The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1881-03-25


wIFE,""rHELAw AND run LADY"
THE NRw MAoDALHN,"
ETC, ETC.
brings me here to disown 10. I cal
only explain my strange conduct b.
asking you to help me at the outset
viii you carry your memory bacl
to the day when the physician
consulted on my case? I wan
you to conect me il I inadvertentl,
misrepresent their opinions. Two o
them were physicians. The third an,
last was surgeon, personal friend o
yours; and he, as woll as recollect
told you how the consultation ended z
"Quite right Romayne-so far"
"The first Of the two physicians,
Romayne proceeded, "declared my cas-,
to be entirely attributable to nervou
arrangement, and to be durable b,
purely medical means He proposed
first of all, to restore 'the tone Of m,
stomach and this done, to administe
certain medicines, having q direct in
Auence ON the brain and the nervoul
system. I speak ignorantly, but, II
plain English, that I believe was tn,
substance Of what he said: e
"The substance of what he said,
Lord Loring replied, "and the sub
stance Of his prescriptions-which
think, you afterward tore upT
"If you have no faith in o prescrip
tion," said Romayne, "that is, in my
opinion, the best use to which You car
put it. When it came to the turn o.
the second physician he differed with
the first as absolutely as one man car
differ with another. The third medi.
cal authority, your friend the surgeon,
took medical course, and brought the
consultation to an end by combining
the first physician's view and the second
view and mingling the two
opposite forms Of treatment in one
harmonious result p
Lord Loring remarked that this w.
not very respectful way Of describing
the conclusion Of tie medical proceed
ings. That it was the conclusion, how
ever, he could not honestly deny.
GAS long as I am right" said Ro.
mayne, nothing else appears to bs
Of much Importance. As ! told you al
the time, the second physician appeared
to me to be the only one OF the three
authorities who res lily understood my
case. Dc you mind giving me. in {
ew words, your own impression d
what he said?" rV
care you sure that I shall not dis
tress your
"On the contrary, You may help mi
10 hope"
Gas I remember it" said Lord Lor
ing, "the doctor did not deny the in
auence of the body over the mind, HI
was quite willing to admit that ths
state Of your nervous system might bt
one among other predisposing causes
which led you Il really scarcely like te
60 on"
(Which led me. " R@ aAyne continued
finishing the sentences for his friend,
" to feel that I never rhall forgive my
self-accident or no aeeident-for hav
ing taken that mans life. Now g
on"
"The delusion that you still hear tn,
voice." Lord Loring proceeded, is, IL
the doctors opinion, the moral result
Of the morbid state OF y,ur mind at tn,
time when you really heard the voice OF
the scene Of the duel. The inAuenc,
acts physically, of COURSE, by means o
certain nerves. But it is essential,
Q moral influence; and its powers owe
you is greatly maintained by the self
accusing view Of the circumstance
which you persist in taking. That, 4
substance, is my Iecollectoa Of whA
the doctor -aid."
"And when he was lxed what rens
dies he proposed to try" Romayne in
quired, "do you remember his answer
The mischief which moral influence
have caused, mortal influences alon
can remedy"
II remember, said Lord Lorine
"And he mentioned, as examples o
what he meant, the occurrence Of som
new and absorbing interest in your life
Or the working OF some complst
change in your habits Of thought
perhaps some influence exercised owe
you by person previously unknown
appearing under unforeseen circumstaz
ces, or In scenes quite new TO you"
Romayne'- eyes sparkled.
"Now you are coming to i'll" b
, sried. "Now feel sure that recal
correctly the last words the doctor said
III Mr.. Romayne follows my advice,
should not be surprised to hear ths
the recovery which we all wish to set
had found its beginning IL sucn appal
emily trifiing circumstances as the ton
Of some other persons voice, or the II
fuence Of some other persons look
That plain expression of his opinio
only occurred to my memory after
had written my foolish letter of eIcuss
spare you the course OF other recollss
tions that followed to come at once I
the result. For the first time have III
hope, the faint hope. that the voie
which haunts me has been once alrsad
controlled by ons Of the influences ,
which the doctor spoks--ths ssdusnes
Of look" ~
II he had said this 10 Lady Lorins
instead OF her husband. she would ha,
understood him at once. Lord Lorir
asked for syqyd more Of explanation.
~ 81 tsld. you vest terday, RomAyns n
swered. "thst S'dfsad Of Ahssrsturn
the voice had been pressat 10 tneal u
morning, and that had come to Q,