The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1898-11-25
THE LEG.

Thevenet was known far and wide for
skill in his profession. 1t was indeed no
uncommon thing for him to be called in
consultation to England. He had served
long in the army. There was something
bearish in his manner, yet it was impoS-
sible not to love him for his goodness of
heart.
He wondered good deal over the letter.
Time, place and hour were designated
with the greatest exactness, but there was
no sort of signature.
"Some fool is trying to send me on q
wild goose chase, thought he and did not
go.
Three days later he received the same
request in yet more pressing terms, with
the addition that at o'clock the next day
a carriage would stop for him at the door.
And in fact at the stroke of 9neXt morn
ing there appeared at the door handsome
open carriage.
He made no further objection, but got
into 1t, saying to the coachman, ITO
whom are you taking me?"
The man answered in English, with
things unknown to me l ain not con-
cerned."
You arc rascal, " retorted the surgeon.
The carriage stopped at length before a
country villa.
"Who lives here? Who Is Ill here?'
Thevcnet asked again, but he received the
same answer.
At the house door he was met by a hand
some young man, perhaps eight and
twenty years of age, who conducted him
up the stairway and into large apart
ment. His accent betraying that he was a
Briton, ThCvenet addressed him in Eng
lish.
ut is you who have sent for me?' he
said
Il am very grateful for the trouble you
have taken on my account, replied the
young fellow pray be seated. Here AT
chocolate, coffee and wine in case you de-
sire some rcfrcshment before the opera
ton"
First show me the invalid, sir.
must examine the injury to see whether
Gmputation is necessary.
At is necessary, NJ. Thevenet. Be seat
ed. have every confidence in you. Listen
to me. Here is a purse containing 1Ot
guineas. 1t is your payment for the oper
alton you are about to undertake. If you
accomplish it successfully, there is moth
ing more to be said. In the opposite case
or if you refuse, here is u loaded pistol
You aro in my power, and, On me, but
III shoot you down"
"SiT, am not afraid of your pistol
But what do you want? Out with it with
out preface! What am to do here?"
You must cut OFF my right leg"
with all my neart sir, and YOU
head, too, if you wish it. But if l am moi
mistaken the leg seems to be perfectly
sound. You ran up the steps like ropt
dancer. What ails your leg:"
Nothing. But ! wish TO be rid of it. ;
sir, you are Il fool"'
THAT need not trouble you, monsieur
Glow has that handsome leg sinned
against your"
I'm no way. But have you made III
your mind to rid me of it?''
Sir, l do not know you. At least
bring me witnesses that you are otherwise
Of sound mind"
''Win you fulfill my request, N. The
venet?"
Eyes, sir, as soon rs you give mo rea-
sonable grounds for thus manning you"
II cannot now tell you the truth-per
haps after a year. But l will wager, sir,
l will wager that at the end of that time
you yourself will confess that my reasons
were the noblest.
Il will wager nothing unless you tell
me your name, your residence, your occu-
patton -
You shall know all hereafter. l beg
you to believe me a man of honor"
"a man of honor does not threaten his
physician with pistols. l have duties to-
ward even you, stranger. I will not
cripple you unnecessarily. If you wish to
become the assassin Of an innocent man.
then shoot
GOOD, monsieurr' said the Briton,
picking up the pistol II will not shoot
you, but l will force you nevertheless to
take off my leg. What you will not do
out of kindness for me or from desire of
reward, or from fear of bullet, you
must do for me out of pity"
"How so, sir?"
Il will myself shatter it with shot
and he seated himself and placed the Inuz-
zle of the pistol directly over his knee.
Thevenet sprang toward him to restrain
him.
''Do not touch me" cried the young
man, "or l will pull the trigger! Only
answer me one question. Will you need
lcssly increase and lcngthen my sUfTering?'
"Sir, you are fool! But will do your
will. will take your leg off. ~
GNcry LulHR WAS IHaue Teluy LOT tdt'
operation As soon az 1t began the Eng
lishman lit his pipe and swore it should
not go out He kept his word. The leg
lay dead on the floor, and he continued to
smoke
Thevenet finished the business like q
master. The invalid was healed in a re-
markably short time. He paid the sur
geon, whom he treasured moro highly ev-
cry day thanked him with tears of JOY for
the loss of his leg and sailed for England
with wooden leg.
Some IS weeks after his departure from
the house Iheyenet received letter from
England whose contents were as follows:
Please accept inclosed draft Tor 200 guincas.
You have made me the happiest mortal on
earth by freeing me from the limb which was
the hiudrance to my earthly bliss. Brave mani
You shall know now the cause of my foolish
whim, as you termed it. You believed then
there could be no sensible ground for such
self mutilation. l offered to bet with you.
You did well not TO take it. After my second
return from the East Indies became acQuaint-
ed with Emily Harley, the most perfect WON
an III the world. ! adorcd her
Ny relatives were attracted by her property
and her family, but l only by her beauty and
her heavenly disposition.
Joined the throng of her admirers All, my
dear Thevenet | was happy enough to become
the unhaupicst Of these rivalSl She loved me
me above nll men. She did not disguise it.
Yet she rejected me for that very reason. In
vain begged for her hand. In vain her par.
ents and her friends begged for me. She re.
manned immoyablc. For long time ! failed
to guess the reason Of her aversion to Il union
with me- whom she admitted she loved to des-
pcTation.
One Of her sisters at last betrayed the secret.
Miss Harley was a miracle Of beauty, but had
the misfortune to have been born with but one
leg and feared to become my wife because OF
this imperfection. She trembled lest it might
cause a revulsion Of feeling in me when knew
the truth.
My decision was instantly taken. / would
become like her. Thanks to you did so.
came back to London and fastened to see Miss
Harley.
] had written beforehand to England that
had broken my leg by fall from horse, and
that it had been amputatcd. l received uni
versal pity. Emily fell in swoon when she
first saw me. She was long inconsolable.