A lover, whose mistress was dangerously ill, sought every where for a
skilful physician in whom he could place confidence, and to whose care
he might confide a life so dear to him. In the course of his search
he met with a talisman, by the aid of which spirits might be rendered
visible. The young man exchanged, for this talisman, half his
possessions, and having secured his treasure, ran with it to the house
of a famous physician. Flocking round the door he beheld a crowd of
shades, the ghosts of those persons whom this physician had killed. Some
old, some young; some the skeletons of fat old men; some gigantic frames
of gaunt fellows; some little puling infants and squalling women; all
joined in menaces and threats against the house of the physician--the
den of their destroyer--who however peacefully marched through them with
his cane to his chin, and a grave and solemn air.
[Illustration: 022]
The same vision presented itself, more or less, at the house of every
physician of eminence. One at length was pointed out to him in a distant
quarter of the city, at whose door he only perceived two little ghosts.
"Behold," exclaimed he, with a joyful cry, "the good physician of whom
I have been so long in search!" The doctor, astonished, asked him how
he had been able to discover this? "Pardon me," said the afflicted lover
complacently, "your ability and your reputation are well known to me."
"My reputation!" said the physician, "why I have been in Paris but eight
days, and in that time I have had but two patients."
"Good God!" involuntarily exclaimed the young man, "and there they are!"
[Illustration: 024]