ursula-第17章

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At　a　time　when　I　expect　to　soon　leave　the　world　I　have　it　on　my

heart　to　prove　to　you　that　magnetism　is　about　to　become　one　of　the

most　important　of　the　sciencesif　indeed　all　science　is　not　ONE。

I　can　overcome　your　incredulity　by　proof。　Perhaps　I　shall　owe　to

your　curiosity　the　happiness　of　taking　you　once　more　by　the　hand

as　in　the　days　before　Mesmer。　　　　　　　　　Always　yours；



Bouvard。





Stung　like　a　lion　by　a　gadfly　the　old　scientist　rushed　to　Paris　and

left　his　card　on　Bouvard；　who　lived　in　the　Rue　Ferou　near　Saint…

Sulpice。　Bouvard　sent　a　card　to　his　hotel　on　which　was　written　〃To…

morrow；　nine　o'clock；　Rue　Saint…Honore；　opposite　the　Assumption。〃



Minoret；　who　seemed　to　have　renewed　his　youth；　could　not　sleep。　He

went　to　see　some　of　his　friends　among　the　faculty　to　inquire　if　the

world　were　turned　upside　down；　if　the　science　of　medicine　still　had　a

school；　if　the　four　faculties　any　longer　existed。　The　doctors

reassured　him；　declaring　that　the　old　spirit　of　opposition　was　as

strong　as　ever；　only；　instead　of　persecuting　as　heretofore；　the

Academies　of　Medicine　and　of　Sciences　rang　with　laughter　as　they

classed　magnetic　facts　with　the　tricks　of　Comus　and　Comte　and　Bosco；

with　jugglery　and　prestidigitation　and　all　that　now　went　by　the　name

of　〃amusing　physics。〃



This　assurance　did　not　prevent　old　Minoret　from　keeping　the

appointment　made　for　him　by　Bouvard。　After　an　enmity　of　forty…four

years　the　two　antagonists　met　beneath　a　porte…cochere　in　the　Rue

Saint…Honore。　Frenchmen　have　too　many　distractions　of　mind　to　hate

each　other　long。　In　Paris　especially；　politics；　literature；　and

science　render　life　so　vast　that　every　man　can　find　new　worlds　to

conquer　where　all　pretensions　may　live　at　ease。　Hatred　requires　too

many　forces　fully　armed。　None　but　public　bodies　can　keep　alive　the

sentiment。　Robespierre　and　Danton　would　have　fallen　into　each　other's

arms　at　the　end　of　forty…four　years。　However；　the　two　doctors　each

withheld　his　hand　and　did　not　offer　it。　Bouvard　spoke　first：



〃You　seem　wonderfully　well。〃



〃Yes；　I　amand　you？〃　said　Minoret；　feeling　that　the　ice　was　now

broken。



〃As　you　see。〃



〃Does　magnetism　prevent　people　from　dying？〃　asked　Minoret　in　a　joking

tone；　but　without　sharpness。



〃No；　but　it　almost　prevented　me　from　living。〃



〃Then　you　are　not　rich？〃　exclaimed　Minoret。



〃Pooh！〃　said　Bouvard。



〃But　I　am！〃　cried　the　other。



〃It　is　not　your　money　but　your　convictions　that　I　want。　Come；〃　replied

Bouvard。



〃Oh！　you　obstinate　fellow！〃　said　Minoret。



The　Mesmerist　led　his　sceptic；　with　some　precaution；　up　a　dingy

staircase　to　the　fourth　floor。



At　this　particular　time　an　extraordinary　man　had　appeared　in　Paris；

endowed　by　faith　with　incalculable　power；　and　controlling　magnetic

forces　in　all　their　applications。　Not　only　did　this　great　unknown　（who

still　lives）　heal　from　a　distance　the　worst　and　most　inveterate

diseases；　suddenly　and　radically；　as　the　Savior　of　men　did　formerly；

but　he　was　also　able　to　call　forth　instantaneously　the　most　remarkable

phenomena　of　somnambulism　and　conquer　the　most　rebellious　will。　The

countenance　of　this　mysterious　being；　who　claims　to　be　responsible　to

God　alone　and　to　communicate；　like　Swedenborg；　with　angels；　resembles

that　of　a　lion；　concentrated；　irresistible　energy　shines　in　it。　His

features；　singularly　contorted；　have　a　terrible　and　even　blasting

aspect。　His　voice；　which　comes　from　the　depths　of　his　being；　seems

charged　with　some　magnetic　fluid；　it　penetrates　the　hearer　at　every

pore。　Disgusted　by　the　ingratitude　of　the　public　after　his　many　cures；

he　has　now　returned　to　an　impenetrable　solitude；　a　voluntary

nothingness。　His　all…powerful　hand；　which　has　restored　a　dying

daughter　to　her　mother；　fathers　to　their　grief…stricken　children；

adored　mistresses　to　lovers　frenzied　with　love；　cured　the　sick　given

over　by　physicians；　soothed　the　sufferings　of　the　dying　when　life

became　impossible；　wrung　psalms　of　thanksgiving　in　synagogues；

temples；　and　churches　from　the　lips　of　priests　recalled　to　the　one　God

by　the　same　miracle；that　sovereign　hand；　a　sun　of　life　dazzling　the

closed　eyes　of　the　somnambulist；　has　never　been　raised　again　even　to

save　the　heir…apparent　of　a　kingdom。　Wrapped　in　the　memory　of　his　past

mercies　as　in　a　luminous　shroud；　he　denies　himself　to　the　world　and

lives　for　heaven。



But；　at　the　dawn　of　his　reign；　surprised　by　his　own　gift；　this　man；

whose　generosity　equaled　his　power；　allowed　a　few　interested　persons

to　witness　his　miracles。　The　fame　of　his　work；　which　was　mighty；　and

could　easily　be　revived　to…morrow；　reached　Dr。　Bouvard；　who　was　then

on　the　verge　of　the　grave。　The　persecuted　mesmerist　was　at　last

enabled　to　witness　the　startling　phenomena　of　a　science　he　had　long

treasured　in　his　heart。　The　sacrifices　of　the　old　man　touched　the

heart　of　the　mysterious　stranger；　who　accorded　him　certain　privileges。

As　Bouvard　now　went　up　the　staircase　he　listened　to　the　twittings　of

his　old　antagonist　with　malicious　delight；　answering　only；　〃You　shall

see；　you　shall　see！〃　with　the　emphatic　little　nods　of　a　man　who　is

sure　of　his　facts。



The　two　physicians　entered　a　suite　of　rooms　that　were　more　than

modest。　Bouvard　went　alone　into　a　bedroom　which　adjoined　the　salon

where　he　left　Minoret；　whose　distrust　was　instantly　awakened；　but

Bouvard　returned　at　once　and　took　him　into　the　bedroom；　where　he　saw

the　mysterious　Swedenborgian；　and　also　a　woman　sitting　in　an　armchair。

The　woman　did　not　rise；　and　seemed　not　to　notice　the　entrance　of　the

two　old　men。



〃What！　no　tub？〃　cried　Minoret；　smiling。



〃Nothing　but　the　power　of　God；〃　answered　the　Swedenborgian　gravely。　He

seemed　to　Minoret　to　be　about　fifty　years　of　age。



The　three　men　sat　down　and　the　mysterious　stranger　talked　of　the　rain

and　the　coming　fine　weather；　to　the　great　astonishment　of　Minoret；　who

thought　he　was　being　hoaxed。　The　Swedenborgian　soon　began；　however；　to

question　his　visitor　on　his　scientific　opinions；　and　seemed　evidently

to　be　taking　time　to　examine　him。



〃You　have　come　here　solely　from　curiosity；　monsieur；〃　he　said　at　last。

〃It　is　not　my　habit　to　prostitute　a　power　which；　according　to　my

conviction；　emanates　from　God；　if　I　made　a　frivolous　or　unworthy　use

of　it；　it　would　be　taken　from　me。　Nevertheless；　there　is　some　hope；

Monsieur　Bouvard　tells　me；　of　changing　the　opinions　of　one　who　has

opposed　us；　of　enlightening　a　scientific　man　whose　mind　is　candid；　I

have　therefore　determined　to　satisfy　you。　That　woman　whom　you　see

there；〃　he　continued；　pointing　to　her；　〃is　now　in　a　somnambulic　sleep。

The　statements　and　manifestations　of　somnambulists　declare　that　this

state　is　a　delightful　other　life；　during　which　the　inner　being；　freed

from　the　trammels　laid　upon　the　exercise　of　our　faculties　by　the

visible　world；　moves　in　a　world　which　we　mistakenly　term　invisible。

Sight　and　hearing　are　then　exercised　in　a　manner　far　more　perfect　than

any　we　know　of　here；　possibly　without　the　help　of　the　organs　we　now

employ；　which　are　the　scabbard　of　the　luminous　blades　called　sight　and

hearing。　To　a　person　in　that　state；　distance　and　material　obstacles　do

not　exist；　or　they　can　be　traversed　by　a　life　within　us　for　which　our

body　is　a　mere　receptacle；　a　necessary　shelter；　a　casing。　Terms　fail

to　describe　effects　that　have　lately　been　rediscovered；　for　to…day　the

words　imponderable；　intangible；　invisible　have　no　meaning　to　the　fluid

whose　action　is　demonstrated　by　magnetism。　Light　is　ponderable　by　its

heat；　which；　by　penetrating　bodies；　increases　their　volume；　and

certainly　electricity　is　only　too　tangible。　We　have　condemned　things

themselves　instead　of　blaming　the　imperfection　of　our　instruments。〃



〃She　sleeps；〃　said　Minoret；　examining　the　woman；　who　seemed　to　him　to

belong　to　an　inferior　class。



〃Her　body　is　for　the　time　being　in　abeyance；〃　said　the　Swedenborgian。

〃Ignorant　persons　suppose　that　condition