The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-10-25
DOCTOR BARBERON.
The Story of a French Trial for
Murder.
CHAPTER |.

became the unwilling witness OF strange
judicial drama. Having visited the town
in question several successive years, at
the season of sea-bathing. [ had got ac-
quainted with the principal inhabitants,
and among them was a local doctor
named Barberon. He was not pleasant
man, though, having had to consult him
for member of my family, l found him
cleverer than any of his colleagues in the
place. His defects were want of gen.
iality, great irritability, and an offensive
tendency to self-assertion. lie had few
patients and fewer friends.
l used often to meet DR.. Barberon at
the club, and his shortness of temper be-
trayed itself whenever we played whist.
He could not lose without saying Often
sive things to his partner, or else he
would sulk absurdly. l thought for a
while that he cared more to win from
vanity than from interest in our small
stakes; and this idea was confirmed
when l saw that he grew savage if
thwdrted in any way. He could not Join
in discussion without trying to argue
down his opponents, and he always
had the last word, either because he
marched off impatiently without waiting
for reply, Or because his contradictors
gave in from WEAKNESS. When I first
met him he was about thirty-ive-a
strong-built man of middle height, with
clear-cut features and very bright blue
eyes. These eyes were the most remark
able things in him. Their look was hard
and restless; and when he was angry
their glare almost terrified one. | have
said that DIR. Barberon was clever
might have stated that he was a man of
genius, who but for his weaknesses would
have made his way in life, for he was an
original thinker and very we'll informed
on all matters of science. When he
spoke of things within his knowledge he
could be instructive; but if one were
carried away into temporary admiration
OF him by some brilliant dissertation in
which his genius broke out in flashes,
DIR. Barberon soon compelled antipathy
again by his insufferable egotism. He
was continually complaining that A
was no place for man of his parts, and
that he ought to be in Paris. He was
ambitious of political honors, of wealth,
and of professional renown, and pushed
himself forward as a candidate whenever
post OF any sort--whether hospital
physicianship, or seat in the municipal
council-fell vacant. Being always un-
successful, his disappointments only
soured him the more and made him
think, with the usual infatuation of vain
men, that strong party of persons jeal-
Gus of his merits were conspiring to keep
him down.
There were two men whom DIR. Bar
0eron especially hated and accused of
intriguing against him; these were the
two other practitioners in A, DR..
Legris and Dr.. Lenoir. The former was
good-humored, sly old man, very fond of
good dinners and gossip, but too secure
of his popularity to have any need for
damaging a rival; the latter was sedate,
painstaking and rather priggish young
man, who had inherited a good practice
of his father, and found quite enough to
do in attending to the patients he had
without coveting more. Both these gen.
tlemen had ceased to be on speaking
terms with Barberon, and some incon-
venience resulted in cases where it was
necessary to call third physician into
consultations for Barberon was always
that third. If the three met at the club,
DR.. Legris ignored his colleagues pres
ence and went on jesting and playing his
cards as if he were not present; but DR..
Lenoir would walk out gloomily.
Like most professional men, DIR. Bar
seron had contracted marriage de con-
venance,' setting greater store by the
dover of 100000 francs which his wife
wife had wrought him, than by the lady
herself. These marriages, or partner
ships, do not as a rule turn out badly,
for as there is no possibility of severing
them by divorce, both parties try to
make the best of their bargain, and by
dint of mutual forbearance sometimes
become fast friends, if not lovers. DR..
Barberon's wife was good little woman
who patiently bore with her husbands
infrmities of temper, and though it was
said that she was unhappy, this was mere
conjecture; for she was never heard to
utter complaint even to her own rela-
tiyes. One year whilst l was at A,
Madame Barberon, who had been ailing
for some time past, died suddenly during
a premature confinement Considering
how weak she had been of late, nobody
was much surprised, and some sympathy
was extended to her husband, who be-
haved as though he felt his bereavement
deeply. The next year, on my return to
A, | learned that DR.. Barberon was
to be married to wealthy widow of for
ty, whose influence had already procured
for him post as Inspector of Govern
ment Charities; and it was then that
those events occurred which / am about
to narrate.
A rumor arose that DR.. Barberon had
murdered his first wife in order to marry
the widow, and to obtain heavy insur-
ance. Who first breathed the suspicion
there was no saying, for nobody came
forward deliberately as an accuser: but
in an incredibly short space of time
whispering ran all over the town, and it
was hinted that Madame Barberon's BODY
ought to be exhumed. Here it should be