The change from a charity patient to the highest paid patient in the
Ruff Hospital bore magical results, and I was soon on the road to
recovery. The quinine knocked all the fever out of me within two days.
The food I was given to eat after fasting two months, began to
strengthen me at once and within ten days I was able to walk about the
room. Arletta never failed to visit me at least once each day, and on
some days, two and three times. With each visit she brought flowers,
fruit, or some little delicacy, and I was not long in discovering that
she was taking more than an ordinary interest in me. As the days flew
by, her visits became more frequent and of longer duration, until
finally it seemed as if she almost lived in my apartment. Many times she
came in the morning and remained all day, taking her lunch with me in
the meantime. As my health improved, and I became more vigorous in
bodily strength, those same feelings of admiration and love I bore for
the first Arletta took a firm hold of me until it seemed that she was a
part of my very life. Ah! those were happy and heavenly days indeed. The
happiness I enjoyed there, was of that kind which can only exist between
two souls fore-ordained and mated to each other for all eternity. As the
time went by-all too rapidly-we had much to talk about. Arletta
described the many progressive strides made by science and invention
during the twenty-one years in which my mind was a blank, and I told her
hair-raising stories of my early travels and adventures in all parts of
the world. We said very little regarding my other personality. That
subject appeared distasteful, and caused her to shudder whenever it was
brought up. She seemed to think that in my other character I was all
that was low, mean and contemptible, while she openly avowed that my
present self was noble, honorable, and manly.
There was one hitch, however, which seemed to take root and stand
threateningly in the path of absolute harmony between us, and that was
my belief in Natural Law. She refused to believe the story I told her of
the wonderful Sagewoman of whom she was the re-incarnation, claiming
that it was nothing more nor less than a fancy of my disordered brain.
She also seemed greatly displeased when I informed her that it was my
intention to go out into the world and teach the principles of Natural
Law. It pained her to think that I should allow myself to even question
the authenticity and infallibility of the Bible. Her faith was so strong
and her nature so gentle that I refrained from discussing the subject in
any form, after I found how much she grieved over it. So I said no more
about my experience with the divine Sagewoman and my promise to follow
her instructions during the remainder of my natural life, but confined
my conversation to other subjects, and to the full enjoyment of her
daily companionship during my period of convalescence.
Day by day my weight and strength increased, until at last the time
arrived for me to quit the hospital and go into the outer world. I had
made no plans as to what I should do when thrown upon my own resources,
but felt confident that once well and strong I should find plenty of
work to do with both my hands and brain. Arletta, who appeared to have
an unlimited bank account, was generously supplying me with every
comfort and luxury that money could purchase, notwithstanding my earnest
protests against it. The tailor had visited me, taken my measure, and
returned a fine black frock suit of clothes. The hatter had furnished a
silk tile, the shoemaker, shoes, and the haberdasher all the other
articles necessary to complete my wearing apparel in the most up-to-date
style. The barber, the manicurists, and even the chiropodist had visited
me and taken extra pains in polishing me off.
"You are the handsomest old gentleman in New York," said Arletta,
girlishly, as she saw me for the first time dressed in street clothes,
and all ready to take my departure. "But you do not look so old, after
all," she added reflectively, "if it were not for your white hair you
might pass for a man of thirty-five. My! what a great big fellow you
are! Really, I am afraid that all of the women at the Waldoria will
become infatuated with you at first sight," continued she, critically
looking me over from head to foot.
"And what do you mean by the Waldoria?" inquired I.
"The Waldoria Hotel," answered she. "I have arranged for you to live
there until you have thoroughly recuperated and regained your full
strength-there, now, no more objections, or I shall become angry. At
present, you are in my charge, and must do just what I tell you."
"Notwithstanding I consider the task of following your instructions a
most pleasant one," replied I, "still it seems to me that I am not doing
exactly right in accepting your most generous offerings, for the simple
reason that I shall never be able to repay you for all you have done."
"I have been amply repaid already," said Arletta, "by the miraculous
transformation of a very bad and offensive man whom I did not like, into
a thoroughly good one whom I do like. So say no more about the matter,
for the present at least. After you have fully recovered from the
effects of the terrible ordeal through which you have just passed, then
I shall consider any protests you may have to offer, but not before. I
have ordered the carriage to come for you at noon, and have given
instructions to have you taken to the hotel. When you arrive there, you
will go to the head clerk's desk and hand him your card." Here she gave
me a small package of visiting cards on which was inscribed "John
Convert." "You will then ask to be shown to your apartments, which have
been settled for in advance for one year, after which make yourself as
comfortable as possible in the place. Do not mention your business in
any way as it pertains to you and me. It will be impossible for me to
see you as often as I should like, but whenever it is convenient I shall
have you come and see me. I am stopping at a different hotel in another
part of the city, and for reasons best known to myself, I shall continue
to withhold my last name from you, as you seem to have no recollection
of it whatever, and it will also be necessary for the present to meet
you in some out-of-the-way place, which I will designate later. Perhaps
some day you will learn who I am, and all about me, but until I am ready
to furnish you with further information concerning my identity, I shall
rely upon your honor as a man not to undertake, by any methods
whatsoever, to discover who I am, or where I reside."
With this mysterious admonition and a tender farewell, Arletta left me
in the depth of meditation as to what strange occurrence nature's
storehouse might still contain for me, and a few minutes later I was
notified that the carriage was in waiting.