The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1888-09-07
The Treasure Of FraIlchard.
By ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON.

by kUbEhI LUUlS SI6VhN6UN.
The doctors system Of hygiene strikinpl,
conceded with his tastes; and his picture O
o perfect life was faithful description O
the one he was leading at the time. But it Il
easy to convince a boy, whom you suppl,
with all the facts for the discussion. Ant
besides there was one thing admirable in th,
philosophy, and that was the enthusiasm Of
the philosopher. There was never any one
more vigorously determined to be pleased
and IL he was not great logician, and &C
had no right to convince the intellect, he
was certainly something of a poet, and had
fascination to seduce the heart. What he
could not achieve In his customary humor of
radiant admiration of himself and his cir.
cumstances, he sometimes effected in his fits
Of gloom.
"Boy," he would say, "avoid me TODAY. II
were superstitious, should even beg for an
interest in your prayers. am in the black
IT.; the evil spirit of King Saul, the hag of
the merchant Abudah, the personal devil Of
the medieval monk, is with me-is in me. "
tapping on his breast. "The vices of nv ma
ture are now uppermost; innocent pleasures
WOO me in vain; long for Paris, for my
wallowing in the mire. See," he continued,
producing handful of silver, II denude
myself, l am not to he trusted with the price
of fare. Take it, keep it for me, squander
1t on deleterious candy, throw it in the deep
est river-I will homologate your action.
Save me from that part of myself which I
disown. If you see me falter, do not hesi-
tate; if necessary, wreck the train! speak,
of course, by a parable. Any extremity were
better than for me to reach Paris alive"
Doubtless the doctor enjoyed these little
scenes, as a variation in his part; they repre-
sented the Byronic element in the somewhat
artificial poetry of his existence; but to the
boy, though he was dimly aware of their
theatricality, they represented more. The
doctor made perhaps too little, the boy pos
sibly too much, of the reality and gravity Of
these temptations.
One day great light shone for jean Marie.
"Could not riches be used well?' he asked.
"In theory, yes" replied the doctor. "But
it is found in experience that no one does SO.
All the world imagine they will be excep-
tional when they grow wealthy; but possess
sion is debasing, new desires spring up; and
the silly taste for ostentation eats out the
heart of pleasure"
"Then you might be better if you had less, !"
said the boy.
"Certainly not" replied the doctor; but
his voice quavered as he spoke.
"WhyY' demanded pitiless innocence.
DR.. Desprez saw all the coors of the rain
bow in moment; the stable universe ap-
peared to be about capsizing with him. "Be-
cause" said he-affecting deliberation after
an obvious pause-'because I have formed
my life for my present income. 1t is not
g.. 49, l. L.,
discovered from their habits"
That was sharp brush. The doctor
breathed hard, and fell into taciturnity for
the afternoon. AS for the boy, he was de-
lighted with the resolution of his doubts;
even wondered that he had not foreseen the
obvious and conclusive answer. His faith
in the doctor was a stout piece of goods.
Desprez was inclined to be a sheet in the
winds eye after dinner, especially after
Rhine wine, his favorite weakness. He
would then remark ON the warmth of his
feeling for Anastasie, and with infiamed
cheeks and loose, fustered smile, bate
upon all sorts of TOPICS and be feebly and
indiscreetly witty. But the adopted stable
boy would not permit himself to entertain
doubt that savored of ingratitude. 1t is
quite true that man may be a second father
to you, and yet take too much to drink; but
the best natures are ever slew X aecept raeh
truths.
The doctor thoroughly possessed his heart,
but perhaps he exaggerated his influence
over his mind. Certainly Jean Marie
adopted some of his masters opinions, but
have yet to learn that he ever surrendered
one of his own. Convictions existed in him
by divine right; they were virgin, un-
wrought, the brute metal of decision He
could add others indeed, but he could not put
away; neither did he care if they were per-
fectly agreed among themselves; and his
spiritual pleasures had nothing to do with
turning them over or justifying them in
words Words were with him mere accom-
plishment, like dancing. When he was by
himself, his pleasures were almost vegetable.
He would slip into the woods toward Acheres
and sit in the mouth of a cave among gray
birches His soul stared straight out of his
eyes; he did not move or think, sunlight,
thin shadows moving in the wind, the edge
of frs against the sky, occupied and bound
his faculties. He was pure unity, spirit
wholly distracted. A single mood filled him,
to which all the objects of sense contributed,
as the colors Of the spectrum merge and dis
appear in white light.
So while the doctor made himself drunk
with words, the adopted stable boy bemused
himself with silence.