CLEOFAS. A necromancer! And worse than that! Listen and judge, friend
Cardenos! (He seats himself) One day I was riding my mule on the road
leading to the bridge of San Martino. They called to me to examine a
child which had been taken from the river apparently dead. "Have
you," I asked, dismounting, "suspended it by the feet in order to
expel the water from the body? 'Yes, lord'--And that has not resulted
in resuscitation?--'No, lord'--Then, there is nothing more to do.
Good evening!"--And I passed on--The child was dead, was it not?
CARDENOS AND THE YOUNG MEN. Yes!
CLEOFAS. Eight days later I re-passed the same place and whom do you
think I saw playing on the rocks with a gang of ragamuffins?--Who?--My
drowned child!
ALL. Oh!
CLEOFAS. Astounded, I questioned the child and found that after I
left they had recourse to that quack, Abou-Abassa, who had breathed
in the child's mouth, made strange motions with its arms and
succeeded in reanimating him after an hour and one half!--The magic
was shown in the breathing and gestures and in this diabolical
resurrection, which was an ignoble parody on the miracles in the
Scriptures!
CARDENOS. It is the same evidence.
CLEOFAS. The wretch is dead!--But, his daughter, who has been devoted
to the works of the devil since her birth, interferes just as he did
with the treatment of my patients: even with my own governor,
Pétronille, whom I attended after fainting spells. I gave him
hartshorn, which, you know, is the best cure for such illnesses, as
is also the oil of ants and the salt of wood-lice--what is it they
call this Olivera--whom they have given me for a colleague in the
Tribunal?
CARDENOS. The surgeon?
CLEOFAS. Yes, this ignoramus goes so far as to make sport of the
inclusion of pearls and precious stones in our remedies; as if it
were not proved every day that sapphires are the principal cures for
ulcers, and emeralds infallible preventatives of pests!
[He rises.]
CARDENOS. Assuredly!
CLEOFAS. Between us, this Olivera is to be watched, Cardenos--I am
sure he believes more in the devil and witches than he does in
medicine.
CARDENOS. What is your reason?
CLEOFAS. Oh! nothing--He smells of it and I advise you to watch
him--I said then--where was I?
CARDENOS. You spoke of Pétronille.
CLEOFAS. Ah! yes, my governor! Do you believe that this wretch would,
without consulting me, let himself be conducted to Zoraya's home?
Seeing him lively and apparently cured, I said: "Ha, my hartshorn
powders?"--"No such thing!" he replied. "It was not your powders--it
was a remedy which the Moorish woman gave me!--Swindler! pick up your
packets and leave at once."--It is better for me to work myself to
death giving my own remedies than to deceive patients with the kinds
which she uses!