Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-06-13
CHAPTER w,
THE EDUCATION OF A PHILOSOPHER


The installation Of the adopted stable boy
was thus happily effected, and the wheels
of life continued to run smoothly in the doc
tors house. jean Marie did his horse and
carriage duty in the morning; sometimes
helped in the housework; sometimes walked
abroad with the doctor, to drink wisdom
from the fountain head; and was introduced
at night to the sciences and the dead tongues.
He retained his singular placidity Of mind
and manner; he was rarely in fault; but he
made only a very partial progress in his
studies, and remained much Of a stranger in
the family.
The doctor was pattern of regularity.
All forenoon he worked on his great book,
the Comparative Pharmacopoia, or His
torical Dictionary of all Medicines, p which
as yet consisted principally of slips of paper
and pins. When finished, it was to fill many
personable volumes and to combine anti
quarian interest with professional utility
But the doctor was studious of literary graces
and the picturesque; an anecdote, a touch of
manners, "a moral qualification, or a sound
ing epithet was sure to be preferred before a
piece of science; little more, and he would
have written the Comparative Pharma-
cop9ia" In verse! The article "Mummia,n
for instance, was already complete, though
the remainder of the work had not progressed
beyond the letter A. 1t was exceedingly
copious and entertaining, written with
uuaintness and color, exact, erudite, lit
srary article; but it would hardly have af-
forded guidance to a practicing physician Of
today. The feminine good sense Of his wife
had led her to point this out with uncom-
promising sincerity; for tie dictionary was
duly read aloud to her, betwixt sleep and
waking, as it proceeded toward an infinitely
distant completion; and the doctor was a lit
tie sore on the subject of mummies, and some
times resented all allusion with asperity.
After the midday meal and proper pc
riod Of digestion he walked, sometimes alone,
sometimes accompanied by Jean -Marie for
madame would have preferred any hardship
rather than walk.
She was, as have said, very busy per-
son, continually occupied about material
comforts and ready to drop asleep over a
novel the instant she was disengaged. This
was the less Objectionable, as she never
snored or grew distempered in complexion
when she slept. On the contrary, she looked
the very picture of luxurious and appeti2ing
ease, and woke without a start to the perfect
possession Of her faculties. am afraid she
was greatly an animal, but she was very
nice animal to have about. In this way shS
had little to do with Jean-Marie; but the
sympathy which had been established between
them on the first night remained unbroken.
They held occasional conversations, mostly
on household matters. To the extreme disap-
pointment of the doctor, they occasionally
sailed OFF together to that temple Of debas-
ing superstition, the village church, Madame
and he, both in their Sundays best, drove
twice a month to Fontainebleau and re-
turned laden with purchases, and, in short,
although the doctor still continued 10 regard
them as irreconcilably antipathetic, their re-
lation was as intimate, friendly and conf
Dental as their natures suffered. ,-''s
fear, however, that In her heart Of hearts,
madame kindly despised and pitied the boy.
She had no admiration for his class of yir'
tues: she liked "a smart, polite, forward
roguish sort of boy, cap in hand, light ol
foot, meeting the eye; she liked Volubillty
charm, little vice-the promise OF a second
DIR. Desprez And it was her indefeasibl'
belief that Jean-Marie was dull. Poor deal
boy,n she had said once, show sad 1t is thai
he should be so stupid" She had never re
peated that remark, for the doctor had ragec
ike wild bull, denouncing the brutal blunt
ness Of her mind, bemoaning his own fate Il
he so uuequally mated with an ass, and, wha
touched Anastasie more nearly, menacinl
the table ehiHa-by the fury of his gesticula
tions. But she adhered silently TO her opin
ion: and when Jean Marie was sitting, stolid
blank, but not unhappy, over his unfinishe'
tasks, she would snatch her opportunity il
the doctors absence, 60 over 10 him, put he
arms about his neck, lay her cheek To his
and communicate her sympathy with hi
distress. "po not mind" aha would saw