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My Novel, a novel by Edward Bulwer-Lytton |
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Book 6 - Chapter 13 |
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_ BOOK SIXTH CHAPTER XIII Leonard and Helen settled themselves in two little chambers in a small lane. The neighbourhood was dull enough, the accommodation humble; but their landlady had a smile. That was the reason, perhaps, why Helen chose the lodgings: a smile is not always found on the face of a landlady when the lodger is poor. And out of their windows they caught sight of a green tree, an elm, that grew up fair and tall in a carpenter's yard at the rear. That tree was like another smile to the place. They saw the birds come and go to its shelter; and they even heard, when a breeze arose, the pleasant murmur of its boughs. Leonard went the same evening to Captain Digby's old lodgings, but he could learn there no intelligence of friends or protectors for Helen. The people were rude and surly, and said that the captain still owed them L1 17s. The claim, however, seemed very disputable, and was stoutly denied by Helen. The next morning Leonard set out in search of Dr. Morgan. He thought his best plan was to inquire the address of the doctor at the nearest chemist's, and the chemist civilly looked into the "Court Guide," and referred him to a house in Bulstrode Street, Manchester Square. To this street Leonard contrived to find his way, much marvelling at the meanness of London: Screwstown seemed to him the handsomer town of the two. A shabby man-servant opened the door, and Leonard remarked that the narrow passage was choked with boxes, trunks, and various articles of furniture. He was shown into a small room containing a very large round table, whereon were sundry works on homoeopathy, Parry's "Cymbrian Plutarch," Davies's "Celtic Researches," and a Sunday news paper. An engraved portrait of the illustrious Hahnemann occupied the place of honour over the chimneypiece. In a few minutes the door to an inner room opened, and Dr. Morgan appeared, and said politely, "Come in, sir." The doctor seated himself at a desk, looked hastily at Leonard, and then at a great chronometer lying on the table. "My time's short, sir,--going abroad: and now that I am going, patients flock to me. Too late. London will repent its apathy. Let it!" The doctor paused majestically, and not remarking on Leonard's face the consternation he had anticipated, he repeated peevishly, "I am going abroad, sir, but I will make a synopsis of your case, and leave it to my successor. Hum! "Hair chestnut; eyes--what colour? Look this way,--blue, dark blue. Hem! Constitution nervous. What are the symptoms?" "Sir," began Leonard, "a little girl--" DR. MORGAN (impatiently).--"Little girl; never mind the history of your sufferings; stick to the symptoms,--stick to the symptoms." LEONARD.--"YOU mistake me, Doctor, I have nothing the matter with me. A little girl--" DR. MORGAN.--"Girl again! I understand! it is she who is ill. Shall I go to her? She must describe her own symptoms,--I can't judge from your talk. You'll be telling me she has consumption, or dyspepsia, or some such disease that don't exist: mere allopathic inventions,--symptoms, sir, symptoms." LEONARD (forcing his way).--"You attended her poor father, Captain Digby, when he was taken ill in the coach with you. He is dead, and his child is an orphan." DR. MORGAN (fumbling in his medical pocket-book).--"Orphan! nothing for orphans, especially if inconsolable, like aconite and chamomilla." [It may be necessary to observe that homoeopathy professes to deal with our moral affections as well as with our physical maladies, and has a globule for every sorrow.] With some difficulty Leonard succeeded in bringing Helen to the recollection of the homoeopathist, stating how he came in charge of her, and why he sought Dr. Morgan. The doctor was much moved. "But, really," said he, after a pause, "I don't see how I can help the poor child. I know nothing of her relations. This Lord Les--whatever his name is--I know of no lords in London. I knew lords, and physicked them too, when I was a blundering allopathist. There was the Earl of Lansmere,--has had many a blue pill from me, sinner that I was. His son was wiser; never would take physic. Very clever boy was Lord L'Estrange--" "Lord L'Estrange! that name begins with Les--" "Stuff! He's always abroad,--shows his sense. I'm going abroad too. No development for science in this horrid city,--full of prejudices, sir, and given up to the most barbarous allopathical and phlebotomical propensities. I am going to the land of Hahnemann, sir,--sold my good-will, lease, and furniture, and have bought in on the Rhine. Natural life there, sir,--homeeopathy needs nature: dine at one o'clock, get up at four, tea little known, and science appreciated. But I forget. Cott! what can I do for the orphan?" "Well, sir," said Leonard, rising, "Heaven will give me strength to support her." The doctor looked at the young man attentively. "And yet," said he, in a gentler voice, "you, young man, are, by your account, a perfect stranger to her, or were so when you undertook to bring her to London. You have a good heart, always keep it. Very healthy thing, sir, a good heart,--that is, when not carried to excess. But you have friends of your own in town?" LEONARD.--"Not yet, sir; I hope to make them." DOCTOR.--"Pless me, you do? How?--I can't make any." Leonard coloured and hung his head. He longed to say, "Authors find friends in their readers,--I am going to be an author." But he felt that the reply would savour of presumption, and held his tongue. The doctor continued to examine him, and with friendly interest. "You say you walked up to London: was that from choice or economy?" LEONARD.--"Both, sir." DOCTOR.--"Sit down again, and let us talk. I can give you a quarter of an hour, and I'll see if I can help either of you, provided you tell me all the symptoms,--I mean all the particulars." Then, with that peculiar adroitness which belongs to experience in the medical profession, Dr. Morgan, who was really an acute and able man, proceeded to put his questions, and soon extracted from Leonard the boy's history and hopes. But when the doctor, in admiration at a simplicity which contrasted so evident an intelligence, finally asked him his name and connections, and Leonard told them, the homoeopathist actually started. "Leonard Fairfield, grandson of my old friend, John Avenel of Lansmere! I must shake you by the hand. Brought up by Mrs. Fairfield!-- "Ah, now I look, strong family likeness,--very strong" The tears stood in the doctor's eyes. "Poor Nora!" said he. "Nora! Did you know my aunt?" "Your aunt! Ah! ah! yes, yes! Poor Nora! she died almost in these arms,--so young, so beautiful. I remember it as if yesterday." The doctor brushed his hand across his eyes, and swallowed a globule; and before the boy knew what he was about, had, in his benevolence, thrust another between Leonard's quivering lips. A knock was heard at the door. "Ha! that 's my great patient," cried the doctor, recovering his self-possession,--"must see him. A chronic case, excellent patient,--tic, sir, tic. Puzzling and interesting. If I could take that tic with me, I should ask nothing more from Heaven. Call again on Monday; I may have something to tell you then as to yourself. The little girl can't stay with you,--wrong and nonsensical! I will see after her. Leave me your address,--write it here. I think I know a lady who will take charge of her. Good-by. Monday next, ten o'clock." With this, the doctor thrust out Leonard, and ushered in his grand patient, whom he was very anxious to take with him to the banks of the Rhine. Leonard had now only to discover the nobleman whose name had been so vaguely uttered by poor Captain Digby. He had again recourse to the "Court Guide;" and finding the address of two or three lords the first syllable of whose titles seemed similar to that repeated to him, and all living pretty near to each other, in the regions of Mayfair, he ascertained his way to that quarter, and, exercising his mother-wit, inquired at the neighbouring shops as to the personal appearance of these noblemen. Out of consideration for his rusticity, he got very civil and clear answers; but none of the lords in question corresponded with the description given by Helen. One was old, another was exceedingly corpulent, a third was bedridden,--none of them was known to keep a great dog. It is needless to say that the name of L'Estrange (no habitant of London) was not in the "Court Guide." And Dr. Morgan's assertion that that person was always abroad unluckily dismissed from Leonard's mind the name the homoeopathist had so casually mentioned. But Helen was not disappointed when her young protector returned late in the day, and told her of his ill-success. Poor child! she was so pleased in her heart not to be separated from her new brother; and Leonard was touched to see how she had contrived, in his absence, to give a certain comfort and cheerful grace to the bare room devoted to himself. She had arranged his few books and papers so neatly, near the window, in sight of the one green elm. She had coaxed the smiling landlady out of one or two extra articles of furniture, especially a walnut-tree bureau, and some odds and ends of ribbon, with which last she had looped up the curtains. Even the old rush-bottom chairs had a strange air of elegance, from the mode in which they were placed. The fairies had given sweet Helen the art that adorns a home, and brings out a smile from the dingiest corner of hut and attic. Leonard wondered and praised. He kissed his blushing ministrant gratefully, and they sat down in joy to their abstemious meal; when suddenly his face was overclouded,--there shot through him the remembrance of Dr. Morgan's words, "The little girl can't stay with you,--wrong and nonsensical. I think I know a lady who will take charge of her." "Ah," cried Leonard, sorrowfully, "how could I forget?" And he told Helen what grieved him. Helen at first exclaimed that she would not go. Leonard, rejoiced, then began to talk as usual of his great prospects; and, hastily finishing his meal, as if there were no time to lose, sat down at once to his papers. Then Helen contemplated him sadly, as he bent over his delightful work. And when, lifting his radiant eyes from his manuscripts, he exclaimed, "No, no, you shall not go. This must succeed,--and we shall live together in some pretty cottage, where we can see more than one tree,"--then Helen sighed, and did not answer this time, "No, I will not go." Shortly after she stole from the room, and into her own; and there, kneeling down, she prayed, and her prayer was somewhat this, "Guard me against my own selfish heart; may I never be a burden to him who has shielded me." Perhaps as the Creator looks down on this world, whose wondrous beauty beams on us more and more, in proportion as our science would take it from poetry into law,--perhaps He beholds nothing so beautiful as the pure heart of a simple loving child. _ |
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