, 1882-02-24

| doubt di,agrceuu,c apprehension, he
returned, advancing and taking Il seat on
! the sofa opposite me, where for few
moments he sat and eyed me from head
to foot with a strange gllttoring light in
| his eyes that myoterouSly impressed me.
You have II RENAL kably fine physique,
madam" he observed quietlv-"one
that might deceive the eyes of Il most
skilled aud prac'iccd physician. Do yon
suffer much pain?'
Unable to speak, I shook my head \
terrible suspicion was creeping over me.
was alone. miles away from aid or
rescue, with mWlmln.
"Ah,' he confirmed. retlectiveIy,
"Your husband may have mistaken II
! um5r for Il cancer. Allow me to feel
your pulse" he said, rising and bending
over me.
| thought it was the best to humor
him, remembering il was uuwise for
helpless woman 20 oppose the rs yet
| harmless freak Cf lunatic. He took
ont his watch. shook his bead fravely,
laid my hand down gently, then went
toward the study, where on the table was
an open case of surgical Instruments.
"Do not be alarmed madam he said
! to me, as | was about to rise and fee, and
in another instant he was by my side,
with the case in his possession.
Involuntarily | raised my head and
cried Spare me, oh, spare me, l be-
seech you r
Madam |" he said sternly, clasping
my wrist with his long, sinewy fingers,
with grip of steel, you behave like
child. have no time to parley, for |
have received letter from the Emperor
of the French, stating that he is desirous
of my attendance. must start for Eu-
rope Immediately after performing the
operation on your breast, and, before [
could make the slightest resistance, he
had me in his arms and was carrying me
into the study, where was long surgical
table covered with green baize. On this
he laid me, and holding me down with
one hand, with the strength of a maniac,
he brought forth several long leather
straps, which bore evidence Of having re-
Gently been cut, and with which he Sc
cured me to the table with the skill of an
expert. 1t was but the work of a mo-
ment to unloose my robes and bare my
bosom. Then, after carefully examining
my left breast, he said
Madam, your husband has made a
mistake. L find no necessity for my in
tended operation"
At this 1 gave q long-drawn sigh of
relief, and prepared to rise.
"But," he continued, Il have made
the discovery that your heart is as large
as that of an OK | will remove 1t so
that you can see for yourself: reduce it
TO its natural size by a curious process of
my own, unknown to medical science,
and Of which | am sole discoverer, then
replace it again"
He began to examine the edge of the
cruel knife, on which / closed my eyes,
while every nerve was in a perceptible
tremor.
THE mechanism of the heart is like
watch" he resumed; "if it goes too
fast the great blood vessel that supplies
the force must be stopped, like the lever
of watch, and the works must he
cleaned and repaired and regulated 1t
may interest you to know that L was pres
ent at the post mortem examination held
over the remains of the beautiful Louisa
of Prussia, Had been consulted be-
fore her death, | would have saved her
| by taking out her heart and removing
the polypi, in which it was wedged as if
in vice, but was called too late. The
King and 1 had little difference; he
was German, am French. trust this
is sufficient explanation"
He now bent over me, his long, white
beard brushing my face. l opened my
eyes beseechingly, trying to think of
some way to save myself. "Oh, sir,
give NE an anesthetic, that l may not
feel the pain" | pleaded.
Indeed, indeed, madam, would
would comply with your wish were you
not the wife of physician-of skillful
surgeon. wish you to note with what
ease | perform this difficult operation so
that you may tell your husband Of the
great savant whose services he secured
fortunately in season."
AS he said this, he made the final test
of the knife on his thumb. How prec-
| ious were the moments now They were
| heeting all too fast, and yet an eternity
seemed compressed in every one, never
tainted in my life, and never felt less
like swooning than now, as l summoned
all my presence OF mind to delay the
fearful moment, fervently praying in the
meantime for my husbands return.
Doctor" said 1, with assumed COM
posure, II have the utmost confidence
in your skill; 1 would not trust my life
to another but, doctor, you have for
gotten to bring a napkin to staunch the
blood. If you will have the goodness
to ascend to my sleeping chamber at the
right of the hall you will find every.
thing you need for that purpose in the
bureau
JAh MADAM, ~ no said ahokinor his