Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1881-03-12
WHOLE NUMBER, 494.

put it. When it came to the turn OF
the second physician he differed with
the first as absolutely as one man can
differ with an.ther. The third medi-
cal authority, your friend the surgeon,
took medical course and brought the
consultation to an end by com hining
the first physicians view and the second
physicians view and mingling the two
opposite forms of treatment in ono
harmonious result y
Lord Loring remarked that this was
not a very respectful way of describing
the conclusion of the medical proceed
ings. That it was the conclusion, how
ever, he could not honestly deny.
GAS long as I am right" said Bo-
mayne, "nothing else appears to be
of much importance. As l told you at
the time, the second physician appeared
to me to be the only one of the three
authorities who really understood my
case. Do you mind giving me. in a
few words, your own impression Of
what he said?"
care you sure that I shall not dis
tress you?"
"0n the contrary, you may help me
to hope"
GAS I remember it," said Lord Tor
ing, "the doctor did not deny tho in
fuence of the body over the mind. He
was quite willing to admit that tho
state OF your nervous system might be
one among other predisposing causes
which led you'll really scarcely like to
go on"
(Which led me" Romayne continued,
finishing the sentence for his friend,
to feel that never shall forgive my
sclf-accident or no accident-for hay
ing taken that mans life. Now go
on"
"The delusion that you still hear the
voice." Lord Loring proceeded, &c is, in
the doctors opinion, the moral result
of the morbid state Of your mind at tho
time when you really heard the voice on
the scene of the duel. The influence
acts physically, of course, by means of
certain nerves. But it is essentially
moral influence; and its powers over
you is greatly maintained by the self
accusing view of the circumstances
which you persist in taking. That, in
substance, is my recollection of what
the doctor said"
"And when he was asked what reme-
dies he proposed to try Romayne in
quired, "do you remember his answer?
'Tho mischief which moral influences
haze causel, mortal influences alone
can remedy. ,"
~ remember, said Lord Loring.
"And he mentioned, as examples of
what he meant, the occurrence of some
new and absorbing interest in your life,
or the working of some complete
change in your hahi's OF JhougAs--or
perhaps some influence exercised over
YOU by person previously unknown,
appearing under unforeseen circumstan-
ces, or in scenes quite new to you"
Romaync's eyes sparkled.
"Now you are coming to it 1" he
cried. "Now Gaal safa THAT I recall
correctly the last words the doctor said:
IF Mr.. Romayno follows my advice,
should not be surprised to hear that
she recovery which we all wish to see,
had found its beginning in such appar-
emily trifing circumstances as the tone
of some other PERSONS voice, or the in
fluence of some other persons look
That plain expression of his opinion
only occurred to my memory after
had written my foolish letter of excuse.
L spare you the course of other recollec-
tions that followed to come at once to
the result. For the first time have the
hope, the faint hope, that the voice
which haunts me has been once already
controlled by one of the influences of
which the doctor spoke-the influences
of u look"
IL he had said this to Lady Loring,
instead of her husband, she would have
understood him at once. Lord Loring
asked for word more of explanation. =
al told you yesterday" Romayne an
swered, "that dread of the return Of
tho voice had been present to me all the
morning, and that [ had come to see
the picture with an idea of trying if
change would relieve me. While was
in the gallery was free from the
dread and free from the voice. When
L returned to the hotel, it torture&
me-and Mr.. Penrose, 1 grieve to say,
saw that suffered. You and attrib
uted the remission to the change o.
scene. / now believe we were both
wrong. Where was the change? In
seeing you and Lady Loring saw the
two eldest friends 1 have. In visiting
your gallery I only revived the familiat
associations of hundreds of other visits.
To what influence was really indebted
for my respite? Don't try to dismiss
the question by laughing at my morbid
fancies. Morbid fancies are realities to
q man like me. Remember the doctors
mn