The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1910-02-05

III 1notlon by wires from an electric battery. Inc
examination over Dupuytren still holding the head
with both hands, turned it roughly around so as to
bring the face opposite his and, looking
straight into the two eyes, said in voice that was
low and of a sinister tone:
"WeL, Monsieur Fable, with such thing
that, the only certainty is deathr'
The priest took up the cloths that he had laid
on the chair and wrapped them quietly round his
neck without saying a word Dupuytren cycling
him sharply the whole time. When the cloths were
replaced and the knots carefully tied, the little
priest took out of his pocket a five-franc piece
wrapped in paper and laid it on the chimney.
Il am not rich, Doctor" he said with timid
smile, land my poor people very poor indeed.
Excuse me, then, if / cannot pay much better for
a consultation with the celebrated DR.. Dupuytren.
L am however, very glad to have come to see you,
and more ready than ever for what awaits
Only" he added in tones eXtreme Y sweet and gen
tie, "you could have given me this important in
formation without the slightest precaution. |
| slxty-flve, and at such age estimate the
full value of life But, doctor, your announce
ment has not surprised me the least bit. expected
it long ago, and was getting ready. Goodby, doc
tor, am going home now to die quietly"
Saluting, he disappeared and his steps were
soon heard as he slowly and with difficulty made
his way down the stairs. Dupuytren remained
standing in the room, motionless, but full of
thought His iron soul was melting; his brilliant
genius breaking to bits like brittle glass before
ing whose head he had just been holding
in his large and powerful hands. In that weak lit
tie body he had recognized a heart stronger than
his own, will more energetic than his own. He
had found being stronger than himself.
He started quickly for the stairway perhaps he
was unwilling to acknowledge himself defeated.
He soon reached the little priest, who was slowly
moving down, carefully clutching the banisters.
Monsieur PAbbe," he cried, won't you please
come back?"
The priest turned round at once and began to
ascend.
"There may be possibility of saving your life"
continued the DOCTOR f you are willing to undergo
an operation"
"A[y gracious!" cried the priest, hurrying back
to the Office and quickly getting rid of his cloak
and cane. "Why, that's the very thing [ came to
Paris for. Operate my dear doctor; operate as
much as you please"
"But attempt may be useless. The opera
ton will be long and painful, you know
Operate, operate, doctor. [ shall be able to
bear it all My poor people would be so delighted"
'Well, then, go at once to the Hotel Dieu. You
will be perfectly comfortable in the ST. Agnes ward.
The Sisters won't let you be in want of anything.
Rest there tonight and all tomorrow. On the
ing after"
"All right, doctor On the morning after it
will be- you say Thank you"
Dupuytren scrubbed few words on a paper,
which he handed to the little priest. The patient
accepted it most gratefully, and was not long in
reaching the great hospital Almost the whole
community at once focked to welcome him, and
they soon had ready little resting place provided
with every comfort. The good Sisters were indeed
almost in each others way, bringing pillows, foot
warmers, nightcaps, fruits and other dainties rel
shed by invalids The little priest felt himself I'M
able to express his gratitude but rested well that
night and all the next day.
On the morning after, the medical students
numbering five six hundred that attended the
clinics Of the great master every day were hardly
assembled when Dupuytren arrived. Closely fol-
lowed by the imposing crowd, he went directly to
the priests bed and the operation began.
The operator cut and carved and separated with
knife and scissors His steel forceps plunged into
the depths of the wound, Selling and twisting them
together. Then the saw cut off, with grating
sound, the decayed fragments of the lower jaw.
The sponges, squeezed every moment, gave out tor
rents of blood. The operation lasted twenty-five
minutes, but the little priest WINGED, never
shivered for instant in the middle of the agony.
1t was only when the breasts that had surrounded
him, gasping with intentness and terror, expanded
at last with of relief at Dupuytren's words:
at is done!" it was then, and only then, that the
sufferer looked little pale
Dupuytren dressed the wound himself. eyes," he
observed in a kindly tone to the priest, "I think
that it will come out all right. Have you suf-
fered much|
81 tried to think of something else" replied the
priest as he sank away in a heavy doze
Dupuytren gazed at him for an instant in pro-
found silence then, slipping the white curtains
long the iron rods of the bedstead he started off
for the other clinics, closely followed by his atten
tive students.
The little priest was saved.
Every morning at Dupuytren's arrival, the doc
tor infringing strangely on one of his own strict
est rules, passed the nearest beds by and began his
lectures at the side of his favorite patient Later
when the invalid so far recovered that he could
get up and move about little Dupuytren used to
come to him at the close of the clinic, link arms
with him and measuring his PAGES with those of the
convalescent, make him take turn or two around
the ward.
To those who knew the thoughtless indifference,
sometimes the cruel repugnance with which Du-
puytren usually treated his other patients this
complete change of conduct was absolutely mex
plicable.
As soon as the little priest could bear the jour-
ney he took leave of the Sisters and the great doc
tor and returned happy and in good health, to his
beloved parishioners.