armadale-第193章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


either　side；　he　invited　the　company　to　look　into　any　or　all　of
the　rooms　at　their　own　pleasure。

〃Numbers　one　to　four；　ladies　and　gentlemen；〃　said　the　doctor；
〃include　the　dormitories　of　the　attendants。　Numbers　four　to　eight
are　rooms　intended　for　the　accommodation　of　the　poorer　class　of
patients；　whom　I　receive　on　terms　which　simply　cover　my
expenditurenothing　more。　In　the　cases　of　these　poorer　persons
among　my　suffering　fellow　creatures；　personal　piety　and　the
recommendation　of　two　clergymen　are　indispensable　to　admission。
Those　are　the　only　conditions　I　make；　but　those　I　insist　on。　Pray
observe　that　the　rooms　are　all　ventilated；　and　the　bedsteads　all
iron　and　kindly　notice；　as　we　descend　again　to　the　second　floor；
that　there　is　a　door　shutting　off　all　communication　between　the
second　story　and　the　top　story　when　necessary。　The　rooms　on　the
second　floor；　which　we　have　now　reached；　are　（with　the　exception
of　my　own　room）　entirely　devoted　to　the　reception　of
lady…inmatesexperience　having　convinced　me　that　the　greater
sensitiveness　of　the　female　constitution　necessitates　the　higher
position　of　the　sleeping　apartment；　with　a　view　to　the　greater
purity　and　freer　circulation　of　the　air。　Here　the　ladies　are
established　immediately　under　my　care；　while　my
assistant…physician　（whom　I　expect　to　arrive　in　a　week's　time）
looks　after　the　gentlemen　on　the　floor　beneath。　Observe；　again；
as　we　descend　to　this　lower；　or　first　floor；　a　second　door；
closing　all　communication　at　night　between　the　two　stories　to
every　one　but　the　assistant　physician　and　myself。　And　now　that　we
have　reached　the　gentleman's　part　of　the　house；　and　that　you　have
observed　for　yourselves　the　regulations　of　the　establishment；
permit　me　to　introduce　you　to　a　specimen　of　my　system　of
treatment　next。　I　can　exemplify　it　practically；　by　introducing
you　to　a　room　fitted　up；　under　my　own　direction；　for　the
accommodation　of　the　most　complicated　cases　of　nervous　suffering
and　nervous　delusion　that　can　come　under　my　care。〃

He　threw　open　the　door　of　a　room　at　one　extremity　of　the
corridor；　numbered　Four。　〃Look　in；　ladies　and　gentlemen；〃　he
said；　〃and；　if　you　see　anything　remarkable；　pray　mention　it。〃

The　room　was　not　very　large；　but　it　was　well　lit　by　one　broad
window。　Comfortably　furnished　as　a　bedroom；　it　was　only
remarkable　among　other　rooms　of　the　same　sort　in　one　way。　It　had
no　fireplace。　The　visitors　having　noticed　this；　were　informed
that　the　room　was　warmed　in　winter　by　means　of　hot　water；　and
were　then　invited　back　again　into　the　corridor；　to　make　the
discoveries；　under　professional　direction；　which　they　were　unable
to　make　for　themselves。

〃A　word；　ladi　es　and　gentlemen；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃literally　a
word；　on　nervous　derangement　first。　What　is　the　process　of
treatment；　when；　let　us　say；　mental　anxiety　has　broken　you　down；
and　you　apply　to　your　doctor？　He　sees　you；　hears　you；　and　gives
you　two　prescriptions。　One　is　written　on　paper；　and　made　up　at
the　chemist's。　The　other　is　administered　by　word　of　mouth；　at　the
propitious　moment　when　the　fee　is　ready；　and　consists　in　a
general　recommendation　to　you　to　keep　your　mind　easy。　That
excellent　advice　given；　your　doctor　leaves　you　to　spare　yourself
all　earthly　annoyances　by　your　own　unaided　efforts；　until　he
calls　again。　Here　my　System　steps　in　and　helps　you！　When　_I_　see
the　necessity　of　keeping　your　mind　easy；　I　take　the　bull　by　the
horns　and　do　it　for　you。　I　place　you　in　a　sphere　of　action　in
which　the　ten　thousand　trifles　which　must；　and　do；　irritate
nervous　people　at　home　are　expressly　considered　and　provided
against。　I　throw　up　impregnable　moral　intrenchments　between　Worry
and　You。　Find　a　door　banging　in　_this_　house；　if　you　can！　Catch　a
servant　in　_this_　house　rattling　the　tea…things　when　he　takes
away　the　tray！　Discover　barking　dogs；　crowing　cocks；　hammering
workmen；　screeching　children　_here_and　I　engage　to　close　My
Sanitarium　to…morrow！　Are　these　nuisances　laughing　matters　to
nervous　people？　Ask　them！　Can　they　escape　these　nuisances　at
home？　Ask　them！　Will　ten　minutes'　irritation　from　a　barking　dog
or　a　screeching　child　undo　every　atom　of　good　done　to　a　nervous
sufferer　by　a　month's　medical　treatment？　There　isn't　a　competent
doctor　in　England　who　will　venture　to　deny　it！　On　those　plain
grounds　my　System　is　based。　I　assert　the　medical　treatment　of
nervous　suffering　to　be　entirely　subsidiary　to　the　moral
treatment　of　it。　That　moral　treatment　of　it　you　find　here。　That
moral　treatment；　sedulously　pursued　throughout　the　day；　follows
the　sufferer　into　his　room　at　night；　and　soothes；　helps　and　cures
him；　without　his　own　knowledgeyou　shall　see　how。〃

The　doctor　paused　to　take　breath　and　looked；　for　the　first　time
since　the　visitors　had　entered　the　house；　at　Miss　Gwilt。　For　the
first　time；　on　her　side；　she　stepped　forward　among　the　audience；
and　looked　at　him　in　return。　After　a　momentary　obstruction　in　the
shape　of　a　cough；　the　doctor　went　on。

〃Say；　ladies　and　gentlemen；〃　he　proceeded；　〃that　my　patient　has
just　come　in。　His　mind　is　one　mass　of　nervous　fancies　and
caprices；　which　his　friends　（with　the　best　possible　intentions）
have　been　ignorantly　irritating　at　home。　They　have　been　afraid　of
him；　for　instance；　at　night。　They　have　forced　him　to　have
somebody　to　sleep　in　the　room　with　him；　or　they　have　forbidden
him；　in　case　of　accidents；　to　lock　his　door。　He　comes　to　me　the
first　night；　and　says：　'Mind；　I　won't　have　anybody　in　my
room！''Certainly　not！''I　insist　on　locking　my　door。''By　all
means！'　In　he　goes；　and　locks　his　door；　and　there　he　is；　soothed
and　quieted；　predisposed　to　confidence；　predisposed　to　sleep；　by
having　his　own　way。　'This　is　all　very　well；'　you　may　say；　'but
suppose　something　happens；　suppose　he　has　a　fit　in　the　night；
what　then？'　You　shall　see！　Hallo；　my　young　friend！〃　cried　the
doctor；　suddenly　addressing　the　sleepy　little　boy。　〃Let's　have　a
game。　You　shall　be　the　poor　sick　man；　and　I'll　be　the　good
doctor。　Go　into　that　room　and　lock　the　door。　There's　a　brave　boy！
Have　you　locked　it？　Very　good！　Do　you　think　I　can't　get　at　you　if
I　like？　I　wait　till　you're　asleepI　press　this　little　white
button；　hidden　here　in　the　stencilled　pattern　of　the　outer
wallthe　mortise　of　the　lock　inside　falls　back　silently　against
the　door…postand　I　walk　into　the　room　whenever　I　like。　The　same
plan　is　pursued　with　the　window。　My　capricious　patient　won't　open
it　at　night；　when　he　ought。　I　humor　him　again。　'Shut　it；　dear
sir；　by　all　means！'　As　soon　as　he　is　asleep；　I　pull　the　black
handle　hidden　here；　in　the　corner　of　the　wall。　The　window　of　the
room　inside　noiselessly　opens；　as　you　see。　Say　the　patient's
caprice　is　the　other　wayhe　persists　in　opening　the　window　when
he　ought　to　shut　it。　Let　him！　by　all　means；　let　him！　I　pull　a
second　handle　when　he　is　snug　in　his　bed；　and　the　window
noiselessly　closes　in　a　moment。　Nothing　to　irritate　him；　ladies
and　gentlemenabsolutely　nothing　to　irritate　him！　But　I　haven't
done　with　him　yet。　Epidemic　disease；　in　spite　of　all　my
precautions；　may　enter　this　Sanitarium；　and　may　render　the
purifying　of　the　sick…room　necessary。　Or　the　patient's　case　may
be　complicated　by　other　than　nervous　maladysay；　for　instance；
asthmatic　difficulty　of　breathing。　In　the　one　case；　fumigation　is
necessary；　in　the　other；　additional　oxygen　in　the　air　will　give
relief。　The　epidemic　nervous　patient　says；　'I　won't　be　smoked
under　my　own　nose！'　The　asthmatic　nervous　patient　gasps　with
terror　at　the　idea　of　a　chemical　explosion　in　his　room。　I
noiselessly　fumigate　one　of　them；　I　noiselessly　oxygenize　the
other；　by　means　of　a　simple　Apparatus　fixed　outside　in　the　corner
here。　It　is　protected　by　this　wooden　casing；　it　is　locked　with　my
own　key；　and　it　communicates　by　means　of　a　tube　with　the　interior
of　the　room。　Look　at　it！〃

With　a　preliminary　glance　at　Miss　Gwilt；　the　doctor　unlocked　the
lid　of　the　wooden　casing；　and　disclosed　inside　nothing　more
remarkable　than　a　large　stone　jar；　having　a　glass　funnel；　and　a
pipe　communicating　with　the　wall；　inserted　in　the　cork　which
closed　the　mouth　of　it。　With　another　look　at　Miss　Gwilt；　the
doctor　locked　the　lid　again；　and　asked；　in　the　blandest　manner；
w