Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-03-04

by Margaret Eleanor Neall
VI.
The wheels Of the coupe were presently
heard in the silent court, and almost in.
stsntly Octave entered thunderstruck
when the doctor pointed to the motionless
figure Of the Count Olaf Labinski stretched
on a divan ard to all appearances dead.
For an instant he thought only of murder,
and was dumb with horror but after a
minute examination he saw the young
mans chest rise aud fall with an almost in
perceptible respiration.
See" said the doctor, I" here is your
disguise in readiness for you it is perhaps
a trifis more difficult to get into than a
domino from Bsbin. Bat Romeo, in climb
ing the balcony at Verona, gave no thought
to the danger of breaking his neck he
knew that Juliet awaited him, and the
Countess Plascovie Labinski surely merits
a greater sacrifice than even the daughter
of the House Of Capulet."
Octave, a good deal disturbed and ex-
cited by the extraordinary situation, made
no reply; he was watching the Count,
who, lying with his head thrown back on
the cushion was like one of those effigies
of cheyaliers lying on their tombs in old
Gothic cloisters. The thought of dispos-
sessing this noble, beautiful figure of the
soul that animated it filled him, in spite of
himself, with remorse.
Nj. de Cherbonneau, installing bi4 pre-
occupation for hesitation, smiled disdain-
fully, saying, If you hesitate, 1 can
wake the Count, who will go as he came,
astounded at my wonderful magnetic
power; but, think well such an oppor-
tunity may never again present itself.
Nevertheless, notwithstanding my interest
in you and my desire to make an expert
ment never before attempted in Europe, it
is my duty to say to you that this ex-
change of souls is not without danger.
Question your heart. Are you willing to
risk your life on this last card %
81 am ready" answered Octave quietly.
"Brave, young man !" cried the doctor,
rubbing his brown, dry hands with extra
ordinary rapidity, as If trying to produce
fame after the manner OF savages this
passion which shrinks from nothing and
dares everything delights me. There are
really but two things of any Importance in
this world passion and viii. If you are
not happy the fault will not be mine. All !
my old Brahma Logum, you shall see that
l have not forgotten the all.powerful
formula you whispered hoarsely into my
ear when you set yourself free from your
shrunken carcass Every word, every
gesture, is fresh in my memory have
them all To work to work Seat your
self there, directly fronting me, in this
fauteuil yield yourself absolutely to me
to my power; that is right eye to eye,
hand to hand. Already the charm begins
to work. All ideas of time and space are
passing away all consciousness of self is
effaced his lids close the muscles, re-
ceiving no orders from the brain, relax
the mind is dulled /; all the delicate threads
connecting the soul with the body are
gradually severed. Brahma in the golden
egg, where he dreamed for ten thousand
years, was not more entirely removed from
the outside world. Saturate him in mag
netic efiiuyia, battle him in electric rays -
While muttering these dis oiI .ed phrases,
the doctor never for one instant ceased his
passes. From his extended hands burst
forth slender Jets of fame, which formed
over the brow or heart of his subject,
around whom gradually formed visible
atmosphere, phosphorescent like an aureole.
Tres bien !" exclaimed NJ. Balthazar
Cherbonneau, delighted with his success.
This is just as l hoped. Hal What is
this what is it which opposes me {" be
exclaimed, after a pause. as if reading in
Octave's brain the final effort OF the ego to
assert itself before yielding to utter annihi-
lation. What is this rebelious idea,
which, driven from the convolutions of the
brain, is endeavoring to flee from my in
huence and attach itself to the primitive
nomad, the center of vital force | know
well enough how to seize and control it. "
And charging still more powerfully the
electric battery OF his glance, be hunted
down this involuntary rebellion, mastering
it between the base of the cerebellum, and
the insertion OF the spinal column, the
inner sanctuary, the mysterious temple of
the soul His triumph was now complete
He then prepared solemnly for the awful
experiment he was about to undertake
Arraying himself in long linen robe, he
washed his hands in perfumed water, read
two or three stanzas from sacred poems,
carefully observing all the minute cere-
monial prescribed by the SanayaSi of the
grotto of Elephanta.
At the conclusion OF these rites he opened
wide every avenue of heat, filling the
apartment with an atmosphere so fiery that
the very tigers in their jungles would have
tainted and shrivelled. "The greatest
precautions must be observed before expos.
ing these two sparks of divine light to our
glacial air. and he glanced at the Their.
mometer, then indicating 100 fahrenheit
Approaching the motionless Count Olaf, be
pronounced the fatal syllable, repeating it
instantly over the unconscious figure of
Octave.
A. this moment the whole person of the
grotesoue little doctor was imbued with a
sort of majestic dignity. The conscious.
ness of power ennobled his insignificant
ugly features, and, in the solemn perform
ance Of these mysterious rites, with a
sacerdotal gravity, he no longer presented
an irresistible temptation to the pencil of
a csricatur1st.
Tnen followed an extraordinary thing !:
Octave de Saville and the Count Olaf La.
binski were simultaneously agitated by
agonizing convulsions their features were
drawn and pale with the paleness of death ;
while two little blush flames trsmbied and
auivered uncertainty over their heads. a
rapid gesture from the doctor as il defin.
ing their direction through the air, and the
two phosphorescent sparks put themselves
liz motion. and leaving behind them a line
of light, each reached it's new dwelling
plsce the soul OF Octave occupying the
body of the Count Labinski, the soul of
the Count Labinski the body of Octave
The transmigration was accomplished.
A little flush of color on the cheek bones
indicated that life was returning to the
senseless clay, which. souilcss for several
seconds, might have fallen a prey to the
Angel OF Death, in whose presence the
doctor would have been powerless.
With The joy of triumphant success
cleaning liz his strange blue eyes, DE-
Cherbonneau, walking rapidly up and down
the room, exclaimed "Let any of the
most skillful physicians do this-they who
ere SO proud of patching up and mending
the machinery OF the human watch when
IL is out of orderi Hippocrates, GalsE.
Boerhaave, Hahnemann, the most insignifi-
cant fakir of India, crouched On the step
of pagoda, lie thousand times wiser than
all of you OF what consequences is the
body when one has power over the soul
Nov csr sleepers must be walked, ne