The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1870-02-18

my MEDICAL practice to doubt whether we can
justifiably infer-in cases Of delrium-thzt the
loss of the faculty Of speaking connccteily i'm
plies ofnece-sty the loss OF the faculty Of think
ing as well. Poor Mr.. Candy's illness gave me
an opportunity Of putting this doubt tot test.
I undertand the art Of writing in shorthand !;
and was able TO take down the patients swan
derings' exactly as they fell from his lips. Do
you sec. Mr.. Blake, what l am coming to at
astl'
I saw Il clearly. and waited with breathless
interest TO hear more.
AT odds and ends Of time Ezra Jennings
went on, Il reproduced my. shorthand notes, in
the ordinary form Of writing-lcaying large
spaces between the broken phrases, and even
the single words, as they had fallen discounect-
elly from Mr.. Candy's lips. then treated the
result thus obtained on something like the prin-
eiple which one adopts in putting together q
child's 'purrle.' Il is all confusion to begin
with but il may be all brought into order and
shape, II you can only find the right way Act
ing on this plan, filed in the blank spaces on
the paper with what the words or phrases on
either side OF il suggested 10 me as the speakers
meaning altering over and over again, until
my additions followed naturally into the spoken
woris which came after them.
'One word = interposed, eagerly. Did my
name occur in any Of his wanderingsl'
'You shall hear, Mr.. Blake. Among my
written proofs Of the assertion which have just
alyance,i-or. ought 10 say, among the writ
ten experiments, tending to put my assertion TO
the proof-there IS one, in which your name oc-
ours. For nearly the whole Of one night Mr..
Candy's mind was occupied with something be-
tween himself and you. have got the broken
words, as they dropped from his lips, on one
sheet Of paper. And have got the links Of
my own discovering. which connect those words
together, on another sheet Of paper. The prod
uct (as the arithmeticians would say) is an in
tclligible statement-hrst, Of something actually
done in the past secondly, Of something which
Mr.. Candy contemplated doing in the future, II
his illness hal not got in the way and stopped
him. The question is whether this docs, or does
not, represent the lost recollection which he
yainly attempted to find when you called on
him this morning,'
had but one answer TO make TO that appeal.
without moments hesitation l told him the
truth unreservedly rs have told ii in these
pages.
lie started TO his fee., and looked at me with
brcathless eagerness as approached the leading
incident Of my story.
III IS certain that went into the room.'
said ii is certain that took the Diamond.
can only meet those two plain facts by declar-
ing that, 10 what | might, did II without my
own knowledge. You may believe that I have
spoken the truth
Ezra Jennings caught me excitcily by the
arm.
'Stop!' he said. you have suggested more
to me than you suppose. Have you ever been
accustomed TO the use Of opiuml'
Il never tasted il in my If
'Werc your nerves out Of order at this time
lsst year, Were you unusually restless and ir-
ritablei'
sYes'
Did you sleep badly
'wretchedly. Many nights never slept a,
ALL
was the birthday night an exception Try
and remember. Did you sleep well ON that one
ocblson''
L do remember! 1 slept sOundly.'
lie dropped my arm Us suddenly as he had
taken it-and looked at me with the air Of a
Of man whose mind was relieved Of the last
doubt that rested ON It.
This is marked day in your life and In
nine he said. grayely. am absolutely GER
tain, Mr.. Blake, Of one thlng-I have got what
Mr.. Candy wantei TO say To you, this morning
in the notes that took at my patients bedside
Give me two hours from this time, and call ai
Mr. Csnd'ys again-and will engage to b
ready for yOu,'