Beauty and the Beast.
On the following morning all were up early, and enjoyed a long walk
before breakfast in the park. They did not see the Count until breakfast
time. He was in a very pleasant mood, and, after inquiring how they had
rested, turning to Dr. Jones he said:
"I have always made a point of rendering credit to whom credit is due. I
slept eight consecutive hours last night, solidly and dreamlessly as the
dead. I have had no such rest for years, and this morning, but for the
stiffness of my limb, should be tempted to challenge you for a
foot-race. If this be the effect of your medicine, you are the most
wonderful healer I ever met."
"I am truly happy to hear that you feel so well this morning, Count
Icanovich. But remember that you do not believe at all in my
infinitesimal dose, and should not prematurely render me credit. Your
present improvement may be but a simple coincidence," and the Doctor's
eyes twinkled mischievously.
"That is right," said the Count good-naturedly; "I deserve your
sarcasm."
"Now," interposed Mrs. Jones, "I do not think that the Count deserves
any reproach or sarcasm at all. Here we come among you, total strangers;
and Dr. Jones, before we have been here two hours, in his usual
insinuating manner, gets you to swallow a dose of medicine for what you
have good reason to consider an incurable complaint. I think it quite
unreasonable to expect you to have the slightest faith in his one little
dose."
"Thank you, Mrs. Jones," said the Count, bowing to her gravely; "but you
will allow me to ask," and he set his great black eyes upon her very
earnestly, "do you think that the Doctor can cure me?"
"Do I think so!" cried she, flushing with pride and enthusiasm, "my good
sir, _he has done so already_!"
The Count looked at her in astonishment for a moment, then dropped his
knife and fork upon the table, threw his head back and roared with
laughter. It was so hearty and contagious that all joined it in spite of
themselves.
"Excuse me, friends," said he, wiping the tears from his eyes, "but I
have not laughed so for years. And this lady's vindication of your
skill, Dr. Jones, inspires me with greater confidence than anything else
could have possibly done. All I have to say, madam, is that I accept
your diagnosis of cure, and shall throw crutches and canes aside."
After breakfast the Count said: "I have a stable full of horses which
are at your service. I should esteem it a favor if you would use them as
your own. There are many sights of interest about here. A few miles away
is the town of P----, a nice little city of about five thousand. No
doubt you would like to make some purchases. I will accompany you any
time and act as interpreter."
They thanked him, but concluded not to visit town that day. He then led
Dr. Jones into his private room and said:
"Doctor, I am desirous that you should see my daughter. I fear that you
can do little more than palliate her condition, but even that would be
very much for us. She is a great sufferer, and I shall be extremely
grateful for anything you can do for her."
The Doctor immediately signified his readiness to see her whenever it
pleased the Count.
"That north wind is still howling, and I am only too happy to be of
service to your daughter, or any of God's suffering children while I am
with you. Keep me busy as you like, Count. My greatest delight is to
cure the sick, and the world is my field since I started on this trip
for the Pole."
The Count touched a bell, and a female servant entered. He gave her some
orders in Russian.
She returned in a few moments and spoke to him.
"My daughter is ready to receive us. Will you go up to her now, sir?"
"This is my daughter Feodora, Doctor Jones," said the Count as they
entered her room. A tall, graceful young lady of twenty arose from a
couch upon which she had been lying, and extended a thin feverish hand
to the Doctor. She spoke to him in beautiful English, and Dr. Jones
expressed surprise in his face so that the Count said:
"I spent several years in London, and Feodora became very proficient in
the language there."
They were all seated, and, after a few casual remarks, Dr. Jones
requested Feodora to relate to him the history of her illness, and as
she did so, he carefully noted her symptoms in his case-book. He
interrupted her as little as possible, preferring to take down the
history in her own language. After she had finished he made a physical
examination of her chest. First, he carefully percussed both lungs; that
is, laid the fingers of the left hand upon the chest and tapped them
lightly with the finger ends of the right hand, thus producing a more or
less resonant or hollow sound. He could thus detect any consolidated
tissue that might be in the lung, or abnormal resonance where there
chanced to be a cavity. He then, with a stethoscope, ausculated the
lungs, or listened to the respiratory sounds. He noted the temperature;
rate and other qualities of the pulse; looked at the tongue and sputa.
Having now a complete picture of the case or what he termed the
"totality of the symptoms," he said:
"I must consult my library a few moments. I will be back within an
hour."
He hastened to the cage, ascended to the cabin, and in a few moments was
oblivious to everything but the salvation of this precious young life.
He transcribed from his case-book to a sheet of paper the most
prominent, unusual, and persistent symptoms. They were:
1. Weeps much, and cannot bear to be left alone. Fears she will die.
2. Great difficulty in breathing; worse from exertion and after
coughing.
3. Dry, teasing cough, more or less day and night. In paroxysms from
tickling in the throat, with tenacious mucus, which she cannot raise,
and must be swallowed. Sputa sometimes consists of pus, mixed with
blood.
4. Lower third of the right lung particularly affected. She cannot lie
upon the right side on account of sharp, stitching pains through the
lung. Sometimes the sharp pains extend through the left lung, with
violent palpitation of the heart.
5. All these symptoms, cough, pains, etc., are invariably worse at three
o'clock, A.M., and continue one or two hours.
6. Very profuse night sweats, etc.
There were other concomitant symptoms that we will not stop to
enumerate. Dr. Jones prepared a powder from a vial labeled Kali
Carbonicum (cm), and descended and hastened to the castle. His heart was
jubilant within him, for he knew that he should save this lovely girl.
He fairly burst into her chamber, glowing with the pleasure he thus felt
in bearing the gospel of healing.
"Praise God!" he fervently ejaculated, "I have found your remedy. Take
this please." She opened her mouth and he shook from a tiny vial a dose
of a white granular powder, just as he did the night before with her
father.
"Now, I want you to cheer right up, and dismiss all thought of dying
from your mind. I expect that within a very few days you will experience
great relief. These sharp stitching pains will almost immediately
disappear, I am sure."
And so he talked to her for a little time so brightly and cheerfully
that the poor invalid seemed to catch his enthusiastic, hopeful spirit,
and smiled and chatted in a way that lifted the Count to the very skies.
"Whether there be any efficacy in your powders or not, Doctor Jones,
there is certainly wonderful potency in your sanguine manner of giving
them."
"Now, to-night," continued the Doctor, acknowledging the Count's
compliment with a smile and nod, "I desire to see you in the
drawing-room. You must have pleasant, cheerful company. No more tears
and sighing in this dismal room. Throw open the curtains and blinds, let
God's sunshine and fresh air in. Take no medicine except what I give
you. I must bring my wife and Mattie to see you, and you and they must
romp all over this country in a few days--providing a favorable wind
does not set in. For I must hie away to the North Pole at the earliest
practicable moment."
"Please bring your ladies up soon, Doctor. I desire very much to know
them, and I am sure that company does me good. I am afraid to be alone
a moment. It has been too quiet in this great castle with no one to talk
with but the servants. Do send for them immediately, please."
A few moments later they appeared and were introduced to Feodora. They
were shortly upon very good terms, for each of them was exceedingly well
bred and possessed of purest womanly instincts.
"I heard your beautiful singing last night, and how I did wish to join
your company. And do you know that yesterday I had been suffering
terribly with stitching pains in my side, and I was so tired and
miserable that I asked God to help me or take me home. Just then your
great silver ship sailed across my window so that I could see it as I
lay upon my couch, and do you know that I believed, for a time, that God
had sent his chariot for me. I did not seem the least frightened, though
I could hear the screams of the servants in different parts of the
house, and my nurse had crawled under the bed. I just closed my eyes and
awaited the summons. I confess that I felt really disappointed when they
told me the truth of the matter. But now, do you know," grasping the
good little Doctor's hand, "that I believe this to be God's messenger,
and through him I am to be restored to health again."
"The Lord grant it," said Dr. Jones. "But now we must leave you a few
hours. You have had quite enough excitement for once. I expect to see
you in the drawing-room to-night."
So they withdrew, leaving her smiling and happy. Count Icanovich joined
the Doctor a few moments later and asked him to sit with him in his
private office.
"You will understand, Doctor, that I am exceedingly anxious to know your
opinion of my daughter's condition. You have inspired us with a degree
of hope that we have not known for a long time. Indeed, Hope spread her
wings and left this castle long since, and it has been little better
than a charnel-house until your appearance. Now I ask you to tell me
candidly whether you entertain any hope of my Feodora's ultimate
recovery. You may lay your heart open to me, for I should receive her as
one raised from the dead if you save her. Do not, as you love your own
soul, attempt to deceive me."
"Count Icanovich," answered Dr. Jones, "I am hardly prepared to give you
a definite answer. I certainly see great reason to hope all that could
be expected or desired. A certain remedy is so positively and clearly
indicated in her case that I shall be greatly disappointed if the most
distressing of her symptoms do not immediately disappear. After that, so
much depends upon the hygienic and dietic management that I do not feel
justified in making an absolutely favorable prognosis."
"What if she were under your immediate supervision for a certain length
of time?"
"I should, under such circumstances, feel quite sure of restoring her to
perfect health."
"Then, Doctor, if money be any object to you, you shall have your own
price for remaining until you pronounce her well."
"I am extremely sorry, Count, but that cannot be. My Government has
built yonder aluminum air-ship at enormous expense at my express desire
and instigation, with the understanding that I sail with it to the North
Pole. My obligation is to do so with all possible dispatch. I will leave
medicine and explicit directions, so that in all probability you will do
just as well as if I remained."
The nobleman said no more upon the subject, and they joined the company
in the drawing-room. Will, Fred, and Denison repaired to the stables,
selected saddle-horses and rode to the town. There they were objects of
great interest to the inhabitants. The news of the great silver
globe--for they all believed it to be of silver, and the strangers to be
fabulously rich--with its load of voyagers that came so suddenly and
mysteriously among them the day before, had spread rapidly. The
superstitious people were half inclined to regard them as celestial
visitors, and looked upon them with awe and wonder.
The Doctor and the Professor, with the ladies, took a long walk through
the park. They met many of the natives, who were coming from every
direction to see the marvelous silver ship.
"I declare," said Mrs. Jones, "that I can hardly realize that all this
can be true. I have to pinch myself sometimes to see if I am not
enjoying a long beautiful dream."
"It is romantic to the last degree," replied Professor Gray.
"The wind still holds in the north," remarked Dr. Jones, scanning the
skies and treetops. "I see that it has veered a few points to the west.
We will surely get a favorable wind before many days."
"Isn't it a pity that you cannot stay with that lovely girl until she is
out of danger?" sighed Mrs. Jones.
"Yes, it grieves me exceedingly to be obliged to leave her, but I have
no option in the matter. If that globe were my private property, I would
not leave her until she was out of danger. But, under the circumstances,
I cannot do so. After all," said he, brightening up with the thought,
"she will probably do as well without me."
"She is the loveliest creature I ever saw," said Mattie. "How gentle,
beautiful, and patient she is. Much as I desire to visit the North Pole,
still I would gladly remain here six months or a year if it would do her
any good."
The day passed away without incident. After dinner all met in the
drawing-room, and the invalid girl occupied an easy chair among them.
She extended her hand to Dr. Jones with a grateful smile, and said:
"Doctor, I have not passed so comfortable a day for a very long time. I
shall get well. Your medicine has done wonders for me already. You are,
no doubt, in great haste to reach your destination, but you must not
leave me until I am better. If you do, I shall die."
"O, no! my dear Miss Feodora, you will not die. I shall leave you
medicines that will help you through nicely."
This the Doctor said with all the assurance and cheerfulness he could
command. But she instinctively detected a slight shade of anxiety or
uncertainty in his tone. The physician must be a consummate actor who
can deceive a patient whose perceptions are preternaturally acute as
were Feodora's. He saw that he had not deceived her, and cried:
"Do not let us think of that subject to-night. This unfavorable wind may
last many days, and I promise to see you better before I go."
She smiled sweetly and gratefully as he gave her this promise, and
abandoned herself to the enjoyment of the music, conversation, etc., of
the evening. Instrumental and vocal music constituted the principal
source of amusement, and the audience awarded unstinted praise and
applause. The singers were in the best possible form, not one of them
complaining of cold or hoarseness, as is customary. Nothing could exceed
the sweetness and richness of Mrs. Jones' voice. It seemed to fill the
gloomy halls and rooms of the castle to its farthest confines. And
Mattie's contralto beautifully and nobly seconded the soprano. The tenor
and bass could scarcely have been better, and altogether it was a
concert worthy of the praise of that, or any other, audience.
"You will never know what a change your coming has made in our home,"
said Feodora to Mrs. Jones and Mattie as they sat beside her. "Before
your coming, all was so still and dark, and scarcely a sound could be
heard in the rooms or halls all day. Now see the servants sitting and
standing about the halls, chatting and laughing as if nothing had ever
been wrong in the house. And look at papa talking and laughing as if he
were not the saddest man on earth only two days ago. As for myself, I am
simply astonished beyond measure. I have really forgotten for a time
this evening that I am not perfectly well. O, what a beautiful,
beautiful change! And it is perfectly heavenly to have a respite from
pain, even if it be but temporary."
The two ladies, one sitting upon either side, smiled their sympathy and
happiness, and pressed her poor emaciated hands between their own cool,
soft, plump ones in a way that went directly to her heart.
"Let us help you up stairs," said Mrs. Jones, "for I am sure that you
must be getting tired."
She assented, bade the company good-night, and retired with the two
ladies.
"Now you must let us do everything we can for you while we are here,"
said Mrs. Jones. "You know that we are to see you better before we go
away, and I have so much confidence in Dr. Jones' system of medicine
that I am positive of your recovery."
Leaving her then to the nurse, they retired for the night.