The Blandford and Wimbourne Telegram. — 1886-02-12 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

PVT.!. IasTRUCTIMIS gives to enable the ,k, cedented proceeding. You must please be a little :be Medicine sod cep: tusrsaLY. llama more explicit." For reply he laid a finely shaped il Man. Sent direct from the Laboratory. white hand on the table. I dislike a man's hand to and Co., 20, Southampton ROW, be. very white; it is onmasculine. "Well ?" I asked. London, W.C. DOS ' "You see this hand ; I wish to have it amputated - just above the wrist." " A.uputated 1" I exclaimed, holding and examining it. • Why, this hand is an active capable member. What ever do you mean?" " What 1 sax. I wish it taken off. If ten napoleons ; are not sufficient for the operation, name your terms." "Sir," said I, "I must decline your offer. I see no reason whatever for such an operation, and will not undertake it." "Why not? If I desire it, and am' willing to pay, what can it signify to you?" "There is such a thing as principle, I answeted, "and I refuse to mutilate a perfect limb. I must wish you ; a good evening, begging you to to think better of such an insane proceeding." My visitor regarded me with an ugly stare then turned away impatiently, retied the scarf about his neck, saying defiantly: "My proceedings are nothing to you. I did not come for your advice or opinion, simply for your professional .; services. I wish you good night, Mr. Secretan, and regret troubling you." He stalked through the room, redonned his ulster, seized his umbrella, and made for the door, which I opened for him, holding my lamp over the handrail to light his way downstairs. "Mad," said Ito myself as I looked after him; "he I. must be, although he did not appear so." I resented j myself at the table, but could not apply to my task; ) my strange visitor had quite unsettled me. Whatever could be his motive ior wishing to undergo such ' an operation? Would he go toJacobi ? I wondered. Hsu, Jacobi'e ideas on the subject might be altogether different from mine ;he was immensely clever and ' skilful, the chance of a living subject a great temptation. I resolved to visit him early the next morning I in order to ascertain. I lodged in the Rue Ste. I Marguerite, close to my hospital, but Jacobi rented a small ateber farther away, for he was fond of Imodelling and a first-rate anatomist. Jacobi himself opened the door to me. He wore his canvas apron and sleeves, and held his modelling-tools in his baud, greeting me with effusion. Personally the young 'ltalian was a direct contrast to myself ; small, spare, . agile, with a thin face, sparkling dark eyes, and a , physiognomy of a Jewish cast, in unison with his name. " Ali., mio Secretano," he cried, before I had time to mentmo the object of my visit, "I have had such a stroke of good fortune ! Viva ! I have performed my first profeasional operation. Knowest thou, my friend, that last night's tempest blew me a . patient, and I " "I do know ' • that is why lam , ' here." Then I proceeded to give lUni an account of ; my visitor. "Amid so you performed the operation," ; said I, in conclusion. " Oh, Jacobi, how could you do it? He is mad." " Not he," answered Jacobi ; "Ii" is more awake than either you or I. If he wished to be rid of a hand, what then ? It was his affair. ' I Per eorpo di _Three° I Scruples have I none. I remembered, mio Secretano, that you Englisa commit suicide in November. This signor let himself off. '. easier." "How did he stand the operation ? " I " Unflinchingly. Doubtles he had his teasons. I What are they to me ? Truer in Lorca and take the . fee is my maxim. I lighted all my lamps, selected Imy best iostruments ; In lit was not ten minutes doing ; and behold, ten napoleons !" " How did he bear of ltd, Jacobi ?" " Reveal he would not. I was curious to ascertain ; so, after his departure to the HOpital, I went, through wind and rain, at a late hour, to interrogate old Michel, the coneiregr, and j be told me an English monxieur had questioned him ' as to the most expert young surgeons studying there. Thanks to bon Michel, he mentioned you and me." Well done, Jacobi 1 What a strange affair ! Why I did he not go to a surgeon of repute. I wonder r 1 " Because the signor had his reasons. You attach / too much importance to it. 1 performed the operation with skill and speed ; into my pocket I put his gold ; and I have an addition to my collection of casts." Jacobi we, ed his hand in the direction of a wall, I upon which hung a medley of bones, diagrams, I squeezes, and pipes. I did not understand. "Look !" 0 he said, taking a small object from a bracket and removing a wet cloth--it was the cast of a man's hand. i receenised it with a shudder. "Is it not a fine ape ' mi : long, nervous, intelligent, capable of 1 wickedness or skill— who knows ? I admired it AO I much, so much, I took a east of it worthy of Routbilliac !" Accustomed though I was to the operatingroom, there was repulsion to me in the sight of that I hand, because there was no occasion for its amputation. iHad it been crushed or maimed I should have thought nothing of it, but an active, healthy, dexter hand ! I it was a mystery. "Why trouble thy lead?" I observed Jacobi. ' Look impost it as a business i transaction." I conld not share his philosophical *J, feeling, and during the rest of Tay sojourn in Paris I I kept a constant look-out for my nocturnal visitor, but J • never encountered him ;MI a mystery be remained. i•