible nature of the fluid. 
 "The money Mr. Cochrane lavished on this 
 absurdity not only consumed all he could raise on 
 his Government pension, but encroached largely 
 on the remaining funds of his wife, so that she 
 was reluctantly compelled to request her friends 
 to interfere on her behalf. A family council 
 was held, which Mr. Cochrane was Invited to 
 attend. When he presented himself in the room 
 his altered appearance struck with surprise those 
 of his relatives who had not seen him for some 
 time. He was not only much paler and thinner 
 
DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 than he was wont to be, but they also noticed a 
 singular wildness of expression. He had a look 
 of restlessness and intense impatience, which 
 seemed to indicate that his mind was becoming 
 unsettled. But if this at first was only a sus- 
 picion, his subsequent behaviour proved it to be 
 a fact. He listened with considerable calmness 
 to a very kind address from his wife's uncle, and 
 afterwards to some remarks from other members 
 of the family. They then waited for him to 
 speak. 
 
 " He remained calm and silent for some mo- 
 ments, when suddenly his self-possession left him, 
 and he rose impatiently to address his ' friends. 
 He commenced to speak somewhat hurriedly, but 
 yet to the point. After a few sentences, however, 
 he was obliged to stop to collect his ideas. When 
 he recommenced, after a slight pause, his words 
 flowed fluently enough. There was little reason 
 or rational excuse in them for the extravagant 
 expenditure he had been guilty of His address 
 sisted principally of an earnest appeal to their 
 good feelings, and entreaties not to place any 
 impediment in the way of his continuing his 
 
PATENT MANIA. 12I 
 
 experiments, even should they not feel inclined 
 to directly assist him in so doing. It would not 
 only, he said, be unkind and injurious to him, 
 but to his dear wife and children as well. He 
 was at that moment on the point of completing 
 an invention for supplying steam-ships with fuel, 
 which would not only produce a complete revolu- 
 tion in steam navigation, but certainly raise him 
 to great celebrity. But he pleaded besides, that 
 to restrain him at that moment would be to 
 deprive his family of the enormous fortune which 
 he held almost within his grasp. Earnestly and 
 with considerable pathos he implored them not 
 to interfere with him for a little time longer. The 
 sum he now required to complete his experiments 
 was only one thousand pounds (he had but fifteen 
 hundred left), and he was sure that if they would 
 only go with him a little deeper into the subject, 
 and listen to the arguments he was able to offer, 
 they would see the advantage of allowing him to 
 complete his patent. 
 
 " With one voice the family conclave objected to 
 his proposition ; imploring him to listen to reason, 
 and assuring him that if he wished for employ- 
 
122 DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 ment in any other occupation they would assist 
 him as far as lay in their power. With the in- 
 consistency of a partial maniac, Mr. Cochrane 
 took their kind remarks very ill. He accused his 
 friends of unkindness and selfishness, and also of 
 stupidity ; and setting them all at defiance, he 
 took up his hat and left the room in a towering 
 passion. 
 
 " The day after the family meeting Mr. Cochrane 
 left home in the morning. His wife received an 
 incoherent note from him in the evening, in which 
 he informed her that he considered it was a duty 
 he owed to her, their daughters, and himself, to 
 leave a house in which he was treated with 
 disrespect, and in which he was no longer re- 
 garded as the master. In the strongest terms 
 he deprecated what he called the conspiracy 
 which had been concocted against him by a 
 party of self-interested persons ; who, quite unable 
 to judge with coolness and discretion of the merits 
 of his invention, thought fit to interfere at the 
 eleventh hour, when success was on the point of 
 crowning all his labours. It was evident that 
 they had jumped to the conclusion that they 
 
PATENT MANIA. I23 
 
 might possibly be called upon to assist his family, 
 should the speculation prove a failure. He finished 
 his letter by stating that he should go on with his 
 invention in spite of all opposition. He trusted 
 that both she and the girls would view his inten- 
 tions in their proper light, and believe that, 
 although they might not see him again for some 
 time, he should have the same ardent affection 
 for them, and have their real interest as much 
 at heart during his absence, as if he were residing 
 with them. 
 
 " The alarm which this letter caused Mrs. 
 Cochrane may be easily imagined. Nor was it 
 without foundation. Had Mr. Cochrane not left 
 the house, she might have exercised over him 
 some degree of influence ; but once away from 
 her, there would be no impediment to his foUies. 
 Again, she could not divest herself of the sus- 
 picion that her dear husband's mind was not in 
 a perfectly sane state ; although it was true he 
 had as yet shown no positive symptoms of such 
 incipient insanity as would justify the usual legal 
 proceedings being taken in his case. He was 
 neither dangerous to himself nor to others in a 
 
.124 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 physical point of view, and therefore no personal 
 restraint could legally be placed upon him. 
 
 " Removed from the slight control his wife was 
 capable of exercising over him, Mr. Cochrane 
 gave full sway to his monomania. He now left 
 his original patent agent, who, although perfectly 
 willing to assist him in his absurd speculations 
 while he believed his client to be in his right 
 senses, was a man of too much integrity to 
 profit by his insanity. As soon as he suspected 
 Mr. Cochrane of being incapable of conducting 
 his own affairs he declined longer to act as his 
 agent. But the unfortunate man now chose 
 another, who was not so honourable ; who was, 
 in fact, little better than a scoundrel. When 
 younger this man had been somewhat of a specu- 
 lator in inventions himself, and had spent in this 
 way a few hundred pounds he had inherited. He 
 afterwards found some inexperienced persons to 
 advance him money on his wild schemes, under 
 the condition that he should give them a portion 
 of the profits. These were, it is needless to say, 
 his dupes ; though at the same time he had still 
 some slight faith left in the possible success of his 
 
PATENT MANIA. 125 
 
 own projects. With the loss of the money which 
 had been advanced to him his behef in his own me- 
 chanical genius vanished. He must live, however ; 
 and as in his experience he had acquired no small 
 amount of patent agent slang, and as he naturally 
 possessed considerable plausibility of manner, he 
 determined to start in that line of business on 
 his own account. To make things still more pro- 
 fitable, he established an intimacy with a dis- 
 honest bill-discounting Jew attorney, and the pair 
 resolved to work together. Their system was 
 something like the following : — The patent agent 
 was to find the dupe, who was invariably to be 
 some one w^ho fancied he had hit upon a grand 
 invention. Of course no one was to be taken 
 under the protection of the agent who was not 
 possessed of some little money of his own ; and 
 their connection would last but a short time even 
 then, unless the unlucky individual had also some 
 relatives or friends who could back him in his 
 speculations were more money required, or assist 
 him in paying his debts if he should exceed his 
 own resources. The system was to encourage the 
 would-be millionaire till he had lost the money 
 
126 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 he originally possessed ; and then, as the agent 
 Avas always to be short of cash himself, he was 
 to introduce his client to the Jew. This worthy 
 was in like manner to be obliged to raise the 
 money at high interest, and after the discount 
 and commission had been deducted, the residue 
 was to be handed over to the patent agent. As 
 soon as it should be found that the patience and 
 liberality of the client's friends were exhausted, 
 judgment was to be procured, and the party who 
 had taken out the patent, and his friends or 
 relatives, severely mulcted. 
 
 " To this man a connection with Mr. Cochrane 
 promised to be a profitable investment for his 
 talents. He soon discovered that some remnants 
 of his victim's original fortune were still left ; and, 
 moreover, that the affection the maiden aunts 
 bore for him and his family might be viewed in 
 the light of an admirable collateral security. To 
 crown all, the now too evident insanity of Mr. 
 Cochrane proved to the dishonest adventurer 
 how great a dupe such a client might be made. 
 At first he told Mr. Cochrane that he was so 
 fully impressed with the certainty of his patents 
 
PATENT Mania. 127 
 
 succeeding, that he was wiUing personally to 
 advance all necessary funds for carrying them 
 out, solely on the security of the patents them- 
 selves. This, of course, fell in so admirably 
 with my hero's views on the subject, that he 
 immediately plunged deeply into the necessary 
 preparations for making another experiment on 
 a large scale. But before all was in readiness, 
 and when at least a hundred pounds more were 
 still required, Mr. Cochrane received from his 
 patent agent the unpleasing intelligence that, 
 owing to the defalcation of a person to whom 
 he (the agent) had advanced money, he could 
 not possibly accommodate his client with a fur- 
 ther loan. Rather, however, than that an inven- 
 tion of so much importance should fall to the 
 ground, he would apply to a friend of his who, 
 he had no doubt, would be able to raise the 
 money on their joint acceptances. This friend 
 was, of course, the Jew money-lender ; who in- 
 formed Mr. Cochrane, that in consequence of the 
 disturbed state of the money market he should 
 have much difficulty in raising the sum required, 
 but that he would do his best. The money was 
 
128 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 procured at an enormous rate of interest, and of 
 course was only wasted by Mr. Cochrane in 
 experiments as unfortunate as those he had 
 already attempted. 
 
 "The bill in due time was presented for pay- 
 ment, and Mr. Cochrane not having the money 
 to take it up, it was renewed at a heavy loss. 
 This, however, gave him but little concern, the 
 unhappy man's infatuation being now beyond all 
 control. Vacillating as he had been in his former 
 projects, he now hardly showed the slightest com- 
 mon sense in his experiments. He continually 
 changed his plans, increasing his debts the while, 
 till at last both the agent and the money-lender 
 considered the time had arrived when no further 
 advance should be made to him. They now 
 began to press him for the money owing them. 
 Finding he had not the power to pay their de- 
 mands, the Jew commenced proceedings at law ; 
 and the patent agent, who pretended still to have 
 his client's interest at heart, advised him to be 
 reconciled to his wife, and obtain money from her 
 to meet the claim out of the balance which still 
 remained in her hands, and which my patient. 
 
PATENT MANIA. 
 
 129 
 
 to do him justice, had entrusted her with, on the 
 understanding that it should be entirely at her 
 own disposal. It is more than probable he would 
 have kept to this determination, had the idea not 
 presented itself to his unsettled brain, that he had 
 now hit upon the certain means of burning sea- 
 water for fuel. Of the success of his present 
 scheme there could be, he argued, no doubt ; he 
 had not only seen the experiment tried by others, 
 but he had also proved it to be true himself It 
 consisted simply of passing a stream of steam 
 through a platinum wire gauze heated to redness, 
 and then . burning the gas as the steam was 
 decomposed by the action of the heat. 
 
 " He placed his new scheme before his patent 
 agent, who, unscrupulous as he was, had not 
 the courage to advise him to commence any 
 experiments, for even he could not longer shut 
 his eyes to the fast developing insanity of his 
 client. Still he hardly liked to relinquish so 
 lucrative a victim, and he contented himself by 
 simply complimenting the Ingenuity of the theory 
 set forth by Mr. Cochrane ; but as without funds 
 it would be impossible for them to take the 
 
 voi,. T. K 
 
130 DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 subject into their serious consideration, he again 
 advised Mr, Cochrane to become reconciled to 
 his wife. 
 
 " ' My dear sir/ he said one day, at the con- 
 clusion of a long lecture he had bestowed upon 
 his client, ' the only advice I can give you under 
 present circumstances, if you wish to go on with 
 your invention, is to get money ; without it we 
 can do nothing. I have no doubt the invention 
 you now propose will in the end produce to you 
 an enormous fortune ; but without the sinews of 
 war, you must yourself perceive that it would be 
 utterly absurd in us to attempt to casry it out. 
 Now once more let me advise you to be reconciled 
 to your wife ; she is still able to assist you ; and 
 more than that, I am sure her sisters, when they 
 fully understand the brilliant prospects before you, 
 will contribute something towards their realization.* 
 
 ''As Mr. Cochrane seemed still to have some 
 compunction at the idea of drawing on the limited 
 funds in his, wife's hands, the agent changed his 
 tactics. He proved to him that from the ani- 
 mosity shown by the Jew money-lender, it was 
 more than probable, that not only would the 
 
PATENT MANIA. 131 
 
 invention itself fall to the ground, but that Mr. 
 Cochrane might find himself before long the 
 inmate of a debtors' prison. 
 
 '* Terrified at this, Mr. Cochrane reluctantly 
 resolved to pay a visit to his wife. She had 
 removed with her family from the vicinity of 
 Hastings, and had taken a small house in Lam- 
 beth. Her two maiden sisters resided with her ; 
 and, in fact, their purses supplied almost the 
 whole of the household needs. The evening Mr. 
 Cochrane fixed for calling on them was wet and 
 stormy, and it was winter. The unfortunate man 
 had driven to the house in a cab, and had dis- 
 missed the driver; but just when he was upon 
 the point of knocking at the door, his courage, 
 from some inexplicable reason, suddenly left him, 
 and he gently let the knocker fall from his grasp. 
 He walked some paces from the house, and then 
 turned round and gazed at it, utterly unconscious 
 of the rain which was pouring on him. The lights, 
 which he could see through the drawing-room 
 window-curtains, clearly proved that the family 
 were at home ; but this rather frightened than 
 encouraged him. 
 
132 DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 "After remaining in this position for some 
 minutes he suddenly resolved that he would not 
 enter the house. In spite of his insanity he had 
 still the feelings of a man of honour left, and he 
 seemed to feel innately, without perhaps acknow- 
 ledging the fact to himself, that in this visit to 
 his wife he was not actuated by any feelings of 
 love either to her or her children, but by the 
 dishonest intention of depriving her of some 
 portion of the small means she still had at her 
 disposal. 
 
 "He now turned his steps homewards, but 
 had scarcely passed the house when he suddenly 
 stopped, for the idea struck him that the money 
 he proposed taking from his wife was merely 
 a small loan, which would shortly be returned 
 to her a thousandfold ; and that so far from 
 being actuated by any unworthy motives in his 
 visit, the very fact of taking her money for 
 a purpose of the kind was in itself an act of 
 affection. 
 
 "He now walked a few steps towards the house, 
 but he again suddenly stopped, without perhaps 
 being able to give any lucid reason for his so 
 
PATENT MANIA. 133 
 
 doing. Presently the postman passed him, who 
 knocked at Mrs. Cochrane's door. As soon as 
 the servant had answered it Mr. Cochrane hurried 
 up, and, without speaking either to the man or 
 the servant, rushed past them up-stairs to the 
 drawing-room. The girl was so bewildered at his 
 behaviour that she was for a minute or two 
 unable to follow him ; but the postman, more 
 collected, advised her instantly to go up-stairs, and 
 inquire what the man's business might be, as from 
 his conduct he strongly suspected him to be a 
 thief. The servant acted on the postman's sug- 
 gestion as quickly as she could. Before she had 
 reached Mr. Cochrane, however, he had opened 
 the door, and entered the drawing-room. In it, 
 seated at a table, was his wife, with her back 
 towards the door, and on either side of her sat 
 her daughters, occupied with needlework. Beside 
 the fireplace were the two maiden aunts. No 
 one for a moment paid any attention to the 
 opening of the room door, imagining it might 
 have been the servant who had entered. But as 
 she did not advance, Mrs. Cochrane turned par- 
 tially round to ascertain what the girl might be 
 
134 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 doing. She saw her husband standing before her. 
 He was motionless as a statue, his countenance 
 was pallid and haggard, and the rain was dripping 
 from his saturated garments. 
 
 " Surprise for a moment deprived her of the 
 power of moving ; but suddenly recovering herself 
 she rose hurriedly from her seat, and uttering a 
 cry, half of alarm, half of astonishment, she rushed 
 towards him. Aroused by Mrs. Cochrane's be- 
 haviour, her daughters and the maiden aunts 
 advanced to welcome the unhappy man. The 
 scene which followed was a most affecting one. 
 Every possible expression of endearment was 
 lavished upon him, but he seemed completely 
 dazed, and incapable of making any reply. His 
 eye anxiously wandered from one to another of 
 his family, as if trying to understand what was 
 passing before him, but without any success at- 
 tending the effort. 
 
 " They now led him unresistingly to an easy 
 chair by the fire, and, crowding around him, each 
 gently endeavoured to claim his attention. All 
 was in vain ; the multiplicity of their endearments 
 tended rather to add to the confusion of his ideas 
 
PATENT MANIA. 135 
 
 than otherwise. At last his eye became riveted 
 upon his youngest daughter, who had remained 
 outside the circle, and was silently giving full vent 
 to her sorrow. The sight of his child's tears 
 somewhat recalled the poor man to reason. He 
 rose from his seat, and pressing through the 
 others, he clasped her in his arms, and tenderly 
 embraced her. He now began to understand 
 better the position he was in, and spoke to his 
 family rationally enough. He told them, if they 
 would receive him again, he had come to take 
 up his residence among them, and he trusted they 
 would never more be separated. 
 
 " They naturally heard this intimation with great 
 joy ; and Mrs. Cochrane immediately left the room 
 to give orders that her husband's luggage should 
 be taken up-stairs, that he might have an oppor- 
 tunity of changing the wet clothes he had on. 
 To her great surprise, however, she found he had 
 brought nothing with him. She returned to the 
 room to inquire if his luggage would soon arrive, 
 and she then found he had forgotten it altogether. 
 Fortunately, she had still some articles of his 
 clothing in her possession, which were instantly 
 
136 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 laid out for him in his bedroom ; and after 
 having changed his dress he returned to the 
 drawing-room. 
 
 " When again seated by the fireside Mr. Coch- 
 rane seemed supremely happy. The excited ex- 
 pression of his countenance, which had terrified 
 them so much when he first entered the room, 
 was now fled, and he was perfectly calm and 
 composed. He talked fluently and with great 
 lucidity. The conversation ran principally on 
 subjects connected with the family affairs during 
 his absence, and he appeared to take great interest 
 in all the details they gave him. It was a very 
 happy family meeting, and for some' time all 
 went on satisfactorily. They were beginning to 
 think of retiring to bed, when Mrs. Cochrane 
 imprudently inquired of her husband how he had 
 occupied his time since she had last seen him. 
 A more unfortunate question could hardly have 
 been imagined. The calm expression he had 
 worn during the later part of the evening, and 
 which had given her so much confidence, imme- 
 diately vanished ; his eye lighted up with unnatural 
 brilliancy, and he commenced the history of his 
 
PATENT MANIA. 
 
 137 
 
 different experiments. Perceiving the unhappy 
 effect of her incautious question, Mrs. Cochrane 
 attempted to change the current of the conversa- 
 tion ; but in vain. The unhappy man was now 
 upon his favourite topic, and it was impossible to 
 stop him. 
 
 "As he went on he became still more excited, 
 till at last the terrible fact of his insanity became 
 apparent to all. Still there was method in his 
 madness. Although he discoursed with great 
 volubility on his different experiments, and ex- 
 patiated on the grand results they would certainly 
 lead to, with all the incoherency of a maniac, not 
 one word did he mention of the debts and liabili- 
 ties he had incurred. He informed them that he 
 had now completed an invention compared with 
 which the fabled philosopher's stone, had it really 
 existed, would have been but insignificant. He 
 told his daughters that the richest heiresses in 
 England were little better than in utter poverty, 
 compared with the wealth which they would 
 shortly be in possession of. In this manner he 
 ran on till not the least coherence or reason was 
 discernible in his language. 
 
138 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 "Suddenly he stopped for a moment to take 
 breath, and then he remarked for the first time 
 that all his family were in tears. Instead of be- 
 coming calmer, or attempting to console them, his 
 excitement simply changed its course. He now 
 flew into a violent passion, accused them of in- 
 gratitude in not receiving with pleasure the news 
 he had given them, and insisted on immediately 
 leaving the house. This of course they would not 
 allow. They closed around him, and earnestly 
 and affectionately begged him to be pacified. 
 F'or a moment he was silent, and they thought 
 they had succeeded ; but he again broke out on 
 the subject of his inventions, and continued raving 
 about them till exhausted nature could sustain 
 the excitement no longer. 
 
 "When Mr. Cochrane presented himself at the 
 breakfast-table the next morning he appeared 
 much depressed by the fatigue caused by the 
 excitement of the previous evening. His face was 
 pale, and its expression haggard and anxious, but 
 still he conducted himself both in speech and be- 
 haviour with perfect propriety. The only cause for 
 uneasiness noticed by his wife and family was his 
 
PATENT MANIA. 139 
 
 total loss of appetite. After breakfast the news- 
 paper was placed in his hands, and although at 
 first his eye wandered from column to column 
 without dwelling on any particular subject, at last 
 he got interested in a parliamentary debate, the 
 whole of which he perused with much attention. 
 When he had finished he spoke to his family on 
 the debate he had been reading, and he analyzed 
 its merits and those of the different speakers with 
 so much intelligence that his wife began to hope 
 that his mind had again recovered its healthy 
 tone. But a slight incident soon afterwards 
 occurred which proved to her that she was totally 
 deceived in the favourable conclusion she had 
 arrived at. 
 
 "Mrs. Cochrane, thinking it would be judicious 
 to keep her husband, if possible, with her in the 
 house for a few days, so that his mind might 
 become a little more settled before he again mixed 
 with strangers, asked him for the address of his 
 lodgings, that she might send for his luggage ; or 
 in case it was not ready, she offered to go with a 
 ser\^ant herself, to superintend its being packed up. 
 He seemed pleased with the suggestion, and 
 
I40 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 approached the inkstand, which was on the table, 
 to write on a piece of paper the number of the 
 house and the name of the street for his wife's 
 guidance, as well as a list of the different articles 
 he wished she should bring back with her. But 
 although the paper was before him, and he had 
 dipped the pen in the ink, he sat motionless, with- 
 out writing a word. His wife pretended to take 
 no notice of his hesitation, but left the room to 
 prepare for leaving the house. When she was 
 quite ready, and the cab which was to take 
 her and the servant was at the door, she again 
 entered the sitting-room, where she found her 
 husband still seated at the table with a pen in 
 his hand, and the paper untouched before him. 
 *I am quite ready now, dear,' she said, 'and as 
 soon as you have given me the address and the 
 list I will start off.' He was silent for a moment, 
 and then turning his face towards her, his eyes 
 filling with tears the while, he said to her in a 
 sorrowful tone of voice, * I am very sorry, Charlotte, 
 but I cannot remember, all I can do, the name of 
 the street, nor in what part of London it is situated.' 
 Mrs. Cochrane had too much tact to press him on 
 
PATENT MANIA. 141 
 
 the subject, and with a heavy heart she again left 
 the room, to dismiss the cab and take off her 
 walking dress. 
 
 " Before the day was over Mrs. Cochrane was 
 in possession of the address of her husband's 
 lodging, and the information was conveyed to her 
 in a most painful manner. In the afternoon a 
 shabbily dressed man called at the house and 
 requested to see Mr. Cochrane. The servant, in 
 doubt whether he should be admitted, made some 
 demur, saying she was not certain whether he was 
 at home, but she would inquire. * Oh, nonsense!' 
 said the man, * he is at home, and expects me ; 
 so I may as well see him at once ; ' and he 
 followed the girl into the room. 
 
 "As soon as Mr. Cochrane caught sight of the 
 man he rose from his chair and trembled violently. 
 The man advanced directly towards him, and 
 without any preliminary remark placed a slip of 
 paper in his hands. * I am directed, sir,' he then 
 said, ' to serve you with a copy of a writ. Here 
 is the original. The sum claimed is eight hundred 
 pounds. Of course you will be advised by your 
 solicitor, who I have no doubt knows our firm 
 
142 DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 well. I called at your lodgings in Newman 
 Street as I came along, and not finding you 
 there, I followed you here.' Then, without say- 
 ing another word, he turned on his heel and left 
 the house. 
 
 " Mrs. Cochrane took the copy of the writ from 
 her husband's hands and read it attentively, 
 while he stood speechless before her. When 
 she had made herself fully mistress of its con- 
 tents, she threw herself into a chair and burst 
 into tears. To pay the amount would be to 
 deprive her of every farthing she possessed in 
 the world. True, she could apply to her sisters 
 for aid, but her mind revolted at the idea, after 
 the sacrifices they had already made in her 
 behalf. After considering the subject over and 
 over again, she resolved on consulting the family 
 solicitor, and for that purpose she left the house. 
 Fortunately, she found him at home, and in his 
 hands she placed the affair. The solicitor tried 
 all in his power to effect a compromise, but with- 
 out success. The Jew would have his bond ; and 
 he received it in full — thanks to the liberality of 
 the two maiden aunts. 
 
PATENT MANIA. I43 
 
 " Mr. Cochrane now remained quietly at home 
 kvith his family. From the kindness and attention 
 they showed him his health rapidly improved, 
 both in body and mind. The subject of his in- 
 dentions was never alluded to by any one, and 
 :hey fondly imagined he was perfectly cured of his 
 mania. At length he was allowed to leave the 
 iiouse unaccompanied by any of the family, so 
 perfectly convinced were they of his sanity. But 
 they were doomed again to be miserably dis- 
 appointed. He had obtained a ticket of admis- 
 sion to the reading-room in the British Museum, 
 and he visited it, as they believed, every day. 
 One morning, when her husband was from home, 
 Mrs. Cochrane was surprised by a van drawing 
 up to the house containing a magnificent piano- 
 forte, which her husband had ordered for his 
 daughters. She had hardly succeeded in proving 
 to the man that it was a mistake, when a jeweller's 
 shopman arrived with a beautiful diamond brooch 
 which Mr. Cochrane had ordered for his wife. 
 Fortunately, in this case the shopman refused to 
 leave it without the money ; and Mrs. Cochrane 
 
144 DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS, 
 
 easily got rid of him. Article after article of 
 the most costly description arrived at the house 
 during the day, all of which had been sent in 
 by her husband. 
 
 *' In the evening Mr. Cochrane arrived at home 
 in a state of maniacal excitement. He hurriedly 
 cast his eye round the room, and inquired what 
 had been done with the piano. On his wife's 
 informing him that she had sent it away, as well 
 as the other articles he had purchased, he flew 
 into a violent passion, and accused her of gross 
 ingratitude. He told her he had just hit upon 
 an invention which would make him the richest 
 man in the world ; but from the indrgnity she 
 had shown to the trifles he had bought for her, 
 hp found she was unworthy of him, and he would 
 never speak to her again. In spite of all her 
 efibrts to restrain him, he rushed frantically from 
 the house. She immediately gave notice to the 
 police of his departure, offering a handsome re- 
 ward to any one who would bring him back again. 
 For two days she heard nothing of him, but on 
 the third day he was brought back to her an 
 
PATENT MANIA. I45 
 
 utter maniac. He was shortly afterwards placed 
 under my care ; and although his case is quite 
 incurable, you may perceive he is sufficiently 
 recovered to be neither in a physical nor moral 
 sense dangerous to himself or others." 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
v.— A SINGULAR LOVE STORY. 
 
 '' I ^HE hero of my present narrative was a 
 dapper little man of perhaps fifty or fifty- 
 five years of age. He was amiable and intel- 
 ligent, and, apart from the eccentricity of his 
 manners, very gentlemanly. During the time I 
 had the pleasure of his acquaintance, which was 
 more than two years, I never in a single instance 
 saw him out of humour. Though by no means 
 aristocratic in his manners, he had evidently been 
 accustomed to respectable society. He was not 
 destitute of education, but could hardly be called a 
 man of learning ; although he had certainly read 
 a great deal, chiefly however of the lighter kind of 
 literature. He was far from wealthy, all his 
 
A SINGULAR LOVE STORY. 147 
 
 worldly riches consisting of an annuity of some 
 two hundred pounds a year, which was in the 
 hands of trustees, who remitted quarterly to Dr. 
 Austin the sum due for board and medical at- 
 tendance, and a certain amount for pocket-money. 
 The principal feature in his behaviour was an 
 affectation of boyishness, which occasionally ren- 
 dered him exceedingly ridiculous. I say occa- 
 sionally, for generally there was little in his 
 conversation or manners to distinguish him from 
 those we ordinarily meet in good society. His 
 dress also partook of the peculiarity of excessive 
 youthfulness, being as nearly as could be the 
 costume of a lad of perhaps sixteen or seventeen 
 years of age. 
 
 It was some time before I got into his con- 
 fidence ; in fact, he seemed exceedingly averse 
 to become intimate with any one. But one day 
 I chanced to detect him gazing on a coarsely 
 executed portrait of a fair, slim, insipid-looking 
 young girl, and with such an expression of intense 
 fondness as fully persuaded me that some love 
 affair was mixed up with the cause of his mental 
 disorder. I had often seen the same portrait 
 
148 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 before, but had never taken any particular notice 
 of it. It hung on a nail in the wall opposite the 
 foot of his bed, and appeared to be one of those 
 productions of art which we occasionally find 
 in out-of-the-way rooms, and which neither the 
 proprietor of the house nor any other individual 
 seems to care anything about. 
 
 I was in the habit now and then of looking 
 into his room to have a little conversation with 
 him. On the occasion alluded to I found the 
 door ajar, and opened it without knocking. He 
 was seated before the picture, gazing at it in so 
 deep a reverie, that it was some moments before 
 he noticed my presence. When he did ^o, he rose 
 from his chair and coloured deeply. Although he 
 requested me to take a seat, I easily perceived 
 that he was greatly embarrassed at my presence ; 
 and I endeavoured to excuse myself and leave the 
 room. This, however, he would not allow me to 
 do, but earnestly begged me to remain. 
 
 " To speak the truth," said he, " you somewhat 
 startled me. I was at the moment conjuring up 
 reminiscences of the past, and my mind was oc- 
 cupied with what is certainly the most interesting 
 
A SINGULAR LOVE STORY. I49 
 
 episode in my singular history. Perhaps the 
 doctor has told you under what an extraordi- 
 nary peculiarity I have passed through life." 
 
 '* He certainly did mention it to me," I said ; 
 " and I hardly know whether to sympathize with 
 you or congratulate you on it." 
 
 " Candidly," he replied, " I am somewhat puz- 
 zled to come to a conclusion on the subject 
 myself. I certainly have enjoyed from it many 
 advantages which have never been possessed by 
 any other mortal man, and I have seen life under 
 aspects of the most extraordinary description ; still, 
 at the same time, it has had its disadvantages." 
 
 This last remark he uttered in a very melan- 
 choly tone, casting the while a most sad look at 
 the picture, as if the subject were a very doleful 
 one to him. I thought, however, that I could 
 discover by his manner a wish to be interrogated 
 as to the cause of his depression, and as I 
 confess I had a strong curiosity to know some- 
 thing more about him, I asked him if it were 
 true that he had been born an old man, as the 
 doctor had told me, and that he had been daily 
 growing younger.? 
 
150 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 ** It is quite true," he said. " You see before 
 you one of the most remarkable phenomena of 
 nature. I was born at seventy-three years of 
 age, and am now only sixteen." 
 
 " You must certainly have seen life under very 
 singular aspects," I said ; " and I am exceedingly 
 curious to know some of your experiences." 
 
 " I should be somewhat puzzled," he replied, 
 '' where to begin ; they have been so numerous 
 and so extraordinary. You ordinary mortals, 
 starting on the course of life, have grown old 
 together, as others have done who were born about 
 the same time as their fellows. You started 
 forward by their side on the journey of life, and 
 as you advanced, from time to time some of 
 your companions dropped from your side into 
 the grave ; but none were ever in advance of 
 you. Those who were born after you never 
 overtook you, while of those who had started 
 before you, you noticed some drop off from the 
 path, but you could never increase or diminish 
 the distance between you and those who con- 
 tinued on it. While you in your march have 
 never met any one advancing towards you, I, on 
 
A SINGULAR LOVE STORY. 151 
 
 the contrary, had no companion as I descended 
 the hill of life, but met every one directly face 
 to face. I assure you, some of my experiences 
 have been most singular, and occasionally most 
 painful, my pain arising principally from my 
 power of seeing those at a great distance who 
 were coming forward, and of marking many of 
 the most youthful and high-spirited among them 
 drop into the grave before they reached me. 
 With young children this was always to me par- 
 ticularly distressing, as I was very fond of them. 
 I have often watched the fond mother tending 
 her fine chubby boy, and have heard her augur 
 for him the most brilliant career. The week after- 
 wards I have seen him fall from her arms into 
 the tomb. 
 
 " One family caused me great sorrow. I was 
 intimate with the parents, and a more amiable 
 couple I believe never existed. They had six 
 children, and the fate of all was particularly 
 melancholy. The parents doted on them, and 
 bestowed every care they could on them, both 
 physical and moral. They were all of delicate 
 constitutions hereditarily ; but the attention they 
 
152 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 received neutralized to a very considerable degree 
 their want of stamina. The eldest was a boy, and 
 a more handsome, intelligent lad it would have 
 been difficult to meet with ; the second was a girl, 
 who bade fair to be as amiable and lovely as 
 her mother ; and the others were all most inte- 
 resting children. 
 
 "Nothing appeared to mar the prospect which 
 the parents had drawn for themselves of the future 
 career of their six children till the eldest boy was 
 about sixteen years of age, when symptoms of 
 consumption showed themselves. The danger 
 was too terrible for the parents fully to realize, 
 but they could not close their eyes to. the fact 
 that their boy was seriously ill. In truth, in 
 spite of all their willing blindness, they had a 
 vague but oppressive idea that some terrible 
 misfortune hung over them. They obtained for 
 their son the best medical advice, and lavished 
 on him every indulgence it was possible for 
 them to bestow. But all in vain. The boy 
 had hardly reached his seventeenth year when, 
 as I saw him advancing towards me, he dropped 
 into the grave. The tears of his parents were 
 
A SINGULAR LOVE STORY. 153 
 
 hardly yet dried when the same symptoms 
 revealed themselves in the eldest daughter. The 
 experience so painfully gained by their son's 
 malady opened the eyes of her parents at once 
 to her danger, and they took her to the south 
 of Italy, where they remained for a year. The 
 change of cHmate had a most beneficial effect ; 
 indeed, every vestige of the disease seemed to 
 have vanished when the family returned to 
 England. On the occasion of her seventeenth 
 birthday they had a party of young friends at 
 their house. The girl during the evening looked 
 very lovely, and the exercise of the dance gave 
 a glow of health and animation to her face, which 
 greatly increased her natural beauty. 
 
 " The guests had departed, and the family were 
 one by one retiring for the night, when a servant 
 girl who had been assisting her young mistress to 
 undress rushed rapidly down-stairs and knocked 
 at her master's bedroom door, requesting him to 
 come directly to his daughter, who was suddenly 
 taken very ill. Before the parents could get any 
 explanation from the girl, she had again ascended 
 the stairs. The mother was the first to reach her 
 
154 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 daughter's bedroom, and it was intense maternal 
 affection alone that kept her from fainting on 
 witnessing the terrible sight. Seated on a chair, 
 her night-dress bathed in blood, was her daughter, 
 apparently dying. Medical assistance was in- 
 stantly sent for, but before the physician arrived 
 the poor girl was a corpse. 
 
 " Symptoms of the disease also manifested 
 themselves in the next child — a girl — when she 
 was about fifteen years of age. The parents this 
 time determined to try extreme remedies. A 
 near relative of the father's had received an ap- 
 pointment in Australia, and it was resolved to 
 send out the child under the protection of. his wife, 
 to try if so abrupt a change in climate would not 
 have the effect of stopping the advancement of 
 the disease. The experiment succeeded perfectly, 
 and the most flattering advices reached England 
 from the colony. The happy parents were con- 
 gratulating themselves on their prudence in sub- 
 mitting to the loss of their daughter's society for a 
 few years, feeling that they would now be amply 
 repaid by the comfort she promised to be to them 
 in their old age. But just then the news arrived 
 
A SINGULAR LOVE STORY. 155 
 
 that the disease had again appeared, and before 
 the fatal seventeenth year had passed they re- 
 ceived the intelligence that they had lost her for 
 ever in this world. The same fate attended the 
 others : the death of the last child occurred when 
 he was about fifteen years of age, and it was to 
 the parents perhaps the most painful loss of all. 
 They seemed to have concentrated all the force 
 of their love on this boy. They survived him 
 only a few years, and the family is now extinct. 
 The whole case left a most painful impression 
 upon me ; the more so as I watched the poor 
 creatures dying one by one, while I was myself 
 getting year by year younger and stronger." 
 
 It struck me that the painful circumstances 
 would have had the same effect had he believed 
 he was increasing in years in the natural way. 
 However, I made no remark on the subject, but 
 merely asked him if he had not frequently met 
 with other circumstances of a far less melancholy 
 description. 
 
 " Certainly," he said ; '' but all were more or 
 less tinged with what was melancholy and painful. 
 From the very peculiar nature of my position, I 
 
156 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 had a better opportunity of watching and remark- 
 ing the vanity of human affairs than other men 
 who have followed the ordinary course of life. 
 In fact, I will candidly confess to you that my 
 strange experience has made me somewhat 
 cynical. How indeed could it be otherwise when 
 I have seen an old man with hardly a year's life 
 before him taking a new lease of a house for one- 
 and-twenty years, and then bargaining anxiously 
 as to the amount to be paid as fine, should he 
 wish to give it up at the end of the first fourteen ? 
 I have seen men hoarding all they could scrape 
 together for some spendthrift son, who had no 
 filial affection, and seemed to consider the large 
 amount left to him a reason for forgetting the 
 donor the sooner. I have noticed old women 
 tottering to the grave already opening before 
 them, who, as they approached it, became daily 
 more and more infirm, and at the same time 
 more greedy of fresh ornaments to decorate their 
 persons, as they tried to persuade themselves that 
 the world thought them still young and blooming. 
 Of course they were not aware of the sneers and 
 ridicule lavished on them by their followers, some 
 
A SINGULAR LOVE STORY. 157 
 
 of whom were but a few paces in their rear, while 
 I, meeting them as I became younger, noticed 
 it all." 
 
 ''Were you ever married.^" I inquired. 
 
 " Never ; but at the same time few men have 
 been more deeply in love than I have ; and, 
 moreover, I have been true to one person for 
 upwards of forty years. That is her portrait," 
 he said, pointing to the daub I had seen him 
 rapt in contemplating when I entered the room. 
 
 " But pardon me," I remarked, " if you were 
 born at seventy-three years of age, your affection 
 must have commenced not long after you came 
 into the world." 
 
 " Exactly so" he said ; " you are quite right." 
 
 " But if it is not an indiscreet question, what 
 age must the lady be now.''" 
 
 "Not at all indiscreet," he repHed ; "she is now 
 nearly sixty years of age. 
 
 "Your arithmetic fairly puzzles me," I re- 
 marked ; " pray explain it." 
 
 " Nothing is easier," said he, " although I admit 
 that at first sight the subject does seem some- 
 what obscure. The fact is, my love story is an 
 
158 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 exceedingly singular one, and unlike that of most 
 other men. The attachment which a young 
 couple form for each other, if a fortunate one, 
 remains nearly of the same description for the 
 duration of their lives, while my love has ex- 
 perienced many changes. It commenced with 
 such an attachment as an old man bears to an 
 interesting little girl — such, indeed, as a grand- 
 father may feel to the youthful bequest left by 
 a much-loved daughter. As years passed on, 
 the feeling changed to such as a fond father 
 would entertain towards a fragile, delicate young 
 woman — his darling child. As I got younger, and 
 as she became older, it changed again to that 
 calm, considerate affection, that combination of 
 love and prudence, with which a middle-aged 
 man may be supposed to regard a woman 
 about his own age, fitted in every respect 
 to become his wife. But as years rolled on, 
 and I got still younger, she in the same ratio 
 becoming older, my love changed to the more 
 enthusiastic and less selfish passion of the youth- 
 ful admirer whose ardency can overlook differ- 
 ence of age. Now, although I have not seen 
 
A SINGULAR LOVE STORY. 159 
 
 her for some time, and am aware that she is 
 advancing in years, my love for her is greater 
 than ever, and I am convinced it will continue 
 to increase in intensity as long as I live. So 
 you see that, although I have had but one 
 attachment, my experience in love matters has, 
 nevertheless, been far greater and more perfect 
 than that of thousands of others who have flut- 
 tered from beauty to beauty, persuading them- 
 selves they were in love, though hardly alive to 
 the meaning of the term." 
 
 " Your experience," I said, " has certainly been 
 of a singularly extensive, and at the same time 
 very peculiar description. You greatly excite my 
 interest, I assure you, even in a psychological 
 point of view. The different changes which took 
 place when your affection was being transformed 
 from that of a grandfather to a father, from that 
 of a father to a middle-aged lover, and from that 
 again to the ardent youthful admirer, must be 
 well worth studying." 
 
 " If you think so," he said, " I shall be happy 
 to give you a more detailed sketch of my his- 
 tory. Frankly, I do not think you will find it 
 
i6o DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 wholly without interest, although perhaps I am 
 not altogether an impartial judge. But I will 
 narrate it to you the more readily, as I beHeve 
 you will be able to discover in it an excellent 
 moral." 
 
 " Pray do so," I replied ; " you will oblige me 
 greatly, I assure you." 
 
 ** As I told you before," he began, " I en- 
 tered the world at seventy-three years of age. 
 I may say, without self-flattery, that for my time 
 of life I was a remarkably hale, clear-headed, and 
 active old man." 
 
 " I beg your pardon," I remarked, " but you 
 have not said who were your parents; In all 
 autobiographies, I believe, that is considered a 
 necessary opening statement." 
 
 " On that point," he replied, after some little 
 consideration, " I must inform you that there is 
 a certain mystery, which I am not at liberty to 
 disclose. I resided in the house of a relative, 
 who had but one child — a little girl about three 
 years of age." 
 
 "Then she was also related to you. May I 
 ask in what degree } " 
 
A SINGULAR LOVE STORY. l6l 
 
 " But very distantly," he said, pettishly. " But 
 if you continue to interrupt me in that manner, 
 it will be impossible for me to continue my 
 narrative." 
 
 " Pray go on," I said ; " I will not speak again 
 till you have finished." 
 
 " The child to whom I alluded," he continued, 
 " was a pretty, flaxen-haired little creature ; in- 
 deed, it would perhaps have been impossible to 
 find one more engaging. Her father was dead, 
 and her mother was a confirmed invalid, and 
 could pay but little attention to her child ; but 
 as she had a great aversion to her being in the 
 society of the servants, she was a good deal 
 with me. In fact, I may say that I was her 
 earliest instructor ; for when I first knew her, 
 her vocabulary did not go beyond a few infantile 
 expressions. Under my instruction, however, she 
 made great progress, and I began to entertain 
 a great affection for her, — such an affection, in 
 fact, as I said before, as a grandfather might feel 
 towards a beloved grandchild. We resided in the 
 neighbourhood of Pimlico ; and one of the chief 
 pleasures of my life was to take the dear little 
 
 VOL. I. M 
 
i62 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 creature with me into the Park, and feed the 
 aquatic birds in the lake. I remained in the 
 same house with her for seven years, when my 
 vigour having increased, in consequence of my 
 becoming younger, I determined on taking a 
 voyage to India, to look after some family busi- 
 ness of importance. At sixty-six years of age 
 this required no little courage, and I think I 
 should not have attempted it had I not had in 
 view the future welfare of my dear little grand- 
 daughter, as I was accustomed to speak of her. 
 All her worldly prospects depended on the re- 
 establishment of an agency which her father had 
 originated, and which had been grossly mis- 
 managed after his death. The parting was a 
 most painful one for me, and the child herself 
 showed much feeling. I left her with less anxiety 
 than I might otherwise have done, as a change 
 for the better had taken place in her mother's 
 health, and she was then much stronger, and 
 better able to be a companion and guide to her 
 daughter. 
 
 " I will not detain you with any account of 
 my business transactions in India. Suffice it to 
 
A SINGULAR LOVE STORY. 163 
 
 jay, they were far more difficult than I had an- 
 :icipated before leaving England. I found a 
 large part of the business connection had gone 
 over to other firms, and I had much trouble 
 in bringing a portion of it back again. By 
 dint of perseverance things got gradually better, 
 but so slowly that it was ten years before I 
 considered matters sufficiently safe to allow of 
 my returning to England. 
 
 " When I arrived in England, I found great 
 changes had taken place. I had, of course, had 
 frequent correspondence with my granddaughter. 
 Her poor mother, I regret to say, suffered a re- 
 lapse shortly after my departure, and in a few 
 months died, leaving little Maggie to the care 
 of a maiden sister of her father's. Often, dur- 
 ing my absence, letters came to me from the 
 dear child. It was curious and gratifying to 
 notice the great improvement in her hand- 
 writing, till at last it was fluent and ladylike ; 
 the composition being excellent. I used to trea- 
 sure up these epistles with the greatest care, and 
 I frequently entertained myself with picturing 
 the progress she was making, both in manners 
 
164 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 and appearance. To return, however, to my sub- 
 ject. When we met, I found Maggie so much 
 changed that I was perfectly astonished. The 
 chubby, thick-set Httle girl had grown into an 
 exceedingly tall and remarkably slim young lady, 
 of painfully delicate appearance. Another cir- 
 cumstance also struck me as being strange : 
 although I had left England a somewhat 
 elderly man, and had returned considerably 
 younger than I had left it, yet she did 
 not in any way notice the difference. After 
 all, I thought, this no doubt arises from the 
 effect of the climate of India, which generally acts 
 most unfavourably on the personal appearance. 
 But afterwards, when I found that she did not 
 notice my getting younger, of course I became 
 aware that I had been in error in my supposition. 
 Indeed I may here remark, that even up to the 
 present time, when my change in form and feature, 
 from age to youth, must have struck her forcibly, 
 she has never made an observation on it ; whether 
 from delicacy or from a womanly dislike to ac- 
 knowledge that her lover looks younger than her- 
 self, I know not. 
 
A SINGULAR LOVE STORY. 165 
 
 *^ On my return to England I did not live in 
 the same house with her, but took lodgings a 
 short distance off, and visited her daily. In fact, 
 I began to entertain great anxiety on her account, 
 for I feared that she had overgrown her strength. 
 I am glad to say, however, that my anxiety had 
 vanished before she was twenty years of age, as 
 you may judge for yourself That," said he, 
 pointing to the scraggy, half-faded portrait on 
 the wall, " is her likeness, taken about the time ; 
 and you will admit there was but little to fear 
 from the weakness of her constitution. 
 
 " I should now mention that, imperceptibly, a 
 change had come over the quality of my affection 
 for her. It altered from the love of a doting old 
 grandfather to that of a parent. I now watched 
 over her with truly paternal anxiety. I used to 
 inquire rigidly into the character and respectability 
 of every young man who visited at the house, or 
 who appeared to regard her with anything like 
 feelings of admiration. In fact, I much suspect' 
 that I took too much care of her, and, by so 
 doing, drove suitors away ; for lovely as she was 
 she had no offers. This at the time greatly sur- 
 
i66 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 prised, and perhaps annoyed me ; but I had a 
 parent's duty to perform, and I resolved on doing 
 it conscientiously. 
 
 " Things went on, and nothing occurred worthy 
 of particular remark till she was nearly thirty 
 years of age, when I began to entertain for her 
 the feelings of a lover. I will candidly confess, 
 that at first my attachment was not of a very 
 ardent description. In fact, it was the prudent 
 love of a man of forty. I earnestly wished to 
 make her my wife, but pecuniary considerations 
 kept me from making the offer. She had nothing, 
 and I was far from rich. The profits of the estab- 
 lishment in India had been falling off gradually 
 for some years, in great part owing to the neglect 
 of the person I had engaged to manage it. After 
 deliberating on the subject for some time, I re- 
 solved to make a voyage to India, and remain 
 there for a year or a year and a half. I intended 
 on my return to propose to her, if I found affairs 
 better, or her old infirm aunt dead, with whom 
 she resided, and at whose decease she expected 
 a few thousand pounds. 
 
 " I left her and proceeded to India. I will 
 
A SINGULAR LOVE STORY. 167 
 
 confess to you, that although I felt sorry to leave 
 her, my grief was not so great as her good quali- 
 ties and wonderful beauty merited. During my 
 absence I corresponded with her frequently, but 
 I was very careful that in none of my letters 
 should there be any expression which could 
 convey to her my ultimate intentions. Things 
 did not progress satisfactorily in India, and I 
 was almost on the point of giving up all idea of 
 marriage, when I received a letter from her stating 
 that her aunt had died suddenly, and had left at 
 her absolute disposal something more than four 
 thousand pounds. This was news indeed. All 
 my love for her returned, her many attractions 
 came vividly before me ; indeed, I now began to 
 wonder by what fatality I had not long before 
 made her my wife. 
 
 '* As soon as the tidings of her aunt's death 
 reached me I determined to return to England 
 and marry. I commenced a letter to her, telling 
 her the great regard I had for her ; but on con- 
 sideration I thought she might suspect I was in- 
 fluenced in making the offer by the money she 
 had received, and I merely filled my letter with 
 
l68 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 expressions of condolence for the heavy loss she 
 had sustained, hoping that Heaven would give 
 her strength of mind to bear it with resignation. 
 Of my own affairs I only told her that they were 
 progressing satisfactorily (God forgive me !), and 
 that by the next ship that left Calcutta I should 
 return to England. 
 
 '' The voyage round the Cape was particularly 
 long and stormy ; in fact, I did not arrive in 
 England till five months after the date of my 
 embarkation. Still, the longest day must come 
 to an end, and at last I landed safely at Dover. 
 So anxious was I to see my future wife, that I 
 even refused to wait till my luggage could be 
 examined at the Custom House, and proceeded 
 by train to London. On my arrival at the 
 London Bridge terminus I hailed a cab, and im- 
 mediately proceeded to Pimlico ; her last letter 
 having been addressed to me from the house 
 which her aunt had lived in, and which had been 
 bequeathed to her niece. 
 
 " The cab stopped at the house, and with a 
 beating heart I was hurriedly paying the driver 
 his fare, when a rather ill-looking man knocked 
 
A SINGULAR LOVE STORY. 169 
 
 at the door. As the knock was not very quickly 
 answered by the servant, I had time to examine 
 him somewhat minutely. The expression of his 
 countenance, the style of his dress, and his 
 general bearing, were such as to make me feel 
 a decided aversion to him. There was a sharp, 
 betting-man look about him ; his eye was bright, 
 deep set, and cunning ; he seemed to be watching 
 me, and calculating in what manner he could 
 cheat me. His dress was scrupulously clean and 
 well-fitting, but very much in a fashion of its own 
 — half gentlemanly, half that of the horse-coupers 
 you see hanging about Dickson's Repository in 
 St. Martin's Lane on the eve of an auction. 
 Altogether, the impression the fellow made on me 
 was so disagreeable, that it was a positive relief 
 when the servant opened the door. 
 
 " As he had knocked first, I made way for him 
 to enter, which he did, without in any way ac- 
 knowledging my civility. 
 
 " ' I wish your mistress would make you be a 
 little more alive in answering the door/ he said, 
 sulkily, to the girl. 
 
 " ' My dear,' said a voice I knew but too well, 
 
170 DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 * It was more my fault than hers. I had sent her 
 on an errand to the top of the house.' 
 
 " * Then you should have opened the door 
 for me yourself,' he replied, in an equally rude 
 tone. 
 
 *' I was so astonished at all this, that I was 
 unable to answer the servant's inquiry as to the 
 object of my visit. I immediately rushed into the 
 front parlour, from which the voice had proceeded, 
 leaving the man in the passage occupied in taking 
 off and hanging up his overcoat. Maggie, as 
 soon as she recognized me, gave a short scream, 
 and, rising from her chair, rushed towards me. 
 I clasped her in my arms, and kissed ' her affec- 
 tionately. I had scarcely released her, and was 
 still speechless from emotion, when the man 
 entered the room. 
 
 " * John,' she said to him, * this is my dear 
 relative, just returned from India. This gentle- 
 man,' she continued, turning to me, ' is my hus- 
 band, Mr. John Wiggins.' 
 
 " If I was speechless before from emotion, I was 
 so now from amazement ; in fact, I stood in front 
 of the fellow with my mouth open, utterly bewil- 
 
A SINGULAR LOVE STORY. 171 
 
 dered. He was, or at all events seemed to be, 
 much pleased to see me, and offered me his hand, 
 which I took mechanically. I had great difficulty 
 in recovering my self-possession, but at last, pride 
 coming to my aid, I succeeded. We conversed 
 together on subjects connected with my visit to 
 India, my voyage home, the circumstances con- 
 nected with the death of Maggie's aunt, and many 
 other matters ; occasionally also their marriage 
 was spoken of, but each time they mentioned it I 
 felt such bitter disappointment that I changed the 
 subject as speedily as possible. 
 
 " This continued till the servant entered to pre- 
 pare the table for dinner, when I rose to depart. 
 They would not, however, allow me to go, but 
 insisted on my remaining and partaking of their 
 meal. This I did, and the evening would have 
 passed off pleasantly enough had it not been for 
 the very peculiar relation in which I stood to the 
 newly married couple. The only thing of any 
 special importance that occurred during the time 
 of dinner was when I was talking with Mrs. 
 Wiggins on some old family affairs. I noticed 
 Mr. Wiggins take from his pocket a little oblong 
 
172 DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 black-covered memorandum book, the contents 
 of which seemed to interest him greatly. As 
 soon as a momentary lull occurred in our con- 
 versation, Mr. John Wiggins closed the memo- 
 randum book, fastened the strap, replaced the 
 pencil in its sheath, and then, holding the closed 
 book up before me, asked me whether I did any- 
 thing in that way. 
 
 " ' In what way ? ' I inquired. 
 
 *' ' On horses,' he replied. ' I have made, this 
 time, about as nice a little book as any man in 
 London, and if you like, I can put you up to a 
 thing or two.* 
 
 " ' I am much obliged to you,' I said. ' I have 
 never tried my hand at anything of the kind ; and 
 as I know nothing about horses, I should be afraid 
 to begin.' 
 
 *'*I do,' he rephed ; 'but as far as that goes, 
 you needn't know much about horses to make i 
 good book. Why, bless you ! with a good friend 
 to advise you, you might make lumps of money 
 without knowing one horse from another. You 
 leave . yourself in my hands, and I'll see you're 
 not done.' 
 
A SINGULAR LOVE STORY. 173 
 
 " * Well,' I said, wishing to change the con- 
 versation, ^ we will talk about that another 
 time.' 
 
 *' The next thing I noticed, and which I liked 
 quite as little as the betting-book, was that when 
 I announced my intention of leaving, he insisted 
 on bringing in a liqueur case, with three large cut- 
 glass bottles in it, containing brandy, rum, and 
 whisky. He pressed me to take a large glassful 
 before leaving the house, urging as an excuse 
 that they always did so before going to bed. It 
 was in vain I endeavoured to decline the offer ; he 
 would take no refusal ; the hot water was brought, 
 and in a few moments Mr. Wiggins and myself 
 had before us a reeking jorum of whisky and 
 water, while his wife, I am happy to say, con- 
 tented herself with a little in a wine-glass. 
 
 "Our glasses empty, he proposed filling them 
 again ; but this I would not allow, notwith- 
 'itanding his repeated invitation. Finding me 
 determined, he proposed that we should have a 
 rubber at short whist, saying that he would take 
 dummy, and that his wife should be my partner, 
 but this also I declined, pleading a headache 
 
174 DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 as my excuse. Shortly afterwards I left the 
 house. 
 
 *' I will not detain you with any lengthened 
 account of the domestic economy of Mr. and Mrs. 
 Wiggins's establishment. She, dear creature, was 
 as amiable, affectionate, and obedient as it was 
 possible for a wife to be, while he on his side was 
 about as detestable a husband as ever lived. He 
 was nothing better than a betting man and a 
 swindler, and he gradually added to his other qua- 
 lifications that of being a drunkard. We soon 
 parted acquaintanceship. He tried to induce me 
 to make a book under his directions, and failing, he 
 attempted to get me to play at cards, but he was 
 equally unsuccessful in that. I am here bound 
 to remark that in every instance when he proposed 
 a rubber, his wife invariably objected, saying she 
 was sure that it was unpleasant to me, and that 
 she would not allow it. It appeared to me also 
 that he used to regard her with angry and sig- 
 nificant glances for her interference, and I became 
 uneasy lest he should maltreat her on my account. 
 My apprehensions I afterwards discovered were 
 not unfounded ; for one day when I called I no- 
 
A SINGULAR LOVE STORY. 175 
 
 ticed her face covered with bruises. On my 
 interrogating her on the subject, I found these 
 were caused by a blow she had received from her 
 brutal husbands for making objection to cards 
 one evening when he had brought home two 
 friends with him to have a quiet rubber with me. 
 
 " I now questioned her more particularly about 
 her husband's behaviour, and I found my worst 
 fears realized. He had commenced to ill-treat 
 her shortly after their marriage, as well as to 
 plunder her little by little of her money. At the 
 time she spoke to me he had already deprived 
 her of more than half she possessed. His drunk- 
 enness increased, and when intoxicated he be- 
 came raving mad. For some time after their 
 marriage he was tolerably careful as to the friends 
 he brought to his house, but now the lowest horse 
 chaunters, outside betting men, and vagabonds of 
 every sort connected with horses and the turf, 
 were his constant home associates. 
 
 " Drink, which acts so detrimentally on the con- 
 stitutions of most men, seemed to have no effect 
 upon this wretch. He continued his drunken and 
 brutal career for more than six years, his poor wife 
 
176 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 suubmitting the while with exemplary patience to 
 a long series of outrages. At last even her gentle- 
 ness could support it no longer, and she claimed 
 my interference. Beyond the furniture of her 
 house she had not then a shilling or a shilling's 
 worth in the world, and she began to fear actual 
 starvation. 
 
 " I saw in a moment that no time was to be lost. 
 I hired a respectable house in my own name, and 
 on the next occasion of her husband's absence at 
 Newmarket I engaged a van, and had her fur- 
 niture removed. When Wiggins returned, and 
 found that neither wife nor furniture was left, he 
 burst into a fit of rage, and, I understand, rushed 
 to a neighbouring public-house, and there indulged 
 in liquor till he was turned out of it hopelessly 
 intoxicated, and was taken in charge by the police. 
 When liberated next morning, after having been 
 fined five shillings, he was so ill that he had to be 
 taken to the house of one of his associates. A ter- 
 rible attack of delir'um tremens supervened, from 
 which, thanks to the strength of his constitution, 
 he recovered. But he was never again the active, 
 wiry sort of man he had been. He had made 
 
A SINGULAR LOVE STORY. I77 
 
 some money at Newmarket races, and, true 
 to his nature, he resolved on using it as far 
 as lay in his power for the disgrace and injury 
 of his wife. He had contrived to discover the 
 locality to which she had removed, and also my 
 participation in the affair, and without further 
 warranty than bare possibility, he raised an action 
 against me of a most objectionable character 
 through the agency of an unprincipled attorney. 
 Fortunately, however, he was not permitted to 
 carry out his intended wickedness. One morning, 
 about a fortnight before the trial was to come on, 
 he was so late in leaving his bedroom, that one 
 of his intimates went up to arouse him. The 
 attempt was in vain, however ; no answer would 
 he give, although evidently awake. On his friend 
 shaking him, he got a violent kick for his pains. 
 Disgusted at this treatment, he left Wiggins 
 alone, and went down-stairs. 
 
 "About six o'clock in the afternoon, Wiggins 
 not having made his appearance, his friends deter- 
 mined on awakening him, if only to ask whether 
 he would not partake of some refreshment, and 
 one of the party took upon himself the respon- 
 
 VOL. I. N 
 
178 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 sibility of carrying out this arrangement. He 
 met with no more courteous reception than was 
 given to the other in the morning. The man, 
 irritated at this behaviour, after firing off a volley 
 of abuse at Wiggins, left the room, saying those 
 might go near him who pleased, but for his part 
 he would have nothing more to do with 'the 
 sulky brute.' 
 
 " Next morning came, and still Wiggins did not 
 leave his room. This time an old woman-servant 
 undertook the task of calling him. Her reception 
 was not better than the others had received. 
 Evening came, but they could do nothing with 
 Wiggins. He lay there in bed without speaking 
 a word, and when any one brought him nourish- 
 ment he simply kicked the person who offered it. 
 
 "The morning succeeding found matters in 
 much the same state, and as he was evidently 
 sinking from want of food or from disease, his 
 friends determined on removing him by force to 
 Westminster Hospital, that being the nearest. 
 But to resolve and to put into execution were 
 two totally different affairs. Although he would 
 not utter a word, the opposition he offered to 
 
A SINGULAR LOVE STORY. 179 
 
 being removed was desperate. He plunged and 
 kicked so violently that it was as much as six 
 strong men could do to take him to the hospital. 
 At last, however, they succeeded, and he was 
 placed in one of the beds, when the effect of his 
 extreme exertions was shown by his falling into 
 a succession of fainting fits, which followed each 
 other so rapidly that the attendants expected 
 every moment would be his last. 
 
 " In the middle of the day one of the principal 
 physicians saw him. For some time he could 
 make nothing of the case, except that the patient 
 was evidently awake and sinking fast. The doctor 
 tried to attract his attention by asking him dif- 
 ferent questions, but the only reply he could 
 obtain was a low sort of guttural whining. 
 
 " ' Come, come, my man,' said the doctor to 
 him, good-naturedly, ' you must not make that 
 noise, or I shall think I have got a horse for a 
 patient, and order you a mash.' 
 
 "The effect this remark had on Wiggins was 
 electrical. He immediately rose in his be,d and 
 looked about him with an expression of intense 
 anxiety, as if in search of somebody. The doctor 
 
f 
 
 180 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 quickly caught the real character of the case. 
 Turning round, he sent one of the nurses into 
 the kitchen with orders to bring back with her 
 a large basin of thick hot gruel, and to feed the 
 patient with it. In about a quarter of an hour 
 the nurse returned, bringing with her the gruel. 
 Taking some of it in a spoon, she commenced 
 blowing on it to cool it before offering it to him. 
 But when she approached Wiggins, he dashed 
 her hand aside without speaking, and seizing 
 the basin, he plunged his muzzle into the gruel, 
 evidently in imitation of a horse, and began 
 to swallow it voraciously, scalding himself fear- 
 fully the while. It now became very difficult 
 to administer food to him in any form, and the 
 result was that the fellow gradually sunk, and 
 four days after he had entered the hospital Mrs. 
 Wiggins was a widow. 
 
 " All legal proceedings against me were stopped 
 by the death of Wiggins ; and I determined that, 
 after the conventional twelve months had passed, 
 I should propose to his widow. I at first thought 
 of limiting the time to six months, in consider- 
 ation that as she would be a year older, and I a 
 
A SINGULAR LOVE STORY. l8l 
 
 year younger, before the time regulated by the 
 laws of society should expire, the delay would 
 make a difference to us equal to two years with 
 ordinary mortals ; but, on reflection, I felt per- 
 suaded that it would be more agreeable to her 
 feelings to wait the full time. 
 
 " During the year affairs went very badly in 
 India ; so much so, indeed, as almost to threaten 
 me with insolvency. With Mrs. Wiggins, certainly, 
 things had gone better. She kept a respectable 
 lodging-house, which, from her obliging, amiable 
 manners, was always filled with guests. The 
 profits of it were, in fact, sufficient for the main- 
 tenance of us both. But I had too much pride 
 to rely on my wife's exertions for support ; and 
 having nothing myself, I resolved to wait a year 
 or two longer, hoping matters might take a change 
 for the better. But affairs continued to go so 
 badly with me, that I was obliged to ask hospi- 
 tality of her, assisting her in return as far as I 
 could in her occupations. 
 
 "As time passed on, and I gradually became 
 younger, my love for her increased till it began to 
 assume the character of the passion of a mad, hot- 
 
l82 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 headed youth. As she grew older and stouter, the 
 capacity of my love continued to enlarge in pro- 
 portion, until I had reached my seventeenth year, 
 when it became irrepressible. One evening, when 
 she was sitting close to the dining-table, reading 
 by the light of the lamp suspended from the 
 ceiling a letter she had received, I could resist 
 the temptation no longer. I flung myself on my 
 knees, and in impassioned eloquence made her 
 an offer of marriage. With exquisite modesty, 
 hardly to be expected at her time of life, she 
 gently refused my suit. Finding her inexorable, 
 I rushed from her presence, and, having gained 
 my room, I threw myself on the bed, and wept 
 as if my heart would break. 
 
 " I now tried to stifle my love for her, but it 
 was impossible. I sometimes obtained a little 
 calmness for a few hours, but the instant I caught 
 sight of her tall, portly figure, all my passion 
 returned in full force, and I can only plead my 
 youth as excuse. I had so little control over 
 my feelings, that I acted very indiscreetly, and 
 importunately urged my suit whenever I saw her, 
 whether at home, in the street, or even in church. 
 
A SINGULAR LOVE STORY. 183 
 
 To give me time to recover myself, she left the 
 house in charge of her servants for a week, while 
 she went on a visit to a friend in the country. 
 The day after her departure, singularly enough, 
 Dr. Austin called to see her on some business. 
 Finding that she was not at home, he requested 
 he might have an interview with me instead. 
 Of course I granted this, and the doctor was 
 shown into the parlour where I was. He briefly 
 described to me the object of his visit to Mrs. 
 Wiggins, which, to say the truth, I did not very 
 clearly understand, possibly in consequence of 
 my mind being occupied with other matters. We 
 then commenced to converse on general topics. 
 You know how attractive are the doctor's man- 
 ners ; in a short time I told him frankly the 
 extraordinary peculiarity in my history, of my 
 misfortunes in business, and the overwhelming love 
 I bore for Mrs. Wiggins. He listened to me with 
 the utmost interest, and expressed the fullest sym- 
 pathy with me ; at the same time he advised me 
 to leave London for a short time, in order to 
 recover myself, otherwise he averred that it was 
 possible the intensity of my love might drive 
 
184 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 me into a consumption. He moreover told me 
 of this establishment, adding that he was the 
 proprietor of it, and that if I should like a short 
 residence in the country he would be most happy 
 to receive me. I thanked him warmly for his 
 offer of hospitality, and requested he would give 
 me a few days to consider the subject. This he 
 willingly assented to, and after promising me that 
 he would call on the following Saturday for my 
 answer, we conversed a little longer on various 
 topics, and he then left the house. 
 
 " He had no sooner gone than I began seriously 
 to reflect on my position. I endeavoured to place 
 everything before my mind in its true and proper 
 light. I reflected on the extraordinary love I bore 
 for Mrs. Wiggins, and how completely my happi- 
 ness was bound up in her, and the misery I should 
 have to endure if I were separated from her. 
 After I had thought over the whole subject, I drew 
 a clear description of my own position. I remem- 
 bered the anecdote of the Archbishop of Toledo 
 mentioned by Gil Bias, — how, as he grew older, 
 and his wits feebler, he considered that his power 
 of preaching improved, and his insane and foolish 
 
A SINGULAR LOVE STORY. 185 
 
 anger at having his real state pointed out to 
 him. I w^as determined not to shut my eyes 
 to my increasing youth and inexperience. I then 
 reflected that if it were not a duty I owed 
 to myself to guard against committing such a 
 folly, I at least owed something to Mrs. Wiggins. 
 Although I was still old enough to make a union 
 with the widow possible, I could not overlook 
 the fact that in a short time the case would be- 
 come different. Instead of my being a companion 
 to her, and cherishing her in my bosom, she might 
 be employed in packing my boxes and sending me 
 to school. And, worse still, in a few more years 
 she would need a stay and protector in her ad- 
 vancing age, and she would then have to bestow 
 on me the care and solicitude due to tender 
 infancy. No, I was resolved I would never sub- 
 ject her to such a duty. That she would perform 
 it with tenderness and afi*ection I was persuaded ; 
 but it would be unjust on my part, through 
 selfishness, to put a task like this upon her. 
 No, nothing should shake my resolution : I 
 would go with the doctor. I did go, and here I 
 trust I shall remain for the rest of my life, look- 
 
i86 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 ing forward to the certainty that in a few short 
 years we shall each go off at the extremities of 
 life, she in old age, and I in infancy, and that we 
 shall meet in heaven. Till that time arrives I 
 will bear my misery with all the fortitude in my 
 power," 
 
 Here he covered his face with his hands and 
 wept bitterly. I stood and gazed on him with 
 astonishment. How he could have deceived 
 himself in such an extraordinary manner it was 
 impossible to imagine. That he believed every 
 word he uttered I was convinced, and yet the 
 whole was a complete delusion. He had never 
 been out of England, but had lived as a respect- 
 able tradesman in London. With the exception 
 of his having annoyed with his addresses an old 
 woman who kept a lodging-house in which he 
 had lived, nothing could have been more false 
 than his narrative from first to last. 
 
 Finding him still weeping, and seeing the 
 
 necessity of my saying something, I remarked, — 
 
 '' I have no doubt you will think me very dull, 
 
 but I do not see the moral you promised me." 
 
 "You do not!" he said, dropping his hands, 
 
A SINGULAR LOVE STORY. 187 
 
 and looking at me with astonishment, his face the 
 while suffused with tears. "You do not see the 
 moral !" 
 
 "Candidly I do not." 
 
 " Have you not frequently heard people say, 
 as they advanced in life, ' I am sorry to say, I 
 am not getting younger ' } " 
 
 "Very often," I replied. 
 
 " Then," said he, with great solemnity of man- 
 ner, "for the future, whenever you hear any one 
 make so foolish a remark, advise them to be con- 
 tent with getting old in the natural course of 
 nature : you have also my permission to point 
 out what might befall them if their foolish wish 
 could be reahzed." 
 
VL—VAMOUR MED EC IN. 
 
 /^"^LEARLY as the origin and progress of Mr. 
 Gurdon's case might be traced, it was 
 perhaps exceeded in this respect by another which 
 came under my notice during my residence at the 
 doctor's. The patient in this instance was a lady, 
 a Miss Clara Mordaunt When she joined our 
 party she was about three-and-twenty years of 
 age. She was tall, graceful, and exceedingly 
 handsome. An accident had occurred to her 
 about two years prior to her sojourn among us, 
 the effect of which was to render her totally blind. 
 But Miss Mordaunt's blindness was of such a sin- 
 gular and peculiar character, that it did not in the 
 least spoil her beautiful countenance, which was 
 
L AMOUR MEDECIN. 
 
 certainly one of the loveliest I ever saw. Her 
 face was a faithful index to her mind. It bore 
 on it an expression of the highest intelligence 
 and amiability, and a mildness rarely found in 
 union with so much intellect. When I made 
 her acquaintance she was suffering under such 
 severe melancholia, that it was feared she might 
 in one of her fits of despondency attempt suicide. 
 This danger was increased by the fact that she 
 was of an eminently religious disposition, — a 
 feature frequently attending suicidal mania. No 
 actual symptom of a bias towards suicide had 
 indeed ever been noticed in her, the danger 
 being only assumed from accidents of the kind 
 often occurring in that peculiar phase of insanity. 
 Her history was a most romantic one ; so much 
 so indeed that it may possibly be regarded as 
 infringing too closely on the borders of fiction, for 
 being quoted in a perfectly matter-of-fact and 
 scientific work of this description. 
 
 Miss Mordaunt's father was the second partner 
 in the firm of Wilson and Mordaunt, silversmiths 
 and jewellers, carrying on a considerable business 
 in one of the principal market towns of the mid- 
 
190 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 land counties. The senior partner, Mr. Wilson, a 
 man of great wealth, had advanced the larger 
 portion of the capital, but took little share in 
 the management, leaving the entire care of the 
 business to his associate, who, although somewhat 
 eccentric, was perfectly competent to the task. 
 Mr. Wilson lived a few miles from town, and 
 rarely visited it oftener than two or three times 
 a week for a few hours, and even of that short 
 time an important part was taken up in visiting 
 the principal banking establishment in the town, 
 in which he had embarked some portion of his 
 capital. 
 
 Mr. Mordaunt, as I said before, was the working 
 partner, though his share in the profits of the 
 business was comparatively small. He was about 
 sixty years of age, a widower, and had been 
 the father of several children, all of whom were 
 now dead, with the exception of Clara. He was 
 domestic and regular in his habits, rarely enjoy- 
 ing or seeking the slightest amusement ; and I 
 may remark, by the way, that he was proud 
 of this circumstance, and used to boast that 
 he had taken but one holiday in nine years, 
 
l'amour medecin. 191 
 
 though he omitted to state that it was to attend 
 the funeral of a distant relative whose executor 
 he was, and who had bequeathed to his daughter 
 Clara, absolutely, the sum of two thousand 
 pounds. Beyond his love for his daughter and 
 concern for his business, he seemed to have but 
 one other object of real interest, and that was 
 the large clock in the market-place fronting his 
 house. There was an extraordinary sympathy 
 between them. Every action in the daily routine 
 of his life seemed exactly and mechanically regu- 
 lated by the movements of that timepiece. In 
 the morning, winter and summer alike, his servant- 
 maid tapped at his door just as the clock struck 
 six, and informed him that it was time to rise. 
 Precisely at seven his barber rang at the private 
 door at the back of the house, and went in to 
 shave him. If he arrived a few minutes before 
 the striking of the hour, he would wait with the 
 handle of the bell in his hand till the sound was 
 heard, and immediately after the door opened, and 
 he was ushered into his patron's bedroom. But 
 poor Jobbins, the barber, had far more difficulty 
 in arranging his movements by the town clock 
 
192 DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 than had Mr. Mordaunt He not only Hved 
 some short distance from it in a back street, 
 and consequently could not check the move- 
 ments of his own somewhat capricious time- 
 piece so exactly as his patron, but it frequently 
 happened also that he had, at the moment he 
 ought to have left for Mr. Mordaunt's, some half- 
 shaved customer under his hands, whom it would 
 have been not only indiscreet, but positively 
 impolitic to have left before the operation was 
 completed. On these emergencies he practised 
 an innocent fraud upon his employer, Mr. Mor- 
 daunt, in the perpetration of which he found 
 ready coadjutors and conspirators in the members 
 of Mr. Mordaunt's own establishment. On those 
 occasions when Jobbins was behind time, the 
 friendly housemaid would slily open the street- 
 door, and ring the bell herself, then wait for two 
 or three minutes, and if Jobbins had not made 
 his appearance, ring it again, and so on till the 
 arrival of the defaulter, who would then, following 
 his clue, rush breathlessly into his patron's room, 
 and loudly complain of the inattention of Mary in 
 not opening the door. The culprit was then sent 
 
l'amour medecin. 193 
 
 for to be scolded, but she would plead that she 
 was waiting on her young mistress at the time, 
 and could not leave her ; a plea which, from the 
 great affection Mr. Mordaunt bore to his child, 
 he always admitted to be a valid one. At eight 
 o'clock breakfast was upon the table, and there he 
 met the resident assistant and deputy manager of 
 the business, Mr. Gideon Pursite, of whom I shall 
 speak more anon. Mr. Pursite reported to his 
 superior that everything in the establishment was 
 in working order for the day, and they then sat 
 down to their breakfast, Clara generally joining 
 them, but being free to absent herself when- 
 ever she might feel so inclined. The breakfast 
 invariably lasted half an hour ; at all events, they 
 sat thus long at table, for even though they had 
 completed their meal before the expiry of the 
 allotted time, Mr. Mordaunt and his assistant sat 
 fixedly on their chairs till the clock in the market- 
 place struck the half-hour, when they both rose 
 and commenced the business of the day. 
 
 The dinner hour was as punctually observed as 
 the breakfast one. Exactly as the town clock 
 struck one, Mary entered the shop, and informed 
 
 VOL. I. O 
 
194 DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 her master that dinner was on the table. He 
 knew the fact perfectly well, but inasmuch as it 
 was a portion of the servant's duties to summon 
 him, he naturally looked for her arrival as the 
 hour struck, and the reception he gave her if she 
 happened to be a minute late was not of a descrip- 
 tion to be readily forgotten. The moment Mr. 
 Mordaunt received notice that his meal was 
 ready, he left the shop, handing over any cus- 
 tomer with whom he might be engaged at the 
 moment to Mr. Gideon Pursite. The time Mr. 
 Mordaunt allotted himself for dinner was the 
 same as that for breakfast — half an hour. As 
 the clock in the market-place struck the half- 
 hour, Mr. Mordaunt and Clara, who invariably 
 dined with her father, both rose and left the room. 
 Mr. Mordaunt then entered the shop, and in- 
 formed Mr. Gideon Pursite and the other assistant 
 that they could retire, and he took charge of the 
 business himself during their absence. No press 
 of customers, even on the busiest market days, 
 could have induced Mr. Mordaunt to disturb his 
 assistants till their allotted half-hour had expired. 
 Tea-time was as punctually observed at five 
 
L AMOUR MEDECIN. I95 
 
 o'clock, and at eight the shop shutters were put 
 up. Then the second shopman, who did not 
 hve in the house, went home, and Mr. Pursite 
 either joined Mr. Mordaunt and his daughter in 
 the sitting-room, or, as he was a leading member 
 of several religious societies, occupied himself in 
 the town till half-past nine, when a frugal supper 
 was placed upon the table, at which he was 
 expected to be present. On the last stroke of 
 ten by the town clock, Mary entered the room 
 with a chamber candlestick. Mr. Mordaunt de- 
 scended with it into the shop, and, opening the 
 iron safe, took from it a large japanned cash-box, 
 which generally contained not only a large sum 
 of money, but several very valuable articles of 
 jewellery, which were not habitually shown in 
 the glass cases in the shop. With the cash- 
 box in his hand, he then made his way to his 
 bedroom on the second floor, and having depo- 
 sited the box exactly in the centre of the top of 
 a chest of drawers, he locked and double bolted 
 his door, and a few minutes after was in bed. 
 
 Such had been the mechanical routine of Mr. 
 Mordaunt's life for many years. He seemed to 
 
196 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 consider that it would be as impossible for him 
 to make a single exception in it, and then resume 
 it with regularity again, as it would be to break 
 two or three of the cogs in the works of a 
 chronometer, and get it still to go with its accus- 
 tomed exactitude. At the same time it must be 
 admitted that Mr. Mordaunt's eccentricity was not 
 without some excuse. He had been suffering for 
 many years from disease of the heart, and as the 
 slightest excitement occasioned the most alarm- 
 ing palpitations, he naturally avoided all circum- 
 stances, no matter how trivial, which might 
 disturb his ordinary routine. For the rest, Mr. 
 Mordaunt, although somewhat parsimonious, was 
 really a kind-hearted, charitable man, tenderly 
 attached to his daughter, and strictly honourable 
 in every relation of life. 
 
 His assistant, Mr. Gideon Pursite, who might 
 almost have been termed one of his family, was 
 about twenty-seven years of age, of middle height, 
 rather good-looking, and of strong religious prin- 
 ciples. He was not only a Sunday school teacher, 
 but also a leading speaker in the town mission- 
 ary and temperance meetings. He was an excel- 
 
L AMOUR MEDECIN. 197 
 
 lent hand at his business, steady and regular in 
 his habits, a great favourite with Mr. Mordaunt, 
 and on as good terms with Clara as was proper 
 for one in his circumstances to be with the 
 daughter of his employer. The only other resi- 
 dent in the house was Mary, who was in her 
 own person not only lady's maid, housemaid, and 
 cook, but general servant as well. Her good 
 qualities consisted in being honest, patient, in- 
 dustrious, and respectable in her conduct. Her 
 failings may be very briefly enumerated : she was 
 a heavy sleeper and a late riser, with a detest- 
 able habit of looking out of the windows when 
 she ought to have been making the beds, and of 
 leaving the marks of her fingers on new bonnets 
 or other articles of dress which were sent home 
 for the use of her young mistress. 
 
 For the better understanding of my narrative 
 it will be necessary for me to describe somewhat 
 particularly the arrangement of the premises. 
 The shop was double-fronted and of considerable 
 breadth, and, as we before stated, was situated 
 in the market-place, opposite the Town Hall. 
 Behind the shop there were two rooms : one was 
 
198 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 used for the meals of the family ; the other was 
 the bedroom of Mr. Gideon Pursite, As the whole 
 of the ground-floor to the front was used for busi- 
 ness purposes, and as it was necessary, from the 
 valuable nature of the contents of the shop, that 
 the shutters should be of a strong and somewhat 
 complicated description, the entry to Mr. Mor- 
 daunt's residence was at the back of the house, 
 opening to a long and respectable street. The 
 front room on the first floor, during the hours 
 of business, was used as Miss Clara's sitting- 
 room, and in the evenings and on Sundays, as 
 the sitting-room for the whole family. Behind 
 it, as is frequent in tradesmen's houses of this 
 description, Mary had her kitchen and laboratory, 
 Mr. Mordaunt's bedroom, as before mentioned, 
 was the second floor front room; his daughter's, 
 separated by a short passage, was behind his ; 
 and Mary's bedroom was a garret at the back 
 of the house. 
 
 I must now introduce to the reader another 
 individual, who, although not a member of Mr. 
 Mordaunt's family, had every desire to become 
 one. This was a certain Mr. Frederick Heath- 
 
L AMOUR MEDECIN. 
 
 199 
 
 cote, a faithful servant of the Queen, the holder 
 of a commission in her Majesty's navy, and a de- 
 voted admirer of Miss Clara Mordaunt ; by whom, 
 in return, he was looked upon with great com- 
 placency. From the description I have given of 
 Miss Mordaunt it will be admitted that the young 
 fellow's attachment to her was not by any means 
 to be wondered at ; and he, on his part, was 
 possessed of many of those qualifications likely 
 to attract the attention and affection of a young 
 and enthusiastic girl. He was a brave, generous, 
 kind-hearted, and good-natured young fellow. 
 He was not particularly handsome, although his 
 expression was decidedly intelligent, which com- 
 pensated in a considerable degree for any 
 want of regularity of feature. In this respect 
 he formed a singular contrast to Gideon Pursite, 
 whom he somewhat resembled, both in face and 
 form. Gideon was certainly by far the hand- 
 somer of the two, but the subdued cunning in 
 his look operated most unfavourably when com- 
 pared with the frank, open expression of Frede- 
 rick Heathcote's. However, as from their relative 
 positions they were not likely to come into con- 
 
200 DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 tact, it mattered little to observers in general, 
 and Clara Mordaunt in particular, which was the 
 better looking. 
 
 It would be incorrect to say that Clara Mor- 
 daunt's attachment to the young sailor altogether 
 met with her father's approval. At the com- 
 mencement he distinctly set his face against the 
 match, and even expressed his disapprobation 
 in very strong terms. He had not a word to 
 say against Mr. Heathcote personally, except that 
 he was poor ; but he objected to his daughter 
 marrying a man who would, from the nature 
 of his profession, be obliged to absent himself 
 from home for long periods. By degrees, how- 
 ever, when he came to find his daughter's happi- 
 ness so mixed up in the affair, he gradually 
 withdrew his objections, and received Frederick 
 Heathcote, though at first somewhat coldly, as a 
 suitor for Clara's hand. By-and-bye the old man 
 looked on Heathcote in a more friendly manner, 
 although it was not difficult to perceive that, not- 
 withstanding all the young fellow's good qualities, 
 he would have preferred a member of another 
 profession for his future son-in-law. Of the at- 
 
l'amour medecin. 
 
 tachment between Clara Mordaunt and her lover 
 it would hardly be within the scope of the present 
 work to enter at any length, so very romantic 
 was it. For his part, he simply seemed to wor- 
 ship her ; while Clara, although far less demon- 
 strative, was perhaps not less enthusiastic in her 
 affection. 
 
 In this, as in almost every other interesting 
 love affair, the oft-repeated quotation, that "the 
 course of true love never did run smooth," was 
 perfectly illustrated, although the obstacle ap- 
 peared easily removable. Frederick had received 
 an appointment as lieutenant on board a gun- 
 boat about to be despatched to the China seas 
 as a part of the squadron on duty there, and 
 being not only poor, but destitute of friends in 
 high official quarters, he was afraid to refuse it, as 
 it might be detrimental to his interests. He there- 
 fore accepted it, consoling himself with the thought 
 that he should return in about two years to marry 
 Clara ; and if his prospects did not appear to be 
 brighter then than they were at the moment of 
 his joining his ship, he would probably leave the 
 service and seek for some other occupation. 
 
202 DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 Mr. Mordaunt and his daughter viewed the 
 near approach of Frederick Heathcote's departure 
 with very different feehngs. Clara was depressed 
 in spirits, and often in tears at the prospect 
 of such a long separation. Her father, on the 
 contrary, was not altogether displeased at the 
 circumstance. He calculated that during an in- 
 terval of two years many accidents might occur 
 which would either tend to weaken the strength 
 of his daughter's affection for her lover, or that 
 Frederick Heathcote might, w^th prospects of 
 advancement in his own profession, change his 
 mind on the subject. He did both his daughter 
 and her betrothed an injustice: improbable as it 
 was that any alteration could take place in Fre- 
 derick Heathcote's attachment to his mistress, 
 it was yet more improbable that his daughter's 
 affection for her lover should lessen. It seemed 
 to have now become a part and portion of her 
 existence. To have denied her the hope of 
 union with him would have been almost as rude 
 a shock as the separation of soul from body. 
 
 The time at last arrived for Frederick Heath- 
 cote's departure. The mail-train, by which he 
 
L AMOUR MEDECIN. 203 
 
 was to travel, passed through the town about mid- 
 night ; and, as might naturally be expected, he 
 spent the earlier part of the evening in company 
 with Clara. From eight o'clock till ten Mr. Mor- 
 daunt sat with the young couple, and he would 
 have liked to have remained with them longer ; 
 but habit was inveterate, and although he tried 
 to ignore his usual time of going to bed, he 
 found it impossible. A quarter of an hour had 
 not elapsed since the Town Hall clock struck ten, 
 Vvdien he could no longer resist the temptation 
 to retire. Mary had brought in his candle at 
 the usual time, but he had ordered her to ex- 
 tinguish it ; he now rose, however, from his seat 
 and rung the bell, and told Mary to light the 
 candle again. After bidding his daughter an 
 affectionate good night, and wishing Frederick 
 Heathcote a happy and prosperous voyage, he 
 took his candle and left the room. As usual he 
 then descended the stairs into the shop to take 
 the cash-box from the iron safe ; and that done, 
 he sought his bedroom for the night. 
 
 The young couple remained in conversation 
 together till the bell tolled half-past eleven, and 
 
204 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 then Frederick Heathcote rose to take his de- 
 parture. Clara accompanied him to the door, 
 and their leave-taking there was long, sad, and 
 sorrowful. When at last Heathcote summoned 
 up sufficient courage to part from his betrothed, 
 the street door was opened, and Clara was sud- 
 denly dazzled by a vivid flash of lightning, for 
 a thunderstorm was on the point of breaking over 
 the town. As soon as she had recovered from 
 her surprise she watched her lover, as long as 
 she could, by the light of the street lamps, and 
 then weeping bitterly she closed the street door, 
 and retired to her room. 
 
 When in bed Clara's thoughts were so intently 
 fixed upon her lover that for some time she paid 
 but little attention to the thunder, or the vivid 
 flashes of lightning which accompanied it. She 
 could get no sleep, and she continued in the same 
 train of thought till the town clock struck two. Its 
 vibrations had hardly died away when she thought 
 she heard a cry of distress proceeding from her 
 father's bedroom. Hardly certain of the fact, she 
 sat up in her bed and listened attentively. 
 
 The sound was repeated, and along with it a 
 
L AMOUR MEDECIN. 205 
 
 loud cry in her father's voice for help. Clara, 
 without a moment's hesitation, sprung from her 
 bed, and having hastily thrown on a dressing- 
 gown, rushed to her father's bedroom. By the 
 lightning flashes, which now followed each other 
 with great rapidity, she perceived him standing on 
 the floor in his night-dress. She spoke to him, 
 but it was some moments before she could make 
 him understand that it was she who addressed 
 him, so terrified and alarmed was he. As soon as 
 he had somewhat recovered, he informed her that 
 he had been awakened by somebody moving about 
 in his room. Although greatly frightened, he had 
 sufficient presence of mind to inquire who it was. 
 The figure made him no answer, but immediately 
 extinguished the night-light, which had been 
 burning on the drawers, and then hurriedly rushed 
 from the room. He was afraid that the cash-box 
 had been stolen, as he could not find it on the 
 spot on which he had been accustomed to place 
 it. He acknowledged, however, that he was 
 so agitated he could not remember whether he 
 had not put it somewhere else. Clara attempted 
 to calm him in the best way she could, and 
 
2o6 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 assisted him in feeling over the tops of the dif- 
 ferent articles of furniture, but no cash-box could 
 they find. She then asked her father if he had 
 recognized the individual who had disturbed him. 
 He said he had not. All he could distinguish 
 was, that he had on a coat similar to those sailors 
 were accustomed to wear in rough weather, but 
 even of that he could not be positively certain. 
 
 Clara, after having somewhat tranquillized her 
 father, left him, and descended in the dark to the 
 back room on the ground floor, in which Gideon 
 Pursite slept. She had not seen him during the 
 whole of the evening, as he had retired to his bed- 
 room immediately after the shop was closed, on 
 the plea of a violent headache. She knocked at 
 his door, and begged that he would rise as 
 quickly as possible, and go to assist her father, 
 who she feared had been robbed. As soon as 
 she had succeeded in making him understand 
 the position of affairs, she ran up-stairs to call 
 the maid-servant, who, as we before stated, slept 
 in the garret at the back of the house. Having 
 with some difficulty aroused Mary, she ordered 
 her instantly to obtain a light, and take it 
 
l'amour medecin. 207 
 
 to Mr. Mordaunt's room. Clara now descended 
 the staircase, and proceeded to her father's 
 room. She there found him somewhat more 
 collected, but impatient at the non-arrival of 
 Pursite or the girl with the light Clara, to 
 appease him, left the room for the purpose, 
 if possible, of obtaining a candle herself ; but 
 when she had arrived at the head of the stair- 
 case she heard Pursite's door open, and, not wish- 
 ing he should see her in such deshabille as she was 
 then in, she turned to enter her own room, with 
 the intention of putting on some more clothes. 
 Just before entering it her foot struck against 
 something soft in the passage. She stooped down 
 and took it up, and carried it with her into her 
 room. She closed the door, as she was anxious 
 to ascertain what she had found. On carrying it 
 to the window to profit by the faint light coming 
 in, she was suddenly assisted by a bright flash 
 of lightning, which showed that she held in her 
 hand a naval officer's cap, similar to the one she 
 had seen worn by Frederick Heathcote. Imme- 
 diately the remark of her father, that all he could 
 distinguish in the appearance of the robber was 
 
2o8 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 that he wore a naval officer's rough coat, came 
 before her, and a terrible dread flashed across 
 her mind, in spite of her confidence in the honour 
 and integrity of her lover. She attempted to con- 
 vince herself that the cap could not be his, and she 
 again held it up to the window, and was again 
 assisted in her investigation by fearful flashes of 
 lightning, which followed each other in rapid suc- 
 cession. Not only was it such a cap as had been 
 worn by her lover, but she perceived on it, more- 
 over, an indisputable proof that it was his. Some 
 time after he had purchased it, the son of a friend 
 with whom he was living — a little boy about 
 five or six years of age, just beginning to learn 
 the use of his pen — had covered over with ink the 
 initials " F. H.," which had been drawn with 
 pencil in the leather lining by Heathcote him- 
 self, in order to please the child. The result was 
 that the letters were not only thick and clumsy, 
 but were marked by a large ink-blot as well. 
 
 Clara for a moment stood aghast. The cap 
 then dropped from her hand, she made a step 
 forward towards her bed, but before she could 
 reach it, she fell senseless on the floor. How long 
 
l'amour medecin. 209 
 
 she remained there she knew not When she 
 recovered her senses, all was perfectly dark. 
 With difficulty she rose up and threw herself on 
 her bed. She remained for some time under a 
 sort of hysterical oppression, when at last a 
 violent flood of tears came to her relief. It now 
 seemed perfectly clear to her that the man who 
 had robbed her father must be her lover, and 
 the idea gave her such terrible grief that the 
 present condition of her father, and the agitation 
 which was then reigning in the house, were for 
 the moment totally forgotten. 
 
 She was suddenly aroused from her train of 
 thought by some one tapping at her chamber 
 door. 
 
 " Oh, please. Miss, do get up," said Mary the 
 serv^ant, from the outside ; " your poor pa is so ill 
 I don't know what to do with him, and he never 
 stops asking for you." 
 
 " Bring me a candle, Mary," said Clara, now 
 recalled to herself, and somewhat collected, "and 
 tell my father I will be with him in a few 
 minutes." 
 
 "A candle. Miss," said Mary, ''why, it's broad 
 
 VOL. I. P 
 
2IO DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 daylight. Let me open your curtains for you." 
 So saying, she opened the door and advanced 
 towards the window, but finding the curtains 
 already withdrawn, she turned round to her 
 young mistress on the bed to ask an explanation, 
 when she uttered a cry of terror, and was for a 
 moment silent. There was good cause for the 
 girl's surprise and alarm, for a more ghastly figure 
 than Miss Mordaunt presented at the moment 
 could hardly be imagined. She was seated on 
 her bed, her hair falling loose over her, and her 
 face covered with tears and blood. In falling, 
 her head had struck against a corner of the bed- 
 stead without her being aware of it, and the 
 wound had bled profusely, but had now stopped. 
 
 " "Why, Miss," said Mary, " what is the matter 
 with you ? you must have hurt yourself dread- 
 fully." 
 
 " I don't know I am sure, Mary," was the reply. 
 " Tell me, do you say it is daylight ? " 
 
 " Yes, broad daylight. Miss." 
 
 "And I can see nothing," said Clara; "all is 
 dark around me. What shall I do ! What shall 
 I do!" 
 
L AMOUR MEDECIN. 211 
 
 A tap was now heard at the door of the room. 
 
 ** Mary," said the voice of Gideon Pursite, " tell 
 Miss Clara her father wants her directly. Beg of 
 her to come, as he is dreadfully anxious about 
 her." 
 
 " Tell him she will be with him in a moment," 
 said Mary, and Gideon Pursite left the door. 
 
 " Come now. Miss," said Mary to her mistress, 
 "do rouse yourself. Let me bathe your face for 
 you, and you will be able to see better afterwards, 
 I am sure." So saying, she turned to go to the 
 washstand, which was near the window, but sud- 
 denly she stopped short, and, stooping down, said, 
 " Dear me. Miss, why, here's a sailor's cap ; how 
 could it have come here ? I wonder Avhose it is ! " 
 
 " Mary, give me that cap," said Clara, quickly, 
 starting from her bed, and making towards the 
 spot from whence Mary's voice proceeded. 
 
 As she uttered the words she attempted to 
 snatch the cap from the girl's hand, but Mary 
 had moved from the spot without her young 
 mistress being sensible of it, proving clearly that 
 she was totally blind. 
 
 '• Give me that cap," she repeated ; '* I will 
 
DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 have it ; " and she stretched her arms forward as 
 if searching in the dark for an object she eagerly 
 desired to obtain. 
 
 Mary, terrified at the wildness of her mistress's 
 manner, placed the cap in her hand. Clara 
 clutched it with her right hand, and with her left 
 felt her way, as if in utter darkness, to her bed, 
 and then concealed it under her pillow. 
 
 " Mary," said Clara, " come here and give me 
 your hand. Now promise me solemnly you will 
 never mention to any one a word about that cap. 
 I struck my foot against it at the bottom of the 
 stairs, after I had called you this morning, and I 
 then brought it in here to see to whom it be- 
 longed. Now do you promise me .?" 
 
 Mary was silent with astonishment, for she had 
 understood in an instant her mistress's meaning, 
 and to whom the cap belonged. Once assured on 
 that point, she replied to Clara's request, — \ 
 
 " Don't be afraid of me, Miss ; I would sooner 
 have my right hand cut off than say one word 
 about it. But when you go out of the room, take 
 my advice, lock the door and put the key in your 
 pocket, for I think it very likely the police will 
 
l'amour medecin. 213 
 
 soon be here. Now let me help you to dress, and 
 after I've washed your face, perhaps the dizziness 
 will go off, and you'll be all right again." 
 
 A hasty toilet having been accomplished 
 through the assistance of Mary, the girl said 
 to her mistress, — 
 
 " Now, Miss, I will go and tell your father you 
 are coming ; but don't forget to lock the door after 
 you." 
 
 ** But, Mary, you must lead me ; I can see 
 nothing. What has come over me ? What have 
 I done that I should be punished so cruelly .^" 
 
 Mary took her mistress by the hand, and led 
 her out into the passage which separated her 
 room from her father's, and there left her for a 
 moment while she locked the door ; then, giving 
 the key to Clara, who placed it in her pocket, 
 she conducted her to her father's room. 
 
 The old gentleman, who was now dressed, and 
 seated in an easy chair alone in the room, said to 
 her, — 
 
 '* Clara, my dear, what has kept you so long ?" 
 
 *' Father," she replied, " I fell down and wounded 
 my head somewhat severely, and Mary has been 
 
214 DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 occupied in washing the blood from my face, or I 
 should have been with you sooner." 
 
 "Wounded yourself, my dear," said her father, 
 cfazine at her, and noticin^^ the white handker- 
 chief which Mary had bound round her head, — 
 '* Wounded yourself, — not severely, I hope." 
 
 " No, not very, but the singular thing is, that I 
 cannot see. There is a dizziness before me, and 
 everything is obscure," she continued, modifying 
 the intensity of her blindness, not to shock her 
 father by divulging the real truth. " I was even 
 obliged to ask Mary to lead me in here." 
 
 "No doubt, my dear, it has been caused by 
 loss of blood," said her father, '* and possibly will 
 soon go off. Sit down, and I will send Mary for 
 a doctor." 
 
 *' Pray don't, father ; I have no doubt I shall be 
 better presently," said Clara, seating herself on a 
 chair which Mary had placed within her reach- 
 *' Now tell me, what has been done since I left you 
 this morning.^" 
 
 "Gideon Pursite has done all that could be 
 done, and he has been very active indeed. He 
 will tell you everything when he returns ; all I 
 
l'amour medecin. 215 
 
 know is, that when he went down-stairs to gi\'e 
 notice of the robbery to the pohce, he found the 
 street door wide open, so the thief must have 
 escaped by that means. As soon as he had dis- 
 covered it, he came up to inform me of the fact, 
 and then went away again to the pohce station, 
 and he has not since returned." 
 
 A ring was now heard at the street door, and 
 Mary left the room to answer it. 
 
 " Father," said Clara, as soon as the girl had 
 quitted the room, ''are you certain the cash-box 
 is really gone ? Collect your ideas a little, and 
 think now where you placed it. It would be 
 cruel to throw suspicion on any one unneces- 
 sarily." 
 
 " My dear, I am almost positive that I placed it 
 as usual on the drawers, but as my mind was 
 occupied with Heathcote's departure, it is possible 
 I might have placed it somewhere else." 
 
 " Then let us ascertain for a certainty," said 
 Clara, " that it is no longer in the room." She then 
 arose from her seat, and feeling her way to the 
 drawers, she passed her hand rapidly over the top, 
 and opening the drawers one after the other, she 
 
2i6 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 felt in each of them. Not finding it, she carefully 
 drew her foot along the carpet round them, and 
 afterwards searched on each piece of furniture 
 she could find on one side of the room, while 
 her father, though not so actively, searched on 
 the other. Some footsteps were now heard on 
 the stairs, and Clara hurriedly felt her way back 
 to her chair, while her father slowly advanced 
 towards the centre of the room to see who were 
 arriving. Presently the door opened, and Gideon 
 Pursite, accompanied by an inspector of police 
 and a constable, entered the room. 
 
 "Have you discovered anything.^" asked Mr. 
 Mordaunt of the inspector. 
 
 " Nothing of importance," he replied ; " but I 
 should like to have a little private conversation 
 with you, if you have no objection." 
 
 " Certainly, none whatever," said Mr. Mordaunt ; 
 " all can leave the room if you wish it, but as my 
 daughter is very ill, perhaps you would have no 
 objection to her remaining." 
 
 "None at all," said the inspector; and the 
 policeman, and Gideon Pursite, and Mary, who 
 had followed them into the room, now left it. 
 
l'amour medecin. 217 
 
 After the inspector had carefully closed the door, 
 he said in an undertone to Mr. Mordaunt, — 
 
 '* The only points I can ascertain are, that the 
 robbery must have been committed by some one 
 well acquainted with the premises, and if the thief 
 entered from the street the door must have been 
 opened by a false key, and the bolts, both top and 
 bottom, must have been left unfastened, otherwise 
 from the make of the door it would have been 
 almost impossible for him to get in." 
 
 A sensation of faintness immediately came over 
 Clara at these words, for she remembered that 
 when her lover left the house she had simply 
 closed the door, without taking any further pre- 
 caution. Possibly the inspector noticed her agita- 
 tion, but he made no remark. 
 
 **Now tell me," he continued, still addressing 
 Mr. Mordaunt, **what the man was like you saw 
 in the room." 
 
 ** I was so agitated at the moment that all I can 
 remember is, that he was of average height, and 
 wore a sort of rough undress naval officer's coat ; 
 but even of that I am not positively certain." 
 
 " Now tell me, is there any one in the house you 
 
DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 suspect ? What kind of character did you have 
 with your maid-servant, and how long has she 
 been with you ?" 
 
 " She has been with us three years," said Clara, 
 '* and we had an excellent character with her. We 
 have no reason whatever to doubt her integrity." 
 
 ''That's all very well," said the inspector, "but 
 has she a lover ? " 
 
 "Not that I know of," said Clara, "nor do I 
 think she has one. She confides a good deal to 
 me, and I am sure I should have heard of it if 
 she had." 
 
 " Then we are all right there," replied the 
 inspector. " Now who sleeps in the house besides 
 the ser\^ant .'' " 
 
 "Only Mr. Gideon Pursite," said Mr. Mor- 
 daunt ; " and you know his reputation to be 
 above suspicion," 
 
 " I certainly have always heard him very highly 
 spoken of," said the inspector ; " but you of course 
 have had a better opportunity of judging of him 
 than any one else." 
 
 "I am as certain of him as I could be of 
 myself." 
 
l'amour iMedecin. 219 
 
 " Then I will call him in," said the inspector, 
 "and we will first examine him." 
 
 He then opened the door and called to Gideon 
 Pursite, who immediately made his appearance. 
 
 "Now," said the inspector, "tell me all that has 
 taken place, as far as you know, since last night." 
 
 "I know very little," replied Gideon. "After 
 business was over I went to a missionary meeting. 
 I had felt very sick and ill all day, and I had 
 hardly entered the room, when the heat acted so 
 oppressively upon me that I left directly. On 
 arriving at home, Mary told me that a gentleman 
 of the name of Heathcote, a friend of Mr. Mor- 
 daunt's, was spending the evening with him prior 
 to his departure for India ; and not wishing to 
 intrude upon their conversation, I went to bed. 
 Early this morning, I should think between two 
 and three o'clock. Miss Clara knocked at my 
 door, and told me that her father had been 
 robbed. She begged me instantly to go to his 
 assistance. I did so ; and finding him greatly 
 agitated, I waited with him till he was somewhat 
 calmer, and then I started off to the station to 
 give you notice of the robbery." 
 
220 DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 "That seems clear enough," said the inspector. 
 "Now did you notice anything tending to prove 
 how the robbery was effected ? " 
 
 "Nothing whatever," repHed Gideon, "with the 
 exception that when I was descending the stairs 
 on leaving the house to give you notice of the 
 robbery, I remarked that the street door was 
 wide open." 
 
 " Had the maid-servant been out for anything .''" 
 
 " She did not leave my room," said Mr. Mor- 
 daunt, "from the moment my daughter called 
 her till some time after Mr. Pursite had left the 
 house." 
 
 " Who w^as the gentleman who spent the evening 
 with you.^" asked the inspector of Mr. Mordaunt. 
 
 "Mr. Heathcote," replied Mr. Mordaunt, ''who 
 you may possibly have heard is engaged to my 
 daughter." 
 
 "At what hour did he leave you.?" inquired 
 the inspector. 
 
 "I don't know myself, for I was in bed at the 
 time. Clara, what o'clock was it ? " 
 
 Clara made no answer, but sat motionless. She ; 
 was apparently absorbed in thought, and that 
 
 J 
 
L AMOUR MEDECIN. 
 
 thought, judging from the anxious expression of 
 her countenance, was of a most painful character. 
 Mr. Mordaunt repeated his question. 
 
 "About half-past eleven, father," replied Clara, 
 rousing herself. 
 
 '*What did he propose doing after he left the 
 house .'*" asked the inspector. 
 
 " He was to return to his lodgings to seek for 
 his luggage, and then to proceed to the railway 
 station to meet the mail train for London." 
 
 " Who let him out when he went away ? " 
 inquired the inspector. 
 
 "I did," said Clara. 
 
 "Did you bolt and lock the door after he had 
 left .?" was the next question put to her. 
 
 " I don't remember ; I rather think not," re- 
 plied Clara, in so confused a manner that it 
 riveted the attention of the inspector. He was 
 silent for some moments, and watched Clara atten- 
 tively, as if there was something in her conduct he 
 was unable to understand rightly. Possibly his 
 curiosity was still further excited by the singular 
 appearance she presented as she sat erect in her 
 chair, her face deadly pale, and her eyes turned 
 
222 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 towards the inspector, but wholly expressionless, 
 like those of a blind person. She evidently saw 
 him not, but spoke to him as if judging his posi- 
 tion from the sound of his voice. The inspector, 
 as if puzzled, changed the conversation, and told 
 Mr. Mordaunt that he would leave him for the 
 purpose of making some further inquiries, and 
 would return again at the latest in half an hour. 
 In the meantime he suggested that no one should 
 be allowed to leave or enter the house. 
 
 No sooner had the inspector gone than Gideon 
 Pursite entered the room. Mr. Mordaunt imme- 
 diately conveyed to him the inspector's request, 
 and Gideon promised to see that it should be 
 duly carried out ; he would go down himself, he 
 said, and lock the street door, so that no one could 
 leave the house without his knowing it, and he 
 would also see that no one came in through the 
 shop till the inspector had returned. 
 
 When the father and daughter were alone, 
 no conversation passed between them for some 
 time. The affair had given the old man a great 
 shock. He was so unnerved as to be unable to 
 speak. The violent palpitations of the heart, 
 
 J 
 
L AMOUR MEDECIN. 223 
 
 which continued unabated, were now felt the 
 more painfully as his attention was no longer 
 drawn from his own person by the presence of the 
 inspector. Clara, on the contrary, sat as motion- 
 less as a marble statue, and as pale. Not a 
 muscle in her face moved ; the vacant look of 
 blindness was in her eyes ; and yet it would have 
 been utterly impossible for an attentive observer 
 not to have seen that she was suffering some 
 terrible mental emotion. Her mind was so tho- 
 roughly centred on herself, that she seemed not 
 to be aware of her father's presence. She did not 
 even make one inquiry respecting his health, 
 although, from the distressed state of his breath- 
 ing, she might have known that he was near her, 
 though she could not see him. After a lapse of 
 several minutes the old man mechanically turned 
 his face on his daughter, and for the first time 
 appeared to be fully cognizant of the fearful con- 
 dition in which she was. 
 
 "Clara, my dear," he said, "has the dizziness 
 you complained of left you .'' " 
 
 " No, father," she replied, " it is worse than 
 ever ; I can see nothing." 
 
224 DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 " I will send Mary for the doctor directly," 
 said the father, greatly alarmed. 
 
 " Pray do not think of it," said Clara ; " pos- 
 sibly it may go away. My mind is at present so 
 agitated that I can hardly collect my thoughts ; 
 and if the doctor came, I should scarcely be 
 able to give him an intelligible answer." 
 
 " Clara, my dear," said her father, " can you 
 form any idea how that villain got into the 
 house ? " 
 
 He had no sooner uttered the question than his 
 agitation, great as it was, was exceeded by that 
 of his daughter. So violent was it, that she was 
 obliged to press her hands upon her heart to 
 control its beating. 
 
 " No, father," she answered at last ; " I can 
 come to no conclusion about it ;" the expression 
 of her countenance at the time strongly contra- 
 dicting her assertion. 
 
 " Of one thing I am resolved," said her father ; 
 " I will spare neither pains nor expense to discover 
 him, and get him well punished for his villany." 
 
 The inspector now re-entered the room, and 
 spoke to Mr. Mordaunt, though at the same time 
 
L AMOUR MEDECIN. 
 
 225 
 
 he kept his glance fixed upon Clara. He inquired 
 if he had correctly understood that the gentleman 
 who had spent the previous evening with Mr. 
 Mordaunt was Mr. Heathcote. 
 
 "Certainly," said Mr. Mordaunt. 
 
 "By what train did you say he was to leave.?" 
 
 "By the mail train," answered Mr. Mordaunt. 
 " Why do you ask ? " 
 
 "Because Mr. Heathcote did not leave by the 
 mail train, but by the first train this morning. 
 Did you remark," he asked, turning to Clara, 
 " how he was dressed when he left the house ? " 
 
 "As usual, I believe," said Clara, in so low a 
 tone of voice as to be almost inaudible ; " I no- 
 ticed nothing particular." 
 
 " Because," said the inspector, " the porter at 
 the railway station remarked the singularity of 
 his dress ; he wore a rough naval ofiicer's coat 
 and a civilian's hat." 
 
 Clara sank back in her chair as if on the point 
 of fainting, but by a great effort she partially 
 recovered herself, though not without having at- 
 tracted the notice of the inspector. " I should 
 also mention," he continued, "that from marks I 
 
 VOL. I. Q 
 
226 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 discovered, your street door has evidently been 
 opened by a picklock from the outside, and that 
 in a very clumsy manner, as if by some one not 
 accustomed to the work." 
 
 "At what conclusion do you arrive, then.?" 
 asked Mr. Mordaunt 
 
 " I should be sorry to suspect any one wrong- 
 fully," said the inspector ; ** but there appears to 
 be but little doubt on the subject. Everything 
 tends to prove that Mr. Heathcote was the thief" 
 
 Clara clutched at the arm of her chair, and 
 bent forward to catch every word that fell from 
 the inspector's lips. When she heard the con- 
 clusion he had arrived at, her countenance, which 
 had remained fixed, though anxious, suddenly 
 changed its expression to one of intense terror. 
 
 " What would you advise me to do } " asked 
 Mr. Mordaunt. 
 
 "To telegraph immediately to the railway ter- 
 minus in London, advising them to be on the 
 look-out for him, and to arrest him as soon as 
 he alights." 
 
 "Then do it at once," said Mr. Mordaunt; "I 
 will be responsible : let no time be lost." 
 
l'amour medecin. 227 
 
 The inspector instantly left the room, but could 
 hardly have arrived at the head of the stairs 
 before Clara had arisen from her chair to follow 
 him. In so doing she came with considerable 
 force against the door-post, of which, however, she 
 took no notice. 
 
 ''Pray stop one moment," she called to the 
 inspector ; " my father will speak to you directly." 
 '' He had better not delay," said the inspector, 
 "or it may be too late." 
 
 Clara then closed the door, and felt her way 
 back to the chair on which Mr. Mordaunt was 
 seated. 
 
 " Father," she said, " you must not send the 
 telegram." 
 
 "Not send the telegram!" he answered, some- 
 what angrily ; '' nothing shall prevent me. Do 
 you think I would allow so despicable a thief to 
 escape without the punishment so justly due to 
 him.?" 
 
 " Father," said Clara, " consider for one moment. 
 Think in what relation he stands to your un- 
 happy child. Any proceedings you might take 
 against him would not only injure me in the eyes 
 
228 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 of the world, but also most cruelly wound me. 
 Remember, he is my affianced husband." 
 
 *'Do you mean to say," Mr. Mordaunt con- 
 tinued, with great surprise in his tone, " that you 
 would marry a common thief ? " 
 
 "You do me an injustice if you think so, father. 
 I will never speak to him again. But grant me 
 this one favour. Am I not sufficiently unfortu- 
 nate, without your adding so heavy a weight to 
 my misery ? " 
 
 " Clara," said Mr. Mordaunt, angrily, rising from 
 his chair, ''nothing shall induce me to alter my 
 resolution. He shall be arrested, and it shall be 
 from no fault of mine if he does not receive the 
 punishment he so richly merits." 
 
 Clara stretched forth her hand to stay her 
 father, but missed him, and he hurried towards 
 the door. 
 
 " One word more, father, and I have done. The 
 man on whom I had set my affections — and God 
 knows how ardently I have loved him — I admit 
 is unworthy of me ; but believe me, if you prove 
 before the world that he whom I have acknow- 
 ledged as my future husband is a felon, you 
 
l'amour medecin. 229 
 
 will lose your child by the same verdict. I never 
 could survive the shock. Dear father, give me 
 your hand, and look at me. Do you discover 
 nothing ? " 
 
 "Nothing, my dear," he replied, affectionately, 
 "but that you have wounded yourself." 
 
 " Father, I cannot see you," said Clara. 
 
 "My dear, I trust the dizziness you complain 
 of will soon go off. I will send for Dr. Morgan, 
 and I have no doubt you will soon be well 
 again." 
 
 " Never, father ; I am blind. All is as dark 
 around me as the blackest night, and I am certain 
 I shall never recover my sight. A flash of light- 
 ning occasioned it after I had entered my room, 
 and I have disguised it from you, fearing it might 
 increase the illness you are suffering from. Now 
 you know the truth. Come nearer, dear father, 
 that I may kiss you." 
 
 Mr. Mordaunt obeyed her. 
 
 "You cannot have the heart," continued Clara, 
 "to make me more wretched than I am. Dear 
 father, do forgive him. I will never .speak to him 
 
230 DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 Clara could contain herself no longer, but threw 
 herself on her father's breast, and wept bitterly. 
 The magnitude of his daughter's misfortune com- 
 pletely overwhelmed the old man. All other 
 ideas vanished from his mind, and he thought 
 only of his child. Without hesitation he gave up 
 all attempts to arrest Heathcote, and the pro- 
 secution for the robbery was proceeded with no 
 farther. 
 
VIL—V A M UR MED EC IN. 
 PART II. 
 
 /^"^ LARA'S blindness was naturally a source of 
 intense grief and anxiety to her father. He 
 placed her immediately under the care of Dr. 
 Morgan, the leading practitioner in the town, who 
 used all the means in his power to restore her to 
 sight, but without any beneficial effects. True, he 
 had had but little experience in diseases of the 
 eye, but having sufficient honesty to admit this, 
 he proposed that she should take a journey to 
 
 London for the purpose of consulting Dr. B , 
 
 an eminent oculist. Mr. Mordaunt immediately 
 adopted the suggestion, and the more readily as 
 Dr. Morgan himself had occasion to visit the 
 metropolis on some affairs of his own. Clara, 
 
232 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 under the charge of an aged female relative, 
 accompanied him, her father's health at the time 
 being in so precarious a condition that it was 
 deemed inexpedient that he should undertake the 
 journey. They arrived safely in London without 
 anything occurring on the way worthy of notice, 
 
 and the next morning they called on Dr. B . 
 
 Clara's case gave the oculist immense embarrass- 
 ment. During his whole practice, which had been 
 very extensive, he had never met with one in any 
 way similar. He could discover no clue by which 
 to form a judgment as to what treatment should 
 be adopted. In the eye itself he could detect 
 no abnormal characteristic, although he tried 
 every expedient to discover it that his vast skill 
 could suggest. On holding up an object before 
 her at different distances, he found that the 
 pupil of the eye would dilate and contract in a 
 perfectly natural manner, and with such exact 
 regularity as to give him reason to imagine she 
 saw. it perfectly ; yet he found she had lost all 
 power of vision. He questioned her closely on 
 the origin of her malady, but in her answers she 
 could hardly be called a faithful witness. She 
 
L AMOUR MEDECIN. 233 
 
 stated to him candidly and correctly enough the 
 facts as to the flash of lightning and her total 
 blindness afterwards. She told him that when the 
 servant called her, she had requested the girl to 
 bring her a light, not being aware that it was 
 broad daylight at the time. But not one word did 
 she utter about the discovery of her lover's cap, or 
 indeed anything about her engagement with him. 
 The man of science was completely puzzled. He 
 continued for some time longer questioning her as 
 to the sensation she felt in her eye, and on every 
 other subject his ingenuity and skill dictated, with- 
 out being in the slightest degree able to under- 
 stand the case. He then ceased to ask her any 
 more questions, and remained silent for some 
 moments, as if endeavouring to come to some 
 conclusion. He at last appeared to give up the 
 point, and requesting Clara and her friend to enter 
 the reception-room, he remained in consultation 
 for a considerable length of time with Dr. Mor- 
 gan. Anxiously and carefully did they talk over 
 the case, but they were able to form no definite 
 opinion on it. Finding all their science in vain, it 
 was at last determined that some simple remedies 
 
234 DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 should be employed, and that Clara should return 
 home and remain under the charge of Dr. Morgan, 
 who was to correspond with the oculist on her 
 malady, from time to time, as occasion might 
 require. Mr. Mordaunt was deeply grieved at the 
 unsuccessful termination of his daughter's visit to 
 London, and his sorrow acted most prejudicially 
 on his infirm state of health. Clara, on the con- 
 trary, submitted to the infliction with the greatest 
 patience and meekness. The only sorrow she 
 showed was at the disappointment of her father, 
 who had buoyed himself up with the hope that 
 she would return home perfectly cured. Clara 
 accepted her blindness as a dispensation of Provi- 
 dence, which it was her duty to bear with patient 
 submission. There was something exceedingly 
 beautiful in the manner the young girl bore her 
 terrible misfortune. The dignity mingled with 
 resignation which she displayed in her behaviour 
 gained her not only the respect and admiration 
 of all who knew her, but also their sincere sym- 
 pathy and love. 
 
 To return to the subject of the robbery. Al- 
 though all proceedings to discover the thief had 
 
L AMOUR MEDECIN. 235 
 
 been stopped, Mr. Mordaunt having yielded to 
 the wishes of his daughter, affairs did not go 
 on so smoothly between him and his partner. 
 The latter was naturally and justly indignant 
 at the heavy loss the firm had sustained, nearly 
 two thousand pounds worth of goods having 
 been stolen ; and he had, of course, no idea of 
 allowing the robber to escape with impunity. 
 He was also considerably puzzled for some 
 time at the behaviour of Mr. Mordaunt on 
 the occasion. He could not imagine how a 
 man of so much probity himself should attempt 
 to screen so gross an act of dishonesty in 
 another. 
 
 But a short interview he had with the in- 
 spector of police put him right in the matter, 
 and he then unhesitatingly dropped all idea of 
 prosecuting ; he refused, however, to submit 
 tranquilly to the loss. We have before stated 
 that Mr. Mordaunt possessed but a compara- 
 tively small interest in the business, and also 
 that he was a man of somewhat parsimonious 
 habits. As might have been expected, he rejected 
 with indignation the senior partner's suggestion 
 
 \ 
 
236 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 that he ought to bear, if not the whole of the loss, 
 certainly a very large proportion of it. The dis- 
 pute at last reached such a height, that it threat- 
 ened to destroy the good feeling which had 
 hitherto existed between them ; but a satisfactory 
 arrangement, at least to Mr. Wilson, was arrived 
 at through Clara's agency. Her father, with great 
 kindness and good feeling, had kept from her the 
 knowledge of the disputes which had arisen. But 
 Mary, the servant, who was no longer the drudge 
 of the establishment, but had been raised to the 
 position of personal servant to Clara, having heard 
 of the disagreement, communicated it to her 
 young mistress. The news was far from being so 
 annoying to Clara as her servant feared it would 
 have been. She received the intelligence one 
 night when she was preparing for bed, and she did 
 not sleep till she had marked out for herself a 
 well-defined course of action, which the very next 
 day she put in practice. After breakfast, at which 
 meal she no longer attended, she sent Mary below 
 to request that Mr. Mordaunt would come up- 
 stairs, as she wanted particularly to speak with 
 him. Mr. Mordaunt, with whom the slightest wish 
 
L AMOUR MEDECIN. 237 
 
 of his daughter was now law, immediately joined 
 her in the sitting-room. 
 
 " Father," she said, as soon as their mutual 
 inquiries respecting each other's health was over, 
 " I wish particularly to talk with you about the 
 heavy loss you have sustained. To how much 
 does it amount ? " 
 
 "To nearly two thousand pounds, my dear. 
 Why do you ask ? " 
 
 " I will tell you that presently," said Clara. 
 " What does Mr. Wilson say about it ? Is he not 
 very angry ? " 
 
 " Very much so," said Mr. Mordaunt, " and very 
 unreasonable into the bargain. He says that as 
 I refused to prosecute the villain " 
 
 "Dear father," said Clara, interrupting him, "do 
 not speak so. Tell me only about Mr. Wilson. 
 That he should be angry is very natural ; no one 
 can justly blame him for that, but in what way 
 is he unreasonable ? " 
 
 "Inasmuch," said Mr. Mordaunt, "that he in- 
 sists I should make good the loss from my own 
 pocket." 
 
 " From your pocket, dear father } It woula 
 
238 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 certainly be unreasonable : still I consider he is 
 not without reason in wishing to be reimbursed." 
 
 "In what way is it to be done, then .?" said Mr. 
 Mordaunt. " Unless I pay it myself, which I cer- 
 tainly shall not do, I do not see from what 
 source the money is to come. I have only one- 
 fourth share in the business, and that proportion 
 I am willing to give, but I will not refund one 
 shilling beyond it." 
 
 "What reason does he give for requiring. more ?" 
 
 " He holds that as I have refused to prosecute, 
 and have thereby put it out of the power of the 
 police to recover any portion of the property, it 
 is for me to make good, at least, the greater 
 proportion of the loss." 
 
 " Dear father," said Clara, drawing nearer to 
 him on the sofa where they were seated, and seek- 
 ing for his hand, which she continued afterwards 
 to hold in hers, " I consider it would be unreason- 
 able either for you or Mr. Wilson to sustain the 
 slightest loss by this most lamentable affair. It 
 was through no fault of his that it occurred, nor 
 of yours that the money was not afterwards reco- 
 hi?red. I alone am to blame. You gave over all 
 
l'amour medecin. 239 
 
 pursuit at my request — and may God bless you 
 for it — and I alone ought to be held answerable 
 for the consequences. I have money sufficient to 
 pay all, and I insist on doing it. Nay, dear 
 father, do not speak till I have done," she con- 
 tinued, feeling that her father started at her pro- 
 position. " If you refuse the money, you will 
 make me miserable ; if, on the contrary, you 
 accept it, I shall love you, if that is possible, 
 more than I do now. I take shame to myself 
 for not having proposed restitution before ; but 
 pray do not make me more ashamed by refusing 
 to allow me to do it now. There will be no 
 difficulty in my selling out my money. It is my 
 own ; I am of age, and little as I understand of 
 business matters, I know that I can do it legally. 
 Promise me, my dear father, that you will not 
 attempt to throw any impediment in my way." 
 
 Mr. Mordaunt, who had with great difficulty 
 restrained himself v/hile his daughter was speak- 
 ing, now addressed her with much warmth of 
 feeling ; — 
 
 " My dear child, your offer, kind as it is, I can- 
 not for a moment think of accepting. It would 
 
240 DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 be a gross act of injustice on my part to allow 
 you to pay one shilling of the loss. Did I con- 
 sider Mr. Wilson's claim a fair one, you may be 
 certain I should not have delayed meeting it a 
 single day. I refuse to pay it upon principle, 
 and no argument shall induce me to alter my 
 determination. Now, kiss me, my dear, and pro- 
 mise me this, that you will never speak to me on 
 the subject again." 
 
 Clara kissed her father, but dechned making 
 him the promise he required. 
 
 " I am sorry you refuse me, my dear," he said, 
 " because, as I told you before, nothing shall 
 induce me to accept your offer, and you will 
 merely put me to the pain of refusing to oblige 
 you." 
 
 So saying, he rose from the sofa and left the 
 room. 
 
 Clara did obey her father in not speaking to 
 him again on the subject ; but she requested 
 Mary to obtain for her all the information in 
 her power relative to the misunderstanding be- 
 tween him and Mr. Wilson. Through the girl's 
 agency, she discovered that the rupture, in- 
 
l'amour medecin. 241 
 
 stead of healing, was rather widening ; and 
 also, that Mr. Wilson had threatened to com- 
 mence legal proceedings. This information ren- 
 dered Clara very unhappy, not only on account 
 of the uneasiness it would occasion her father, 
 and the consequent ill effect it would certainly 
 have upon his health, but the unpleasant notoriety 
 it would give to the whole affair. To her own 
 inevitable share in it, she was comparatively indif- 
 ferent ; but although she had resolved that all 
 communication should cease between her and 
 Frederick Heathcote, — a determination from 
 which there was not the slightest probability of 
 her swerving, — she did not even attempt to dis- 
 guise from herself the fact that she loved him 
 as dearly as ever. She felt certain that any 
 legal proceedings, which might be taken by Mr. 
 Wilson, would have the effect of blasting the 
 future prospects of one whose success in life was 
 as dear to her as her own, and of whose refor- 
 mation she felt perfectly assured. Day by day, 
 she received fresh intelligence from Mary of the 
 increasing ill-feeling existing between her father 
 and his partner, and each additional item she 
 VOL I. R 
 
242 DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 received made her still more unhappy. The 
 continued agitation in which she was kept by 
 this state of affairs was so great that at last 
 it threw her on a bed of sickness, and Dr. 
 Morgan was as usual sent for. 
 
 For some time it considerably puzzled the 
 worthy doctor to ascertain the exciting cause of 
 his patient's malady. The proximate cause he 
 detected readily enough to be uneasiness of mind, 
 but what had caused that uneasiness be could 
 not make out. Possibly it may strike the reader 
 that it was an act of indiscretion on the part 
 of Dr. Morgan to inquire minutely into the 
 matter ; but it should be remembered that he 
 was not merely the medical adviser of the family, 
 but their intimate friend as well. For some time 
 he deliberated whether he should speak to Clara 
 personally on the subject,, or endeavour by some 
 indirect means to discover the truth. At last he 
 determined on adopting the latter method, as he 
 feared, from the resolute character of his patient, 
 that he might fail in any attempt to obtain an 
 explanation from her. He therefore applied him- 
 self instead to her handmaid Mary. With her he 
 
l'amour medecin. 243 
 
 found no difficulty whatever, and he received a 
 full, true, and particular account of the whole state 
 of the case. With these facts in his possession, he 
 sought an interview with Mr. Mordaunt, and 
 explained to him the critical position his daughter 
 was in, and the strong necessity there existed for 
 some energetic steps being taken to relieve her 
 mind from the heavy oppression that rested 
 upon it. 
 
 " Doctor," said Mr. Mordaunt, " I perceive Clara 
 has been making you first her confidant and then 
 her agent, in order to obtain from me that which 
 I have already peremptorily refused her. If so, 
 I assure you, you are losing your time and 
 trouble ; nothing shall induce me to alter my 
 determination." 
 
 ** You are mistaken as to both these charges," 
 replied Dr. Morgan. *' She has not made me her 
 confidant, although I now understand fully the 
 disappointment she has met with. Nor has she 
 requested me to apply to you ; on the contrary, 
 she is totally in ignorance of my present appli- 
 cation. I do not wish, believe me, to interfere 
 in the matter, nor should I have done so, had I 
 
244 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 not had great reason to fear that if something- 
 is not done to reheve her present sorrow, the 
 consequences may be very serious indeed." 
 
 " But what can I do .^ If it will satisfy her, I 
 will pay the whole amount out of my own pocket ; 
 but she insists that I shall take her money to 
 make good the loss the firm has sustained. You 
 must perceive yourself the gross injustice I should 
 be guilty of if I acceded to her request." 
 
 "Granted," said the doctor. "In the. abstract 
 you have undoubtedly reason on your side, but 
 would it not be possible to compromise the 
 matter, so as to allow her to believe that you 
 have met her wishes, while at the same time she 
 shall not in the end be prejudiced by the step she 
 wishes to take ? " 
 
 " I do not see in what way it could be done," 
 said Mr. Mordaunt. 
 
 " I understand you to say that you would will- 
 ingly pay the whole sum yourself," was the doctor's 
 reply, " if you could secure your daughter's peace 
 of mind .? " 
 
 " Certainly ; unjust as Mr. Wilson's demand is, 
 I would willingly pay the whole amount rather 
 
l'amour medecin. 245 
 
 than that Clara's health should suffer in the 
 slightest degree." 
 
 " I expected nothing less from you," said the 
 doctor. " Now let me ask whether it would not 
 be possible to allow her apparently to pay the 
 money, while you could invest for her a like 
 amount in some security without her being aware 
 of your intention, so that at your death she could 
 receive it back again, principal and interest ? I 
 cannot, as I am no lawyer, advise you in what 
 way it should be done — whether to place it in the 
 hands of trustees or otherwise — all that, of course, 
 as an experienced man of business, you will your- 
 self understand far better than I do. At the 
 same time I am satisfied that nothing less than 
 some compromise will content your daughter." 
 
 Mr. Mordaunt remained for some moments ab- 
 sorbed in thought ; at last he said, — 
 
 " Doctor, I must admit that your scheme ap- 
 pears feasible enough. At any rate, I will give 
 it my serious consideration, as well as consult 
 my solicitor on the subject. Whether it can be 
 carried out in a satisfactory manner or not, I am 
 greatly obliged to you for the suggestion, and 
 
246 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 for the interest you have taken in my daughter's 
 welfare." 
 
 The result was that the money, to Clara's great 
 gratification, was sold out to make good the loss 
 to the firm ; while at the same time her father, 
 unknown to her, invested a like sum in a good 
 security, to be paid her, with the interest accumu- 
 lated on it, at his death. 
 
 Clara's mind was now comparatively at ease, 
 and her bodily health in consequence improved 
 rapidly. But all she had wished was not yet 
 accomplished. She had purchased a machine 
 invented for aiding the blind to write, and in a 
 short time had so completely mastered its diffi- 
 culties as to be able to write a letter with com- 
 parative facility. The first use to which she ap- 
 plied her newly-acquired art was to pen a letter 
 to her lover ; in fact, it was the great end and aim 
 for which she had purchased the machine. The 
 letter, though not lengthy, was admirably to the 
 point. She informed him that many and grave 
 circumstances had occurred since his departure, 
 circumstances of such a nature as to necessitate 
 that all correspondence should cease between them 
 
L AMOUR MEDECIN. 247 
 
 for the future. She admitted it was a necessity 
 which inflicted on her the greatest pain, but it was 
 imperative that she should adopt such a course, 
 ahke out of duty to him and to herself She 
 informed him that on the night of his departure a 
 serious robbery had been committed in her father's 
 house, and that money and valuable jewels to 
 a large amount had been abstracted. She was 
 happy to say that the robber had never been 
 discovered, and that all search after him had 
 definitely ended. She sincerely trusted the un- 
 happy man who had committed the act would 
 profit by his escape from the punishment which 
 the law would have meted out to him, and atone 
 for it either by making restitution of the plunder, 
 or by leading an honourable life for the future. 
 So heavy had been the loss his dishonesty had 
 occasioned, that the little property she had been 
 possessed of, and which was to have formed her 
 marriage portion, had been applied to make up 
 the deficiency, and she was now penniless. But 
 her family misfortunes had not ended with the 
 robbery. During the thunder-storm that had 
 raged during that fearful night a flash of lightning 
 
248 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 had struck her, and she was now totally and 
 incurably blind. She trusted he would have 
 the good sense to perceive the justice of the re- 
 solution she had come to. Without money, and 
 afflicted with the loss of sight, she had still too 
 much pride to be a burden on any man ; and 
 although she fully beheved that the affection he 
 bore her was sufficiently great to overlook these 
 obstacles, to her they were invincible. She trusted 
 he would accept her letter kindly, and not. attempt 
 to reply to it, as she had come to the resolution 
 that all acquaintanceship should cease between 
 them ; and in case he should doubt it, and send 
 an answer to her letter, she assured him it would 
 not be received. 
 
 When Clara had finished her letter and ad- 
 dressed it, she resolved to put it into the post- 
 office box herself. She had communicated to no 
 one her intention of writing a letter to Heath- 
 cote ; she had carefully kept her door closed 
 when occupied in its composition, and it now 
 only remained for her to post it herself to in- 
 sure its remaining a secret. Having deposited 
 her letter in her pocket, she unbolted her door, 
 
L AMOUR MED EC IN. 249 
 
 and ringing- for Mary, who always accompanied 
 her now when she went out, she told her to make 
 ready to lead her to some shops in which she 
 had to make purchases. She was quickly obeyed^ 
 and mistress and maid left the house together. 
 Clara, with genuine feminine JiJi esse, had arranged 
 her commissions in such a manner as to make 
 it necessary for them, in going from one shop 
 to another, to pass by the post office. After 
 having entered the street in which tlie post office 
 was situated, she occupied herself in thinking 
 how near she was to the building, and when she 
 supposed she had reached it, she told Mary to 
 lead her to the letter-box. The girl obeyed, and 
 Clara having with her left hand felt for the 
 mouth of the letter-box, she with her right placed 
 the letter in it, holding it in such a manner as 
 to preclude the possibility of Mary seeing the 
 address. As soon as the letter had left Clara's 
 hand, she gave a sigh of relief and continued her 
 road. Mary, however, was not altogether blind 
 to her young mistress's behaviour, nor altogether 
 without interest in the matter. Hitherto she had 
 always been commissioned by her mistress to 
 
250 DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 post her letters for her ; but on this occasion 
 she had done it herself, and evidently in such a 
 manner as to conceal its address. Again, she re- 
 marked that before they had arrived at the post 
 office her mistress had talked incessantly — a most 
 unusual circumstance with her, as she was natu- 
 rally rather taciturn than otherwise. No sooner, 
 however, had her mistress deposited the letter in 
 the box than her flow of spirits suddenly ceased, 
 and she uttered not a word, but walked hurriedly 
 along. The girl was at last so struck w^ith her 
 mistress's silence, that she looked in her face to 
 ascertain the cause, and found that Clara was in 
 tears, which she had great difficulty in repressing. 
 Presently she said softly, as if rather thinking 
 aloud than speaking, " May God bless and pre- 
 serve him." The tears then began to flow down 
 her cheeks so rapidly that Mary became some- 
 what alarmed, and proposed that her mistress 
 should enter some shop and sit down for a while ; 
 but Clara requested her instead to guide her home 
 as quickly as possible. 
 
 On reaching home she immediately retired 
 to her bedroom, and did not leave it again for 
 
l'AxMOUR medecin. 251 
 
 some hours. In the evening she sent Mary to 
 Mr. Mordaunt, to request that he would come 
 into the sitting-room when he was disengaged. 
 The old man obeyed the summons directly. 
 As soon as they were alone, Clara opened the 
 subject of her message. 
 
 " Dear father," she said, " I wish to ask a favour 
 of you, but I must beg you will not put any 
 questions to me about it, nor speak to me of it 
 ever afterwards. Should any letter arrive for me 
 from India, you will refuse to take it in. Also, 
 that you will inform every one in the house 
 of the order, without giving them any reason 
 for it, only insisting that it shall be rigorously 
 obeyed. I also wish that you will never men- 
 tion to me the name of one whom I shall never 
 speak to again. Do you clearly understand 
 me ? " 
 
 "Clearly, my dear, and you shall certainly be 
 obeyed. I compliment you on your resolution." 
 
 " I had almost forgotten to say that, should 
 a letter arrive for me and be refused, you must 
 also promise me I shall never hear of it." 
 
 " I will take good care, my dear, that you shall 
 
252 DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 know nothing about it, either from me or any 
 other person in the house." 
 
 The conversation on the subject then dropped. 
 
 Clara, after the despatch of her letter and her 
 short conversation with her father, appeared to 
 be much easier in her mind than she had been 
 since the robbery. It must not be imagined, 
 however, from the course she had adopted, that 
 her love for Frederick Heathcote had in the 
 least diminished. It continued as pure and un- 
 sullied as ever, and the heavy misfortune that had 
 come upon her rather increased her facilities for 
 thinking of her lover than otherwise, shutting her 
 up, as it did, from much intercourse with the 
 outside world and external objects, thus allowing 
 him to be more frequently and uninterruptedly 
 in her thoughts. Although her blindness was 
 by no means ameliorated by time, her life now 
 passed tranquilly enough. She had several friends 
 who were much endeared to her, and their love 
 for her was increased by the placid, amiable, and 
 resigned manner in which she submitted to her 
 terrible misfortune. Another cause also assisted 
 in producing Clara's resignation. She was natu- 
 
l'amour medecin. 253 
 
 rally of a religious temperament, and had also been 
 thoroughly educated under the care of a pious 
 mother. She now fully experienced the benefits 
 of the instruction she had received. With little 
 outward demonstrations of piety, beyond regularly 
 attending all the services at her parish church, 
 her petitions to the Deity in the seclusion of her 
 chamber for courage and support were frequent 
 and earnest. Nor were her prayers unheard or 
 unanswered. She received in return an amount 
 of comfort and consolation which could only have 
 been accorded to one who had prayed sincerely 
 and gratefully ; and she received with humility 
 the mercies vouchsafed to her. 
 
 Mr. Mordaunt never recovered the shock which 
 his daughter's misfortune and the robbery had 
 caused him. The most correct bulletin which 
 could have been given of his state of health 
 was that, though it gradually sunk, it was by 
 such imperceptible degrees that he hardly felt it 
 himself, although it was easily noticed by those 
 of his friends who only saw him occasionally. He 
 became so weak that he was unable to attend to 
 business before the middle of the day, and then 
 
254 DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 he could continue in the shop only for a few 
 hours. Another circumstance occurred which by 
 no means tended to strengthen him, either in mind 
 or body. About two months after the robbery, 
 he lost the services of his foreman, Gideon Pursite. 
 Gideon had received a letter from his uncle, a 
 jeweller in a small way of business in Bristol, 
 informing him that in consequence of his own 
 decHning health, and of his only son having emi- 
 grated to Australia, taking his shopman with him, 
 he was in want of some one to assist him in his 
 business, and that if Gideon would take the charge 
 of it, he would admit him into partnership with- 
 out his advancing any capital. Although the 
 uncle, from his nephew's description, appeared to 
 be by no means of an amiable disposition, still 
 the offer was too tempting to be refused, and 
 with many expressions of regret, Gideon gave 
 his master notice of his intention to leave him. 
 Mr. Mordaunt was greatly annoyed at the circum- 
 stance, for the double reason that he not only 
 had the greatest reliance on Gideon, and the 
 deepest respect for him, but that he found him 
 a perfect master of his business. Still he could 
 
l'amour medecin. 255 
 
 offer no objection. On the contrary, he was 
 obHged to admit that the young man was per- 
 fectly justified in profiting by the offer his uncle 
 had made him. The only stipulation he made 
 was that Gideon should remain with him till he 
 had found an efficient person to supply his place. 
 This being agreed to, things went on in their usual 
 manner without any one being found eligible to 
 supply Gideon's place. As, however, his uncle was 
 getting very impatient at his delay, it was at last 
 resolved that the senior shopman, who had been 
 in the service of the firm for some years, should 
 get the situation of foreman on trial. The part- 
 ing between Mr. Mordaunt and his assistant did 
 equal credit to both. Mr. Mordaunt desired that 
 he would always look upon him as a friend, and 
 assured him that he warmly regretted the loss of 
 his services ; while Gideon, on his part, assured 
 Mr. Mordaunt that he should always carry with 
 him a grateful remembrance of the kindness and 
 consideration he had received at his hands. 
 
 Although greatly chagrined at first at the loss 
 of his confidential assistant, Gideon's successor 
 performed his duties so well as to meet with the 
 
256 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 perfect satisfaction of his employer, and the effect 
 of the change on the shattered constitution of 
 Mr. Mordaunt was not so great as might have 
 been expected. 
 
 Things went on regularly enough in the busi- 
 ness, and nothing occurred worthy of notice for 
 some months. One day, as Dr. Morgan was 
 descending into the shop after his professional 
 V'isit to Mr. Mordaunt upstairs, the mayor of the 
 town entered. He was much pleased to meet the 
 doctor, with whom he was intimate, and they 
 conversed together for some minutes, when the 
 mayor, suddenly turning to the assistant, and 
 placing a small leather case on the counter, said : — 
 
 "A lady of my acquaintance, whom I met a 
 few days since in London, has given me a little 
 commission to execute for her. Her watch, which 
 is a great favourite with her, is out of order, and 
 as it appears, by the name on it, to be one of your 
 make, she requested me to bring it to you to put 
 in repair. Tell me what requires to be done, and 
 how long it will take you to do it. I shall visit 
 London again in about a fortnight, and if possible 
 I should like to take it back with me." 
 
l'amour medecin, 257 
 
 So saying, he turned from the shopman to con- 
 tinue his conversation with the doctor. 
 
 When the shopman drew the watch from the 
 case it almost fell from his hands, so great 
 was his surprise, for he recognized it as part of 
 the property which had been stolen on the night 
 of the robbery. It was a lady's watch, with a 
 blue enamelled back, richly studded with dia- 
 monds, and was altogether so remarkable in 
 its appearance that he could not be mistaken. 
 What to do puzzled him at first exceedingly ; 
 but he soon recovered his presence of mind. 
 He opened the watch and inspected it minutely, 
 and then told the mayor that the mainspring 
 was broken and that several trifling repairs 
 were needed, but that he thought he could 
 promise it should be in perfect order in 
 about ten days' time — at any rate before the 
 mayor started for London. The mayor ex- 
 pressed himself perfectly satisfied ; and the 
 shopman, without further remark, locked up the 
 watch in one of the drawers. At last the 
 conversation between the doctor and the 
 mayor terminated, and they were on the point 
 VOL. I. S 
 
258 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 of leaving the house, when the shopman 
 said, — 
 
 " I beg your pardon, Dr. Morgan, but I should 
 be greatly obliged to you if you would allow 
 me a minute's conversation." 
 
 " Certainly," said the doctor. '' What can I 
 do for you .?" 
 
 "If you would kindly step into that room," 
 said the man, " I will join you in one moment." 
 
 The doctor entered the back room,, and the 
 shopman took the watch from the drawer, and 
 followed him. Having closed the door, he said, — 
 
 '' I am sorry to trouble you, sir, but would you 
 kindly give me a little advice how I ought to 
 proceed } A very singular circumstance has just 
 occurred, and I do not like, unless you authorize 
 me, to speak to Mr. Mordaunt on the subject, as 
 I do not know what effect it might have on his 
 health. The watch the mayor has just brought 
 in was part of the property stolen on the night 
 of the robbery." 
 
 "That is very extraordinary, certainly," said 
 the doctor; "but are you certain you are right .^" 
 
 " Perfectly certain. As you may perceive," the 
 
L AMOUR MEDECIN, 259 
 
 shopman continued, " the watch is a very remark- 
 able one. During the time I have been with the 
 firm I have never seen one Hke it." 
 
 " But there might have been, before you joined 
 it. At any rate, you did perfectly right in not 
 speaking to Mr. Mordaunt on the subject before 
 consulting me. If the watch is really one of those 
 which were stolen, and were the information con- 
 veyed to Mr. Mordaunt without great caution, the 
 effect might be injurious. I hardly know how to 
 advise you to proceed. Perhaps, after all, the 
 best plan would be for us to call on the inspector 
 of police and take his advice in the matter." 
 
 The shopman readily agreed to the proposal, 
 and leaving his assistant to take charge of the 
 shop, he proceeded with the doctor to the 
 police station. Fortunately they found the in- 
 spector at his post. He listened patiently to the 
 doctor's recital, and when he had finished, he 
 inquired of the shopman whether he was certain 
 that the watch had been a portion of the stolen 
 jewellery." 
 
 " I am morally certain of it," said the shopman, 
 "but cannot swear positively to it as a fact. 1 
 
26o DOCTOR AUSTIN'S t.Ltb.S. 
 
 have been some years with the firm, and have 
 never seen another watch during the whole time 
 Hke it. Besides, I saw that watch, or one exactly 
 similar, on the night of the robbery. I gave it to 
 Mr. Mordaunt myself to lock up in the strong- 
 box." 
 
 " Then what causes you to have the slightest 
 doubt on the subject.^" inquired the inspector. 
 
 " Merely the possibility of the firm having had 
 another like it before I entered their - employ- 
 ment." 
 
 " There is certainly a chance of that," said 
 the inspector ; " but you are certain, whether 
 they ever had another like it or not, that the 
 watch formerly belonged to them ? " 
 
 " Of that," said the shopman, " there can be no 
 doubt whatever. It was made by our people, and 
 their name, as you may see, is engraved on it." 
 
 " Well, that is a point gained, certainly," said 
 the inspector ; " but now we must discover whe- 
 ther the firm ever had another like it, before we 
 take any decided step in the matter. The fact 
 of the watch having been given to the mayor by 
 a lady friend of his shows a strong possibility of 
 
l'amour medecin. 261 
 
 our being able to trace it, especially if they — I 
 mean your firm — never had another like it. Now 
 how can we be certain on that subject ? Shall 
 I call on Mr. Mordaunt and inquire.?" 
 
 " Certainly not," said the doctor ; *' any sudden 
 mental shock might be fatal to him. We must 
 not apply to him till every other course open to 
 us has failed." 
 
 " Do you think his partner, Mr. Wilson, could 
 tell us anything about it ?" inquired the inspector 
 of the shopman. 
 
 " I very much doubt it ; besides, he is now in 
 France, and I am not sure that we have got his 
 right address. Even if we had, I do not think 
 it would be of any use writing to him, he takes 
 so little part in the business." 
 
 " Then I do not see what we can do," said the 
 inspector, turning to Dr. Morgan, " save question 
 Mr. Mordaunt about it. How had it better be 
 managed, sir.-^" 
 
 ** If it is absolutely necessary, I will undertake 
 the task myself," replied Dr. Morgan. " I shall 
 see him to-morrow morning professionally, and I 
 will then take the opportunity of questioning him 
 
262 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 about it. I shall call on him about eleven o'clock, 
 and you," addressing the shopman, "can arrange 
 matters in such a manner that you will be able 
 to leave the house about noon, and we will call 
 on the inspector, if that hour will suit him, and 
 report progress." 
 
 "That time will suit me perfectly," said the 
 inspector. '' I will wait for you here : but in the 
 meantime, do you not think it would be as well 
 for me to call on the mayor and find out what he 
 knows about the affair "^ " 
 
 " It would be useless," said the doctor ; " besides, 
 I know you will not find him at home, as he told 
 me half an hour since that he was just going to 
 drive over to a friend's house some eight or nine 
 miles off, but that he should return at night. All 
 things considered, it will be better for us to call 
 on him at the Town Hall after our meeting to- 
 morrow." 
 
 Next morning the doctor, true to his appoint- 
 ment, called at the house of his patient, and was 
 ushered into the room on the first floor, where he 
 found Mr. Mordaunt awaiting him. After the 
 ordinary topics regarding health had been ex- 
 
l'amour medecin. 263 
 
 hausted, the doctor skilfully turned the conver- 
 sation on other subjects. 
 
 " By-the-bye," he said at last, "did you ever 
 trace any of the property lost on the night of the 
 robbery ?" 
 
 " Never," was the reply ; " and I expect we 
 never shall." 
 
 "Why not?" 
 
 "Because no doubt it has all been carried 
 abroad." 
 
 " I remember often remarking, in one of the 
 glass cases, a very beautiful blue enamelled 
 watch, set with diamonds, which used to excite 
 my admiration very much, and which I have not 
 seen lately. I hope it was not among the things 
 stolen." 
 
 "Indeed it was," said Mr. Mordaunt. "There 
 was a singular fatality about that watch. I made 
 it for an extravagant young fellow who wished 
 to present it to a lady whom he wanted to 
 marry. After it was completed, I heard that he 
 bore a bad character, and I refused to let it leave 
 the house till he had paid for it. This he was not 
 able to do ; and shortly afterwards it was dis- 
 
264 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 covered that he was a worthless fellow, and the 
 match was broken off. It remained as part of 
 our stock up to the time of the robbery, as we 
 were never able, owing to its price, to find a 
 purchaser for it. So, having escaped a swindler, 
 — for he was no better, — it has fallen into the 
 hands of a thief" 
 
 "I should have thought you would have sold 
 it easily. It was one of the handsomest things 
 of the kind I ever saw. Did you ever make 
 another like it .-*" 
 
 " Never. It was a very foolish affair on our 
 part altogether. However, I was not to blame 
 in the matter. My partner, Mr. Wilson, intro- 
 duced the young man to me, and of course I 
 imagined he was perfectly convinced of his 
 integrity." 
 
 " Perhaps he had no suspicion of his want of 
 means. Whose design was it ?" 
 
 " I believe it was designed by the fellow him- 
 self and my partner together. At least, Mr. 
 Wilson used to take great interest in it when it 
 was making, and was not a little proud of it when 
 finished." 
 
l'amour medecin. 265 
 
 Dr. Morgan then inquired into the manner 
 the new foreman performed his duties, and con- 
 trived to continue the conversation on different 
 matters till it was nearly noon, when he took 
 leave of Mr. Mordaunt, and accompanied the 
 shopman to the police station, where they found 
 the inspector waiting them. 
 
 " I have been able to ascertain from Mr. Mor- 
 daunt," said the doctor, "that the only watch of 
 the description he ever made is the one stolen on 
 the night of the robbery. Of that he is certain. 
 I found out also from him that his partner, Mr. 
 Wilson, took great interest in the watch while it 
 was making, and therefore there is little doubt he 
 will be able to state whether it is the one in 
 question. It is a great pity he is not in Eng- 
 land, otherwise you might be able to go on 
 with the affair without troubling Mr. Mordaunt 
 about it." 
 
 "We received a letter from Mr. Wilson this 
 morning, sir," said the shopman, ** saying that, 
 without fail, he would be in England at the 
 latter end of the week, as he particularly wished 
 to superintend the stock-taking himself" 
 
266 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 " So much the better," said the doctor. " Now 
 although my part in the matter is finished, I 
 should like, merely from curiosity, to be present 
 at your interview with the mayor. I suppose 
 there will be no objection." 
 
 " None whatever, sir," said the inspector ; ** and 
 I think we had better go at once, as we shall be 
 certain to find him at the Town Hall." 
 
 The three then left the station, and found the 
 mayor in his private room. 
 
 " I have called, sir," said the inspector, " respect- 
 ing a watch you left yesterday to be repaired at 
 Mr. Mordaunt's. It appears to have been part 
 of the effects stolen on the night of the robbery, 
 of which you have heard. Would you have the 
 kindness to tell me what you know about it, and 
 how it came into your possession .^" 
 
 ** Certainly," said the mayor. ** You astonish 
 me greatly, and I cannot help thinking you are 
 labouring under a great mistake. It was entrusted 
 to me by a lady of my acquaintance, residing in 
 London, to get repaired for her at the makers'. 
 How long it has been in her possession, and 
 how she obtained it, I cannot tell you." 
 
l'amour medecin. 267 
 
 *' Perhaps, sir," said the inspector, " you could 
 make some inquiries about it for us, as it may 
 afford a clue to the whole affair. The shopman 
 is able to swear to it, and Dr. Morgan has ascer- 
 tained that Mr. Wilson, who is shortly expected 
 in England, will also be able to identify it, and 
 corroborate the fact." 
 
 ** Then," said the mayor to the shopman, " why 
 did you not tell me of it when I gave you the 
 watch yesterday.''" 
 
 '* I recognized it immediately, sir ; but at the 
 moment I hardly knew how to act. Mr. Mor- 
 daunt is in such a state of health that I did not 
 like to speak to him on the subject ; but as soon 
 as you had left I mentioned the circumstance to 
 Dr. Morgan." 
 
 ** That is perfectly correct," said the doctor ; 
 " and I have ascertained indirectly from Mr. Mor- 
 daunt that the watch is certainly the one stolen." 
 
 " Well," said the mayor, *' I will write by this 
 night's post to the lady, requesting her to tell me 
 how she became possessed of it, without stating 
 my reasons for making the inquiry. I shall no 
 doubt have an immediate answer, and if you will 
 
268 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 call here about this time the day after to-morrow, 
 I will inform you of the result" 
 
 On the day and hour named the party waited 
 on the mayor, with the addition of Mr. Wilson, 
 who had returned some days earlier than was 
 expected. He informed them that he had 
 received an answer to his inquiry, and he read 
 to them the lady's letter. She stated that she 
 had purchased the watch, about two months since, 
 from a jeweller in Weymouth, in which town she 
 had been for some time sojourning for the benefit 
 of her health. The receipted bill for the money 
 she had paid for the watch to Watkins & Pursite, 
 who carried on their business in that town, was 
 also enclosed in the letter. The reading of the 
 letter and the receipt caused no little surprise to 
 all present, especially to Mr. Wilson and his assist- 
 ant, the latter of whom remarked that Gideon had 
 informed him that he intended carrying on busi- 
 ness in Bristol. 
 
 " No doubt it was to throw us off the scent," 
 said the inspector, "in case any inquiries should 
 be made. He must be a very stupid fellow if he 
 could not invent a better dodsre than that." 
 
l'amour medecin. 269 
 
 " I should be sorry," said Mr. Wilson, " to pre- 
 judge any one, but if he turns out to be the 
 canting hypocrite he appears to be, I will spare 
 no expense or trouble in obtaining for him the 
 punishment he deserves." 
 
 It was at last resolved that the whole affair 
 should be left in the hands of the inspector, who 
 started the next day, along with the shopman, for 
 Weymouth. It would be useless to detail their 
 proceedings ; suffice it to say that the shopman 
 identified several articles of jewellery which had 
 been stolen from his employers. Pursite's uncle 
 admitted that they had been added to their stock 
 by his nephew, who had also paid him a premium 
 in money to be admitted into partnership. All 
 the articles found on the premises, which had 
 belonged to Messrs. Wilson & Mordaunt, were 
 placed in the hands of the inspector, who returned 
 home with Gideon as a prisoner. At the exami- 
 nation before the mayor, the case was made out 
 clearly against him, he having been in possession 
 of the stolen property, a great portion of which, 
 including the watch, was identified by Mr. Wilson. 
 After having been duly cautioned by the mayor. 
 
270 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 he was asked if he wished to say anything. 
 He merely answered that it was useless for him to 
 deny it. He was very sorry for what he had done, 
 and he sincerely hoped his late employers would 
 show him mercy. It was, he said, his first offence, 
 and that, since he had perpetrated the crime, 
 he had not had a single happy hour, — an asser- 
 tion his haggard, anxious appearance strongly 
 bore out. The mayor told him that even if Mr. 
 Wilson (who, however, showed no signs of relent- 
 ing) was willing to forego the prosecution, it could 
 not be allowed, and he was committed for trial. 
 
 Thanks to the exertions of Dr. Morgan, the 
 whole affair was for some time successfully kept 
 secret from Mr. Mordaunt and his daughter, the 
 former being now so feeble as to be confined to 
 his bed. The men employed in the business were 
 especially directed not to mention the circum- 
 stance when in the house, and they faithfully 
 obeyed the injunctions given them. Mary also 
 was particularly requested to be careful in her 
 conversation, and great as was the difficulty she 
 had in maintaining silence, she succeeded perfectly. 
 But, in spite of all the caution observed, the secret 
 
l'amour medecin. 271 
 
 became known, and sad indeed were the results. 
 One morning, about a week before the trial was 
 to take place, a young lady, an intimate friend 
 of Clara's, who had just returned from a month's 
 visit to a friend in London, called on her. She 
 passed through the shop without difficulty, being 
 well known to the assistants, and proceeded up- 
 stairs to her friend's room. Mary was for the 
 moment absent, and the young lady entered 
 Clara's room without being announced. The joy 
 at the meeting was great on both sides, and fluent 
 indeed was the conversation which passed between 
 the friends. Suddenly the young lady broke out 
 with, — 
 
 ** Were you not very much surprised to hear of 
 Gideon Pursite ? Who would have thought he 
 would have turned out such a villain!" 
 
 " I have heard nothing about him," said Clara. 
 
 ''Heard nothing about him!" said the young 
 lady, almost with a scream. "You must be 
 joking, Clara .''" 
 
 " I assure you I am not," replied Clara ; " what 
 has he done }" 
 
 "You have heard nothing about the robbery.?" 
 
272 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 "Robbery!" said Clara, with surprise; "you 
 must be mistaken. He is a very religious, hon- 
 ourable young man, or he must have greatly 
 changed since he was with us. What have you 
 heard about him V 
 
 "Changed since he was with you!" said the 
 young lady. "Why, you do not mean to say 
 that you have not heard that he has been arrested 
 for having committed the great robbery in this 
 house, and that he has since admitted his guilt .'' 
 Clara, my dear," she continued, ''for heaven's 
 sake, what is the matter with you .'' are you ill }" 
 
 But Clara heard her not ; she had sunk back 
 in her chair in a fainting fit. The young lady, 
 greatly alarmed, rushed to the bell and rang it 
 violently, and a few minutes afterwards Mary 
 entered the room. She was much alarmed at the 
 state her young mistress was in, and did what she 
 could to restore her, but without effect. 
 
 " How foolish of me to forget that Dr. Morgan 
 is with master just now ! I will fetch him," said 
 Mary at last. 
 
 She left the room, and the next minute returned 
 with the doctor, who, with some difficulty, sue- 
 
l'amour medecin. 273 
 
 ceeded in restoring animation. As soon as con- 
 sciousness had returned, and Clara was aware of 
 the doctor's presence, she said, — 
 
 "Tell me, is there any truth in what I have just 
 heard, that Gideon Pursite has been arrested for 
 robbery ? " 
 
 " From whom did you hear it ? " said the doctor, 
 evading the question, and looking angrily at 
 Mary. 
 
 " I mentioned it casually," said the young lady. 
 " Of course I was not aware there was any secret 
 about it." 
 
 " Tell me once more," said Clara, impatiently, 
 " is there any truth in it .'' " 
 
 " It is no use disguising it any longer from you," 
 said the doctor ; '' Pursite has certainly been 
 arrested, and, moreover, admits his guilt." 
 
 " And I," said Clara, " have believed that 
 one of the most honourable of men was a 
 despicable thief. Oh, I am justly punished 
 for my fault. Shame, shame on me to have 
 doubted him, even for a moment ! Pity me ! 
 pity me ! " 
 
 She now burst into a violent flood of tears, 
 
 VOL. I. T 
 
274 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 which ended in an hysterical fit. So severe was it, 
 and so loud were her cries, that they reached her 
 father's chamber. He became terribly alarmed, 
 and rang his bell for Mary. The girl immediately 
 answered it, and Mr. Mordaunt inquired from 
 whom the screams proceeded. 
 
 " From Miss Clara, sir," said Mary, now thrown 
 totally off her guard ; " she has just heard about 
 Gideon Pursite." 
 
 " What about him } " inquired her master. 
 
 The girl at once perceived the blunder she 
 had made, and attempted to repair it, but so 
 clumsily that Mr. Mordaunt, agitated though he 
 was, easily perceived that there was something she 
 was endeavouring to conceal, and he imperatively 
 insisted on an explanation. Mary, now fairly at 
 bay, informed him briefly that Pursite had been 
 arrested, by Mr. Wilson's orders, for the robbery, 
 and that he had acknowledged himself guilty. 
 Although Mr. Mordaunt had not the same cause 
 for regret that had acted so powerfully on his 
 daughter, the shock on his weak constitution was 
 even stronger than it had been on Clara's. So 
 alarming was it, that Mary hurriedly left the room 
 
L AMOUR MEDECIN. 275 
 
 to request Dr. Morgan's assistance. As soon as 
 the doctor saw his patient he perceived the great 
 danger he was in. He attempted to calm him, 
 and with great difficulty succeeded, but it was 
 followed by a prostration so severe that he never 
 recovered from it. He died the same evening ; 
 and although the news was concealed from Clara 
 till the next morning, she almost sank under it. 
 Youth and a good constitution fortunately bore 
 her through it as far as her bodily strength was 
 concerned, but a terrible impression was left on 
 her mind. While her father's corpse remained in 
 the house she continued in a comatose and be- 
 wildered state, occasionally broken by passionate 
 fits of weeping. After the funeral she became 
 somewhat better aware of what had taken place, 
 and the position in which she was placed. So 
 intense, however, was her grief, that Dr. Morgan 
 became very anxious about her, while her many 
 friends lavished on her every consolation that 
 kindness could suggest, but without the slightest 
 beneficial result. 
 
 Gideon Pursite's trial came on. He persisted in 
 his original determination of pleading guilty, and 
 
276 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 he was sentenced to a long term of imprisonment. 
 After the trial he made a full confession of the 
 manner the robbery had been committed. He 
 had received, he said, a letter from his uncle 
 residing- in Weymouth, offering him, if he could 
 raise the money, a half-share of his business, his 
 only son having emigrated. The offer was a most 
 tempting one, the amount asked for the half-share 
 being very small ; but as he had not the required 
 capital he was obliged to write to his uncle de- 
 clining the offer. The answer, instead of satisfy- 
 ing his uncle, merely produced in reply a modified 
 proposition, offering the half-share on terms so 
 reduced from the original sum named, that the 
 nephew had not the heart directly to refuse it, 
 but wrote back that he would give the subject 
 his serious consideration, and send a final answer 
 in a few days. As soon as he had despatched his 
 letter he turned over in his mind in what way he 
 could obtain the required amount, but by no 
 ingenuity could he discover how it could possibly 
 be done. The thought at last presented itself to 
 him that he might consult his employers on the 
 subject, thinking it possible that one of them might 
 
l'amour medecin. 277 
 
 make the advance on the security of the half-share 
 in the business to be purchased. It is true he did 
 not feel sanguine as to the success of his applica- 
 tion, and he could not summon up sufficient 
 courage to make it. One afternoon, when he 
 was alone in the shop, and occupied in think- 
 ing in what way it would be best to bring the 
 subject under the notice of his employers, a Jew 
 dealer in second-hand clothes, travelling trunks, 
 &c., and with whom he was slightly acquainted, 
 came in and inquired if the firm purchased gold 
 lace. Gideon replied that they did not. *' Perhaps 
 you can tell me," said the Jew, taking up a blue 
 cap with a gold band upon it, " what is about 
 the value of the gold lace on this cap }" Gideon 
 tested it, and told him the probable value, and 
 then, noticing the initials in the cap, inquired 
 from whom he had obtained it .'' " I exchanged 
 it," replied he, " for a portmanteau with that 
 young sailor officer who visits here so often. He 
 was going abroad, he said, and as it was no 
 longer the regulation cap, he intended buying 
 another in London." 
 
 Gideon Pursite assured the mayor, to whom 
 
278 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 he was speaking, that up to that moment the 
 idea of committing the robbery had never en- 
 tered his head, but an inexphcable temptation, as 
 yet without any ultimate intention, induced him 
 to make an offer for the cap. He inquired of the 
 Jew what he would sell it for, and, after a little 
 chaffering, he purchased it. Once in possession of 
 the cap he commenced his plot. He first took 
 occasion to inspect the fastenings of Mr. Mor- 
 daunt's bedroom door. He found that when the 
 key was in the lock inside, the end of it projected 
 slightly on the outside of the door. He then ob- 
 tained a small vice, such as jewellers and watch- 
 makers use in their trade, and found that by apply- 
 ing it to the projecting portion of the extremity of 
 the key he was able to turn it in the lock. Fully 
 certain of being able to enter Mr. Mordaunt's bed- 
 room when he pleased, it only remained for him 
 now to choose his opportunity for perpetrating 
 the robbery. After much deliberation he selected 
 the evening of Frederick Heathcote's departure 
 for his purpose, so that the suspicion might fall on 
 him. He waited till he heard Heathcote depart, 
 
l'amour mepecin. 279 
 
 and then he put on a sea-coat which he had pur- 
 chased some years before, when he had made a 
 voyage to America, and placed the cap he had 
 bought on his head, with the intention, if Mr. 
 Mordaunt should wake, of misleading him as 
 to identity. He opened the door, and, entering 
 the room, saw by the glare of the night-light that 
 the cash-box was in its place. Before he had fully 
 secured it, Mr. Mordaunt awoke and called for 
 assistance. Pursite immediately extinguished the 
 lamp and hurried ofif with his booty, purposely 
 throwing the cap on the landing-place, in order 
 that it might be found there. He then rapidly 
 but softly descended the stairs, and opening the 
 street door he tried to make some marks with the 
 vice on the outside of the lock, and afterwards 
 made for his bedroom and locked himself in. 
 Having placed the cash-box at the bottom of his 
 chest, which he then locked, he undressed himself 
 and got into bed. When requested to go for the 
 police he again took the cash-box from its hiding- 
 place, and concealed it in a spot he had selected 
 before the robbery, and afterwards called at the 
 
28o DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 station. Of the reason of Frederick Heathcote's 
 departure by the morning instead of the evening 
 train, of course, he could give no account. Most 
 probably it was owing to his being too late for 
 the latter. 
 
VIII. —V AMOUR ME DEC IN. 
 
 PART III. 
 
 A /TR. MORDAUNT, at his death, proved to 
 be far wealthier than any of his friends 
 had supposed. His will was sworn under ;^ 19,000, 
 all of which, with the exception of some trifling 
 legacies, and among them the sum of one hundred 
 pounds to Gideon Pursite in consideration of his 
 faithful services, he left to his daughter, Clara, 
 absolutely. He had named his partner, Mr. 
 Wilson, and Dr. Morgan, his executors, but the 
 former declined to act. In the doctor Clara found 
 a faithful friend and adviser, — a very fortunate cir- 
 cumstance for her, as the condition of her mind, 
 apart from her blindness, rendered her utterly 
 
282 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 incapable of passing any opinion on business 
 matters. She removed, shortly after her father's 
 decease, to the house of the lady who had accom- 
 panied her to London on the occasion of her visit 
 to the oculist, and was treated by her with every 
 kindness and consideration. The doctor watched 
 her anxiously for some time, hoping that a change 
 for the better might take place after her first fit 
 of sorrow was over, but he was terribly disap- 
 pointed. Instead of her mind acquiring a more 
 healthy tone her melancholy fast became chronic. 
 She sought for consolation in religion, but un- 
 fortunately not in a way which tended to her 
 improvement or happiness. She appeared to have 
 a settled conviction that she had been guilty of an 
 enormous sin in doubting the integrity of her 
 lover, who seemed to her now, as before the 
 robbery, the soul of chivalrous honour. She 
 believed that her blindness was a punishment 
 inflicted on her by the Almighty for the fault 
 she had committed ; and its incurable nature, she 
 argued, was a proof that in this world she would 
 never be forgiven. In vain did the doctor reason 
 with her on the subject ; in vain did he enlist the 
 
l'amour medecin. 283 
 
 services of an excellent clergyman to prove to the 
 poor girl that the conclusion she had arrived at 
 was wrong. In spite of all their efforts her mental 
 malady was evidently increasing. At last her 
 prayers became incessant petitions to Heaven that 
 she might be taken from this world, and several 
 expressions she let drop on the subject so greatly 
 alarmed the doctor that he began to dread that 
 she was fast settling down into a religious 
 monomaniac. Knowing the very frequent occur- 
 rence of suicide in that phase of insanity, he be- 
 came very anxious on her account. At last he 
 came to the conclusion that it would be advisable 
 to place her, if not under restraint, at least in 
 some establishment where she could be carefully 
 watched. For this purpose he wrote to Dr. 
 Austin, who was an intimate friend of his, to in- 
 quire whether he could conveniently make room 
 for her in his establishment, and having received a 
 reply in the affirmative, he broached the subject 
 to Clara. To his great satisfaction, and perhaps 
 greater surprise, she offered but little objection, 
 and a fortnight afterwards she left her home, 
 accompanied by the female friend with whom she 
 
284 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 had resided, and her servant, Mary, and they took 
 up their residence among us. 
 
 Clara, by her amiable manners and attractive 
 appearance, soon became a general favourite. Dr. 
 Austin gave her the most unremitting attention, 
 and her mind slowly but perceptibly improved. 
 But apart from her tendency to religious mono- 
 mania, her blindness greatly interested him. He 
 had considerable skill as an oculist, and yet he 
 was very much puzzled to understand the loss 
 of her sight. He noticed that the pupil ex- 
 panded and contracted regularly, and that there 
 was not a single feature discernible in her appear- 
 ance, apart from the fact that she held her head 
 in the manner peculiar to the blind, which would 
 have induced him to believe she could not see 
 perfectly. Still there was evidently a total loss 
 of vision, and all his experiments did not fur- 
 nish him with one tangible proof to the contrary. 
 He watched her narrowly when walking in the 
 grounds with Mary ; and he even went so far, 
 on more than one occasion, as to call the maid 
 away on some pretext, that he might watch 
 Clara's movements during her absence. But 
 
[ l'amour medecin. 285 
 
 he could discover nothing which did not tend to 
 prove her total blindness. She would walk from 
 the path on to the beds, and strike against the 
 slender branches of plants which were in her way. 
 He questioned her companion closely as to the 
 origin of Clara's blindness, but could find no 
 reason to doubt that it was not occasioned by the 
 lightning. He then questioned and cross-ques- 
 tioned Mar}% and at last found out from her about 
 the finding of Heathcote's cap on the floor, a secret 
 the girl had hitherto kept from every one. Here 
 was the first glimmering of hope to the worthy 
 doctor. He now thought he should be able to 
 prove there was more of mind than physical 
 infirmity mixed up with Clara's blindness. But 
 how to proceed with his investigation puzzled him 
 extremely. He at last adopted the plan of occa- 
 sionally accompanying her in her walks, instead of 
 her companion or Mary, and then skilfully engag- 
 ing her in conversation on the subject of her loss 
 of sight. For some time, however, all his attempts 
 were in vain ; but at last he obtained some slight 
 success, at least enough to confirm him in the 
 opinion he had formed. One afternoon, while 
 
286 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 walking with Clara, she inquired whether he had 
 any faith in dreams ? 
 
 " In what way do you mean ? " he asked. 
 
 *' Whether they have any special signification ? 
 Whether, in fact, they are given us by Heaven as 
 lessons from what has already happened, or to 
 prognosticate what is to occur ? " 
 
 " Those are very difficult questions to answer," 
 said the doctor. " To deny the possibility of 
 either would be to deny the power of Heaven to 
 convey its lessons in its own especial way. At 
 the same time I believe that the ordinary run of 
 dreams are merely kaleidoscopic reminiscences of 
 what may have taken place the previous day, or 
 random pictures conjured up by thoughts which 
 have lately passed through the brain. But why do 
 you ask .? " 
 
 " Merely to obtain your opinion on the subject. 
 But I do not agree with you. Last night, for 
 example, I dreamed that poor papa and mamma 
 were both alive, and that we were going to pass 
 the day with an uncle, now dead, who lived in the 
 country some miles off. On our way an accident 
 happened to the carriage, and we were obliged to 
 
l'amour medecin. 287 
 
 get out. While we were waiting in the road, a 
 lady came to us and asked us to accompany her 
 to her house, and to remain there while the carriage 
 was being repaired. We accepted her invitation, 
 the more readily as it was beginning to rain. 
 When we arrived at her house she introduced 
 us to her three daughters, who received us in the 
 most friendly manner, and we remained with them 
 till the carriage was ready ; and when we left 
 they asked us for our address, as they should like 
 to become intimate with us. Certainly not one 
 thought of anything like a circumstance of the 
 kind passed through my mind either yesterday, or, 
 in fact, at any time. Now how do you account 
 for that .? " 
 
 " I do not pretend to account for it in any 
 way," said the doctor. ** At the same time, if that 
 dream were sent you by Heaven for any especial 
 lesson or warning, you must admit it would be 
 very difficult to draw a conclusion from it." 
 
 " That I grant," said Clara, " unless it were an 
 intimation that I do not think so often of those I 
 have lost as I ought to do." 
 
 " That is a very remote probability," said the 
 
DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 doctor, '* and by no means comes within the 
 scope of my theology. I hold that all Heaven's 
 teachings are of the most direct and explicit 
 character. I even consider, although I admit that 
 many wise and pious men do not hold the same 
 opinion, that God is too just to hold us to obe- 
 dience to any of His teachings unless they are 
 expressed with perfect perspicuity." 
 
 *'But why, then, should I have dreamed of 
 people of whose existence I was not aware, even 
 supposing they ever existed .'* " 
 
 '* I really am unable to answer the question : 
 but are you sure you never saw the mother and 
 daughters before, or any persons who resembled 
 them .? " 
 
 " I never knew any family that could have 
 afforded me the slightest clue for my conjuring 
 them up in my memory." 
 
 " And they received you in a friendly manner } " 
 said the doctor, rather for the purpose of say- 
 ing something than from interest in the ques- 
 tion. 
 
 " Nothing could be more friendly than their 
 manner ; still it was that of persons offering 
 
l'amour medecin. 289 
 
 hospitality to strangers, and not to friends and 
 acquaintances." 
 
 " And how were the young ladies dressed ? " in- 
 quired the doctor, somewhat at a loss what to say. 
 
 " I do not know." 
 
 ** Why not ? I always thought that was a point 
 rather unlikely to escape a young lady's attention 
 or her memory." 
 
 " Because I did not see them." 
 
 " Not in your dream .? " said the doctor, greatly 
 surprised. 
 
 " No, I did not see them," replied Clara. 
 
 " But if the circumstance of which you dreamed 
 occurred during your mamma's life, it was before 
 you lost your sight," said the doctor, somewhat 
 surprised. 
 
 " Certainly," said Clara ; '' still I saw them not : 
 I never see anything in my dreams." 
 
 The doctor was silent for some moments from 
 astonishment at Clara's statement. 
 
 " Do you really mean, my dear," he at last said, 
 ''that you never see in your dreams, even when 
 they relate to circumstances which occurred before 
 your blindness .'* " 
 
 VOL. I. U 
 
290 DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 " Never," replied Clara. 
 
 " That is very astonishing," said the doctor. 
 
 He now began to question her with great 
 minuteness on the subject, but she held to the 
 same statement that all was as dark to her in her 
 dreams as when she was awake. He inquired 
 also whether, when roused from a dream and 
 before fully awake, there was any difference at the 
 moment of transition, but he received the same 
 answer. 
 
 The conversation he had had with Clara sup- 
 plied the doctor with much matter for con- 
 sideration. He was now more firmly convinced 
 than ever that Clara's blindness was rather the 
 effect of mental infirmity than of any physical 
 defect in her eyes. But how to proceed puzzled 
 him greatly. At last he resolved on writing to 
 his friend Dr. Morgan for his opinion and ad- 
 vice. Before he had finished the letter, however, 
 the necessity for it was removed by his receiving 
 a visit from Morgan. Its object was simply to 
 inform Dr. Austin that Frederick Heathcote had 
 arrived in England, and wished particularly to 
 see Clara. He had informed Mr. Heathcote of all 
 
l'amour medecin. 291 
 
 the circumstances connected with Clara, of the 
 state of her mind, and her incurable blindness. 
 The information only increased the young fellow's 
 desire to see her ; and to oblige him Dr. Mor- 
 gan had run down to Dr. Austin's, to inquire 
 whether she was in a fit state to receive Mr. 
 Heathcote, and if so, what arrangements should 
 be made to that end. 
 
 " I am pleased to see you, Morgan," said Dr. 
 Austin ; " in fact, I was on the very point of 
 writing to you. I am fully convinced the girl is 
 not really blind, but that her loss of vision arises 
 solely from psychological causes." 
 
 " I know you are a clever fellow, Austin, but if 
 you can prove that Clara Mordaunt is not blind 
 you are far more talented than I have ever given 
 you credit for," replied Dr. Morgan, in a some- 
 what sarcastic tone. 
 
 "Jesting apart," said Dr. Austin, "I mean 
 what I say, Morgan. I am fully convinced that 
 she is not blind." 
 
 "What facts do you base your conclusions on.-*" 
 inquired Dr. Morgan. 
 
 ** The total absence of anything abnormal in the 
 
292 DOCTOR AUSTIN'S GUESTS. 
 
 appearance of the eye, and the perfect power of 
 expansion and contraction of the pupil." 
 
 '' That greatly puzzled me also," said Dr. Mor- 
 gan, " and it was the cause of my accompanying 
 her to London, to consult Dr. B , the oculist." 
 
 " Pray what was his opinion of her case .'' " 
 
 '' That it was an exceedingly obscure one, and 
 that, taking all the circumstances into considera- 
 tion, he had never met with one more so. Still, 
 he was fully persuaded her blindness was real." 
 
 '* Did he and you know all the facts of the 
 case .? " 
 
 ** Certainly. You do not suppose, I hope, that 
 we should have come to any conclusion without 
 them .? " 
 
 '' No, certainly not, as far as they were told you ; 
 but I very much suspect that you did not know 
 all. Perhaps you concluded there was no other 
 circumstance attending her blindness but the flash 
 of lightning. Now it turns out that my young 
 lady concealed a most important one. At the 
 same moment, and by the same flash of lightning, 
 she discovered that a cap which she had found out- 
 side the door of her father's room was the cap of 
 
l'amour medecin. 293 
 
 her lover, and she, at the same instant, concluded 
 that he was the thief." 
 
 "That is very curious, certainly," said Dr. 
 Morgan : " not a word of that did she say to me. 
 How did you contrive to find it out.''" 
 
 " From her servant ; but I had great difficulty 
 in extracting it from her, as it appears she was 
 pledged to secrecy." 
 
 '' What an artful young minx ! " said Dr. Mor- 
 gan, laughing ; " I should not have imagined her 
 capable of so much duplicity." 
 
 " If you had had as much experience of the 
 mental peculiarities of young ladies as I have 
 had," said Dr. Austin, also laughing, ''perhaps 
 you would not be so much surprised." 
 
 " Very likely not, Austin ; but have you any 
 other reasons for imagining her blindness not to 
 be real .'' " 
 
 '* Yes ; and one of these is very strong. She 
 tells me she cannot see in her dreams. Now I 
 am convinced that she can, and that she is 
 labouring under a delusion ; — that, in fact, her 
 insanity precludes her from remembering what 
 she saw in them." 
 
294 DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 **That is a very extraordinary circumstance, 
 certainly. Did you ever meet with, or read of, 
 a similar case .?" 
 
 " Never," said Austin ; " still I am not without 
 data altogether. There is no difficulty what- 
 ever in finding instances where persons — most 
 frequently women — from a morbid action of 
 the mind, imagine they have lost the power of 
 nervous sensation while it really exists, and have 
 even been able to endure severe pain without 
 feeling it. The miracles of St. Medardj in Paris, 
 and many other instances, might be, quoted in 
 proof Now as the act of seeing is a purely 
 sensational, nervous phenomenon, a strong mental 
 action might temporarily deprive a person of the 
 faculty of sight." 
 
 "Objections might be raised against that 
 theory, Austin ; at the same time, I must admit 
 it to be an ingenious one." 
 
 *'What do you say, then, to the morbid mental 
 action which not unfrequently will deprive an 
 hysterical woman of the power of speech for a 
 considerable time — in fact, months together, in 
 some cases .'*" 
 
L AMOUR MEDECIN. 295. 
 
 " That is certainly coming nearer to the point. 
 Still you have not mentioned what means you 
 would employ to cure her of her insanity, ad- 
 mitting that insanity exists in her case." 
 
 **As the violent mental shock she received at 
 the discovery of the cap, and the consequent belief 
 that her lover had been the robber, deprived her 
 of vision ; so do I consider it possible that his 
 sudden and totally unexpected appearance, now 
 that she is convinced of his innocence, might have 
 the effect of restoring her to sight." 
 
 "I almost doubt it," said Dr. Morgan; *' still 
 I admit the experiment to be worth trying. How 
 do you propose to manage it.''" 
 
 " That requires great consideration. . If you 
 see no objection to it, I wish you would prepare 
 Mr. Heathcote for it. In the meantime, I will 
 turn it over in my mind, and let you know when 
 I am fully prepared. For my part, I shall not men- 
 tion to any one here the object of your visit."* 
 
 * I have given the conversation between the two doctors as well 
 as I remember it : still the reader should bear in mind that I am 
 not in the medical profession, and it is very probable that I may 
 have misquoted some of the arguments, and omitted others neces- 
 sary to fully bear out Dr. Austin's view of the case. 
 
296 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 Immediately after Dr. Morgan's departure, 
 Dr. Austin set his mind to work to deter- 
 mine on the best plan to try successfully his 
 experiment on Clara's blindness. He was sorely 
 puzzled for some time as to whether a sudden 
 shock or a more gradual discovery of her lover's 
 presence would be the better. At last he re- 
 solved on the latter, fearing that the former might 
 act too powerfully on her nervous system. He 
 now proposed that it should take place in the 
 evening, without anything having apparently 
 been premeditated about it. He was in the 
 habit of occasionally having small evening social 
 parties, at which not only the inmates of his 
 house were present, but also some of the families 
 resident in the neighbourhood. It was at one of 
 these that he resolved on introducing Frederick 
 Heathcote, without, of course, giving the slightest 
 intimation of his intention to Clara. All being 
 arranged, he wrote to Dr. Morgan, informing him 
 in detail of his plan, and requesting him to instruct 
 Heathcote in the part he was to play ; and having 
 received an answer that the young fellow would 
 conduct himself according to the precise instruc- 
 
l'amour medecin. 297 
 
 tions he had received, Dr. Austin completed his 
 arrangements. 
 
 The party at which the meeting of the lovers 
 was to take place was to be larger and more 
 brilliant than usual. The guests arrived about 
 eight o'clock, and were ushered into the drawing- 
 room, — all with the exception of the lieutenant, 
 who was to remain shut up in the doctor's study 
 till it was time for him to appear on the scene. 
 When the room was moderately full of guests, Clara 
 and her companion entered it, and seated them- 
 selves on a sofa at the farther extremity from the 
 entrance-door. Clara's companion had, however, 
 been initiated into the doctor's design ; but as it 
 was considered dangerous to allow Mary to be 
 a party to it, lest her extreme affection for her 
 mistress might tempt her to commit some indis- 
 cretion, she was permitted to spend the evening 
 at the house of some people in the vicinity whose 
 acquaintance she had made. Clara looked more 
 attractive that evening than she had ever done, 
 and was in good spirits. She was, as usual, 
 the great centre of interest, her mild, amiable 
 manners, and her infirmity of blindness, borne 
 
298 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 with so much meekness and patience, rendering 
 her an object of love and sympathy to all. After 
 she had been seated a short time, her companion 
 quitted her side, and her place was immediately 
 taken by a lady who resided but a short dis- 
 tance off, who had conceived a great affection for 
 Clara, and was in the habit of taking her out with 
 her in her carriage drives. They talked together 
 for some time in an animated manner, and during 
 their conversation Frederick Heathcote, accom- 
 panied by a brother officer, glided quietly into the 
 room, which was now well filled, and took up 
 such a position that Clara could not perceive 
 him. 
 
 Before Heathcote entered the room, Dr. Austin 
 had placed himself by the fireplace, and was 
 soon engaged in conversation with another gentle- 
 man ; but he was evidently watching his patient 
 the while with great anxiety, his gaze being 
 hardly for a moment averted from her. As 
 Heathcote entered, he noticed that an expres- 
 sion of uneasiness passed over her countenance, 
 and the conversation she had been carrying on 
 with the lady beside her suddenly flagged. Nor 
 
l'amour medecin. 299 
 
 was it again resumed ; for the lady, noticing the 
 change in Clara's countenance (neither she nor 
 any of the guests were aware of the doctor's plot), 
 and thinking probably that one of her fits of 
 melancholy was coming on, did not attempt to carry 
 on the conversation, but sat quietly by her side. 
 
 Presently Clara's face assumed a most anxious 
 expression, and she bent forward and leant her 
 brow on her hand, as if she were either in deep 
 thought or wished to conceal her countenance from 
 those near her. The doctor now beckoned to 
 Frederick Heathcote to take a chair on the side of 
 the room exactly opposite to Clara. He at once 
 obeyed, keeping up at the same time a conversa- 
 tion with his friend, who was by him, without 
 looking towards the part of the room where Clara 
 was seated. The doctor now left his position by 
 the fireplace, and placed himself at the back of 
 Clara's sofa, so that he might be able to converse 
 with her and keep his eye the while on Frederick 
 Heathcote, and thus be able to make a sign to 
 him should he require him to move. 
 
 ** Have you got a headache this evening. Miss 
 Clara ? " he said to her. 
 
300 DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 Clara, not being aware that he was near her, 
 started at the sound of his voice as if awakened 
 from a dream, and rephed, — 
 
 " No, none whatever ; why do you ask me ? " 
 
 " From your leaning your head on your hand. 
 Do you find the room too warm ? " 
 
 " No, not at all. I was merely thinking some- 
 what deeply. Have you not a great many visitors 
 here to-night } " she continued, turning her head 
 towards him. 
 
 " Yes, more than I had anticipated." 
 
 " Who are those two very handsome young men 
 opposite } " said the lady by Clara's side, breaking 
 in abruptly, and little imagining how inconvenient 
 it was for the doctor to answer the question. 
 
 *' I do not know them," he hurriedly answered ; 
 " they were brought here by a friend." 
 
 Clara mechanically turned her head from the 
 doctor, and Heathcote was before her. Dr. 
 Austin made a sign for him to move, which he 
 immediately did, placing himself behind some of 
 the guests, so as to be completely out of sight. 
 The doctor now looked anxiously at Clara, but the 
 expression of anxiety swiftly vanished, and one of 
 
l'amour medecin. 301 
 
 intense satisfaction took its place ; for he noticed 
 that a thrill of agitation passed over Clara, and he 
 now felt certain that his surmises as to the nature 
 of her blindness were correct. He did not speak 
 to her for several minutes, but continued to watch 
 her with great attention. Presently she assumed a 
 bewildered expression, accompanied by a percep- 
 tible tremor of the whole frame. A young lady 
 who had seated herself at the piano now com- 
 menced the prelude to a song. Clara with an 
 effort aroused herself, and listened with con- 
 siderable attention to the song, which was well 
 sung and appeared to please her. As soon as it 
 was finished the same young lady began to play 
 a set of quadrilles, and the younger portion of the 
 company stood up for the dance, with the ex- 
 ception of Heathcote, who, obeying a sign from 
 the doctor, still kept out of sight. During the 
 dance the countenance of Clara brightened up con- 
 siderably ; she was evidently keeping time, in her 
 mind, with the music. 
 
 When the quadrille was over, and the dancers 
 had dispersed, Heathcote again seated himself on 
 the chair opposite to Clara ; but this time he no 
 
302 DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 longer conversed with his friend, but gazed full 
 upon her. She uttered a slight exclamation of 
 surprise, but not so loud as to claim the attention 
 of any one save the doctor (the lady who had been 
 seated beside her having now removed to another 
 part of the room), and pressed the palms of her 
 hands against her face. The prelude to another 
 dance now sounded, and Clara removed her hands. 
 Heathcote was no longer opposite. The doctor 
 remarked that she turned her face to different 
 parts of the room, as though searching for some 
 one, but as if insensible of the presence of the rest 
 of the company. The dance commenced, but 
 Clara this time paid no attention to the music, and 
 sat evidently in a state of considerable agitation. 
 Although the doctor noticed this, he made no 
 remark to her on the subject, but remained stand- 
 ing behind the sofa. 
 
 When the dance had ended Dr. Austin left his 
 position, and requested the gentlemen each to 
 escort a lady down-stairs for the purpose of taking 
 some refreshment. As he gave this invitation he 
 wore an expression of great care and anxiety, for 
 the moment to test the efficacy of his experiment 
 
l'amour medecin. 303 
 
 had now arrived. As the room became clearer, he 
 advanced to Clara and offered her his arm to con- 
 duct her down-stairs. She hardly understood him 
 at first, so deeply absorbed was she in thought ; 
 but on his repeating his offer she rose from her 
 seat and took his arm. The room was now com- 
 pletely cleared of guests, with the exception of 
 Frederick Heathcote and his friend. As the 
 doctor was leading her to the door he suddenly 
 stopped, and Heathcote stood before them looking 
 at Clara. A violent trembling seized the poor 
 girl ; she could hardly stand erect ; but still she 
 appeared to doubt the reality of her lover's 
 presence. 
 
 " Heathcote, my dear fellow," said his friend, 
 "will you not join the rest down-stairs.-*" 
 
 "You go on," said Heathcote, slowly and dis- 
 tinctly, "and I will join you directly." 
 
 The effect of his voice upon Clara was mar- 
 vellous. Her morbid fancy had made her doubt 
 the reality of his presence, but his voice at once 
 dispelled it. She uttered a cry, and was on the 
 point of falling. She exclaimed, ** Support me ! 
 pray, support me ! " The appeal she made was to 
 
304 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 the doctor, but the support she received was from 
 her lover, who clasped her in his arms. 
 
 "Clara, my dear," he said, "do you not know 
 me ? Speak to me, my dear ; speak to me." 
 
 " Oh, what has befallen me ! " she said ; "is this 
 real or a delusion ^ " 
 
 "Perfectly real, my dear," said the doctor; ''you 
 have been suffering under a terrible delusion, but 
 it has vanished. Look around you. You can see 
 now perfectly well, I am sure." 
 
 "Pray God," said Clara, "that you say the 
 truth, and that I am not dreaming. PVederick, it 
 is really you, I am sure ; I feel God has forgiven 
 me at last." 
 
 She now burst into an uncontrollable flood of 
 tears, leaning her head the while on the breast of 
 her lover, who offered her every consolation in his 
 power. Her tears still continued to flow, however, 
 and the doctor, perceiving that an hysterical fit was 
 imminent, thought it was time to put an end to the 
 scene. He now rang the bell for Clara's com- 
 panion and Mary, and both quickly afterwards 
 appeared, and to their care Clara was confided. 
 
 So far Dr. Austin's experiment on Clara's 
 
l'amour medecin. 
 
 305 
 
 malady had been perfectly successful, but he still 
 felt a terrible amount of anxiety on her account. 
 He calculated, from the state of mind in which she 
 was when she left him, that it would be some 
 hours before she fell asleep, if she did sleep at all. 
 If she continued awake he considered he had but 
 little to fear, as there would be a continuity of 
 thought on the one subject from night till morn, 
 and the daylight would be an admirable confirma- 
 tion to her of the reality of her cure and the extra- 
 ordinary delusion to which she had been subject. 
 Should she fall asleep, however, he feared the 
 effect of her waking. She had for so long a time 
 believed herself to be blind, that he dreaded the 
 possibility of her mind, from the force of habit, 
 running into the same delusion again, as it might 
 be exceedingly difficult to arouse her from it. 
 He had himself no intention of sleeping that 
 night, that he might be ready for any emer- 
 gency ; but beyond that, he was fairly at a loss. 
 At last, finding he could come to no settled con- 
 clusion as to what course to take, Dr. Austin, 
 with an astuteness worthy of the brain of a Mrs. 
 Gamp, thought that it would perhaps be better to 
 
 VOL. I. X 
 
3o6 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 let Nature have her own way, while he kept in 
 readiness to assist her when she should indicate 
 what it was best to do. He now contented himself 
 with instructing Mary, who always slept in her 
 mistress's room, to keep awake the whole night, 
 and if Clara fell asleep to give him immediate 
 notice, adding that she would find him in the 
 drawing-room at any hour during the night. The 
 girl, who was overjoyed at the prospect of her 
 mistress's recovery, promised faithfully to obey his 
 instructions, which she did to the letter. 
 
 Before midnight all were in bed, with the ex- 
 ception of the doctor and Frederick Heathcote, 
 who had as little inclination for rest as had the 
 man of science. It may perhaps be imagined 
 that he ought to have had less ; but it would be 
 doing the worthy doctor an injustice to imagine 
 that the lover was more interested in the matter 
 than he was. Heathcote was actuated but by 
 one feeling — affection for his mistress ; while 
 the doctor acted under two impulses, less power- 
 ful in themselves, perhaps, than the one felt 
 by Heathcote, but at least equally strong com- 
 bined — a genuine fatherly affection for the poor 
 
l'amour medecin. 307 
 
 girl, and an intense interest in the cause of 
 science. 
 
 One o'clock, two o'clock struck, and still no 
 appearance of Mary. The doctor had remained 
 all this time perfectly motionless in his arm-chair, 
 while the young sailor continued unceasingly a 
 sort of quarter-deck walk to and fro in the room. 
 Neither exchanged a word. The turret clock over 
 the stables struck the hour of three, when the 
 doctor suddenly sprang from his chair, and, stamp- 
 ing his foot, said, — 
 
 ** How stupid of me not to have had that clock 
 stopped ! It may keep her awake." 
 
 "Can I do it now.-^" said Heathcote, stopping 
 in his walk. 
 
 " No ; on consideration, perhaps it may be 
 best as it is." 
 
 The doctor again seated himself in his chair 
 and remained motionless, and Heathcote again 
 commenced his walk. No further conversation 
 passed between them. 
 
 About half-past three, Mary entered the room 
 and reported that her mistress had fallen into a 
 doze. 
 
3o8 DOCTOR Austin's guests. 
 
 " Very well," said the doctor. " Now, if she stirs 
 when the clock strikes again, or if she wakes 
 before that, ask her whether she feels better, and 
 bring me her answer ; but do not rouse her pur- 
 posely." 
 
 Four o'clock struck, and ten minutes afterwards 
 Mary entered the room. 
 
 " Miss Clara is awake, sir ; I asked her if she 
 felt better, and she said she did, and that she had 
 dreamt she had seen her father and Mr. Wilson 
 talking angrily together." 
 
 ''Thank God that she acknowledges she can 
 see in her dreams," said the doctor, with a sigh 
 of relief ; " that is one great point gained. Now, 
 let me see, it will be broad daylight at six o'clock. 
 Keep the shutters of the room fast closed till you 
 hear the clock strike that hour, then open them 
 suddenly, and call her attention to the weather or 
 any object you please. If you hear Mr. Heath- 
 cote's voice in the corridor, also call her attention 
 to it ; then leave the rest to me." 
 
 The pair remained in the drawing-room till it 
 was nearly six o'clock, when they repaired to the 
 corridor and placed themselves near Clara's door. 
 
l'amour medecin. 309 
 
 They waited patiently till the clock struck six, 
 and immediately afterwards they heard Mary 
 opening the shutters. In two minutes or so, Dr. 
 Austin said, in a loud tone of voice, — 
 
 " Will you take a walk round the grounds before 
 breakfast, Mr. Heathcote .?" 
 
 " No, thank you," was the reply ; '' I shall take 
 a book and remain in the drawing-room." 
 
 The description Mary gave of the effect of 
 the daylight and the power of distinguishing 
 objects, as well as her recognition ' of her lover's 
 voice, was graphic ; but from the anxiety of the 
 girl to give it force, it somewhat bordered on 
 the ludicrous, so I will refrain from narrating 
 it. To make a long story short, Clara's recovery 
 was perfect. She met her lover in the drawing- 
 room, after Mary had taken extra pains with her 
 mistress's appearance. Clara, at the interview, 
 pathetically implored her lover's forgiveness for 
 the injustice she had done him ; which, it is hardly 
 needful to say, he granted in full. The end of 
 the story is soon told, and may be given in very 
 stereotyped phraseology. They married, were 
 happy, and were blessed with a numerous family 
 
3IO DOCTOR AUSTIN S GUESTS. 
 
 of children. Heathcote was rapidly promoted 
 in his profession, and was greatly respected. 
 Clara made an excellent domesticated wife ; but 
 to the last she maintained that the blindness 
 she had suffered from was a judgment on her 
 from the Almighty for the cruel wrong she had 
 done her lover. 
 
 END OF VOL. I. 
 
 y. &^ IV. Rider, Printers, London.