The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1846-01-06

tent still alive. After feeling the pulse and
APPLYING mirror to the lips, he requested me
to speak to the sleep-waker again. did SO,
saying:
M. Valdemar, do you still sleep ?"
As before, some minutes elapsed ere re-
DIV was made; aud during the interval the
diving man seemed to be collecting his ener-
gies TO speak, Atmy fourth repetition OF the
question, be said very family, almost inaudi-
bly,:
Yes; still asleep-dying."
TWAS now the opinion, or rather the wish,
of the physicians, that nj. Valdemar should
be suffered to remain undsturbed IN his PIES
ent apparently tranquil condition, until death
should supervene and this, it was generally
agreed, must now take place within lew
minutes. concluded, however. 10 speak 10
him once more, and merely repeated my pre-
vious question.
While | spoke, there came marked
change over the countenance OF the sleep
walker. The eyes rolled themselves slowly
open, the pupils disappearing upwardly; the
skin generally assumed a cadsversus hue,
resembling not SO much parchment as white
paper; and the circular hectic spots which,
hitherto, had been strongly defined IN the cen
tire ofe7ch cheek, loent out al once. use TINS
expression, because the suddenness OF their
departure put me in mind Of nothing so much
as the extingushment of a candle by pun oil
the breath. The upper lip, at the same tIme'
wrthcd itself away from the teeth, which 1t
had previously covered completely; while
The lower jaw fell with sn audible jerk, leav-
ing the mouth widely extended. and dlsclo-
sing in full view the swollen and blackened
tongue. / presume that no member oil the
party then present had been unaccustomed TO
death-bed horrors; but so hideous beyord
conception was the appearance OF NJ. Waldo
mar at this moment, that there was general
shrinking back from the region of the bed.
| now feel that have reached point OF
this narrative at which every reader will be
startled into positive disbelief. 1t ismy bust
ness. hooever, simply 10 proceed.
There was no longer the fainIest sign OF VI
talty in NJ. Vade mar; and concluding him
TO be dead, we were consigning him to the
charge Of the nurses, when d strong vibratory
motion was observable in the tongue. This
continued for perhaps minute. AT the ex-
piraliun of this period, there issued from the
distended and motionless jaws voce-such
as it would be madness in me TO attempt de-
scribng. There are, indeed, Two or three
epitheis which mig hit he considered as appli-
cable to i, in part; mi ght say, for example,
that the sound was harsh, and broken and
hollow; but the hideous Whole is indescrlba
BILE, for the simple reason that no similar
sounds have ever Jared upon the ear OF hu-
mainly. There were two particulars, never
theless. which | thought then, and still think
might fairly be stated as characteristic OF the
intonaliOn-as well adapted TO convey some
idea Of its unearthly peculiarly. In the firs
place, the voice seemed TO reach our ears-ai
least mne-irom a vast distance. or from
some deep cavern within the earth. In the
second place, it impressed me Il fear, indeed
that it will be impossible to make myself
conprehendedD as gelatinous or glutinous
matters impress the sense oftouch.
have spoken both of sound of "voice."
| mean TO say that the sound was one of dis
linct-of even wonderfully. tllilingly distinct
rehabilitation. NJ. Valdemar spoke-ob-
viously in reply TO the question mad pro-
pounded TO him few minutes before. had
asked him, il will he remembered, if he still
slept. lie now said:
Yes ;-ne;-I hare been sleepins-and
dead"
No~persen present even affected TO deny, or
attempted to rcpress, the unuttei able, shud-
dering horror which these few words, thus
uttered, were so well calculated TO convey
Mr.. IL {the suddenly swooned. The
nurses Immediately left The chamber, and
could not be induced TO return. My own
impressions l would not pretend 10 render
ineligible to the reader. For nearly an
hour, we busted ourselves, silently-without
the uttefance of a word-in endeavors TO re-
vive Mr.. Il. When he came TO himself.
we r-ssed ourselves again TO an investiga-
ton of NJ. Valdemar's condition.
1t remained in ali respects as have last de-
scribed it, With The exception that the mirror
no longer afforded evidence of respIratlOD.-
An attempt to draw blood from the arm fail
ed. | should mention, too, that this limb
was no father subject TO my will. ! endeav-
ored in vain to make il follow the direction Of
my hand. The only real indication, indeed,
of the mesmeric influence, was now found in
the vibratory movement of the tongue, when
ever / addressed Nj. Valdemar qeestion-
He seemed TO be making an effort at reply,
but had no longer sufficient volition. 10
queries put 10 him by any other person than
myself he seemed utterly reconsideration
| endeavored TO place each member oil the
company in mesmeric rapport with bin.
believe that have now related all that is nee
essary to an understanding the sleep-wa-
ker's state at this epoch. Other nurses were
procured; and at ten O'Clock | left the house
in company with the two physicians and Mr.
II.
In the afternoon we all called again to see
fhe patient. His condition remained precise
ly the same. We had now some discussion
as to the propriety and feasibility OF awaken
ing him; but we had little difficulty in agree
ing that no good purpose would be served by
so doing. 1t was evident that, so far, death
Tor what is usually termed death) had been
arrested oy the mesmerc process. Ii seemed
clear to us all that TO awaken NJ. Valdenar
would be merely to insure his instant, or al
least his speedy dissolution.
From this perosi until the close of last
week-dn internal O nearly sercn monfhs-we
continued to make daily calls at NJ. Valde
mars house, accompanied, now and then, by
medical and other friends. All this time the
sleeP-waker remained erdctly as have last
described him. The nurses attentions were
continual.
1t was on Friday last that we finally resol-
we'd 10 make the experiment of awakening. or
attempting to awaken him and it is the (per-
haps) unfortunate result Of this latter expert