Magic and Mesmerism - Unknown

MA G I C A ND ME S ME RI S M
fi n 3Ep i§ o h e
T HE E IG HTE E N TH C E N T! RY
AND O THER TALES .
I N T HRE E V O L! M E S .
V O L . I .
L 0N D 0N
O T L E Y, C O N D ! I T S T RE E
1 843 .
P R E FA C E .
IN the autumn of a p arty o f friends

1 84 ,
male and female started from M anheim o n

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an expedition up one of the lovely valleys that
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‘ shelter those mo untain streams whose beauties
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C
Q scarcely y ield the palm to the pro ud R hine,
whose tributaries they are . The party was

numero u s ; and for the first two or three days ,
all went right . But j ust as they were about to .
escape from the wors t roadside inn it had yet

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been their ill luck to fall in with a mountain ,
storm broke overhe ad with such fury and of ,

iv P REFAC E .
such duration as t o render the narro w pre

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ci
p i t o us road —bad enough in fair weather
perfectly impas sable for a few days especially ,
fo r the ladies whose fears magnified the

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i n co n
v e n i e n ce s o f the venture .
Thus weather bound in the full est meani ng

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o f the word— an incessant cold rain altern ating
with a high sharp wind by day and early ,
biting frosts by night that made the smoky ,
stoves of mine host crammed ful l of green

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wood and his unswept uncurtained rooms a

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luxury the spirits of the society and the ,
general stock of patience was much tried , .
P as sing under silence those n ameless priva

tions whose enumeration would fill a volume
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but which any traveller whom chance or ca
price has led into the more unfrequented parts

of G ermany will have no trouble in calling
back to his remembrance , I will barely hint
at the b lue devils that seized upon and tor
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P REFAC E .
me nte d each in turn ; and though to record

the sighs and yawns and s undry exclama
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tion s were a hopeless task

, , I will declare that a ,
more complete specimen o f immeasurable ennui

—ennui of the deepest darkest hue—was never ,
seen .
There was not a musical instrument in the

whole house ! N ot one of the ladies had strung
her blue or pink ribboned guitar on the top
o f a bandbox—bandboxes having been most
ungallantly prohibited by the male portion of
the society . N ot one of the gentleme n had

with him so much as a flu t e -
cane , or had
smuggled even a J ew s harp into his pocket !
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The heavy iron tipped ,

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o ak, that helped to
climb the rocks was alone , d l o rd re da
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jo ur
and the gentlemen s sh oting jackets boas ted’

o -
little more in the way of musical resources

than pocket combs -
. D raught or chess board
nay even the very oldest pack
, of cards —would
V l P RE FAC E .
have been hailed with delight , h ad the landlord

of the S tork been able to produce any such ;
but he seemed not even to have an inkling of
such town fangled notions and there were no
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other resources left the travellers but those

of the i r own conversational powers . As poli te
ness precludes controversy and people invariably
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t i re of assenti ng to each other s propositions ,
these soon flagged ; and—in de fault of any of
those pink bound volumes that

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G ali gn ani strews
with so untiring a hand over all the highways
and by -
ways of the C ontinent and of whi ch , ,
stran ge to say not , o ne copy had found i ts way

in the scanty luggage of the travellers —i t was ,
at last agreed that story te lling should -

fill up
the blank ; and those who in the co urse , of
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those few days domestication had betrayed the ,
slig htest anecdotical powers were now un me rci ,
fully plied to exert those powers on an enlarged

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scale . Anythi ng would do the ladies said ; ,
P REFAC E . vii
but when divers subjects were started it came ,
to light that, they did not like pure fiction ;

it required a master hand to make anything
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of it ; somethi ng that had really happened

always had an interest of its o wn that would
greatly aid the manner of the telling —i n short ,
the historic al was decided upon , u na

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v o ce .
Needles were soon plied by delicate white

fingers whils t the
, m ale portion o f the audience ,
with laudable feelings of tender reminiscences

of their schoolboy days busied their hands ,
in cutting out figures on their sticks , or inde n t

ing them in min e host s already much damaged
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tables .
The bravest among the gentleme n then de , ,
voted themselves to the slippery task o f amusin g

others . They succeeded however so well that
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it was suggested that the Tales which had whi led

away the ennui o f a chosen few might per , ,
chance render the same service to others if

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P RE FAC E .
given a wider circ u lation by means of the Pres s .
In vain did he upon whom the chancy task of
E diting them w as forced grumble and represen t

,
how under di fferent circumstances the same

things assumed different aspects and how much ,
the partiali ty of friendly listeners may bli nd

them to the defects of the productions they
patronise . All was of no avail ; the fiat had
gone forth from lips that woul d take no denial ,
and the E ditor now perhaps stands committed

, ,
pas t redemption .
T HE C A P T A I N S S T O R Y
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M AG IC M E S M E RI S M .
V O L . I.
M AG IC AN D M E SM E RI S M .
I WAS yet a very yo ung man and but just

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gazetted as a second lieutenant whe n my ill

,
luck ordained that I should be sent with many ,
other E nglish prisoners to Toulon ; at which

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place N apoleon s name being held in e ven

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more enthusiastic reverence than elsewhere o ur ,
prospect o f comfort was not re assuring

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.
M any o f my countrymen have complained

o f the su f
ferings they endured and the hard
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treatment they met with in this time o f proba

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tion ; but I must con fess much of this was

drawn upon them by their o wn obstinacy in
refusing to remain at large o n parole —fan alter
native generally o ffered and which though it
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B 2
4 MA G I C AN D M E S M ERISM .
debarred the prisoner from any chance o f an

early release made at le ast the detention less
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irksome Of the few who preferred a compara

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t i v e ly free s ejo ur in a town to the gloomy c o n

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fi ne me n t o f a prison I was o n e o f the first ,
and I soon found I had made proof of no small

sagacity in my choice .
The French are o r at least were when I,
knew them but that s a long while ago —a

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very polite kindly race and evinced a generous

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sympathy in favour o f the poor prisoners who

came in their way o f whi c h I at least am a
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grateful instance I could not however afford

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, ,
to remain an idler o n the p a vé and was soon ,
obliged to chalk o u t for myself some plan fo r

procurin g a livelihood M any in my situation .
might have been tempted t o adduce as a motive ,
for s o doing the difficulty of receiving regular

,
remittances ; I owned the truth —I had none to

receive .
I knew something of music more o f draw ,
ing could paint very tolerably in water colours

,
in short I was not deficient in that smattering

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de s a rts d ag réme ns which —fo r at that tim e

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M AGI C AND MESMERISM . 5
artists did not everywhere abound as at presen t

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might I thought s uffi ce to help me o u t o f
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my diffi c ulties I soon indeed go t more pupils

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, ,
than I had ti me to attend to and found that ,
their kindness contributed even more to my

comfort than their money I n some families .
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—
acquaintance ripened into friendship o r what ,
general ly answers as well if not better for , ,
social e njoyment— A uto intimacy u nfettered by

the duties and cares that friendship entails upon
its votaries .
Of these families I must mention o ne in

,
particular The father though very rich would

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, ,
n o t a fford his daughters the accomplishments
deemed so i n dispensable to modern education

at the usual costs yet was n o t unwilling to
,
bestow board and lodging upon any one who

wou ld consen t to instruct them on those terms .
The proposal implied the comforts o f a social ,
though not a luxurious home and was accepted ,
by me with infinite pleasure ; and a source o f

pleas ure it proved i n every sense during the
, ,
many years o f my cap t ivity .
D oubtless I could dwell with untiring co m

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6 M A GI C AN D MESMERISM .
p lac e n cupon these reminiscences o f my youth

y ,
and o f those w i th whom its heyday was spent ;

but as the) might prove more wearisome than
7
interesting and do not bear upon the po i nt

, ,
I will at once m ake you acquainted with the

only member o f this family who h as any refer
ence t o my story and whose introduction I
,
may as well premise by stating that although , ,
the most singular mortal that ever fell in my

way he was at this period my c onstant co m
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panion an d o n e o f the men I have liked best

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o f all those young o r o ld I ever associated

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w ith not exc l uding the o fficers o f my mess

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M r Chaudon thi s was his name —was past

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—
sixty at the head o f no incon siderable compe
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t e n cy a confirmed bachelor and being god

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father besides to all the younger children

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great expecta tions were entertained o f h i m ; a

circumstance that led my friends to make very
flattering advances to the old gentleman who , ,
in his turn availed himself o f them in a manner

,
to justify the presumption that he meant to

repay them o n e day in full Thus were we .
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continually thrown i nto each other s soc i ety ;
MA GI C AND MESMERISM . 7
an d as I spoke French with great fluency ,
despite the dissi mili tude o f o ur ages tastes , ,
habits an d above all n ation ality we soon

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became great cronies .
In order to make you understand o ur dissi

mili t ude and points o f attraction more clearly ,
I mus t even at the risk o f being thought te

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di o us di late a little on o ur characters and peen

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li ari t i e s Al though barely twenty and rather

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good lookin g than other wise I was more fond

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o f read i n and thinking than most men

g p os
sessed of these advantages especially in the ,
profession I had embraced Of a very cheerful .
temperament endowed with that most precious

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o f nature s gifts —whi ch I have eve r striven to

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retain th rough fair and foul—the power o f being

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eas ily pleased and amused I was thus far quali ,

!
fl e d to meet half way his natural bibli oma nia

and national g a i e té de coeur But the lead ing .
feature o f my mind was coolness o f judgment

so at least I and my friends qualified it ; those
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who were not so well disposed towards me

called it want o f imagination ! be t hat as it
may anything o ut o f the common routine o f
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8 M AGI C AND M ESMERIS M .
life and of the beaten trac k of ideas has ever ,
—
appeared to me extravag ant preposterous ,
and never took root in my brain S ome said .
this w as a happy gift ; but so probably did , ,
not think my companion who w as in nothi n g

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more opposed to me than in this particular .
M onsieur Jules Chandon s sixty years had

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cooled n one of the fire o f youth His over .
abundance o f imagination by leading him c o n

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s t an tl
y from t h e practical to the theoretical ,
and rendering impossi ble the co n stant applica

tion and persevering attention necessary to all
professions but especially that which he had
,
— —
adopted th a law had mate ri ally i n t e rfe re d w i t h
his advancement ; and ne ver having risen above
mediocrity in spi te o f strong natural powers
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he h ad in consequence retired from its arduous

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duties even before hi s age j ustified the measure

but his w as the contemplative disposition and
the studious habit which invest a life o f ease
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with charm .
D uring the twenty years that my worthy

friend had found himself at liberty to follow the
ben t o f his own inclinations he had devoted ,
10 M A GI C AND MESM E RISM .
I used to laugh heartily at the frankness o f

my frie n d s vanity ; but if like most o f his
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countrymen he was addi cted to much talking

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especially about hi mself and even to boasting

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o n occas ions st i ll did he more than counter

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balance these slight pecul i arities by his many

and rare quali ties M ost o f my leisure hours
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were devoted to his soci ety ; and thi s circ u m

stance was doubly fa v ourable to me tending , ,
as it did to exercise my intellectual faculties

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and to keep me o u t of harm s way for the ladies ,
o f the S outh o f Fran c e are very fascinati ng I ,
assure you .
One day calli ng according to my wont to

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s hare his de mi e t a s s e d e caf é after a very early

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dinner I was somewhat surpri sed to find hi m in

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a less vivacious humour than ordinary His .

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fit o f silence embarrassed me and p a r ma ni e re ,

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de co nte na nce I began to survey the various o b

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je c t s that surrounded me although habit

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made them perfectly familiar The small white .
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curtained windows always opened to the mild

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breezes of Provence letting in the e ffulgence o f

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a southern sun through the tempering me di um

M A GI C AN D MESM ERISM .
of a couple o f t al l trees which shaded his little

—
flower garden the perfume the latter exhaled
in that luxuriant clime —all this I had enj oye d
before . My eye wandere d to the well stored -
bookcases o n either hand o f the d o or—to the

door itself with i ts W a tte a u pan els representing
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puffy rosy swains making l ove in a very playful

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and becoming manner by the intervention of

a flute o r bagpipe to smiling courtly looking
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shepherdesses with a profusion o f roses and

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sheep and doves to enhance the poetry o f the

conception —the quiet lamp o n the co nso le
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placed carefully in front o f a dish o f waxen

fruits under glass — the landscape over the door ,
in which the village church did no t forget to

chime the h our with more precision than m any
a Bregue— the magnificent bo ule cabinet no ,
longer appreciated fo r i t s o wn meri ts retained ,
in a corner o u t o f respect fo r the past—the

pictures all daubs in their way and merely
interesting as family portraits —the very prints
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hung round the wall were known to me i n

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all their details I gazed mechanically from

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that representing the d eath of the unfortunate

12 MA GI C A ND MES M ER I SM .
Louis ! V I to that of the J e u de P a ume and the

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C oronation of Napoleon R eminiscence rather .

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than political opinion seemed to have guided the

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choice o f those engravings several o f which ,
were portraits o f celebrities c ontemporary w ith

himself—Mesmer Puysegur D E slo n and a few
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others whose names escape my memory more

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o r less famous in the annals o f ma netism

g .
“S trange men and bold those said Chau ”

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don following the direction of my eyes as they

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rested on the last named personages .
D reamers ! idle dreamers I answered with

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a shrug dreamers if n o t knaves and ,
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villains .
Far to o sweepi ng a c onclusio n said Chau ,
do n .
“ M ay not a sc i ence exist though folly ,
and knavery may have abused it ! M ay n o t

the fairest flowers spring up from the same soil
that will bear a toadstool
”
Perhaps said I but the mere chimera o f
, ,
the brain I co n sider to be a most barren ground ,
productive of little better than the thorns o f

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dispu t ation .
“Then you take upon y o urse l f to d e ny al

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M A GI C AND MESMERISM . 13
together the existence o f M esmerism and its

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e ffects for good or for e vil

I should indeed feel inclined to do so
, , I ,
replied “but that I do not consider myself

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su ffi ciently master o f the subject to give a de

”
cided opinion .
Far be it from me to deny that M esmerism

has had its Charlatans and its victims —but so
has medicine and yet what science is nobler !
,
”
Has n o t religion itself had its abuses !
” “
But I timidly urged public opinion h as
, ,
so completely done j ustice by the votaries o f

magnetism
“I t is natural my young friend hastily i n
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”
t e rru p t e d Chaudon that the first who wander
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through unknown regions and bring back n e w ,
stores of ideas and facts to others should ex ,
pose themselves by communicating them to

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ridicule and animadversion Fo r strange to say .

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fond as he thinks himself o f change and eager ,
as he is in its pursuit all novelty is hateful to

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man—but this is o n e o f the many contradictions

o f his nature Thus we see ignorant people
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ever ready to laugh at the si mp le st truth which

14 M A GI C AND MESMERISM .
h as escaped their sphere o f intelligence P erfect .
incredulity o n all points is an infalli ble token o f

the total absence of intellectual development ;
none know how to credit what is new to them but
persons o f cultivated understanding .
”
True said I ; but if it be folly to reject
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wi thout investigation any propos ition whatever

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surely it is more foolish to admit any theory as

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true without due proof .
G ranted sai d the o ld ma

,
granted ;
but h o w few ever pause to balance a question ,
however vital its import The greater portion .
o f mankind decide at once without being able ,
to adduce any better reason for their decision

than caprice o r prej udice I dare say your .
opinions my young friend are not based o n

, ,
firmer ground .
W ithout renouncing my scepticism I grace ,
fully yielded this point .
“I thought as much ” said he without

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having duly weighed the arguments p ro and co n

in your o w n mind merely becaus e those are
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stigmatized as enthusiasts and dreamers who

have given into the system Fa uss e h o me my .
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young fri e nd, and w o rldly p rude nce are the ,

graves o f science and discovery N o w if y o u .

,
will patiently listen to a few reasons I c an

adduce in favou r o f the existence if not the ,
merits o f animal magnetism I thi nk I c an c o n ,
vince you o r at least l ead you o n the road to

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”
conviction .
”
M ost w illingly said I , .
Then we will adj ourn to the beach and i n , ,
the face o f nature s sublimest work discuss o n e

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,
”
o f her deepest mysteries .
The o ld bo nne had soon helped my friend to

exchan ge his flowered silk robe de chambre for
a coat o f somewhat antediluvian fashion —fo r he
sti ll clun g to former habits and had renounced ,
neither his q ue ue powder n o r shoe buckles ;

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and having donned this somewhat antiquated

apparel he sallied forth with me to enjoy the
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invigorating sea breeze Hardly had we come .
within view o f the waves when he took up the ,
subject o f discussion precisely where we had

left it with the air o f one who sets regularly in
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for a prose I confess I had forgotten it al

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together .
M esmerism said he “might perhaps as

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justly be called sympathy ; that word more ,

16 MA GI C AND MESMERISM .
familiar to -
understanding will bring the

o ur ,
notion o f t h e thing more clearly to o u r minds .
I t is the great link that binds man not only to ,
man but to the creation thro ughout all its

,
parts and causes everything in nature to ac t

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upon the rest in some way o r other Every .
object of which we are conscious must I hold , ,
be made evident to us merely by sympathy ;

and where sympathy ceases there must percep
,
tion cease also N o o n e thinks of denying the

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influence of the emanations from plants waters , ,
and mines upon the human body If then .

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these inanimate things possess a spirit that

escapes them in an impalpable form i n de p e n ,
l
de n t y o f their more palpable qualities — i f in ,
animal life we do not doubt the power of the

s nake to fascin ate its fluttering v ictim why ,
should man the most perfect o f created things

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be incapable o f emitting a portion of hi s spirit

in an invisible but no less active man ner
, .
”
M aladies are catching said I laughing
, , ,
but they c an hardly be called the workings o f

the spirit but beyond tha t
“Are n o t s i ghs yaw n s an d laughter i nfe c
, ,
it that dreams so often shadow forth to us

coming events though in a misty doubtful
, ,
form ! How is it that o u r o wn thoughts are

apt to reflect facts and suggest consequences
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the most unlike what bare s u pposition founded

on probability would have prompted which ,
yet subsequent events justify ; that some people

have been known to foresee the time and
manner o f their death years before it actually
took place ; o r h o w to account fo r that most
—
ordi nary phenomenon s o ordinary as to have
passed into a proverb — the sudden appearance
among us o f those we talk o f,even when least
expected ; or o f the letter at whose delay we
,
but that mome n t wonder ; o r o f an object to

which chance alone directed our thoughts ;
and yet w h o has not often experienced some
thing o f this sort himself ! I n short the endless
,
catalogue o f presentiments and coincidences ,
sympathies and antipathies all come as I b e

, ,
lieve within the range of magnetis m and are

, ,
but e ffects of that primary cause I will not

.
pursue this theory in all its branches it would ,
lead us t o o far and perhaps make u s lose

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sight altogether of the p o i nt de dep a rt for it is a ,
”
field for thoughts as infinite as space .
“Yes said I laughing “your world o f

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thought is indeed illimited ; it is in good ,
sooth that o f dreams Chaudon o f course you

, .
, ,
who admit so willingly and defend so warmly ,
the fashion able bubbles o f modern philosophy ,
will not dare to laugh at the follies and d elu

sions o f o u r forefathers—astrology and its long
”
chain of errors .
I consi d er astrology at best but an idle

question put to nature which if answered , , ,
could produce no use f ul result But I have .
not the slightest doubt the planets have as

much influence upon o ur constitutions as they
exert over other sublunary bodies S o far there .
may be s ome foundation for the medical system

o f the A rabs so much in fav our during the
,
M iddle A ges ‘
When phys i cians said I laughing s uf

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fe re d their patients to di e o f the disease whilst ,
they were quietly awaitin g the proper moment

indicated by the stars to administe r the saving
”
potion .
20 M A GI C AND MESMERI S M .
Every system has its flaws I t is in vain .
that human ingenuity shi fts its ground Per .
fe c t i o n is no t attainabl e said Chaudo n gravely ;

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, ,
an d I a m s o me t i rri e s t e mp t é d to fear that even

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in these enlightened times o f ours excess o f ,

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light often blinds us to what o u r ancestors saw

and o u r descendants may yet s e e S cience .
,
my you n g friend has its rotations like every

, ,
other thing in th i s world The wheel is eter .
nally revolvi n g and objects are lost sight o f in

,
the movement to appear again after the neces

,
sary lapse o f forgetfulnes s I t is thus that rea

.
li ty an d speculation n o w stand forth from an d ,
then sink back into the shadows o f time ; that

,
opposite systems are n o w enthusiastically ad

mi t t e d anon rejected with scorn ; and that human
,
knowledge is ever turning round truth as does ,
the e arth around the sun like it to feel the ,
alternation o f night and day There can be no .
doubt but m any things we n o w rail o r laugh

at will o n e day be taken up again with avidity .
M agnetism classified by M esmer w as k n own

, ,
throughout all ages and has served in turn to

, , ,
the deceptions o f the priests of Isis and those

M A GI C AND M E SM E RIS M . 21
of other and more modern creeds w as familiar -
to the natural philosophers o f the D ark Ages ,
and formed the gro u n dsto n e o f those cures by

sympathy that created so much wonder in
these simple days Magnetism i n fac t and
.
, ,
the vag ue dreams it may Inspi re, the errors it

sometimes gives ri se t o the cri mes to which .
,
it has in many instances undeniably minis

t e re d —, magnetism veiled and unrecognised
, ,
was the source o f most o f those trials for sor .
cery and magic to W hi ch we could find no

key except by admitting this s c ience and its
,
phenomena .
I n short said I according to your views

, , ,
magnetism existed always and everywhere

”
t o ut, dams to ut
’
c e st .
A ssuredly,
my young friend ; that makes part
”
o f my theory of the harmony o f nat ure . .
Yo u feel doubtless said I “ the beauty ,

”
, ,
o f these lines
Fro m h arm o ny , fro m he av e n ly h armo n y ,

Thi s un i ve rs al frame b e gan ;
From h arm o n y t o h arm on y ,
—
T h ro ugh all t h e c om p ass o f t h e n o te s i t ran ,
T h e di ap as o n clo si n g full i n man

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22 M A GI C AND MESME R ISM .
I confess they have ever appeared to me

,
”
fraught with the deepest meaning .
Chaudon listened to my translation o f these

beautiful lines imperfect as it was with evi
, ,
dent satisfaction .
We feel alike there he said warmly grasp

, ,
ing my hand . A h my young fri end M ilton

, ,
was a mighty spirit—a natural philosopher as ,
well as poet ! I have n o doubt h ad he lived ,
in o ur days he woul d have been a devoted

,
adherent o f M esmer .
I could not refrain from laughing heartily

at a thought which seemed to me so truly
preposterous .
“A nd why not ! asked my o ld friend red

”
,
dening very much at the same time and

why not pray ! Is it not a sublime thing even
,
to dream o f a power that could heal both mind

and body renovate the wearied spirit in the
,
sinking frame and cause the lamp o f li fe to

,
burn with a fresh glow when about to sink for

,
ever ! Think what a sublime mission were that

o f the good man here below if he could infuse
,
a portion o f his vigo ur mental and corporeal

, ,
int o the misled and the su ffering ; if he could ,

by this means m ak e w ickedness openly avow

,
and turn a way from its dark designs alleviate ,
but a few o f those multifarious evils that afflict

o ur organs defeat what is bad and promote
, ,
what is excellent This was poor Mesmer s

.
’
dream—worthy i n deed of a philanthropic genius

—
like his when he first conceived that re sp o n
sive nerves could enable the magneti z er not
only to read the thoughts but even to guide ,
the w ill and the feelings o f the being subjected

to his influence empowering him like a mighty
, ,
conqueror to cast the S pirit he had enslaved

,
”
into chain s .
You allow then said I , that M es

, ,
mer was a mere visionary ! — his system a

”
dream !
N ay I fear you have m isunderstood me
, , ,
he replied .I would assert that its happier ,
influences are still a matter for much doubt .
I must in conscience admit they rather exist

in t h e contemplation of the well intentioned -
than in the regions o f reality ; n o r am I less

prepared to o w n that its dangers S 6 far o u t
balance its possible and speculative advantages ,
”
as to make its general practice a great evil .
M A GI C AND MESM ERISM .
It were an ample field f or quackery and

”
the grossest deception I exclaimed , if given ,
”
fair play .
Far worse than that he replied My

, .
views o n this subject de lusive extravagant as

, , ,
they are deemed o n many others have been ,
sobered down by a very sad story so early ,
grafted o n my memory as to have sunk into

my very soul and which h as inspired me at
,
once with a firm beli ef in and a salutary terr o r

,
o f the power o f magnetism

,
by associating it ,
i n my mind with the very worst species 0

abuse o f w hich it is capable This morning .
,
whilst rummaging among papers long laid aside

as useless and well nigh forgotten my eye
,
-
,
lighted upon some documents referring to this

same affair ; and the sight awakened a lo n g
train o f painful reminiscences which your pre ,
sence alone to co nfess the truth but partially

,
-
,
dispelled I have more than half a mind t o

.
relate the melan choly ta le to you in support ,
o f th at agency s power whose very existence

’
o u deny and as alas ! but t o o melanc h oly

y , ,
”
a proof o f the misery it may inflict .
26 M A GI C A ND ME SMERISM .
enacted where the heroes o f the story fi e tte d

,
'
away their hour on the human stage where ,
every obj ect o ur eyes rest upon has probably

been gazed at by them a hundred times over
he re where their feet must often have trod I
, ,
feel I can best talk o f them their sorrows their , ,
deceptions ; and you will perceive that mag

n e t i s m alone can account for things so passing
strange that they will appear beyond belief

, ,
and yet for the truth o f which I can vouch ;

for my father from whom I h ad all t he details
, ,
was himself deeply implicated in the affair .
Indeed he not only related it to me but talked

, ,
o f the matter over an d over again ; and I still
possess the papers concerning it which he had ,
carefully preserved .
I t was early in the year 1 7 2 6 whe n my ,
father M onsieur Jules Chaudon then a young

, ,
man left his native town M arseilles to come

, , ,
an d pr actise here as an a v o ca t He kne w no .
o n e i n Toulon except an o ld relation o f his

, ,
who had caused him to be bred up to his own

profession intending to pass over to him his
,
c lze n te lle
'
when he grew o ld an d tired and

, ,
bequeath him his fortune at his death The .
first epoch had arrived ; and it was o n this

account that my father although an only so n
, ,
was sent forth from home to try his fort une in

life The o ld gentleman was a confirmed vale
.
t u di n ari an ; and my father s existence would

’
have been but a dull o n e had not the solici ,
tude o f his parents provided him with those

means of honest recreation which are a young ,
man s best safeguard on entering li fe against

’
,
illicit and de grading amusements He had .
letters o f introduction to two o f the most re

sp e c t ab le families o f the city One such in .
,
a provincial town where society is so confined

,
to e ate rie s and classes is sufficient to ope n to

,
every tolerably connected youn g man the doors

o f that society to which he by birth belongs ;
and when once admitted his own misconduct ,
can alone close them against him .
I know now a days you ng men far fro m

,
- -
, ,
seeking such quiet circles vote them dull and ,
stupid and avoid them as they woul d the

,
plague caring for nothing but noisy and doubt

,
ful company ; that horses actresses and orgies

, , ,
C 2
28 M A GI C AND M ES M E RI S M .
a ppear to them the ze n ith of fashion and the

acme o f enjoyment But it was not so in my
.
father s day ; and had it been I think I may

’
,
safely aver that such would not have been his

inclination .
One o f these letters was addressed to a cer

tain M adame C adi ere s the widow o f a rich
,
merchant who kept a very good house and

, ,
was a lady o f some figure in this city She .
was the mother of four children one of whom , ,
her eldest son was married and had left the ma

, ,
—
ternal roof ; but the three others two sons ,
who were preparing for the clerical profession ,
and a daughter— still resided with her when my

father first visited the family .
Before entering upon the history of this fa

mily and its connexion with my father I think ,
it advisable to give you an idea of the first i m

pression its various members produced upon
him and describe his youthful feelings as cir
,
c u ms t an t i ally as I may This will help to bring

.
more vividly before y o u the actors of t h e drama

which I a m about to recount .
His recol lection o f that first visi t was so

MA GI C A ND MESMERISM . 29
stro ng an d he so often recurred to it in the

,
latter years o f his life that every detail of it is

,
as present to my mind as if I had actually been

there . Upon the strength o f his introduction ,
given by a very n ear relation of M adame C a

di é re s—perhaps also upon that o f his future
, ,
—
expectations h e was at once invited t o joi n
her party at her country house situated within -
,
a convenient walk from the town where he was ,
received with a frank and hearty cordiality ,
which is now fast fadi ng a way even from o ur

southern provinces .
I t was then customary to dine at the hour

when lunch is now se rved ; and this n eces
s i ta t e d another meal between dinner and sup
per that generally wen t by the n ame o f colla

,
tion at which however n othing solid was ever

, , ,
o ffered— fruits and creams in summer co mfi t s ,
and cakes in winter were its only i ngredients

, .
The family were at collation when my father

entered Madame C adi ere s was taki n g her
.
coffee wi th a few respectable look ing matrons -

,
at o n e end of the room ; w hilst a group of

laughing young girls clustered round a marble
,
30 M A GI C A ND MESMERI SM .
table at the further extremity were enj oying ,
their strawberries and cream They were i n

the very s weetest seas on of life j ust budding ,
into womanhood—for the most part o f that ,
rich dark voluptuous beauty peculiar to o ur

, ,
clime and laughing with the exhilarating

,
merriment which is a no less distingu ishing

characteristic o f its sunny influence .
My father was at first so dazzled with this

galaxy o f loveliness that he could scarcely dis
,
cern any individuality in the fair as semblage ;

but his attention and admiration soon became
exclusively rivetted on o n e as dissimilar in
form and expression to the others as in his ,
eyes at least she was superior

, A lthough .
rather below than above the middle stature, her

figure was sufficiently rounded to betray her
age —she was just turned seventeen and mo ulded ,
into the perfection o f grace Her hair simply

.
,
parted o n the brow and brought to the back o f

her head in a w reath of tresses whi ch seemed ,
by their weight to set at defiance the thraldom

o f the combs and sky blue ribbons that co n
-
fined them was o f so brilliant a hue that it

, ,
MA GI C A ND ME SME RISM . 31
well deserved the term golden Her eyes

.
generally sought the ground with a modesty o f

expression that seemed the chief characteristic
o f her physiognomy and imparted to it an u n
,
~
nameable charm ; but when raised they were ,
o f a blue br i lliant and vivid as the pu re s t s u m

,
mer sky and as calm and serene in aspect

,
.
Her features were delicate and regular ; no

smile hovered round her small and well formed -
mouth ; her looks were grave beyond her years ,
even unto severity ; h e r skin daz z lingly fair as

,
though it had caught a reflection from the

snows o f the N orth did not co n trast more with
,
the dark complexions o f her companions than

did the composure of her c o untenance and
bearing with the animation that distinguished
th e m My father always told me that in the
.
,
mi dst o f this group she put him in mind o f a

,
Christian virgin surrounded by the houris o f

t h e M ah o me d an Paradi se .
I n spite o f all his e fforts he could not keep

his eyes o ff this little circle and had b are ly p re
,
sence o f mind sufficient to answer the polite ,
encourag ing observations addressed to him by

32 M A GI C AND MESMERI SM .
the matrons whilst sipping their favourite beve

rage A t last M adame C adi ere s very conside
.
,
rat e l conducted him towards the party he so

y
much longed but had n o t the courage to j oin
, , ,
saying at the same time it was not fair to keep

, ,
h i m away from the society best suited to hi s

age .
My dear C atherine said M adame C adI e re s

, ,
“
addressing o n e o f the young ladies this is the ,
stranger o f whom I spoke to you this morni ng

—h e is to be for the futu re l a mi de la ma is o n
’
,
and it is in this light I wish y o u and your

brothers to treat him fro m this even ing forth .
P ray my dear endeavour to make h i m as co m

, ,
fo rt ab le as y o u can amo n gst you until their

”
return .
A t this address all eyes were for o n e instant, ,
raised to my father s blushing counte n ance the

’
ne x t they were demurely fixed o n the floor .
M ademoiselle C adi é re s invited him to be seated ;

the tones o f her voice were s i n gulzfi ly clear
and decided but very sweet ; an d he perceived
,
Jith delight that the speaker was the very girl
whose personal appearance had so much struck

34 M AGI C AND MESM E RIS M .
only be based o n regu larity o f conduct and

steadiness o f mind is fast passing away alto
,
gether from my degenerate countrymen Fo r .
give thi s di gression o f an o ld grumbler I .
cannot omit now and then morali z ing espe ,
c i all when talking with the young to whom I

y ,
t hink my opinions and adv ic e may be o f some
use .
My father soon found that his awkwardness

excite d the risible faculties o f his young com
'
panions in no ordi nary degree w h o exchanged,
nods and looks and smiles anything but flat t e r

ing to hi s vanity M ademoiselle C adi ere s and
.
another young lady called Eleonore R aymond

, ,
whom my father observ ed fo r the first time as a

plain nay the only plain o n e o f the party
, , ,
endeavoured by their gravity to check this

inhosp i table merriment and he felt grateful for
,
the support thus afforded him .
But vain were the endeavours o f the former

to make him take any share in the conversation
that was going forward or partake o f the colla
,
tion ; his excessive embarrassment for a time

neutrali z ed all the e ffects o f her kindness and ,
MA GI C A ND M E SM E RI SM . 35
of his keen sense o f the ridicule attached to his

want of assuran c e S till no o n e felt pity for
.
him but Catherine ; the others finished by

fairly giving way to their mirth which M ade,
m o i s e lle R aymond although far from j oining

, ,
did not attempt to palliate by any gracious

display o f sympathy o n her o wn part n o r di d ,
she in any way assist Catherine in her weary

task of relievin g hi m from his state o f trial .
A t last his power o f volition triumphed over

his sheepishness and he became more able t o
attend to what was passing aroun d hi m if not ,
actually to mix I n I t .
The repas t which had seemed to hi m i n

,
s u fferably long while it lasted soon came to

,
what he n o w considered a too early termination .
The whole party passed into the garden w here ,
the elder l ad i es sauntered carelessly about ,
whilst the younger sought divertisement at a

swing and apparently found it if a judgment
, ,
might be formed from the peals o f laughter that

soon issued from the thick grove within which
t he swing was placed M ademoiselle C adi é re s
“
.
stood at the entran c e i n the atti tude o f a not

,
36 MA GI C AND M ESMERISM .
very interested spectator ; and my father gazed

at her from the parlour door with an admiration ,
which little as he was conscious o f the fact

, ,
was depicted i n every li ne o f his spe aking phy

si o no m
g y .
Myfather in h i s day was reckoned t he

, ,
handsomest man in Toulo n Cast in a He rc u .
lean mould his figure was dev o id o f all clu msi

,
n ess and his s w arthy countenance bore evi

,
dence in its correct but somewhat stern li nes

, ,
that the strength o f his mind corresponded with

that of his frame He looked what nature had .
,
turned him o ut a fine specimen of a vigorous

, ,
fiery and resolved race ; but his vigour was

,
tempered by goodness his fire by reason and , ,
his resolves were guided by wisdom I n short .

,
if ever man came nigh unto perfection that ,
man w as my father ; and I his son am not the , ,
only person now livin g w h o can bear testimony

to this as sertion .
Of his personal advantages as well as of his ,
undisguised and ardent admiration o f her

daughter M adame C adi é re s seemed very lei
,
s urely tak i n g c o ni zanc e from a sh o rt di stan c e

g ,
and after a somewhat prolo nged examinatio n ,
o f which he was scarcely aware o f being the o b
e c t she came up to him and at once embarked

j , ,
upon a conversation that cau sed him no small

s urpris e .
My daughter she said seems to have

, ,
found favour in your eyes My father felt

himself blushing crimson D o not be dis .
”
tressed she continued kin dly
, If y o u think
, .
her pretty you are o f o n e mind with all Toulon

, ,
I believe and there is nothing o ffensive in it ;

,
but it reminds me that I have a duty to perform

with regard to yourself Forewarne d fore .
,
armed as the saying goes ; I had better let y o u

,
at once into the secret o f my Catherine s views ’

.
S he never means to marry ; so you see it were , ,
no u se in the world you r falling in love with

”
her .
M y father was even more astonished at the

manner than at the matter o f the good lady s ’
communication but could n o t help own ing i n

,
his secret heart there was some ground for the

warning premature as it was since h e felt so
, ,
-
u nwill ing to rece iv e it S ome remark o f his

. ,
38 M A GI C AND ME SM E RISM .
trite and commonplace elicited further e x p la ,
nation.
“Yes she said

”
Catherine is a singular
being —gifted beyond the gifts o f ordinary
, ,
women —and who unless I be much mistaken

, ,
will run through no ordinary course o f life I .
cannot help thinking and many o f my friends

,
are o f the same opinion that she w ill o ne day ,
shi ne forth as a brilliant light o f sanctity S he .
is an d has always been an angel why may

,
— ,
”
she n o t become a saint !
My father thought it was something very
like a fall instead of a promotion to quit an
angelship for a saintship ; but he w as too pru
dent to give vent to the juvenile sarcasm and ,
suffered the old lady to proceed who flattered , ,
by his deep attention opened her communi ,
cative vein .
S he intends to devote herself wholly to

religion and to permit n o earthly affections to
,
interfere with this great object of her li fe Fro m .
earliest chi ldhood piety has been the corner stone

,
of her existence I could cite to you instances

.
of her fai th and chari ty fo r e ight days run ni ng ,

MA GI C AN D ME SME RISM . 39
and never have done S o perfect a creature .
never was ; so meek and humble —so un c o n

scious o f her merits yet so aboun di ng in Chris
,
tian virtues ; her first communion alone would

furnish matter for a volume her soul was more
spotless than her v e il and her fervour amazed
,
and confused even the reverend Father Alexis

hi ms elf One Instan c e of her singul ar de v otion
will suffice Imagine sir that whe n scarcely
.
, ,
turned of seven a deli cate puny child—for my

, ,
—
Catherine n ever was strong she insisted upon ,
tendin g the sick at the hospital where o n , ,
acc o rm t o f a contagious disease ragin g within its
walls even the most necessary attendance failed

,
the poor invalids But Heaven spared her to

.
me then to make I doubt not an example o f

, , ,
her in this land and in these days o f growing

”
unbe li ef such examples are indeed needful .
M ademoiselle C adi ere s seems indeed from , ,
your account a person o f no ordinary cha

,
racter observed my father mechanically as

,
”
, ,
she paused in her narration .
”
Ordinary ! certainly not ! exclaimed the
eager mother In infan cy she d i slike d and
.
40 M A G I C AND MESMERISM .
avoided the idle games o f —

other children cast
away from her the toys in which they de
lighted A s she grew vanity and frivolity the
.
, ,
thirst for admiration and love of dress tha t ,
mostly influence other young women had no ,
hold o n her Books o f devotion were her

.
dearest companions ; to aid the poor to co n ,
sole the affl icted her chief pleasures Thus

, .
has she from day to day improved in virtue

and grace until she is the wonder of all who
,
know her S he begins already to be much

.
talked of I do not wonder at it nor shall I

.
,
be astonished at anything she may turn o u t for ,
I myself was very pious and always prayed ,
above all things that my children might be so

too I kne w I bore no ordinary bein g i n my
.
\
bosom even before her birth I could n o t .
i —
touch aught that had life in t not a mouthful
o f anything coarse o r nutritive could pass my
lips ; like the hermits o f yore herbs were my ,
food and water my drink until after she w as

”
born .
Perhaps said my father , you d estine ,
”
M ademo i selle Catherine to the veil !
42 M A GI C AND ME SMERISM .
lively and pretty though somewhat fli gh ty and

,
coquettish but marriage tames down all super

,
’
abundance o f spirit and once fairly settled she ll
, ,
grow steady enough I dare say S he h as an, .
uncle a judge in M ontpeli er who might be o f

, , ,
use to you in your profession M ari e R e b o ul .
and M ademoiselle la R ue again belong to , ,
commercial families and are very well o ff the

,
former is rather heavy an d n o t over bright in the

head it is true but some people are o f opini on
, ,
that fools make the best wives—as to the latter ,
her avarice is a guarantee fo r her economy ; she

would take care o f your gains and a thrifty ,
housewife causes the house to flourish Ah ! I .
had forgot to mention E leonore R aymond ; she

is very rich indeed ; but though a catholic
herself has protestant relations and that s an
, ,
’
obj ection However I have given you the

.
,
ca rt e da
p y
a s you may n o w think o f whom
”
o u please provided it be not o f Catherine
y , .
This abrupt and extraordi nary warning ,
though doubtless well meant o n the whole di d,
more harm than good ; for by the pleasure with

’
whi ch my father li stened to the mother s rhap
M A GI C A ND ME SME R I SM . 43
s o di cal
encomiums o f her daughter he already ,
felt himself a lover for wh o else but a lover can

,
un derstand a mother s praise o f her child But

’
.
,
with a t act that was at that time rather the

instinct o f nature than the growth o f experience ,
he was at no loss t o discover how matters stood

in the family He saw that the affection o f
.
M adam e C ad I e re s for her handsome gentle ,
daughter whi ch partook o f a sort of involuntary

,
respect for her imagined superiority was mixed ,
with no small alloy o f pride and ambition To .
make y o u fully understand h o w ambition could

be gratified in this C i rcumstance I must remind ,
you—o r rather inform you for y o u may chance

,
never to have heard o f the influence o f religion

among us previous to the revolution .
The different classes of society were then so

dis tinctly marked that there was no possibility
,
o f passing the boundary which di vided the ti e rs
é ta t from the aristocracy W ealth talent

.
, ,
beauty genius the gifts o f fortune and o f

, ,
nature were alike inad equate to smooth away

,
the obstacles that lay between the unprivileged

an d the pri vil eged, howe v er deficient the latter
44 M AGI C AND MESMER I SM .
might be in equivalent merits N ow as is usual .

,
i n such cases the secondary classes had nothing

,
so much at heart as to pass the forbidden frontier ,
and in proportion as they neared that point ,
were they considered and looked up to by their

o w n society . S uch was the power o f the
priesthood however that what nothing else
, ,
could e ffect religion could ; and before its

,
members all doors fl e w open all artificial ,
barriers fell R oyalty itself was fain to humble

.
its head be fore the cowl and the veil had,
precedence o f the coronet Hence perhaps .

, ,
the secret o f many a misnamed religious calling ,
the source o f many a fe rvent devotion and o f a

certain mania for saintship a prevailing distem
,
e rat u re o f mind at that epoch which was a

p ,
convenient channel for female ambition .
My father perceived without much di ffi

,
c ulty that M adame C adl e re s was silly bigoted

, , ,
and very ambitious To such a woman the

.
thought o f givi n g the world a saint and a ,
pretty o n e — for ugly female eminences are

,
—
always at a discount would mos t naturally
,
present itself ; and chance havin g met her half

way in the merits and disposition o f her d au gh

ter what more natural than tha t she should
,
hail the prospect with delight !

That Catheri ne had wholly yielded up her
young soul to the feelings thus carefully instilled
into her w as evident and what might have been
,
expected But my father began to suspect that

.
a warm imagination lay concealed beneath her

calm exterior and he could not help thinking
,
that she was more cal c ulated to bless a husband

and children with the sources of love lying as
yet unrevealed within her young bosom than ,
for the frigidity of a monastic seclusion He .
approache d the object o f his meditations and ,
timidly asked why she did not mingle in the

amusements of h e r friend s .
Because they do not amuse me she re ,
plied .
“ When the thoughts are often fixed
on grave subjects it becomes di fficult to bring
,
”
them to bear o n lighter things .
Altho ugh the observation might have seemed

affected and odd in most girls o f her age ,
Cathe rine s manner was so simple an d n atural

’
that there was no possibility o f misunderstan d

46 M AGI C A ND ME SMERISM .
ing her Whatever she said came spontane

.
o u sl to her lips and w the o f

f spring f her
y , as o
—
thoughts ; but those thoughts her very nature
— had taken a forced and unnatural bent .
I understand
”
said my father “By re
, .
maining fixed too long o n any o n e object the ,
mind is apt like the limbs to lose its elasticity

, , .
Yo u are perfectly right M ademoiselle C athe ,
rine but ought we not in such a case to apply

, ,
t h e same remedy we use for the body — a

”
change !
S urely there is no need of remedy where
”
there is no evil w as Catherine s answer ; and
,
’
my father dared n o t yet venture his real opinions

o n so delicate a theme .
When t h e party again gathered togeth e r he

felt al most relieved fro m his former e mb arass
ment so fast had hi s imagination familiarized
, ,
h i m with those who m M adame C ad i ere s had

so amply described to him ; but neither the
languishing voluptuous beauty o f M arie Lan
,
gi eres whose long silken lashes fell over orbs

,
t hat glowed w ith passion ; nor the lustrous ,
laughing eyes of the merry Mademoiselle G uy o l ,

M A GI C AND MESME RISM . 47
whose light step seemed scar c ely to t ouch the

earth and whose e sp i eg le ri e lighted up an i rre gu
,
lar but very pretty face nor any grace o r char m

, ,
o f any o f t hem could induce him to change

,
his former impression o f Catherine C adi ere s ’
incomparable superiority in short he was fast ,
yielding himself up to the all delightful illusions -
o f a first love .
M ore than once he attempted to enter

into something like conversation with M ade
m o i se lle R aymond next to whom he sat ; but
,
the fi i gi d di sagreeable manner of that young

,
lady so totally discouraged him that although , ,
he could perceive she was the most intimate of

Catherine s companions he could n o t make up
’
,
his mind to win her good graces ; and more ,
over doubted the possibility o f the achieve

,
ment .
The young men o f the family came home

ve ry late but the evenin g being inviting for
, ,
a walk they accompanied my father back t o

,
to wn D uring that time he had an opportunity

.
o f perceiving that they partook in a g r eat de ,
gree o f their mother s poverty of intellect and

,
’
,
entered fully into her views and opinions with

regard to Catherine whom they evidently fan
,
c i e d must , o n e day become the footstool o f

,
their o w n promotion in the church and cause ,
the elevation o f the whole family My father .
listened with apparent acquiescence to all they

advanced on this subj ect but determined in , ,
his own mind to carry o ff the prize if he could

, ,
des p ite all the saintships in the world .
N ow began for him the golden dreams

, ,
of youth mingled w ith the realities o f li fe

, .
G rounded in excellent stu dies gifted with a ,
fine organ and natural eloquence he soon made ,
way in his profession whilst his good qualities

,
-
intercourse wi th the world gaining for him a
su ffi cient ease o f manner to set them o ff .
began to develop themselves and in a very ,
short time he beca me a general favourite with

young and old He was quoted as an example
.
to the sons and looked upon as a very desirable

,
suitor for the daughters But the parents were

.
not alone in discovering his merits ; he was

n o t slo w in perceiving that M adame C ad i ere s
h ad prophesied ri ghtly in assuring him that he

,
50 M A GI C AND ME SME RISM .
ground in her esteem an d that her pre ference

,
w as inse nsibly ripeni n g into a warmer feeling .
The bare possibility o f such a thing sufficed to

gild every hour o f his life with sunshine How .
often did he picture t o himself the rapturous

j oy with which he would clasp the dear girl
—
to his bosom his o w n his Catherine for life
, , ,
.
With what downcast eyes and blushing cheeks

would she still even when a wife receive him
, ,
o n his return home ; and how he would teach
her lip to smile and something sweeter still

, .
How quietly but yet cheerfully would she

, ,
f ulfil the little home duties that make home

—
so comfortable the only comfortable spot o n
earth How her meek virtues would clothe her
.
in a lasting beauty that like his love would

, , ,
grow with coming years A ll the dreams o f an

.
honourable love were his He would sit gazing .
on her in silence by t h e hour together rapt ,
in thought wh ilst a glowing ardent admiration

, ,
filled his breast equally inspired by the sun

,
beam playing o n his mistress golden tresses ’

,
the passi n g pallor of her cheek o r the soft mur ,
mur o f her voice I n short love made him

.
,
a poet .
Having no reason to conceal these sentiments ,
they soon became pretty generally known and ,
formed the topic of conversations it was sometime s

his chance to overhear One autumnal evening
.
,
as he was quietly reclining against one o f the

prim tall box hedge rows in M adame C adi ere s
,
’
garden a fe w of her merry young guests hap

,
pened to seat themselves o n the other side o f

the leafy barrier ; and unconscious o f his vi
,
ci ni t
y, handled the subject wi th no great cere
mony .
A s for me said M arie L an gi e re s as if in

, ,
reply to something previously advanced I am ,
sure I do not see why the C adi é re s should

refuse M onsieur Jules Chaudon I am eve n .
better connected than Catherine ; my uncle is

a j udge ; I might hope for a de at least before , ,
my name whenever I chose to change it and

, ,
yet I don t know that I should have refused

’
”
him myself had he proposed to me
, .
“Nor I said M ademoiselle G u o l “although

”
, y ,
he is so grave, and likes so little the theatre .
However if she should marry him it is a com fort

, ,
to think that he will never take her to P aris ,
D 2
52 M A G I C AND MESMERISM .
where it is my great ambition to reside fo r an v ,
girl with tolerable looks is said to cut an n u

”
common figure there .
Fo r my part exclaimed M ademoiselle

,
”
R e b o ul I had rather marry him than that old

,
M onsieur R enoir whom my parents wish me to

,
w e d fo r all that he is so rich and certainly as

, , ,
most people would think the best match o f ,
”
the two .
N ot I p a r e x e mp le
, returned M ade mo i ,
selle la R ue whose predilection for money

,
M adame C adi e re s had touched upon in her

“
first conversation with my father ; I wish M on a
’
sieur R enoir would ask me that s all ! Were he ,
fifty times as o ld and as ugly I d accept him at ,

’
t h e very first asking I f fortune be not hap.

‘
o f it
’
p i n e ss tis
,
the
’
better half says my gran d ,
”
mamma and I believe her
,
.
“That s dutiful said M ademoiselle G u o l

’ ”
, y ,
“
laughing ; and n o w yo u ng ladies let s see if ’
, ,
we shall each of us be gratified in o ur dearest

wishes Here is a daisy I pluck for M arie
.
L an gi ere s ; I ll tear each leaf o ff with a y e s or

’
a no alternately an d we ll se e with what word

, ,
’
M AGI C AND M ESMERISM . 53
—
t he last will fall that will be fate s decision
’
.
Come say pretty daisy Shall Marie Lan

, , ,
-
gi eres marry a Chevalier o r a monsieur do or , ,
eve n an o ffic e r— she would so fain be a fine lady !

e — —
Y s no y e s no — N o ! ha ha ha ! laughed
.
, ,
”
the merry girl ; she ll marry an underwriter

’
after all o r an usher o r a schoolmaster o r

, , , ,
,
l l —
perhaps take the ve l We l let s see ! n o w .
’
’
—
it s my turn S hal l I ever see Paris ! Again
.
the flower says —no S hall Mademoiselle R e

.
boul marry R enoir no Well that s stran ge !

-
,
’
A nd M arie de la R ue shall she find a Croesus ,
for a su i tor — no Well that s odd ! S hall ,

’
! ”
any one of us marry at all I wonder But ,
the harmless flo wre t seemed ! npropitious for ,
— “
again it determined no ! Well that s stupid ! ’ ”
,
said Mademoiselle G a yol impatiently ; I ll “ ’

,
know if Catherine will accept M onsieur J ules

My father did not hear the conclusion o f the
childish trick for Catherine herself came up
,
the alley in which he sat and he had not y e t ,
su ffi cient courage to put the question to the

only true oracle the sweet girl herself
, .
A short time aft er this my father witnessed ,

54 M AGI C AND MESME RISM .
a strange incident which I must n o t omit to

,
relate fo r it bears upon the story

, .
I t was a frequent amusement o f the i n h abi

tants o f Toulon to make excursions into its de
lightful V i ci nities o n which occasions the o ld
,
axiom o f the more the merrier seemed to be the

order of the day ; and in the summer season
, ,
gay caravans were constantly seen issuing from

the town gates .
M adame C ad i e re s had invited a large party to

accompany herself and her bevy o f young co m
panions o n a visit to a cave o f celebrity in the
neighbourhood that had served as a resting
,
place to some saint o r other but ninety two ,

-
and ninety three hav e so sadly confused these

-
superstitious traditions that I cannot precis e ly

,
inform y o u o f the whereabouts nor the exact ,
obj ect o f their curiosity o r devotion I only

, .
kno w it was to answer both ends and that my ,
father was as usual in v ited to make o n e o f the

, ,
party
This place was at a considerable distance
from the town to which it was agreed they
,
should return by moonlight be i ng t o o many ,

M A GI C A ND MESMERI SM . 55
for their servants accompanied them—to have

anything t o fear from the unsettled state o f the
roads. G ay was the little band and none ,
gayer than my father The warmer glow whi ch

.
the sun o f the south gives to man s spirits as it ’

,
lends a richer hue to its flowers a s weeter fra ,
granee to its breezes ripening all it lights upon

,
to a more finished existence imparted to the ,
whole cavalcade a tone o f hilarity to which o ld ,
and young master and man yielded without

, ,
control and all laughed in the face o f smiling

,
nature around them Even Catherine seemed

.
,
to a certain degree infected with the general

,
cheerfulness though her enjoyment i n n o way

,
in terfered with her usual re p ose o f manner .
M y father rode the whole day by her side n u

reproved by herself and unmolested by others
, ,
as though his right to that place o f honour was

silently acknowledged by all Catherine spoke
.
freely and feelingly on all subjects and though

not brilliantly witty her frank an d gentle
,
earnestness imparted to her conversation a

charm which rendered him perfectly insensible
to the gloomy s ilence maintained by her i nse p a
56 M A GI C AND M ESMERISM .
rable friend M ademoiselle R aymond whose

, ,
j oyless countenance and chilling as pect m ade

her like unto a shadow thrown across their path .
The merry devotees reached t h e aim o f the i r

pilgrim age in safety performed th eir somewhat
,
protracted devotions and refreshed themselves

,
with a plentiful cold repast the ingredients for

,
which had been brought fro m town in large ,
baskets wherewith a couple o f stro n g mules

,
had been laden .
Up to this time every thing had been most

favourable ; but when their meal was fi nished ,
and they prepared to return the sky which , ,
had gradually assumed a threatening appear

ance poured forth a shower of rain as violent
,
as it was unexpected forcing every one to c over

, .
The same tree sheltered my fa ther and M ade

mo rse lle C a di ere s n o r did either seem to feel
,
the circumstance an annoy ance .
They all fancied the C loud would soon spend

its fury an d the weather clear again such sud
, ,
den and apparently causeless atmospherical

changes being very common in o ur climate ;
but i n stead o f mendin g matters grew wors e
,
afforded at least protection from the wind

, , .
E scaping his gras p she uttered a few angry

,
expressions in a sharp tone such as he never

, ,
thought to have heard from her lips ; an d ,
cowering down upon the field amid the rank

grass laid by the rain panting breathless with
,
the excess o f terror she lay in dangerous ,
proximity to the tree .
Fortun ately however the hurricane was not

, ,
of long duration and the an soon became filled

,
with calls and shouts as o n e by o n e the scat

, , ,
t e re d members o f the party emerged from their
various places o f refuge The young ladies .
looked all the lovelier fo r the u navoidable dis

array o f their costume in spite o f pale cheeks
,
and lank hair ; but the elder dames were gre ater
su fferers by thi s trivial mishap and more con ,
cerned fo r its consequences They looked .
disconsolately at the rain which although the , ,
wind had ceased continued t o pelt them most

,
u nmercifu lly —then at their dripping clothes

, ,
and at the lowering heavens to which the dusk ,
o f eveni n g now began to impart an additional
obscurity and fin ally calle d upon the aged

,
serv ant who acted as guide to j oin them in a

, ,
hasty consultation .
My father all this time stood near M ade

, ,
mo i se lle C adI e re s to whom he did n o t v enture

,
again to speak S he still lay apparently insensible

.
in the wet grass and he was much relieve d by

,
the approach of M ademoiselle R aymond who ,
stepped up to the prostrate Catherine and ad ,
dressed her i n a decided man ner .
R ise Catherine —fo r shame —why will you

,
ever remain a child ! R ise I say ! D o you ,
not see that all is over ! I hope these ladies

are not going to remain here all night o r ride ,
in their damp clothes ; y o u and I at least must , ,

”
walk forward .
M ademoiselle R aymond spoke rather with

an air of authority than affection and my father ,
observed with surprise that it produced an al

most instantaneous e ffect Catherine rose at
.
her bidding and walked o n with the passiv e

,
obedience o f a child looking with reviving con

,
fi d e n ce into her stern features .
Ah ! thought my father
” “hers is a weak
,
as well as a gentle spiri t an d requires no less

,
guidance than support—the most amiable o f all

C haracters for a wife Well I am able to a fford
.
,
”
her both .
“I t is n o t easy t o understand said M adame

,
C adi ere s i n an apologetic manner to the co m

,
pany fast gathering around “h o w so gifted a

,
being as my C atherine so superior to others o f

,
the same age and sex c an be afraid o f thunder

, ,
an d tremble at the wind To be sure I was

.
,
alway s a dreadful coward i n these things but ,
’
that s no re as on why
I t is the weakness o f her nerves said ,
E leonore R aymond somewhat sharply ;

, they
are singularly irritable though you will n o t
,
perceive it and I advise you not to expose her

,
any longer to this cold shower bath than y o u -
”
c an help.
Though the advice was ungraciously give n ,
its wisdom went directly home to the mother s ’
heart ; besides it accounted favourably fo r a

,
weakness i n her daughter s character which she

’
ima gined to be a flaw and she gratefully availed

,
herself o f this opportunity o f turni n g the atten

tio n of the listeners into another channel .
It was promptly decided that they should

proceed on foot along a cross road leading to a
village well known to their guide where they ,
hoped to find an inn o f some sort o r other The .
attendants were to bring up the rear with the

mules and baggage .
A gain it fell to my father s lot t o escort

’
Catherine and E leonore The latter gave him

.
little o r no trouble ; it was but seldom she

n eeded his assistance and n ever his encourage
,
ment N ot so his fairer companion ; not a

.
step coul d she advance alone A s the gloom .
deepened she looked around in vague ap p re

,
h e n s i o n ; now fancying a bat was flying about

—
her head now that a toad leaped before her
,
in the pathway ; then that dark figures fli t t e d

,
along behind the hedgerows ; started at the

sound of her o w n voice and feared to look ,
back lest she might behold—she could not

,
herself say what .
For all these imaginary terrors E leonore

every now and then reproved her friend in no
gentle tone ; and my father perceived with ,
disple asure that her remonstrances had more

,
62 M AGI C AN D MESMERISM .
weight with Catherine than his gentle p e rsu a

sions He could have wished M ademoiselle
.
R aymond at the other end o f the world ; but

still Catherine s tremblin g hand rested o n his
’
arm He could distinctly feel her heart beat

.
against it ; she called o n his name with soft

and timid accents and he felt happy as young
, ,
lovers ord y can feel and wished it might be

,
permitted to walk o n thus hand in hand , ,
throughout all space and time .
A t last an inn was di scovered I t was .
crowded with wayfarers su rprised by the storm ;

and all that the surly hostess would o r could
do was to allow this new influx o f visitors to
,
dry themselves by the kitchen fire and to pass -

,
the n ight in a large comfortless room boasting ,
no beds and very little furniture o f any kind ;

,
along the walls o f which she di stri buted heaps o f

straw for their accommodation ; and poor as this ,
was they had reason to congratulate themselve s

,
upon it ; for it was w ith the utmost difficulty

they obtained that no strangers should share
the apartment with them .
A fter much scrambl ing and l aughi ng o n

M A GI C AN D ME SMERISM . 63
t he part o f the j u niors and much gr umbling o n

,
that o f the seniors the disasters o f the evening

,
w ere tolerably repaired ; and all busi e d them
selves i n maki ng preparations as best they could , ,
fo r the enj oyment o f rest rendered doubly n e

,
ce ss ar by the exertions o f the day

y .
Catherine who had by this time completely

,
recovered her equanimity provided with the , ,
most engaging sol i citude fo r her mother s c o m

,
’
fort A few cushions taken from the mules by

.
,
her brothers and arranged by her o wn careful

,
hand and a coverlid borrowed from the hostess

,
! by a miracle clean and fresh

) soon made the ,
o ld lady a tolerable couch M adame Lan gi é re s

.
pillowed herself o n her daughter s shoulder ; ’
M esdemoiselles la R ue and R e b o ul were equally

eager in di splaying their filial affection ; whilst
M arie G uy o l kept in exercise the gallantry o f
the few young men who had neither mothers
nor sisters to claim their attention .
E leonore R aymond stood pensively gazing

o n the various movements o f her young friends ,
w ith an expression o f sadness not habitual to
her austere c ountenan c e an d whi ch softened

,
its harsher lines My father approached her

.
,
and inquired if he could be o f any service .
N o I thank you
, she replied in a less , ,
abrupt tone than usual .
I thought y o u looked as if you missed

”
something he said apologetically
, , .
”
You were right she answered When , .
I behold these happy children and paren t s thus

occupied and anxious fo r one another I miss
, ,
”
my own mother .
Tears started to her eyes as she spoke and ,
her voice trembled For the first time she .

,
appeared to him n o t absolutely repulsive S he .
is not pre t ty thought he but decidedly inter

, ,
esting He would have continued a conversa

.
tion begun i n a tone so conge ni al to his o w n

feelings for he was the best o f sons ; but M a
,
demoiselle R aymond suddenly turned her back

upon him and moved o ff to another end o f
,
the room as if ashamed of her momentary

,
communicativeness .
S he has not a bad heart ; but what a surly ,
uncongenial temper thought my father ,

”
.
A t l ast e v ery th ing and every body was

,
sweets o f the former However this is a digre s

.
,
sion re v e no ns a no s mo uto ns
, .
I t h as often been said and my father felt ,
o n this occasion the full force o f the observa
tion that nothing ripens Inti macy faster than

,
a j ourney or anything resembling it Weeks

, .
,
months o f almost daily associations in the usual

,
routine o f society do n o t mature a buddi n g

,
a ffection rub o ff the mutual diffide n ce and

, ,
e ace the doubts which are its chief impedi

ff i
,
ments like a whole day spent together I t has

, .
something o f the familiarity o f domestic habits ;

nor is it possible for the fair lady to maintain
herself withi n the strong ramparts o f icy reserve ,
when exposed to the incessant skirmishes o f

polite attentions needed kindnesses and all the
, ,
chances that throw young people o n such occa

sions into each other s way I see by your smile
’
.
,
my young friend that y o u think my comp ariso n s

,
and sentiments as ro cco co s as myself ; so I will

even o n with my story .
Fo r the first few hours every thi ng was ,
hushed in the large crowded chamber and every ,
o n e slept o r seeme d to sleep

, Catherine was .
M A GI C AND MESME RISM . 67
W rapt in the peaceful slumbers of a child from ,
which even the loud snorings o f her brothers

were un equal to arouse her To t h e you n g .
lover s enamoured fancy she seemed more lovely

’
in this placid gentle repose than in her most

, ,
ani mated moments But he loved as we o f

.
Toulon an d M arseilles love ; whether she spake

o r was silent laughing o r sad , k ind o r other ,
wise her last mood ever seemed the most fasci

,
n ating and herself more perfect with every

,
p as sing hou r .
M idnight tolled from the neighbouring church

in thi n sharp accents denotin g by the meagre
, , ,
sound how much it stood in need o f fresh

,
bells My father started at the chime and

.
,
looked around M ademoiselle R aymond was yet

.
in the same position ; M arie G uy o l had drop

ped asleep in the midst o f her frolics like a
, ,
wearied Hebe ; and her admirers had glided to

a heap o f straw not far o ff doubtless with the
,
intention o f n ever losing sight o f their divinity ,
where nature having overcome them they lay

, ,
in a state of the deepest oblivion S carcely .
h ad the hour ce ased to chime when the m oo n , ,

emerging from the cloud that had hitherto

veiled her shone forth in uncontrolled b ril
,
li an cy streami n g full through the curtainless

,
windows upon Catherine s reclining figure My ’

.
father dreadi n g lest t h e light should disturb

,
her was about to seek t he means of excluding

,
it when suddenly she rose to a sitti ng posture

, ,
and stretched forth her hands anxiously .
”
I must dress my hair she said in an , ,
a udible though lo w voice ; but I cannot find

,
my comb—I fear it is left behind .
He was surprised at the extraordinary de

mand and no less so whe n the elder brother
,
gently roused the younger who immediately ,
produced the desired object .
N ow bring m
’ ”
That s right she said , e a .
,
mirror How c an I braid my hair without o n e !

.
Thank you N ow take away this odious ker

.
,
—
chief s o Joseph don t stand in my light
.
,
’
.
My father was startled ; for it w as he and ,
n o t her brother who stood bet ween her and

,
the light of the moon He moved o ff saying .

,
to Joseph as he did s o ,
I am afraid my presence annoys M ade

mo i se lle C adi ere s
”
.
N ot the leas t in the world was the reply , .
S he is not even aware o f it I f it interests

.
you to watch her j ust now y o u may do so pro

, ,
”
v i d e d you do not attempt to wake her .
B ut she is no longer asleep .
”
S he is
, answered Joseph with a smile , .
Have y o u never before witnessed an instance

of somnambulism ! My poo r sister has been
subject to this affl iction since her childhood ;
it is however fast wearin g o ff
, , But hush ! .
she is about to sp e a
Joseph bring t h e light nearer
, .
He lighted a candle and placed it by her

with great precaution and my father then per
,
c e i v e d that her eyes were completely closed .
One brother at her desire held the candle the

, , ,
other the mirror —then removing t h e silk ker

, ,
chief she carefully unbraided her tresses and

,
su ffered them to flow in natural luxuriance

down her shoulders .
I have often heard i t said by those who had

known her that Catherine s hair was finer than
,
’
any they h ad ever seen Of the purest palest

.
,
'
gold colour and of the softest most silken

, ,
tissue it fell in glittering sho wers about her and

, ,
literally veiled her person The only touch o f .
vani ty her fi i e n ds and detractors had been able

to trace in Catherine was in reference to thi s ,
beautiful ornament o f nature A menial hand .
was never suffered to profane it but she braided ,
and smoothed it herself with peculi ar care

and setting at no ug h t the perverse taste of the
,
time when ladies b e fri zzle d and bespangled

,
themselves most unmercifully she gathered ,
them up at the back o f her head in a simple

G recian knot aware doubtless that this sim
, , ,
p li c it
y displayed their beauty to the greatest
possible advant age and would now and then p as s

,
a sky blue ribbon through the m with a coquetti sh

-
and beco ming grace .
M ost men besides admiri ng beauty in its

,
more broad and general acceptation are devoted ,
to some separate individual grace S ome praise

, .
a small foot othe rs o ffer their homage at the

,
shrine o f a snowy well formed hand a third

,
-
,
fancies beauty rests in the eye my father had

always a caprice for fine hair and this charm in ,
M ademoiselle C adi é re s although so strangely ,
exhibited made no small impression o n h is

,
imagination .
The light caught the long rich locks as she

carefully combed and separated th em and even ,
occasionally played o n her closed eyelids with out

d i sco mp o s m g her A t last she seemed satisfied
.
,
and well she might be so for the most expert ,
practitioner could not with open eyes and in ,
full daylight have achieved the work better

, .
S he then rose to her feet and made towards the

windo w feeling with her hands fo r a curtain
, .
”
There s no shutting o ut the moon she
’
,
’
said . Well it can t be helped I t is b ut fo r
, .
o n e night t o morrow I shall be home again

,
-
.
S he must be awake said my father in a , ,
whisper to Joseph who watched his sister nar ,
ro wl
y without
, however attemp ting
, to impede ,
her movements S he speaks quite con

.
”
n e ct e dl y .
S he
is asleep notwithstanding and we must
, ,
be careful not to wake her fo r that the physician ,
”
declares is the only danger .
Catherine walked indeed somewhat h e si t at , ,
i n gly with outstretched b an ds like a bli n d person

, , ,
o r o n e groping in the dark yet contrivi n g with ,
singular nicety to avoid coming in contact with

any person o r object that stood in her way ad ,
M A GI C AND MESMERIS M .
dres sing herself to Joseph alone as if u nco n ,
scious of the presence o f any other .
S he next approached the table where E leo

nore sat w h o by a slight movement betrayed
, , ,
that she w as either aroused by the circumstance ,
o r what is more probable had never slept a t

, ,
all Catherine took up the light ; my father

.
sprang forward to snatch it from her uncerta in

hold but M ademoiselle R ay mond interfered
, .
G ently pushing him back she too k the candle

,
stick from Catherine s unresisting han d saying

’
, ,
with her wonted abruptness ,
G o to yo ur bed Catherine ; night is the

,
”
time for sleep G o and rest
. .
Catherine hung her head like a chided child ,
and moved slowly to her couch S he knel t by .
its side and recited her evening prayer in a

s weet though s mothered voi c e
, S he never .
o mitted to cross herself at the appropriate

places and even gently str uck her breast at
,
certai n words expressive o f penitence and h u

mi li ty ; then laid herself do w n and in another , ,
instant seemed as c al m and motionless as though

,
her sleep were unvexed even by dreams .

hood and its graces were rapidly growing u pon

her ; “you never advocated a cause more
warmly than M ademoiselle R aymond does
”
yours at this moment I can as sure you ,
.
Before he could frame a reply she had urged ,
her horse forward and headed the cavalcade .
Her words whether spoken in j est o r earnest

, ,
somewhat disconcerted him He could not help .
fancying they came nearer the mark as to the ,
fact of his merits being under discussion than ,
the speaker herself w as aware o f though he ,
became nervous at the bare thought that Cathe

rine might be prej udiced against him by the
harsh opinions which in spite o f M ademoiselle
,
G uy o l s assertion he doubted not her friend

’
,
entertained o f him as well as o f all the world

,
besides .
The weather though cloudy and uncer tain

,
in the morning cleared up in the course o f the

,
day and young and o ld recovered their spirits

, ,
which had been damped by the mischance o f

the previous night But when my father again
.
j oined Catherine all his e ffor ts to resume the

,
u nembarr assed confidential tone of the eve

were unsuccessful ; long pauses interv ened in

their con versation which E leonore as usual
, , ,
took no trouble to fill up But whether this .
chilling restraint originated with himself o r

M ademoiselle C adi é re s he was at a loss to ,
determine This trifling check naturally ren

.
dered their ride back to Toulon less agreeable

than their departure ; still my father o n the ,
whole w as sorry w hen it was over and felt that

, ,
this excursion had rivetted his chains .
M atters remained for a few months in statu

quo The intimacy continued obviously e n
.
,
c o u ra e d by the mother and anything but dis

g ,
c o ura e d as he thought by the daughter His

g , , .
parents to whom he had openly declared his

,
feelings and intentions approved highly of his

,
choice and thus all things looked propitious

, .
He fancied too that Catherine s disposi t ion

’
, ,
gradually became modified by some u nknown ,
cause or other but which he did n o t fail with

, ,
the sanguineness of youth to attribute to his ,
own growing influence S he seemed every day .
less of a saint and more o f a woman This .
change while it damped the ambitious hopes

,
E 2
76 M AGI C AND MESMERISM .
and di sconcerted the personal views o f her

friends gratified him unspeakably All parties
,
.
appeared to soften towards him ; even her

brother s jealousy diminished i n exact ratio
’
, ,
as the hopes they had built upon their siste r

began to wane .
I t was a g ain spring Catherine and her

.
mother had removed to their country house ,
where my father continued to be an e v ery day

visitor ; and he determined at last to venture , ,
o n the grand question whose answer was to fix

,
his future happiness o r misery But it would .
be wearisome to relate and incredible t o believe

, ,
how often he went to the house with the firm

resolution that that very evening should be the
last o f suspense and returned without even
,
havin g hinted at the subject nearest his heart .
Whenever he attempted to bring himself to t h e

point his courage failed him Uncertainty w as
, .
bliss compared to the m i sery a rejection would

i nflict .
A t last he took heart and made his proposal s

,
in due form to the mother S he was evidently

.
, ,
by no means taken by surprise ; her answer

M AGI C AND M ES M ERIS M .
w as fair and candid —i t revealed her i nner most

thoughts .
“I t were my duty as a mother sh e said to

, ,
decide for my inexperienced daughter in so

grave a business and most mothers in my co n
,
dition would unhesitatingly and gladly avail

, ,
themselves o f such an o ffer as y ours so eve ry ,
way satisfactory are yo u r prospects your con ,
n e x io ns , and especially your o w n qualities .
But my Catherine is so superior a bein g that ,
what would be wisdo m in the mothers of ordi

nary daughters would be folly in me S he is
, .
the only authority to whom I can refer you in

such matters ! if she accept you no o n e can be ,
more willing than myself to call y ou son However .
di fferent may once have been my h o p e s an d v i e w s

for my daughter —whatever wishes I m ay still
entertain in my secret heart —I do no t feel jus
,
t i fie d in depriving her of the earthly advantages
that P rovidence may throw in her path besides ,
if she do not rej ect you it is a proof heaven

,
willed her not to be o f the elect ; but if as I ,
believe she be o n e of the chosen then are such

, ,
proposals as yours merely the test by which h e r

virtue is tried S peak to her yourself M onsieur

.
,
Chaudon —I will not seek t o Influence her

either way—w e must all abide by her decision .
”
He was received by M ademoiselle C adi ere s

with the same kind smile that ever greeted him
but someho w it assumed a more sisterly ex
, ,
pression than usual in his disturbed fancy

, .
S he listened to him thro u ghout— and though ,
awkward enough at first he grew eloquent ,
—
with his su bject with a calm grave attention , ,
and a collectedness of manner that almost ,
damped his hopes S he blushed once o r twice

.
,
indeed at the ardour o f his expressions but

, ,
never turned away her head nor trembled nor , , ,
in short shewe d any o f those symptoms o f

,
embarrassment and fear so reass uring t o a ,
’
lover s doubts
A nd now she said in a firm though gentle
, ,
tone now that I have listened to all you have

,
to say pray do the same by me and do not

, ,
interrupt me I have long guessed the prefer

.
ence with which you honour m e I ndeed .

,
E leonore opened my eyes to it the day we r o de

m e ntio f
re d the very excur
back from ! she
M A GI C AND ME SMERISM . 79
sion the incidents o f which I h ave detailed

,
“
to you ) and I would then have renounced
,
your acquaintance although a source of much

,
re al pleasure but for her advice which I thought

, ,
wise like everything she utters

, D o not .
j udge hastily C atherine she said ; you are

, ,
’ ‘
perfectly aware o f M onsieur Jules qualities ; ’
give yourself the time to be just to them and to ,
know your o w n heart Try it by every test in

.
your power before you consider it altogether

—
Heaven s a mistake might cost y o u dear
’ ’
.
S he spoke at great length o f my being mis ~
led by vanity—delusions o f all kinds—o f the

necessity o f giving my feelings fair play I .
yielded to the truth o f her observations I .
thought you then as I still do — and I feel a

,
pride in owning the fact — a man whom I could

love because I esteem —to whom I could wil
,
li n gly gladly yield up my destiny

’
, , My father s .
heart bounded with j oy But .

— Oh ! those ,
buts ; how they trifle with our best hopes in

life and nip them in the b u d as a hoar frost
, ,
does the early spring blossoms but though ,
—
I could have been content to wed you co ul d
have loved you I did n o t because I loved G o d

-
more an d wish ed to devote myself wholly to his

,
service Interrupt me n o t I entreat I gave my

. .
self a fair trial saw y o u every day—rece ive d

,
your attentions—courted rather than avoide d , ,
the opportunities of j udging your merits—an d

every day asked my o w n heart the question
you have put me to day The answer has -
.
invariably been the same I am not destine d .
fo r the calm j oys and easy duties o f a house

w ife my vocation speaks loudly in my bosom ,
haunts me in my dreams and points o u t to me ,
”
the path I must tread .
My father v ehemently c ontradicted her as

sertion and blamed her desire fo r a c o nv e n
,
tual life .
”
You m i stake she said with a quiet smi le
, , ,
I d o not wish to tak e the veil N othing can .
be further from my thoughts o r desires The .
idle dreamy existence o f a nun appears to me

, ,
the most insignificant and useless o f any My .
sphere o f action and o f feelin g m u st be e n

large d not curtailed
, N o ! my mind is fi x ed
.
o n other points To t ake u p o n e day the

.
, ,
consternation pity and admiration The heart

, , .
o f an angel seemed unveili ng itsel f He knew .
she spoke not vain calculated w ords —that they

,
welled from her inmost soul But beautiful as .

,
he thought the aspirations of that soul he ,
deemed her views visionary and was convinced ,
that time would prove thi s even to hersel f .
S uspecti n g that after all she was more attached

, ,
to hi m than she was aware o f he did n o t ,
renounce his hope s at once and frankly told ,
her so .
S he s mi led and sighed at the same time ;

but he obtained the permission to continue the
trial with the result o f which she said having
, , ,
forewarned him—since he w as willingly court

ing error and di sappointment—she w o ul d n o t ~
have to fear the reproaches o f her conscience .
The words with which she closed the inte r

view were bal m to the wounds she h ad inflicted ;
If ever I sho ul d change my determination ,
which is not likely rest assured it will be in

,
”
your favour only .
After this explanation my father was very

unhappy but no t h o pe less ; an d co ntin ue d hi s
,
M A GI C AND MESMERISM .
visits to the house Indeed his footing there

.
,
seemed exactly the same as heretofore and a ,
stranger to the circumstances o f the case would

never have guessed but that he was an accepted ,
not a rejected suitor .
Upon bei ng informed o f her daughter s ’
final decision M adame C adi ere s feeli ngs were

,
’
o f a mixed kind S he w as glad and sorrowful

.
,
proud and humbled ; for should C atherine,
accomplish her destiny in obscurity she like , ,
most mothers would not have been best pleased

,
to see her dau ghter remain a spinster whilst ,
she would have the m o rtificat i o n t o behold the

fair scions of almost every other matron o f her
set more o r less advantageou sly settled But .
she was consoled by the reflection that my

father s love would in al l probability outlive hi s
’
, ,
refusal and that she could at any time secure

,
him if nothing better turned up .
My father as I have said suffered himself

, ,
by no means to be discourag ed ; he even h e

came every day more convinced that he was
, ,
gaining ground in Catherine s affections that’

,
-
her childish adherence to early plans and fan

84 M A GI C A N D MESMERISM .
t as t i cnotions was giving way to the voice o f

nature and the force o f truth He was not the .
only o ne to perceive that she was gradually de

scending from those i maginary spheres wherein
her young imaginati o n had been foolishly suf
fe re d to wander ; that the tone of her feeli ngs
was growing more natural and that her ,
thoughts were be c oming more bent towards t h e

real i ties o f life Fools and the env i ous de
.
p lo re d the change ; but all peop le o f sense

rej oiced especially the young men of the town
, ,
for C atherine was blessed with a good inherit

ance as well as with beauty and goodness .
I t w as very much the fashion with the

idle youths o f the day—not being as now, ,
allowed to dabble in politics ere they were

—
fl e dge d to make a great parade o f gallantry .
I t was one of their customs to elect every now ,
and then some fair idol o f the hour who w as

, ,
adulated talked over and rhymed at until she

, , ,
either wedded or faded when a n e w election ,
took place Catherine from earliest dawn o f

.
,
womanhood had been the standard be lle o f her

,
o w n society ; but at this epoch o f her li fe her

, ,
lovel iness ripened into such fulness as to become

the theme o f universal homage Offi cers and
.
students a sp i ra nts de ma ri ne an d seminarists

, ,
all agreed in electing her with o ne voice the

, ,
queen o f beauty ; and strove with envious,
emulation to throw themselves in the way o f

,
the young girl who could not take a walk round

,
the ramparts or look o u t o f her windo w by the

,
merest chance without encounterin g a host of

,
eager eyes ready to drink in the most casual of

,
her glances .
My father was more distressed than flat

t e re d by the general homage thus rendered
to the object o f his affections ; for he dreaded

the appearance o f competitors to the prize
which he was so eager to snatch to himself ;
nor were his misgivings altogether without
foundation .
One young man who had just arrived from

,
a northern province to j oi n his regi ment quar ,

e
t e re d for the time at Toulo n v iewed Cathe

,
rine with a deeper purer admiration than t h e

, ,
idle throng He belo nged to the privileged

.
classes ; for he not only had a do before his

name but bore o n e o f those made illustrious

,
in the annals o f o ur country by the deeds o f

,
his forefathers His fortune was not inferior

.
to his birth ; yet he did not disdain a few ,
months after his arrival to depose all these

,
advantages at M ademoiselle C adi ere s feet and ’

,
entreat her to share them with him .
Catherin e unhesitatingly refused T o under

.
stand fully t he merit o f this rej ection I must ,
again remind you of the state o f society pre

v i o u s to the R evolution . The king in the fairy
tales who wedded a shepherdess ten di ng her
,
flock scarcely conferred upon her a greater

,
honour than did the gentleman o f those days

,
upon a bourgeoise in making her his spouse

, .
One must bear in mind the different pos i tion

o f the e n tilh o mme ri e at that epoch and how
g ,
inconceivably greater were its advantages to ,
understand clearly that such a refusal was

actually a sacrifice .
I n this case too the young lady could not

, ,
re as onably object to the person o r mental qua

li t i e s of the lover . Youthful tolerably good
,
look ing thoroughly enamoured o f her he pos

, ,
to take up the reins she had once suffered to

escape from her hands .
G rat ifie d as my father w as at this decis i on o f

his mistress so favourable to his o wn wishes still
, ,
he felt daily more anxious about the issue o f his

suit His own ardent devotion together with
. ,
that o f the rejected o ffi cer con t ributed to spread

,
’
the fame o f Catherine s charms ; and he doubted
not but rivals would spring up from every quarter .
They soon indeed became numerous as black

berries ; but M ademoiselle C adi ere s was as i n
exorable to her many lovers as ever was that
model of female truth and excellenc e fair P e ,
n e lo e hersel f Thus my father s fears again

’
p .
gave way to brighter hopes Her manner to .
him conti nued the same as ever ; still he fan

c i e d he now and then could trace the semblance
o f a blush o n her countenance when he ven ,
t u re d to praise ; but her damask cheek w as
habitually tinged with so soft a glow that h e ,
might easily have been mistaken .
M ademoiselle R aymond who in spite of

, ,
her uncourteous chilling demeanour he could

, ,
not but th i nk was we ll d isposed towards him

, ,
since the kind advice she had once bestowed i n

his favou r might perhaps best have informed
,
him o f what he really had to expect ; fo r she

possessed the whole o f Catherine s confidence ’
.
I ndeed though constantly surrounded by the

,
young ladies he h ad met on his first visit t o

t h e house Ca therine s intimacy dated with
’
,
them but from the epoch o f her first co mmu

n ion having received their religious i n struc
,
tions at the same time and from the same ,
person With the Catholics especially in the

.
,
narrow circles o f provincial life this often forms ,
a bond that lasts throughout existence ; at any

rate is seldom broken during the first fe w years
,
that elapse after the event But E leonore R ay .
mond was a friend from the very cradle as it ,
were and o n e whom Catherine could love and

,
trust without reserve They were co n stantly

.
with eac h other ; and more se rious in disposi

tion graver in man ner than their youthful
, ,
companions often kept aloof and t o themselves

, ,
even in moments o f the greatest apparent s o

c i ab i li t
y .
Although my father was fully aware of the

90 MA GI C AN D MESMERIS M .
immense power o f a female companion and

confidante in the furtherance o f a love affair
and it may be imagined that a certain degree
of intimacy had arisen between them from their
daily meetings for the space of a couple o f
y ears —there was that about M ademoiselle
R aymond which checked all advance to fami
li ari ty A lways with C atherine she seemed
.
,
like the shadow side o f a bright picture in

-
which objects are so indistinctly represented ,
that the beholder can with diffi culty discern

them When spoken to it was impossible t o
.
,
decide whether she was affronted o r pleased ,
amused o r wearied when listening to the c o n

,
versation o f others S he w as kind to C atherine

.
alone — communicative with n o o n e els e to

every other individual without exception her , ,
manner was cold to repulsion .
My father could not often overcome a cer

tain disagreeable sensation when addressing ,
her e ven though convinced she had once acted

,
a friendly part towards him and might do so ,
again Bu t o n e evening finding her alone in

.
, ,
the parlour while the company were dispersed

,
92 M AGI C AND ME S MERISM .
mo ise lle C adi ere shad grown to be so stale an

a ffair that the intelligence o f their marriage
,
would scarcely have elicited an exclamation ,
when suddenly a new star appeared in their

hemisphere and roused the inhabitants o f o ur
,
good town from thei r momentary torpor .
A mo n g the numerous beehives o f cowls and

shaven crowns that Toulon possessed it boasted ,
a seminary o f Jesuits and several establish

,
ments belonging to the order of M ount Carmel .
The latter certainly had more partisans in the

town than the former ; and even the Lord Bishop
himself was supposed to favour them greatly .
The Carmelites had the best pre achers the ,
guidance o f the most fashionable souls and , ,
in short carried it with a high hand ov e r the

,
Jesuits .
For a long while were the latter forced to

bear this mo rt i fic at i o n —not without complaint
o r murmur it is true ; but still they were com
,
e lle d to yield the step to their rivals That

p .
this could not last for ever that somethi n g must

,
be done was certain ; but what that something

,
should be it took some t i me to consi der—as

,
MAG IC A ND MESMERISM . 93
much indeed as a few years it would seem , ,
since my father had spent alre ady a couple in

—
Toulon before they thought o f the expe d ient
which they finally fell upon .
They had—namely in o ne o f their c o mmu

,
n i t i e s at A ix —a preacher who was singularly

,
distinguished by his eloquence and fiery zeal .
His reputation had spread far and wide over

the country and his order considere d him as
,
one o f its most u seful members S uch a perso n .
only could be opposed to the barefooted Car

m e li te s with su c cess He would bear down
.
every thin g before hi m at Toulon as he had ,
done wherever he had appeared ! the triumph o f

the Jesuits and t he defeat o f the Carme l ites
,
would be complete .
This man was accordingly called to Toulon ,
under the title o f R ector of the R oyal S emi

nary o f Chaplains to the N avy He was ex .
e c t e d with great anxiety by the rival parties

p ,
and with intense curiosity by the whole town ;

for the Jesuits had artfully enough contrived that
many interesting r umours should be afloat re
specting their new champion .
94 M A GI C AN D MESMERISM .
The gossips o f the place took up t h e subject

with avidity The success o f the new preacher
.
in the pulpit his incredible zeal for the con

,
version o f erring souls the mighty persuasions

,
by which he brought new votaries to the church ,
his power over the hearts o f men or rather ,
women— for among them it wo ul d appear his , ,
talents had be en chiefly exercised — were the

theme o f every conversation from the highest ,
to the lowest circles The Carmeli tes indeed

.
assumed a scornful incre d ulous smile as if very

, ,
well as sured that all this great stir would turn

o u t much ado about nothing whilst the Jesui ts ,
looked as if about to celebrate a T e D e um fo r

victory .
A t last the news o f the reverend father s

’
,
arrival was spread throughout the town I t was .
announced that he would preach at the church

o f the Jesuits o n the ensuing S unday ; and
until that hour o f trial he was carefully kept
,
from prying eyes lest his novelty should wear

,
o ff .
The decisive S unday at length arrived .
The moment the doors o f the church were

only re deeming point about the man—large ,
dark and fiery it scanned the assembled crowd

, ,
with a glance o f fierce assurance that seemed

the prologue to su c cess and was not devo i d o f a
,
sort o f rude dignity .
Hi s v oi c e was at first husky but cleare d by ,
degrees until it be c ame lou d an d full and like

, , ,
his glance seemed to search every consc i ence

,
and des c end into every heart .
He chose a simple text and developed it ,
with s ing ular persp i cuity avoi d ing to over

,
burthen it with hyperbolical amplification His .
periods were we ll rounded without e x agge ,
—
ration ; every sentence h ad a poin t every word
a meaning ; his comparisons were just though ,
su fficiently flowery to be graceful ; his argument

was close and rapid —i n short my father said ,
he might have been a lawyer an d an u n co m ,
mou ly good o n e .
A s a preacher that d ay his success was ,
complete The Carmelites were routed ; and

.
the Jesuits looked that ine ffably humble an d

meek triumph o f wh i ch women an d monk s
on ly hav e the se c ret .
M AGI C AND MESMERIS M . 97
From that day the issue o f the quarrel was

not dubious Father G irard s celebrity daily
.
’
accrued to the no small satisfaction o f his order

, .
His eloquence and ambition took bolder flights

as he gre w more at home i n his new residence
and soon the town was filled with the account
o f the proselytes he was making .
G radually the churches of the bare foote d

,
-
Carmelites were deserted their preachers voted

,
tame their confessors unsatisfactory and the

, ,
tide of public favour was rapidly ebbing from

them Father G irard understood marvellously
.
, ,
the art o f warming the zeal o f elderly ladies ,
and making the m denounce and renounce the

pleasures in which they could scarcely continue
t o take a share ; but he had for some time n o
opportunity o f exercising his power o ver the

minds of the junior members o f the community ,
and this for a reason which I must explain .
Catherine w as considered by all the young

girls of her age o r thereabouts as their model
, ,
and guide in reli giou s matters ; and though

many were anxious t o try the new confessor ,
they dared not even so much as manifest their

VO L . I . F
8 M A GI C AND MESME R ISM .
desire openly before it had received the sanction

,
o f her example But there reigned a great

.
curiosity among them to discover her opinion

upon the subject ; for although resolved to
abide by it they were naturally desirous that
,
her views should coincide with their o w n .
Though she had attended his sermons several

times without ever dropping the slightest hint
,
about the matter in question they did not think

,
fit t o mention it until such time as she should

afford them a fair opening fo r so doing They .
felt confident that she would explain herself

one day o r other and awaited the moment in
,
silent but e ager expectation .
I n their anxiety concerning the all absorb -
ing question they forgot other topics that had

,
lately much engrossed them such as the ap ,
p ro ach i n
g nuptials of M arie L an i ere s
g and
M arie La R ue which promised to be very
,
brilliant the former being about to unite her

,
self with the only so n o f a f e rmi e r g e ne ra l who ,
h ad just O btained a sa v o nne t te a vi la i n as it w as

,
called ! a position among the aristocracy by ,
means o f the purchase of an estate to which a ,

1 00 M A GI C AND MESMERIS M .
her coterie j oyfully accepted the invitation ,
which include d no gentlemen except Cathe ,
rine s brothers and my father whom she treated

’
, ,
with the same confidence as t hough he in reali ty

made part of her family .
The sitting amused him not a little at the

time ignorant as he was o f the influence it
,
would have upon his o w n fate and that o f all

prese n t How little did any o f those there
.
reunited revelling in th eir youth and their

,
prospects laughing rather to ease their heart o f

,
its fulness o f j oy than at the objects that raised

that laughter —how little did they dream they
were nearing with careless dancing steps the
, , ,
abyss that was about to engulf them .
Catherine sat in childish state in a p urple

, ,
velvet chair of antique shape that had been ,
brought down from the lumber room fo r the -
purpose o f giving the meeting a more imposing

e ffect On her right o n a plain tabouret sat
.
, ,
the languishing M arie L angi ere s who already ,
spoke confidently o f soon having a tabouret

a la c o ur ; and next to her was pla c ed M ade
mo i se lle La R ue who remarked on the cc
,
M A GI C AND MESMERISM . 1 01
casion that once in her new home such vile

, ,
things as these me s qui ns settees should never be

seen On Catherine s left was M ademoiselle
.
’
R aymond and next to her my father

, The .
two brothers stood behind their sister s chair as ’

,
gentlemen o f honour ; and opposite to her sat

the p iqua nte Marie G u y o l whose pretty head
,
p assed that o f all the rest by o n e good half so ,
that as she h erself observed she might easily

, ,
have been mistaken fo r the president .
The girlish fancy that had inspired these

’
arrangements was a happy augury in my father s
eyes ; the more Catherine s character would ’
lose o f its loftiness and austerity the more ,
likely and near seemed the realization o f his

hopes When silence was established and all
.
,
were willing to listen Catherine began

,
“I know my dear friends she said that ”

, , ,
you have long tacitly awaited my decision

upon a grave and important point—namely ,
whether it be best to adhere to the Carmelite

priests who have hitherto guided an d e m
,
lightened o ur consciences o r choose a n e w

,
director in the person of the celebrated Father

1 02 M AGI C AND MESMERISM .
G irard, ofthe Jesuits I feel flattered by your .
reliance o n me but would n o t misuse it by

,
seeking to influence you in a matter where con

s c ience alone can decide But I o w e it to my .
self, as well as to y o u to lay before you the real

,
cause o f the line o f conduct I myself am about

to pursue which might otherwise be imputed
,
to motives furthest from my heart It is not .
Father G irard s brilliant eloquence that h as

’
touched me n o r am I dazzled by his great

,
reputation for I should have resisted both these

impulses as being too worldly to induce me to
,
resign my soul into the keeping o f a stranger .
N o ! it is the wi ll o f Heaven You all re .
member S t John s D ay when Father G irard

.
’
preached at the church of t h e Carmelites T h e .
service being over I was about to depart when

, , ,
cros sing the porch I happened to meet him and

, ,
caught his eye as I had often done before

, ,
resting upon me A t the same instant an

.
,
angel form appeared visibly to me pointing ,
towards him and a voice distinctly murmured

,
in my ear This is the man wh o is to lead

’
thee u nto Heaven I well nigh fainted with.
1 04 M A GI C AND MESMERISM .
whilst C atherine s eye —lighted up wi th the

’
secret t riumph of a devotee who fan cies her ,
self singled o ut by Heaven as an object o f

es
p e ci al
p re dile ct i o n —so ugh t i n vai n fo rsy mp at h y
in their grave countenances But the rest of .
the party expressed their admiration o f the

secret ways o f P rovidence and Obviously at ,
t ach e d the most ri diculous importance to this as ,
my father then thought it fantastic communi ,
cation .
He could at the time scarcely listen to

, ,
C atherine with common patience ; but fre

quently in after times did he remember the de
tails o f her recital with much interest for they ,
a fforded him the first clue to the unravelling o f

a succession o f mysteries upon which for years ,
his reason could throw no light .
The general curiosity being sated the suffrage ,
was loud i n favour of Father G irard who was ,
henceforth to direct all the tender consciences

there present For although not favoured like
.
,
M ademoiselle C ad i ere s with an especial call

, ,
they conceived that she had merely been the

chosen vehicle whereby Providence deigned to
MA G IC AND MESMERISM . 1 05
make manifest its will unto them Catherine .
was too much carried away by the elation o f

her spirits at the moment to notice the reserve
and silence of Eleonore which was evidently
,
intended as a reproo f A s to my father he was

.
,
merely an gry with the fuss made about what he

conceived at best but an extraordinary h alluci
n ation which he thought it u n pardonable in
,
Catherine to bring thus forward For the rest .

,
he cared but little who was the director o f her

conscience ; G irard was old and ugly and in , ,
his opin i on would do quite as well as another

,
.
When however at last M ademoiselle R ay

, , ,
mond s opinion was thought o f and solicited he

’
,
perceived she viewed the matter in another

li ght
.
I am sorry to say she answered I di ffer

, ,
from you all—most especially from Catherine

but opinion i s personal and we are all at
,
liberty to think as we please We have been

.
trained from childhood by the worthy Father

A lexis o f the Carmelites — what we know of
o u r religion we o w e to his c are Hi therto he .
h as had the sole management o f our co n sciences ,
F 3
and we are not worse than our neighbours .
Why should we suddenly turn ungrateful for

, ,
the many benefits which we have so often

acknowledged and pain o ur good kind old
, , ,
confessor ! Thi s I regret to say seems to me

, , ,
at least a mere love of change caprice

, , ,
imitation I for one am quite certai n o f having

.
, ,
n o part o r parcel in Catherine s vision and I ’

,
am not likely to be visited by o n e myse lf I .
shall not therefore attend Father G irard either

, ,
at the confessional o r even at m as s though I ,
”
allow him to be an excellent preacher .
A murmur o f disapprobation went round the

circle and the words heretic—heretical relations
, ,
more than once reached my father s ear to whose ’

,
memory they recalled what M adame C adi é re s

’
had told him o f M ademoiselle R aymond s
situation and parentage .
He was deeply impressed with the good

sense o f her remarks and the clearness with
,
which they were delivered ; but they had evi

de n t ly given o ffence for the others did not
,
’
again address her and even Catherine s manner
,
was cooler than usual until the party broke up .

1 08 M A GI C AND MESMERI SM .
before so many bias sed persons as were there

-
,
”
to night she said because the mere fact o f
,
my poor mother whom I do not remember

, ,
and her relations whom I have never seen

, ,
having been protestants is enough to create a ,
strong prej udice against me ; but you I am ,
sure are not so bigoted and will not misun

, ,
d e rs t an d me if I tell y o u that I object to Father

G irard as a confessor for Catherine o n account
of his zeal The good fathers who have u ntil
.
now guided us used all their e fforts to maintain

,
my poor friend within the bounds of real piety ,
and prevent her imagination from taking too

wild a flight They thought of her happiness
.
and their duty only and were not like this , ,
idol o f t h e day struggling for notoriety I

,
.
h ear that o f him which convinces me he will

be but too gl ad to have such a disciple and ,
will make o f her an instrument for the ad

vancement o f his o wn vainglory and ambition .
But I am afraid she added hesitatingly y o u

,
”
, ,
will think it very h o ld in o n e so young so i n ,
experienced to advance such opinions

, .
Bei ng re assured o n this point she continued ,

.
MA G IC AN D MESME RI SM .
N ext to the danger o f over exciting a -
young person so predisposed t o religious e n th u

s i as m as Catherine is there will be another and
,
very serious evil attendant u pon this There .
will arise among these young ladies an emula

tion of holiness a struggle to get furthest in the
,
esteem and good graces o f their teacher who ,
will know h o w to turn this rivalship to the

advantage of his reputation His disciples will
.
no longer consider religion a duty but desecrate

,
it into an occupation —an amusement to fill up

the void that must at tim es be felt in such a
quiet life as ours The loftier feeling o f religion
.
will be lost in the hearts o f many amid its

, ,
”
grimaces .
M ademoiselle R aymond had reached hom e

before my father coul d utter a reply ; he would
have been puzzled indeed how t o frame o n e
, ,
and he felt grateful fo r the circumstan ce that

releas ed him from the necessity of so doing .
He required time to think over all she had said ,
and to reflect o n the strong masculine good

sense she had that evening evin ced If she .
”
has not m any o f the graces o f her sex tho ught ,
1 10 M A GI C AND M ESMERISM .
he, she has some o f the qualities ours sheof -
is sincere clear headed and plain spoken The

,
-
,
-
.
very woman o n e would select fo r a fi i e n d .
From that hour dated a total revulsion o f

feeling in favour of M ademoiselle R aymond .
When once a woman has honoured a man with

any portion of her confidence however slight
, ,
and finds that he respects it from that time

,
forth he is no lo nger indifferent to her and it is ,
his own fault if he do not improve the opening

thus afforded him The evil spell that had
.
kept so long asunder two beings formed to

understand and appreciate each other was n o w
broken ; and henceforth whenever they met
, ,
E leonore and my father spoke freely and kindly

to each other .
The change which E leonore had foretold ,
took place more rapidly than either she o r my

father expected and extended even to the fami
,
lies and friends o f the young ladies Through .
its tender o ffshoots the wily Jesuit was re ge n e

rating the whole o f the T o ulo na i se society o r ,
rather filling it with reports o f his o wn fame .
’
N one dreamed of noticing my father s growi ng
1 12 M A GI C AN D MESMERI SM .
her by the others with a stoical indi fference

, ,
which my father thought did more credit to her

nerves than her heart .
A change had indeed come over everybody

, , .
M arie L an gi ere s seemed like Pygmalion s

’
,
statue to have become animated under the

,
hands o f Father G irard and M ademoiselle

G uy o l to forget her smiles and to learn the use
o f fro w ns for the advantage and better teaching
,
of the young aristocratic officers o f the garrison ,
whose fligh t y homage she had b u t lately re

c e i v e d with so much pleasure E ven M ade .
mo i se lle La R ue forgot her ruli n g passion and ,
spoke of the blessing o f poverty w hich gives a ,
meek spirit As to the approaching nuptials o f

.
some o f the youn g ladies it seemed that by a , ,
tacit understanding a subject so full o f levity

,
and worldliness was altogether to be esche wed .
They walked as though they dreaded the con

tact of anything so material as earth even w ith ,
the soles o f their feet ; and their eyes sought

the ground as if to avoid the subjects o f scan dal
with which the air around must be filled Con .
fe ssi o n communion and penan c e employed all

, , ,
—
their days holy converse with each other their
evenings and melancholy meditations their
nights The great reform that the rector had
.
wrought in these lovely young p u pils soon

became k n own and his power in reclaiming and
,
purifying soul s was the theme of every tongue .
The Jesuits deemed their triumph complete

but the Carmelites bided their time with that
quiet untiring patience o f which men of the
,
world cannot even form a conception ; for it

requires the leisure o f the cell or the solitary
closet to admit o f the constant recurrence o f
the same idea and the te n sion o f the mind o n
,
o n e and the same point for any le n g t h o f time .
Hence the patient enduring resentment which

,
from time to time has been known to actuate

monks and prisoners — i n short all those
,
doomed to inactive incomplete existences

,
.
But of all the alterations produced by Father

’
G irard s arrival none was so evident as that
,
wrought in Mademoiselle C adi ere s . E very

time my father beheld her— and his opportuni
ties for so doing were gradually curtailed h e —
found her less like herself—the heroine o f hi s
1 14 M A GI C AND MESM ERIS M .
first dream o f love ; and yet rapid as was the ,
process o f the change he was watching with

such poignant regret many months elapsed
,
before it was complete ; and he was compelled

to confess to his o wn heart the s ad tru th that
Catherine was indeed a new but not an i m
, , ,
proved being .
Her manner was strange and fantasti c .
Whenever the subject mentioned before her

had no reference to religion she either sat ah ,
s trac t e d with folded hands and uplifted eyes

, ,
the image of pious me di tation o r testified by , ,
fretful tones her impatience o f the topic I n

, .
stead however o f listening with liv ely interest

, ,
—as might naturally enough have been con

—
cluded when religious discourse w as intro
d uce d she was restless and dissatisfied until
,
she had the lead in the conversation Then .
sh e w ould break o u t in the most fl i h t rhap

g y
so di e s about visions and martyrdoms saints and ,
devils temptations and submissions ; in short

, ,
her language was mystic and her ideas con

fused S he assumed a loftiness a triumph in
.
,
look word and action that seemed plainly to

, , ,
1 16 M A GI C AND M ESMERISM .
O bviously undermined Vanity had indeed .

, ,
mi ngled with and stained every thought e v ery

, , ,
feelin g .
He might still have worshipped the saint ,
even whilst renouncing all earthly commune

w ith her and enshrined her within the niche
,
o f re membrance as some vision o f a better
world ; but there was in C atherine s sanctity ’
’
a spiritual pride a mixture o f S aint Theresa s
,
raptures in t h e rr wild sincerity with a desire

, ,
to unveil the mysteries o f her heart to the

world that it might be amazed an d worship
, ,
which in itself was su fficient to destroy the

, ,
illusion in one so clear sighted as my father

-
.
Perhaps he would hav e been more blind had ,
his o wn feelings n o t been wounded and his ,
pride hurt by t h e growing and marked coolness

,
of Catheri ne which extended even to her

,
once beloved E leonore S he delighted now in

.
the society o f none but those who like hersel f; ,
were under Father G irard s direction The ’

.
intimacy of these young ladies but lately dif ,
fe ri ng so much from each other in temper

taste and prospects was —to borrow their o w n
,
, ,
quain t exaggerated style o f expression —a bond

,
o f union ; they were but as o n e in submission
and love to Heaven and Father G irard and ,
through him and with him o f Heaven s elect

, ,
’
I t was indeed clear enough to the meanest

, ,
comprehension that he was the c orner stone o f

,
-
this alliance for they met as it seemed merely

, ,
for the pleasure o f talking of him and spent

,
all their powers o f figurative language in the

ever renewed struggle o f outstripping o n e
-
another in the most fulsome and extravagant

ad ulation of h i s sanctity .
If their evenings were thus devoted to ki n d

reminiscences o f him who had so far succeeded
in insinuating himself into their good graces ,
their days were no less so to his society and the

time he could consecrate t o them within the pre
ci n c ts o f the church not s u ffici n g to the necessities
o f their consciences towards the close o f the year

,
he began to attend some of them at their homes .
M ademoiselle C ad i ere s w as not yet o f the

number thus honoured—a circumstance which
appeared to mortify her not a little although ,
her poor friend M ademoi s e lle L angi é re s state o f’

1 18 MA GI C AN D ME S ME RISM .
health —so delicate as to cause the delay o f

,
her marriage — might well justify the preferen c e

,
which at this epoch the reverend father testified

, ,
in her favour .
My father s visits at the C adI e re s were now

’ ’
so evidently barely tolerated not desired by , ,
any member o f the family that it requi red all ,
the fortitude o f a lover to persevere in them .
But what would he not have borne rather than ,
be altogether banished from his mistress s pre ’
sence ! Whilst all were thus occupied with

one object and he was overlooked if not for
, ,
gotten his only comfort was the society of

’
M ademoise lle R aymond With her at least

.
, ,
he could talk o f Catherine abuse Father G i ,
rard and dwell o n his grievances confident

,
in the luxury of a sympathizing listener—for a

,
change had also come over E leonore no less ,
advantageous to her than that o f Catherine w as

,
the reverse Her sternness and coldness had

.
gradually melted in their growing intimac y .
S he proved herself a tru e friend in hi s affli c

tion cheering him to look for w ard with hope
,
to the future infus in g consolation for the pre

,
some d egree the loss o f the first and greatest

,
his existence had yet known .
M ademoiselle R aymond s store o f consolation

’
,
however diminished rapidly Her bulletin o f

,
.
Catherine s state o f feelings gre w every day

’
more alarming so far at least as regarded my

, , ,
father s chance o f happiness and —as both he

’
,
and Eleonore conceived i t —o f her o w n .
Her situation w as indeed such as to warrant , ,
some anxiety o n the part o f her friends Father .
G irard forbidding all books but those which he

,
chose to denominate holy had substitu ted for ,
light moral essays the dangerous romances o f

, ,
the catholic religion The imagination o f poor .
Catherine was fast ripening at the fires o f S aint

Theresa s ecstasies o f divine love and saint
’
,
A nthony s temptations in the desert both

’
—
which to the reflective mind must appear but
, ,
the self deceits o f poor erring mortals who had

-
, ,
lost their path in li fe in seeking that to heaven .
Her mind naturally weak yielding and affe c

, , ,
t i o n at e requiring to maintain its equilibrium

, , ,
a calm serene state was by this constant e ffe r

, , ,
v e sce n c e o f thought wearied beyond its power , ,

MA GI C A ND MESMERISM . 12 1
and in danger o f being destroyed altogether .
A lready her health began to suffer from this

feverish excitement ! her nights were restless ,
o r visited by the most appalling visions ; and
her mother so obtuse in the ordinary matters

'
o f life soon became painfully sensible by the

, ,
’
state of her daughter s nerves of the necessity ,
o f medical assistance and earnestly consulted

,
Father G irard o n the subject But the rector .

,
who saw or pretended to see in the altered

, ,
state sinking frame and disturbed slumbers of

, ,
his young penitent nothing but t h e workings

,
o f the D ivine S pirit strongly opposed the inter

,
v e n t i o n o f an earthly power proposed his o w n ,
aid —a measure j oyfully accepted —and finally

, , , ,
established himself as a constant v isitor at the

house o f the C adi é re s .
’
This step was decisive as to my father s foot
ing in the family The mother gave the final
.
blow to his still lingering hopes which she said , , ,
Catherine herself would long since have done ,
but for her innate dislike to wound the feelings

o f ano ther .I t became incumbent on her how ,
ever to speak since M onsieur Chaudon ap

, ,
VO L . I . G
so
d very inse nsible to the elo uence of
pe are q
silence S he observed that as C atherine was
.
,
decided never to marry she felt it unjust t o

,
herself as well as to him to continue to e n

courage attentio ns which could be o f no use
to either party and certainly gave no pleasure
,
to the receiver ; in short maidenly modesty in

,
the daughter and maternal prudence in the

,
mothe r alike m oved them to forbid his appe ar

,
ance at their house for the future .
My father received his sentence o f banish

ment in the deepest silence suffered no shadow,
in hi s countenance to betray the inward pain ,
but permitted M adame C adi é re s woman fashion , ,
to turn the dagger i n the wound without

wincing .
“I really do not know M onsieur Jules o n

, ,
whom you can now turn your eyes for a wife ,

”
con tinued the loquacious lady ; and yet it is

time a handsome young man like you and o n e ,
O f such promise with such good prospec ts

, ,
should think seriously o f the matter Yo u .
suffered M arie L an gi ere s to slip through yo ur

fingers I t is true poor thing she has no
.
, ,
’
evident disappointment there s M arie G a yol
, ,
n o w she has turned o ff the o fficers that used to
swarm around her like so many tro ublesome

mosquitoes — she might do very well S he has
, .
no money it is true —is o r rather was a li ttle

, , ,
lightheaded but Father Girard h as put lead

,
enough in it by this time I warrant you He , .
would put some in an air balloo n an d cause an ,
opera dancer to repent I verily believe S he

-
, .
is a pretty girl M arie G uy o l ! S till my father

,
”
maintained his perverse silence There re .
mains i t is true that half pagan half heretic

, ,
-
,
-
,
”
M ademoiselle R aymond she continued with a , ,
frown ,
she has plenty o f m oney to make one
forget her unc om eliness ; b ut ah what can
e fface the uncomeliness o f the heart that comes
”
not unto G od !
I thought M ademoiselle R aymond gave full
satisfaction to the directors o f her conscience
The Fathers Carmelite Lukewarm drowsy
set as they are —Catherine s soul languished
,
’
beneath their care like a flower in the shade

, .
— —
N o warming u p no elevating they understood
nothing felt and saw nothin g they would
,
MA GI C AND MESMERISM . 1 25
rather have turned away my Catherine from the

glorious path she is about to tread than like , ,
Father G irard borne her onward in it with a

,
”
mighty hand .
“I have no doubt sard m father with a ”

y , ,
bitterness he could not check that M ade ,
mo i se lle C adi ere s will shortly stand forth as a

”
candidate for the honours of the calendar l
A nd you for the hand of M ademoiselle
”
R aymond I doubt as little answered M adame
, ,
C adi ere s with ill suppressed choler

, .
My father looked full in the lady s face and

’
,
bowed .
This was too m u ch for the mother s patience ’

.
S he had expected—nay secretly de li ghted in ,
the idea of having to encounter a lover s ravings ’

,
and to her amazement had to deal with a co m

, ,
posed collected man who did not p ut himself

, ,
at her mercy for o n e single instant I t is sur .
prising ho w much women participate in their ,
dealings with men in the feline propensity o f

,
experiencing pleasure in in fli cting a pan g I .
mean of course in love matters for in all others

, , ,
I have ever known them comp assionate and

kind ; but thi s instinct o f their nature is so

strong that it dies but with them The moth e r
,
.
still indulges in it by means o f her daughter .
Yet after all it is but the promptin gs o f an i n

, ,
nocent vanity .
M adame C adi ere s was sadly hur t on thi s o c

casion for she had n o t di scernment enough to
,
s e e beneath the surface When my father took

.
leave he uttered none but ordinary phrases

, ,
thanked her fo r past kindnesses and for having ,
endured his society so long — wished all happi

n ess , for the future to herself and her fair
,
daughter —was very sorry to have troubled her

,
with a love that had no merit but its sincerity ,
and bowed himself o u t o f the room with all the

grace he could assume .
P r epared as he was for thi s conclusion to the

early romance o f his life it caused him a shock
, ,
and an exquisitely painful one N ot only had

.
he to lament the loss o f a hope t oo fondly ,
cherished but also to regret ever having su ffered

,
himself to be drawn into illusions that evide n tly ,
never had the slightest foundation in reality .
The preference the something more than

,
sisterly affection he on c e imagined that Cathe

,
—
render prob ble n ay almost unavoidable b u t
a , ,
which at the moment they are broached seem

, ,
to u s from o ur peculiar state o f mind at the

, ,
very antipodes o f possibility and we are i n ,
d ign an t at being foretold that which it pleases ,
us n o t to thin k about ; but the experience o f

riper years teaches us not only to bear this
handling o f o u r finer feelings bu t even to i n ,
fliet it on ourselves We have so often fancied

.
o u r sorrows etern al and yet forgotten the m

, ,
th at we willin gly anticipate and permit others

to s uggest to us those consolations which are
within our reach and o f which we are not sorry
, ,
in due time to avail ourselves For it is

, .
another and no less approved truism that e n ,
durance in woe is a luxury only sought and ‘
y ielded to by the extremely young in feeling ;

thos e whose hearts pas sion o r the world has
tried recoil from pain as from an old enemy
, ,
whose might they have t o o cruelly experienced

to be willing to face again Hence the callous
.
ness of age But I am again at my o ld trick

.
o f steering wide of my subject .
A lthough o ffended at what he concei v ed to

MA GI C AND M ESMERI SM . 129
be a gross insinuation under the circumstances ,
my father was n o t childish enough to give u p an

intimacy which sui ted him merely to prove the
,
falsehood of the lady s suggestion the more

’
,
especially that he cared but little what she

thought and was but too painfully convinced that
,
Catherine never gave herself the trouble o f

thinking about it all or indeed anything else
,
concerning him On the other han d he was

.
,
not disposed to do any thing whatsoever out of

pique or to make a silly parade of an i n di ffe r
,
ence he did not feel ; he therefore remained

on precisely the same footing with E leonore as
before .
I am afraid I have made use o f a great many

words to explain a fact which but a fe w would
,
have su ffi ced to establish —n amely that there ,
was in my fa ther s character a manlin ess which

’
even at this early period of his life displayed

itself in every point of his conduct He bore his .
sorrow well — denied it to none but obtruded it,
o n no one he felt no resentment against Cathe

rine or her family for his sound unde rstanding
,
t old h i m he had n o reason to feel an y They .
G 3
had never deluded him with false hopes —their

conduct had been strictly honourable from first ,
to last ; but at the same time that he acqui tted

,
them o f inj ustice towards himself he gave up at , ,
once and for ever all idea o f possessing Cathe

,
rine plainly perceiving that they were not suited

,
for each other and that happiness even should

, ,
unforeseen circumstances prove eventually fa

v o u rab le to its completion could never attend ,
their union .
From this time forth my father devoted the

energies o f his mind to the career he had em
braced and all his leisure hours t o M ademoiselle
,
R aymond whose strong mind could fully under

,
stand and cope with his altho ugh she had not ,
disrobed it o f those gentle sympathies whi ch

make the society o f women especially u nder ,
a fflictio n s o attrac tive S he also was soon given

, .
to understand by C atherine that her friendship ,
was o n e of those earthly pleasures which it was

incumbent upo n her to resign as interfering ,
t oo much w ith her religious duties Had .
E leonore followed the same course with her

self— n ay if even at that late hour for C athe
, ,
ri ne s sake she would put h e r co n science u n der

’
,
13 2 M A G I C AND MESMERISM .
you in her prayers said M ademoiselle R ay

,
mond ; and I still persevere in believing that ,
but for Father G irard she would ultimately,
”
have yielded to your wishes .
”
—
I t is better thus said my father and what
,
he said he thou ght far better thus at least ,

”
fo r myself if not fo r her
, .
He inquired then with some curiosity what

, ,
spell could possibly have been exercised over

the female imagination by o n e whose austere
,
bearing and still more austere language seemed

, ,
but little calculated to make amends for his u n

gainliness o f person ; and by what means so ill
endowed an individual as Father G irard had
contrived to revolutionize the whole existence o f
those w h o had been drawn within his circle .
His very austerity she said was to many

, , ,
women a charm Their weakness required a

, .
s tay which his severity afforded ; their self

,
love was fla t tered by the importance which he

attached to every trifle connected with his peni
tents ; there was a species o f voluptuo u sness in
,
this petty sinning constant reproof performance

, ,
o f daily penances and the necessity o f satis

,
his exalted notions o f righteousness I t

fy i n g .
was a perpetual excitement which chased away ,
all languor from the min d and kept it in u n ,
wearied exercise The d ivine love in short

. , ,
as taught by Father G irard had in some sort ,
the advantage o f an earthly one I t kept its .
votaries awake .
One o f his fair penitents however already , ,
began to find all this flurry a bore rather than

a pleasure This was M arie Langi ere s Her
. .
inclinatio n indeed for the rector—enthusiasm

, , ,
her torpid temperament prevented her feelin g

—
for any o n e had been o n the wan e at an early
epoch of their acquaintance ; for her v ery nature
revolted against the excitement that fascinated
others and which had acted so perniciously o n
,
her health as to cause the breaki n g o ff o f the

,
brilliant marriage she had been on the eve o f

accomplishing ; nor could she help entertaining
some resentment against Father Gi rard—the
author as she conceived it o f her disappoint
, ,
~
ment S omething o f this sentiment had already

.
transpired before E leonore who determined to ,
avail herself of it in order to be the better a n

,
c o ura nt as to what was passing among the

Je su i t s vo taries
’
.
A bout this time my father and M ademoiselle

,
C adi ere s began to excite much o f the public

attention and that in a manner the most fl at
,
tering to the vie ws o f both He young as he

.
,
was had so distinguished himself by arduous

,
study and close attention to his profession that ,
he was entrusted with a caus e o f some note

and di fficulty The brilliant style in which he
.
w o n it and that when opposed to o n e o f the

,
shrewde s t and ablest la wyers o f the time made ,
a great sensation The powers o f hi s mind now

.
ripened and developed themselves under the

sunny influence o f public approbation and ap
p lau se ; and it soon became evident that his pro
,
’
gress in the honourable profession to which he

belonged would be atte nded with no ordi nary
success His parents were proud o f the u ni
.
versal praise he elicited E leonore warmly c o n

.
gratulated hi m ; but where was the sympathy

o f her at wh ose feet h e would have laid his
buddi ng laurels A ll engrossed with self as he

!
,
had but too much reas on to kno w .

13 6 M A GI C AN D MESMERI SM .
many E leonore had been right i n predicting

.
that Ca therine would become the mere i n stru

ment of party spirit and personal v anity What .
mattered it to t he Jesuits in general o r to Father

,
G irard in particular that her future prospects

,
were blasted by the errors of her j udgment at ,
the very period o f woman s life when she has

’
to decide for its weal or its woe ! What mat

t e re d it that her health gav e way under the
weight of emotions she had not the stre n gth

to bear ! W hat was she in the eyes o f an am
bitions priest when weighed in the balance
,
with the furtherance o f his o wn private views

o f elevation !
W e shall live to see Father G irar d a car

dinal and Catherine a canonized saint ; and
,
s aints are never calendared until after death ,
said E leonore one day to my father who an ,
s we re d but by a sigh .
Thus had they each entered o n a separate

path of life who a few short months before
, ,
it was but natu ral to suppose were destined to

end their days together .
There was now no pause i n my father s ’

career N ot willing like many young me n

.
, ,
vain of a day s applause to rest after his first

’
,
success he progressed steadfastly upwards

,
mounting step by step the weary ascent ;

, ,
never pausing to take breath n o r turning ,
round to admire the prospect b ut keeping his ,
final aim and nothing but that in view he

, , ,
slowly but unerringly n eared the goal of fo r

tune Poor Catherine too held o n her course ;
.
, ,
from visions she passed to miracles and gre w ,
with every day more sick and more saintly , ,
drawing towards her all the praise the town

could spare fro m Father G irard .
Though not her equals in sanctity o r in repu

t a t i o n nor such favourites o f Heaven or Heaven s
’
,
interpreter at Toulon as Father G irard sty led

,
himself the health o f his other disciples grew

,
every day more precarious This was more par .
t i c ularly the case with M aii e L an gi ere s R oused .
from the natural sloth o f her disposition it was ,
not to a pleasing animation but to a state of ,
nervous irritability so strong as t o re n de r it

, _
impossi ble to behold her without d reading its

c onsequences upon her rea on w hich E leonore s
, ,
138 M A GIC AND MESMERISM .
thought was already tottering o n its throne

,
.
This belief she grounded o n a circumstance ,
certa inly o f a nature calculated to s uggest it

her former disinclination to her confessor h ad
ripened into a most vehement antipathy ; no
expression o f vituperation seemed of su fficient
force to gratify this apparently insane hatred
for she could assign no motive for it and yet ,
she could not live o u t of his presence S o irre .
s i s t i ble indeed had this feeli ng become that ,
when he could not come to her she sought ,
hi m out wherever he might happen to be at

,
the time S he strove neither to conceal n o r

.
—
palliate this glaring contra di ction inexpli cable ,
indeed except by the adoption o f E leonore s

,
’
supposition .
Upon hearing these evil tidings my father ,
became seriously alarmed about Catherine ; he

was not however without some hope tha t she
, ,
too might experience a portion o f that young

lady s feelings o f repulsion for Father G irard a
’
,
sentiment which he would have hai led w ith de

light as the first step towards a more happy
,
and healthy tone of mind He therefore e u

.
E leonore s account o f her visit to Catherine

’
astonished and perplexed my father not a little

at the time He could not understand o r fathom
.
,
any more than E leonore herself the pheno ,
m enon she described n o r w as it until M esmer

had revived the science o f animal magnetism
among the studious and revealed it to the idle
,
vulgar that my father fancied he had at last

,
obtained the key to the mysteri es which for so ,
many years baffl ed his ingenuity That I have

, .
adopted his v iew o f the subject is but n atural ,
considering by whom the tale was told and the ,
manner in which it was represented to me at an

age when impressions are most easily rece ived
and retained The bent o f my mind too
.
, ,
the systems and studies I afterwards adO p te d ,
confirmed me at a later period in the opinion

, ,
thus early form ed I t is for you unbiassed as

.
,
you are by all such circumstances to account ,
fo r the strange facts I am now about to relate ,
if you can in another and a more satis factory

,
manner .
E leonore found less trouble in gaining admit

tance to Catherine than she had expected ,
every o n e being fro m ho me at the ti me o f her

visit except M ade moiselle C adi ere s whom ill ,
health kept confined not only to the house but

, ,
to her room Upon hearing she was alone

.
,
E leonore unhesitatingly took her way to the

well known little chamber where they had spent
-
so many happy ho urs together .
Catherine was reclining listlessly on a couch

, , ,
her head propped up by a deep crimson cushion ,
which by its harsh contrast caused the paleness

, ,
o f her features to be more apparent A t the .
’
slight noise caused by E leonore s entrance she
started up in nervous alarm and on perceiving
,
who was the intruder o n her solitude she b e ,
came yet more agitated Uncertainty hesi

.
,
t at i o n a sort o f reluctant shame seemed to

‘
, ,
overwhelm her ; but when Eleonore approached

with open arms she threw herself into them
, ,
and sobbed aloud o n her bosom Mademoiselle .
R aymond gently led her back to the couch sat ,
by her side and still retaining her hand in

,
hers with the other stroked down her hair with

,
a soothing fondness Her manner was i m

.
pressed with an eloqu ence that needed no

1 42 MA GI C A ND ME SMERISM .
words ; C atherine evidently felt and understo od

it fo r when she could control the vehemence
,
o f her first emotion she said in a to ne o f

, ,
gentle reproach
Oh ! E leonore why d id you leave me fo r
,
”
so long o r ever !
,
One word o f recal would lo n g ere thi s , ,
have brought m e to your side said E le onore , .
”
Why did y o u not speak it sooner !
Oh ! b ut y o u k now not you cannot know
how wretched how mi serable I have bee n —we
,
—
have all be en h o w unhappy I n o w am you —
have come t o o late E le onore ,
Hush Catherine ! D o not as us ual fly

,
into extremes errors may be repented o f and

,
repaired Father G irard dismissed and J ules

, ,
Chaudon recalled Op en yo ur heart to me

.
,
C atherine without reserve ; I am still as ever

, , ,
”
disposed to do you what service I may .
I have not de s erved this E leonore s aid , ,
Catherine ag ain thr owing herself o n her friend s

,
’
neck and i ndulging i n an excess o f feeli ng

, ,
w hich as such exhibitions were most foreign

,
and uncongenial to Made moiselle R aymond s ’

1 44 M A G I C AND MESMERISM .
S peak not it was the hurried reply

of , .
I t is i mp o ssi ble or I had long since thrown h i m

,
f
of. But I cannot N o ! any thing but tha t !
.
”
S o says M arie L angi ere s and yet she hates ,
Yes ; it is the same with us all more o r ,
less E leonore he is a te rri ble man Yo u don t

. , .
’
know his power ; you do n o t dream of i t —you

wh o ne ver were exposed to its influence If
-
—
you were always there by my side with your
hand o n my burning head and with those calm , ,
—
penetrating eyes fixed on mine as now always , ,
thus then perhaps I might free myself from

,
”
him from every thrall l
,
”
My poor Catherine your mind wanders ! ,
exclaimed her friend fo r a moment thrown o ff

,
her guard ; then reassuming as naturally as she

,
could the cold severe tone she had al ways found

from experience to soothe best any casual
irritation in her friend she said ! Come ,
—
Cath erine y o u must exert your reason and not ,
give way in this childish manner—you know I

cannot abide it Come tell me as rationally as
.
, ,
o u c an all about Father G irard and yourself

y , ,
from beginning to e nd .
I will obey you said Catherine in a calmer

,
tone whilst a sudden and striking change came

,
over her features which had assumed a more

,
languid expression as E leonore s manner softened

’
S u ffer your hand to rest on my bro w as you ,
did before nothing clears my ideas better—so

,
t hat s right
’
— my other hand in yours Oh ! .
had you never left me Eleonore it had perhaps, ,
fared better with me I see y o u are impatient

.
that I should proceed and yet I scarcely know,
how to do so all is confusion in my brai n di s u
cord in my heart S ometimes I think Father

.
G irard the best the most holy o f men and

, ,
myself a wretch to doubt hi m ; at other times ,
I see in him but the vilest an d worst o f mankind .
I t has ever been thus with me since I first ,
knew him I have lost all power o f dis cri mi

.
nation — I had almost said o f thought ; but no , ,
that is my misfortune I still th ink and that too , , ,
differently from him ; but this is only when he is

away When he is present I am his slave
. ,
enthralled by his will even when i t is most ,
opposed to m ine I sometimes cannot help

.
fancying that he has bound me by some power

VO L . I. H
1 46 M A GI C AND MESME RI SM .
ful unhallowed spell which I vainly struggle to

, ,
break —, at others I again believe him sent to me

,
by Heaven o n a special m i ssion o f grace ; and

,
my sufferings whether in body o r mind a most

, ,
sign al favo u r Then I accuse myself o f faint

.
heartedness in not being able to bear up against

them and weep over my o wn frailty o f purpose
, ,
and the weakness that makes me rebel against

the will of Heaven and unworthy o f the trials
which are awarded me .
But of what trials are you speaking

inquired E leonore with some curiosity
, Do .
you mean the regret you feel at having per ,
m i tt e d a comparative stranger to exercise an

undue influence over your mind and cause an
estrangement betwee n y o u and those who m
,
ost
cherished you ! That indeed h as been a trial , ,
to others as well as to you

That it is true has cost me man y a sleep
, ,
less night — many a tearful day said Catherine ,

”
.
The struggle between the impulses o f my

heart and what I conceived to be a duty was a
severe o n e H e bade me di scard you from my
.
thoughts but this I coul d not do and when le ft

, ,
1 48 MA GI C AND MESMERISM .
she exposed to vie w some rather severe and but

recently healed wounds .
E leonore was mute with surprise .
“
Yes continued C atherine these are the
”
, ,
i n fli c t i o n s with which the devils are permitted

,
to visit me d uring my trances ; but do not

,
look so shocked there is more fear than pain

,
attending them —my soul alone is conscious at

such times my body lies i n a state of torpor
,
-
that deadens feeling .
This is passin g strange said M ade moiselle,
R aymond as she closely examined the marks

thus subjected to her observation These are .
but too real and cannot well have been self

,
inflicted even in the worst fit o f o f

,
-
Insanity y o u wo uld say added Cath erine

, , ,
“
with a mourn ful smile ; I am not insane — but ,
oh I often dread becoming so

D o these fi t s —these t rances come over you ,
”
by day or by night !
“Both they sometimes rouse me from my
;
sleep but strange to say it is but to another
, , ,
sort of sl umber— a numbness steals over my

”
frame whilst my mind wakens to activity .
M A GI C AND MESMERIS M . 149
You describe but the state o f dreamin g ,
”
which is common to all remarked E leonore
, .
”
A y resumed her companion ;
, but dreams
do not extend to the waking moments This .
phenomenon overtakes me when I least expect

i t whilst talking or walking—even at meals
-
.
”
I ha ve read of people being drugged into a

”
forced sleep said E leonore thoughtfully
, , .
But Father G irard gives me nothing nor is ,
he always present at such times When he is .

,
my slumber is more peaceful and I feel more ,
tranquil on waking I n his absence the fits are

.
,
torture and on their leaving me I am totally ex

’
”
hansted .
“I f you do not attribute these accidents to

Father G irard how do you account for them
,
”
unto yourself and others demanded Eleonore , ,
who was de srro u s to sift the matter to the

bottom and to probe her friend s feelings t o the
,
’
uttermost before venturing o n adv i ce or even

, ,
o n conclusions .
Why I have already told you I sometime s

, ,
fancy he has charmed me ; but am more often

inclined to think myself like S aint Theresa o n e
, ,
1 50 M A GI C AN D ME S M E RIS M .
of those ele c ted to su ffer and to love and unto ,
—
whom mysteries are revealed in visions through
”
whom and upon whom miracles are wrought .
”
Th is is a most extraordi nary delusion O h ,
serv ed E leon o re carried away by the feeling o f

,
the moment beyond the reserve whi ch it was

her desire to mai ntain until the close o f the
conference .
I t is perhaps natural y o u shoul d think so

, , ,
to whom nothing has been revealed said her ,
friend with a slight shade o f hauteur

, B ut .
fi o m earliest childhood I was unlik e others

'
and I believe destined to higher things ! and I

cannot but believe that Father G irard has been
especially appointed to guide me in the path
”
which I should tread .
Fatal error ! burst involuntarily from E leo

”
’
nore s lips A nd bethi n k you Catherine if it , ,
be an error it may cost you dear

,
If it be an error ! ay indeed E leonore ! , ,
—
the t hought were madness but no ! it cannot
b e —I will not be lieve it Listen to facts ! I
.
know nothing else will have any weight with

you ; but s urely to the m you must yi eld belief ,
v o t i o n.On the contrary an u n nameable u n, ,
accountable feeling o f repulsion at times p o s

sessed me which I could with difficulty control
,
.
Well this was again counteracted by his alter

,
n ate severity and praise Thus even whilst

.
,
secretly dislikin g hi m person ally I derived ,
great benefit from his spiritual guidance I t is .
remarkable that M arie L an gi ere s Anne G uy o l , ,
and all his penitents have felt exactly like me

,
i n t his respect The bri ght side o f my ex

.
i ste n c e I may even call it its glorious sunshine

w as the hope I entertained of treading in the
footsteps o f the blessed virgins who adorn o ur

church He taught me to believe myself called
.
to the same path as that o f my holy patroness ,
sweet S t Catherine of S ien na All the bright

. .
dreams o f my childhood came back to my heart

with renewed freshness I was like o n e sud.
d e n ly transported to the summit of a high

mountain whence the eye could bathe itself in
,
the blue o f the heavens the green o f the valleys

, ,
the radiance o f the setting sun I looked b e .
yond the very heavens and I was proud and ,
v ery happy My mother and brothers also

.
M AG I C AND MESMERISM . 1 53
encouraged me in my new vocation to the ,
utmost of their power They already saw the

.
halo of canonization encircling my brow ; bu t

we were all too vainglorious—I especially I n .
vain did Father G irard warn me of the dangers

o f thi s self exaltation ; nothing could damp my
-
glowing ardour ; the warning was overlooked ,
but the punishment was not lon g in overtaking

the fault . One day—I had already been a
whole year under his care —h e breathed gently
on my brow and looked full into my eyes as he
,
did so From that hour I have been his slave

. .
He often repeated this form and each time it ,
drew the chain tighter that bound me to him ,
unti l I had no will but his I could neither .
act nor feel as I pleased nor even think Thu s

,
.
I became if I may so express it estranged

, ,
fro m my own self Oh —but you c annot u n

.
d e rst an d me —indeed how should y o u I canno t

, ,
myself —this perpetual struggle bet ween my

,
own will and that o f another gliding into my ,
very being was the dark side of that period of

,
my existence A t last you an d Chaudon were

.
,
exclude d from o ur house ; and since the n how ,
H 3
1 54 MA G IC AN D MESME RI SM .
e v er great hav e been my mental sufferi ngs in

c onsequence o f that event Father G irard at ,
le as t h as no longer tormented me o n the s ub

I had alre d y h ad many visions o f a
j e ct . a
mystic and holy character all o f a nature to ,
flatter my inordinate vanity ; but now came o n e

predicted by Father G irard in whi ch I was ,
told I shoul d be po ssessed for more than a year

by evil spirits to whom the power o f torment
,
ing me should be given in order that a soul in

,
much pain sho uld be freed from purgatory .
Fro m that time my trances have changed their

,
heavenly form fo ul fiends have haun ted me

-
under every shape and burnt woun ds into my

,
flesh which upon wakin g I still found there

, , , .
Father G irard told me this was n ecessa ry to my

soul s weal and to the perfection o f my charac
’
ter as well as implicit blind obedience to hi m

,
i n all things A ll this have I undergone ; but

.
I have suffered in body and mi n d enough to

win the crown o f mart yrdom ; my health is ,
indeed so impaired that I could no longer

, ,
e i ther confess or take the communi on if it ,
were n o t that Father Gi rard atte nds me d aily

impossibility a clog o n my thoughts a seal on

, ,
my lips which all the war m impulses of my

,
heart and even the force of habit are i n ade

, ,
quate to vanquish This is o n e o f my greatest

.
to rments which I am sure you who knew me

, ,
when the outpourings of my spirit flowed as

freely from my lips as water from i ts source ,
”
will be well able to imagine .
”
There may be a remedy to all this said ,
E leonore thoughtfully
, .Have you thought
”
of none !
E xorcism might afford a relief to my soul ,
and a phys i cian to my enfeebled frame ; but it

is for my own future weal and glory that all
this should be u n fli n chi ngly borne H o w high .
the price at which both are bought none shall ,
ever know but mysel f Oh ! E leonore c o n

.
,
c e i ve
, if you can what are my feelings ; when
, ,
in spite of all that he can say I sometimes ,
doubt if my path is a right o n e — d read that I

am altogether misguided — that Father G irard is
the only evil spirit which torments me ! When
tha t idea crosses my brain I am for hours the
,
prey to despairing regrets and the bitterest

MA GI C AND M ESMERISM . 1 57
remorse Then he comes and talks me over

.
,
or barely looks at me —fo r he reads my thoughts

at a glance —and I repent my miserable guilty
doubts so that my soul is ever dark and trou
,
”
bled as the most tempestuous night .
“I t was once clear as a summer morni n g

,
said E leonore spiritedly why should not the

, ,
mists that Obscure it clear up again ! If you

would but trust in my advice as y o u once did, ,
”
perhaps all might ye t be well .
”
How ! What would you advise ! said
’
Catherine looki ng up into her friend s face
, ,
w ith renovated hope lighting up her waste d

features as a ray o f autumn s paly sun is often
,
’
seen to play on a sickly flower .
E leonore paused in doubt h o w to proceed .
S hould she discuss the character o f the director

with his half enlightened proselyte and endea
-
,
vour to convince her of the absurdi ty and

!
villany of which she believed her th e victim
or had she better trace o u t a planfor the future ,
without attempting to throw too much ligh t

upon the past ! A two fold reason i nduced her
‘
to determine upon adopting the latter measure .

1 58 MA G IC A ND ME SME RI SM .
In the first pla c e she could come to no clear

,
un derstanding o f the means and ultimate plans

of the Jesuit ; and secon dly the little light that
, ,
gli mmered forth from the darkness was not o f a

nature calculated to suit the capacity o f her
friend ; for E leonore tenderly as she was ,
attached to C atherine was perfectly aware o f

,
her o wn great superiority in intellect .
Well Catherine if you really wish for

, ,
adv i ce li sten to mine which I am willin g to

, ,
support by every means in my power I have .
friends in Paris I shall go and visit them ; you

, ,
under pretence o f seeki ng to benefit your

he al th by change o f scene will accompany me , .
Father G irard cannot purs ue you thither ; and

o u wi ll there find more consoling and g e ntle
y
g uides that wil l soon quiet your al armed and
,
disturbed con science Other objects too will

.
, ,
divert your mind from its present painful ten

sion . N erv e you rse lf but with the courage
necessary to break your present fetters and ,
time and I will contrive to smoothe yo ur way

”
before y o u
—
.
N e v er ne v er 1 ”
answere d M a dem oise ll e
1 60 M A GI C A N D MESME RI SM .
courser unrestrained by bit and bridle about

, ,
to spring forward on his mad career E leonore s .

’
self possession wavered before the wildness o f

-
her gaze and she could not repress an e x cla

,
mation of alarm .
Oh yes ; you think me insane and are

, ,
more than half afraid of me said C atherine , ,
with a strange irritability ; but I care not what

you think
But dearest Catherine why fly o ut thu s at
, ,
”
me for a thought I have never expressed .
”
Oh ! because I s a w you thin k it .
This ans w er somewhat startled M ademoiselle

R aymond who was not pleased that Catherine
,
‘
contrary to her wont possessed su fficient dis

,
c e rn m e n t to read her unspoken thoughts ;

j ustly displeased too w ith the acerbity o f her
, ,
m anner she involuntarily assumed a sterner

,
air
.
I have then been mistaken she said coolly , , ,
drawin g herself up to her full height as she rose ,
from the couch “ I w as induced by the firs t

.
,
glow o f your welcome to believe that it was ,
sincere and that your feeli ngs were u n changed

, ,
at least towards me I see my error ; for had

.
it been so you could have declined my advice

,
without rudeness o r scorn I perceive you.
n ei ther know your o w n mind nor can a

pp re ,
ciate mine ; so I had better leave you until it ,
i s your pleas ure to recal me .
D o n o t part thus dear dear E leonore ex

, , ,
claimed Catherine tenderly throwing her arms

, ,
around her ; I will do and say whatever y o u

please D o n o t look thus angrily at me I i m
.
,
p lo re you ; your love is all that remains to me
of the happy past—do n o t withdraw that which

o u h av e but so lately restored to me
y .
If this be your wish Catherine then try to

, ,
be more consis tent in your conduct .
“I cannot it is not my fault I a m very

; .
sorry and very very ill E leonore —far more

, , , ,
so than you o r any one else can imagine and

ag ain the poor girl hi d her pale face in the
bosom of her friend and gave vent to her agita
,
tion in a succession of hysterical sobs .
M ademoiselle R aymond in spite of her usual

,
clearness and rapidity of j udgment was com ,
p l e te l
y at fault
, at this moment what to say or ,
1 62 MA GI C AND MESM ERISM .
do, even to think A few hours o f undi s

or .
t urb e d medi tation were necessary to enable her
to collect herself and to decide upon the course

,
o f conduct which it would be most advisable to
pursue One thing she felt intuitively—namely

. ,
that the least appearance o f hesitation o r u n

certainty o n her part o r any appeal to C a ,
therine in her present o dd unsettled frame o f ,
mind was so much ground lost in her esteem

, ,
and in consequence a forfeiture of that i nflu

, ,
ence over the unhappy girl o f which she had ,
once possessed so large a share and which had ,
n o w become so all important to the welfare -

,
at least o f o n e o f them That she might keep

, .
all her advantages t herefore and gain time to , ,
reinforce her position she decided o n le aving ,
the house for the pre sent .
”
Well C atherine she said gently e x tri cat
, , ,
ing herself fi o m the embrace of her weeping

'
companion I will exact nothing o f you

,
just now but w hat I believe you both able and

,
willing to perform D o not tell Father G irard .
of my visit and let me kno w when you are

,
most likely to be alone that I may come again ,

le c t e dn e ss
which tended to combat this opinion ;
yet there were but too many fli gh ty assertions
she had no other means o f explaining .
My father was deeply moved by M ademoiselle

R aymond s communi cation ; but hesitated in
’
’
coinciding with her concerning Catherine s state
o f mind .
The constant super excitement o f the brain

-
under which she h as laboured for the las t two

years is it is true well calculated to produce
, , ,
”
this result said he ; but if really affl icted by
,
this infirmity I suspect Father G irard has

,
hu rried it o n by some foul practice o r other ,
which may o n e day be brought to light Far .
from having the real interest o f his church at

~
heart I believe hi m to be o ne of those men

,
who actuated m erely by personal motives an d

,
ambition would not scruple to employ means

,
to obtain their ends before which even fan at i

,
c i s m would recoil We must however sift this

.
, ,
”
matter thoroughly before passing judgment .
But when he came to ponder over this sub

e c t i n the silence of his own closet he was to
j ,
the full as embarrassed as M ademoiselle R ay

mond in tracing o u t the machinations of which

, ,
b e doubted not Father G irard had been guilty

, .
He could indeed find no clue to them what

, ,
ever excep t by adopting Catherine s own ver

,
’
sion of the affair and di sgracing his reason by

,
admitting the truth of all those tales of enchant

ment and sorcery which the enlightenment of
his day already began to class amo n g popular
errors .
He pored over the pages o f Cornelius A grippa ,
and other writers o n the same mystic subjects ,
without bein g able either satisfactorily to refute ,
o r unscrup ul ously to admit the truth o f the

,
strange doctrines they contain .
He foun d that they described as a means ,
o f enchanting or in other words mastering the

, , ,
passions and affections o f indi fferent persons ,
the very acts to which M ademoiselle C adi ere s

—
alluded when speaking ofher confessor breath
Ing upon the brow and steadfastly gazi n g into
,
the eyes of the person upon whom it is designed

to operate whilst the fi x i ty of thought was
,
declared a necessary accompaniment t othe fix i ty

o f gaze recommended This proceedin g was
.
1 66 MA GI C AND MESME R ISM
averred to be infallible ; and could my father ,
but have reli ed on this exp o sition not only ,
might the incoherences o f poor C atherine —the

singular description she h ad given o f the state
o f h e r soul under Father G irard s direction
’
,
in some measure be accounted for but also hi s

, ,
mysterious power over his other peniten t s as ,
well as the moral changes and contradictions

which each had exhibited i n turn .
You will wonder perhaps that he di d not

, ,
laugh at what in the days o f the great p h ilo so

,
p h e rs then about to dawn o n France — the ,
harbingers o f the storm t hat was to shake her

to her very foundation and root up for a time
, ,
at least all her ancient and respectable uses

, ,
together with her ab uses —wo ul d have been

,
termed old women s stories But in his youth

’
.
sorcery was yet accredited among the mass ;

and tho ugh consigned to ridicul e by a few of
the h o lde r spirits o f the day the fancy o f the
,
many even in the better clas ses still clung to

, ,
the traditional delusion .
My father whose mind w as yet fresh from

,
N ature s mint ready to receive every impression

’
, ,
hovere d for some time between the fluctuating

—
playing upon the mind especially in youth
exalting and debasing it by turns it is easy , ,
without the assistance of any extraneous agency ,
to affect the reason if not actually to destroy

,
its equilibrium Yo u m ay further urge and

.
,
with equal truth that so complete is the power

,
which he who w ields skilfully t h e dangerous

weapon called enthusiasm may obtain over his
miserable v i ctims it remains no difficult task to
,
sway not only their ju dgment but their feelings

, ,
also I t is indeed the knowledge o f numerous

.
, ,
cases handed down to us in history and even ,
still ofdaily occ u rrence in which fanaticis m co n

,
ducts to crime — to madness—even to death

”
that has caused me so metimes to hesitate i n

my conclusions .
Had this however been the Jesuit s real

, ,
’
hold o n M ademoiselle C adi ere s it is not likely ,
that she would have struggled so painfully with

the influence he exercised over her ; she would
rather have y ielded cheerfully and wholly to it .
But it is averred by the most experienced

writers o n the subject of magnetism that the ,
operator has an unli mited power over t h e

pati ent obtained by the concentration o f his

,
own thoughts and their transfusion into the

,
mind o f the person subjected to this process ,
either by mea n s o f manipulation which supposes,
consent in the party concerned ; or by the mere

attraction of gaze and sympathy with s urround
,
ing objects submitted to the ordeal o f magne

t i s m by the o n e party and unconsciously much
,
used by the other ; which does not imply con

n i van ce . This w as the case with M ademoiselle
C adi ere s and all the worthy Father s penitents
’
,
who yielded to or rather su ffered by an artifice

,
whose very nature and existence was totally

unknown to them .
When once affinity is established between th e

m aster and t h e patient — o r victim a s the c ase
,
may b e —that stran ge psychological phenome n on

takes place o f which I have often read in works
,
on magnetism but which I have never witnesse d

, ,
o r even heard o f in real life exce pt in the case
—
,
o f M ademoiselle C ad i ere s I mean that state o f

high exaltation of the nerves which permits ,
spirit to commune w rth spirit without the grosser

intervention o f the organs of speech —when ,
V O L. I. I
1 70 M A GI C A ND M E SM E RI S M .
the half formed thought is met by a correspond

-
i ng thought and the unspoken unspeakable

, ,
feelings are at on c e conveye d to a heart that

throbs that mus t throb with sympathy —
, ,
,
-
a
communion so full o f h armony that when we ,
first contemplate its nature we are ex c usable i n ,
believing it to belong to spheres and to beings

o f a higher order than ourselves an d the little ,
world that contai ns us but when we bethi nk

-
ourselves of the further consequences o f this

latitude and perceive that the will of man the
, ,
noblest hol iest of his attributes is also to be

, ,
e nchained by the same mysterious li nk between
a stron ger and a weaker mind while both are ,
yet clothed within their frail human tenements ,
liable to be shaken and riven by human passion ,
we shudder and turn away from the picture of

mental degradation which this subject may
o ffer to o ur V iew .
The antagonists of Mesmer have advan c ed a

—
fact; whi ch i f true as it seems likely enough t o
,
b e — would he ar me o u t in my supposition o f
h i s sc i en c e be ing applicable to th i s particular
case . They assert that magneti sm i s highly
1 72 MAGI C A ND M ESM E RI SM .
ne t i smbetween persons o f unequal morality ,
in which the weaker party has been compelled ,
in spite o f its purity to ad opt the loose senti

,
ments and principles o f the stronger and more

dissolute to be a thraldom past the human
,
powers o f enduran c e I see by your i ncre du

.
,
lous smile you belie v e rather i n the possib ili ty

,
o f corrupting human purity than o f forcin g its ,
barriers ; well —I think differently But then .

,
I am a confirmed believer in this mysterious

agency whose nature is I o wn startling enough
, , ,
at the first glance .
Having given you a faint outli ne o f the

pretensions o f this doctri ne in order to enable ,
you to understand in what manner I apply it

to this particular case I will return to my s tory
, .
When Mad emoiselle R aymond next called

u pon Catherine she was n o lon ger alone
, .
Father G irard was closeted with her ; an d

M ademoiselle C adi ere s confidential maid de
’
livered her the somewhat ungracious message ,
that she was entreate d not to come again to

the house as her friend could in no case see
,
her This was a relapse which E leon ore had

.
M AG IC AND M ESMERISM . 1 73
no t expected to take place so soon ; but as she

saw that for a time at least nothing more was
, ,
to be done in the matter she departed , .
S ome weeks more elapsed during which little,
transpired at large of what passed at the C a

d i ere s beyond the fact of Father G irard s daily
’
,
’
— nay hourly—presence there and the rapid

, ,
progress of his fair penite n t in sanctity The .
chapter of miracles was freely broached by him

self and her brothers ; the c uriosity o f the public
was stro ngly excited ; and e v en the bishop the ,
worthiest soul alive dropped a fe w hints that

, ,
proved he began to feel a growi ng interest in

the subject The Carmelites still shook their
.
heads ominously and shrugged their shoulders

,
at the bare mention o f these things with an

affected contempt which could not veil their
,
real mo rt i fic at i o n The Jesuits triumph was

.
’
complete radiant ; and they bore the palm

,
over all competi tors at Toulon without dis

pute .
S u c h was the state o f affairs whe n all of a, ,
sudden the news was spread about the town

,
that Mademoiselle C adi ere s was about to e m

brac e the veil Various reasons were as signe d

.
for this step and di ve rse convents named of

, ,
whi ch o n e would be selected by the young

saint to become the theatre o f her future glory .
M ademoiselle R aymond was however informed , ,
by M arie Lan gi ere s whom she still continued

,
o c casionally to visit that Father G irard had

,
appointed the conve n t o f S t Clare o f Ollioules

.
as the future residence o f C atheri ne whom she ,
described as most unwilling to enter it S he .
declared also that M adame C adi ere s though

, , ,
fully sharing the reluctance of her daughter ,
was like herself unable to resist the imperative

, ,
monk who would suffer no contradiction

, .
”
S he loathes the very idea o f a convent said ,
M arie L an gi ere s in conclus ion

, and is growing
,
daily less religious I fancy But what then !

, .
If that horrid man w i lls it o f course she must

,
”
take the veil .
These words roused Eleonore s attention ’

.
S he found upon a closer investigation that all

, ,
the pecul iarities she had remarked in Cathe

rine s discourses as betraying an incipient i n
’
sanity were developed almost to a greater de

,
176 M A GI C A ND M E SME RI SM .
other ; and indee d as all personal i nterest in

,
the a ffair w as fas t subsiding in his heart he ,
soon discovered that he had enough to think o f

in other quarters and had no time to waste in
,
fruit less brooding .
N ot so with M ademoiselle R aymond Ho w .
ever superior in intelligence to the mass o f young

women o f her age especially at an epoch when
,
the education o f women was very deficient still ,
the monotony O f her pursuits left her ample lei

sure for the development of her feminine curi
o si t and this was a subject t o excite it to the
y
uttermost .
“If said my father to her ofte n recurring

”
,
remarks on this subject if you think there i s

a chan ce o f your being able to move M ad e mo i
selle C adi ere s from her purpose I would advise ,
you by all means to attempt seeing her before

, ,
she sets o ff for the convent Once there she .

,
wil l find it perhaps impossible to return to the

”
world even should she desire it
, .
Could y o u contrive to speak t o her urge d ,
E leonore .
Her eyes were keen ly fixed on hi s c o un te

MA GI C -
AND ME S MERISM . 1 77
nan ce The colour mounted to his very brow

.
,
as he felt conscious of the ga z e ; but he returned

’
it and it was M ad emo i selle R aymond s turn to
,
bl ush .
I f I thought any eart hly exertio n o f min e

”
could save M ademoiselle C adi ere s he said I , ,
would not spare myself be assured o f that ; b u t

,
I am convinced that any interposition o n my

,
part would but hurry o n Catherine to her fate .
I f I could unrav el the mystery and prove but ,
half the v i llany I suspect i n Father G irard I ,
woul d a ve nge her ; but I must n o t forget that ,
I have no right whatever to interfere with t h e

concerns o f that youn g lady when even that o f ,
friendship has been withdrawn fro m me ; and

my positio n as a rejected suitor should mak e
”
me doubly reserv ed in all my proceedings .
“But w ill you quietly sit by and see Cathe

”
rine t ake the veil !
“You must hav e t o o muc h sens e m g o o d
y ,
”
young l ady was the an swer accompani ed by
, ,
an arch smi le not to see that had I even the

,
right I can no longer hav e any reason for

,
oppos ing such a meas ure After all if the .

,
I 3
family C adi é re s pre fer their T a rt ufi e to all

else in the world who may gainsay them ! But
,
o u know very well the opinions I must perforce

y
entertain o n this subject ! I cannot understand
why you shoul d insis t on maki ng me repeat
them so often .
M ademoiselle R aymon d s tell tale cheek mi ght

’
-
have enlightened him as to her drift and M a ,
dame C adi ere s prophecy whi ch when spoken

’
, ,
two years back had so grievously displeased

,
hi m n o w fli t t e d across hi s mind but this time

, ,
certainly without c ausing any di sagreeable

emotion .
That Eleonore was not too deeply hurt at

his being so resigned o n the chapter o f Cathe
rine s re tiring altogether fro m t he world was
’
,
evident from her manner growi ng even more

free and unreserved und er the i nfluence of his
answer .
The footi ng o n whi ch they stood together

W as peculi ar as indeed Made moiselle R ay
, ,
mond s whole bearing an d character was reputed

’
to be Circums tances allowed her o n many

.
,
points a greater latitude than other young

,
women o f he r age are ordinari ly perm i tted i n

1 80 M A GI C AN D M E SM E RI S M .
still remained inaccessible to others to the no ,
small mo rt i ficat i o n o f all the speculative sons

and p arents in o ur good c i ty G reat therefore .
, ,
was the outcry a g ainst what was almost deemed

an impropriety —their marriage w as spoken o f
as a certa in ty ; then as n e ither party took the
,
trouble to notice the many hints thrown o u t

before the m on this subject and as weeks grew ,
to months and the thing remained in statu

quo and M ademoiselle R aymond refused o ffer
,
after o ffer and yet solemnly pledged her word

, ,
i n so doing that she was under no pre engage

,
-
m ent people set down this intimacy as o n e o f

,
the bizarreries o f the heiress and turned to the ,
discussion of some newer topic .
My father as I have said had accepted Eleo

, ,
’
nore s friendship as a substitute for Catherine s
’
love wi thout much reflection ; but independently

, ,
of the gratitude he owed her who had softened the

sharpness of his fi rs t disappointment he soon ,
discovered in her qualities calculated to fix his

esteem .
The uprightness and candour which she dis

played o n every occas ion e v en the most trivial
, ,
her fair and dispass i onate j udgment e v en in

M A GI C A N D MESMERISM . 181
those things that con c erned her most the ,

-
generosity of heart that overlooked the foibles of

others which her o w n keenness o f intellect
,
—
rendered so glaring the firmness of her cha
,
rac t e r and principles that kept her in everythin g

,
and at all times true to herself and to oth ers

these sterling qualities so rarely fo und in the
,
opposite sex that we may fairly term them

,
masculine m ade her at once an object of his

, , ,
respect and admiration N o r was she devoid .
o f those femini n e inspiratio n s which teach e v en ,
the most gu ileless o f womankind how to i n

rat i at e themselves with those whom they are
g
desirous o f pleasing Habit t o o often recon
.
, ,
ciles men to the very plainest exteriors ; and

my father had long since discov ered that M ade
m o i se lle R aymond whose figure and eyes were
,
really fine did not belong absol utely to that

, , ,
category—her society had become indispensable

to him Her superiority to all the women it
.
had ever been his fortune to meet with w as by ,
this t ime an established fact in his own mind ;

and had he been forced to forego her intimacy
and renounce her friendship the pain would ,
have bee n s c ar c ely less though perhaps o f ,

1 82 MA G I C AN D MESME RI SM .
another C haracter than that which he felt when

,
separated fi o m C atherine In short though he

.
,
would doubtless have written better verses in

favour o f the latter he would much rather have
,
chosen the former for the companion o f his li fe ,
now that he had a fair opportunity of compar ing

their real merits .
But although the progress of this attac hment

,
was so gradual o n his part that it w as almost ,
imperceptible to himself M ademoiselle R ay ,
mond s preference fo r hi m had dated from the

’
beginning o f their a c quaintance I t was p ro .

,
bably the struggle she constantly maintai ned

,
against her o wn heart when she perceived that

,
’
her friend s beauty had cast her into shad e ,
that caused her usual reserve to deepen int o

ungraciousness and gloom T o o generous to
.
resent his choice and too modest not to ac

,
q uiesce in its justice she su ff

,ered n o feeli n g of
mo rt ificat i o n o r envy to dim the purity o f her

long established friendship with Catherine S he .
was careful not to permit the slightest trace o f

her weakness to become evident we ll knowing ,
that C atherine would not have encouraged any

atte ntions like ly t o di stre ss he r, and she was
1 84 M A GI C A ND MESME RI SM .
o f, or indeed even approached the haughty

Jesuit .
S he was also struck w i th the alterati on that

ha d taken place in his whole person and manner .
The latter had grown abrupt and presumptuous

— the former more rep u lsive than ever A .
restless fiery look that seemed at once t o dread

, ,
and yet defy oppos i tion gleamed from beneath

,
his shaggy eyebrows whilst the hollow o f his

,
cheeks and corpse like pallor ha d even increased

-
,
although those who remembered him o n his

first arri val at Toulon might hav e deemed the
thing impossible .
M ost o f M ademoiselle R ay mo n d s remark s

’
were made from a house opposite to that o f

M adame C adi ere s t o which she had contri ved
,
to obtai n admission at first for the express p ur

,
p o se o f laying in wait for a favourable o p p o rt u

mity of executing her proj ect of speakin g with
Catheri ne previous to her departure ; but she
soon became aware what an ample field was
thus afforded for general obse rvation In any .
other cas e her innate delicacy o f mind and ,
indeed her perfect indi fference to the concerns

,
of strangers w o uld hav e made her shrink fr o m

,
M A GI C A ND M ESME RI SM . 1 85
such a mode o f gratifying her curi osity ; but

she conceived that her love for Catherine gave
her a right to inquire more closely into actions
which but for the baneful influence o f a stran
,
ger rising suddenly like a cloud between them

, ,
and which she tr usted might yet in ti me be

blown away woul d have been laid bare to her
,
like her o w n .
S he could often catch a glimpse o f M adame

C adi ere s bathed in tears ; a circumstance that
,
convinced her how painful was the sacrifice she

was about t o make in suffering her daughter s ’
departure But Catherine was so completely

.
confined to her room which had no other look

,
o u t but upon the yard that she could form no

,
idea of her real feelings That Father G irard .
wielded the sceptre of domesti c power with a

most tyrannical sway was obvious from a series
o f trivial occurrences that came within her
notice ; and her dislike to and distru st o f the ,
man amounted to disgust as she perceived how

,
unscrupulously he took the most op en and

unfair advan tag e o f the weak almost sottish , ,
infatuation of the C adi ere s .
Finding all her endeavours to obtain speech

186 M AG I C A ND ME SME RISM .
of her fri end vain she had rec o urse to letters

, ,
with no better success S he soon indeed .

, ,
became convinced that none ever reached their

destination ; and finally she h ad the mo rt i fica
, ,
tion o f seeing her friend safely depos i ted in a

travelli ng carriage by the side o f An ne G uy o l ,
’
and another of Father G irard s most devoted
adherents by that worthy pers onage himself
,
.
The mode o f de p arture at that time part ook

but little o f the hurry o f o u r present habits ,
nor were leave takings as unceremonious then

as n o w ; so that M ademoiselle R aym ond had
time to reach the carriage before in spite o f the ,
J e sui t s impatience the ponderous vehicle had

’
,
yet been put in motion E leonore s bare head .

’
and careless attire denoted the eagerness of the

moment ; and no sooner had the Father s angry ’
exclamation drawn C atherine s eyes towards ’
her than she seemed conscious o f her fi i e nd s '

’
devotion and grateful for the fee ling

, .
“Thank you E leonore thank you dearest !

, , ,
”
I will pray for you murmured she in scarcely
, ,
audible accents .
”
Catherine do not leav e us sai d E le onore
, , ,
1 88 M A G IC AN D ME S M E R I SM .
the large dark severely express iv e eyes of

, ,
Mademoiselle R aymond .
Leave us M ademoiselle he said i n a tone

, , ,
o f ill suppressed rage ;

-
“leav e this holy maiden ,
whom you n ever approach but with the attempt

to lead her astray from a path of light which
you have not the grace to follo w G o I say .
, ,
he continued raising his voice in the nerv ous

,
i mpatience o f the moment abo v e the pitch o f ,
decorum and grasping at the s ame t i me the

, ,
'
arm of the young lady in no gentle o r reserv ed
manner .
—
G o ! impious heretic o r and
he compressed the arm he held i n a rude rough ,
manner equally unbecoming his hab i t and the

, ,
sex o f her whom he addressed .
You forget yourself said M ademo iselle ,

”
R aymond coolly drawing herself up and seek

, ,
ing by a slight gesture to release herself from

, ,
the bold grasp o f the Jesuit but instantly ceas ,
i ng the e ffort upon dis c o v ering that it would

not avail her .
“I t is not I it is o u l—you ! A n excess ”

y ,
o f resentm e nt for which there appeared scarcely

,
s uffi ci ent c ause seemed about to transport

,
the Monk beyond the bounds o f decency In .
vain did the C adi ere s mother and sons and the
, ,
young girls in the carriage exhort him to be

pacified ; it was evident that rage was fas t
mas tering his reason when E leonore bending
, ,
her tall form towards him whispered a few

,
words in his ear .
N o spell spoken by necromancer ever pro

du ce d a more magical e ffect A hue still more
.
ghas tly than usual overspread his countenance ,
—hi s trembling hand released the frail arm it had

grasped as though no longer able to retain i t ,
—
his knees knocked against each other his eyes ,
rolled wil dly i n his head —the most abject

,
terror was depicted in every feature ‘
Had .
E leonore stabbed him the change could not

,
have been more sudden o r more striking It

, .
was so much so that M adame C adi ere s ex

claimed
G ood G o d ! what h as happened to the
reverend Father ! —what has she done to
h im !
”
N othing, assuredly madame said

, , E leo
nore . But what is he doing to you ! R ob
90 MA GI C AN D ME S M E RISM .
bing you of your d aughter and yet y o u know ,
”
n o t how to resist !
A n embarras sing pause ensued to which ,
M ademoise l le G uy o l put an end by o rderi ng

t h e coachman somewhat fier c ely t o dri v e o ff
, , .
Father G irard seeme d to breathe anew as the

wheels began slowly to revolve and the co ach ,
man s whip c racke d cheeri ly i n the air M a

’
.
d ame C ad i ere s re entere d the h o use abruptly

-
,
as if un willing to mark the progress of the

vehi c le that was he ari ng from her what she held
dearest o n earth The Jesuit w i thout speak
.
,
I ng anoth e r word hastily darted up the street

, ,
following the carriage with rapid stri d e s whilst ,
the brothers remaine d roote d to the spot .
’
E leonore s keen eye c aught the figure o f Cathe
rine at the next turning as leaning with her
, , ,
whole bo dy o u t o f the carri age window she ,
stretched forth her arms towards her— the next

i nstant she was o ut o f sigh t Whether the .
movement had been an adieu or an appeal , ,
was a point which it troubled much M ade mo i

selle R ay mond to decide Luckily for all
.
,
parties the early h o ur at wh ich thi s scene took

,
92 M A GI C AN D MES M ERIS M .
presence and con trol ; he will hardly dare to

—
follow her to the sisterhood if indeed he could , ,
quit Toulon He believes however his object

.
, ,
attained ; her person and fortune are secured to

the church and he will now turn his thoughts
,
to some other victim perhaps M arie L angi ere s

, .
”
”
G od grant you may be right said M ade ,
mo i s e lle R aymond ; but she looked very much

as if she could not bring herself to share his
opinion .
Catherine s departure and the manner o f it

’
, ,
had put an end to all E leonore s hopes o f a

’
reconciliation That unfortunate being would

.
,
probably now for the rest o f her life be dead

, , ,
to the m and to the world as completely as ,
though t he grave had closed upon her ; and ”
having mourned this easy to be foreseen event

long before it actually took place both my ,
father and M ademoiselle R aymond felt them

selves very much at liberty to think o f each
other —the only other object o f interest that

,
stood in their way beingwithdrawn fro m them .
I will cut a long story short—o r o n e that

might be spun o u t int o su ch—no r detail to you
M A GI C AND MESME RISM . 1 93
by wh at rapid gradations my father became

aware o f the real nature o f his attachment to
E leonore — that she alone could render him
truly happy Neither will I dwell o n the man i
.
-
ner in which he communicated this discovery ,
nor o n that in which it was received M ade .
mo i s e lle R aymond was free from all even the

slightest shadow o f coquetry and probably ,
would have been thought upon the whole too

, ,
deficient in that respect by a vulgar minded -
m an ; but my father was as superior to the

generality o f his sex as she was to hers and was ,
able to appreciate her every quality The frank .

,
candid admission she at once made o f the state

o f her feelings even previous to the existence
'
o f his own love for her was received by him

,
with delight and gratitude He wondered in .

,
his soul how he could ever have pre ferred the

,
rose to the pearl— Catherine to E leonore ; but

'
,
as he e x re sse d i t in after life one was the

p ,
romance the other the reality o f love I t is

, .
right and proper that youth should have its

dreams and manhood its happiness
, The first .
choice o f the heart depends so much o n cir

V O L . I. !
1 94 MA GI C AN D MESME R ISM .
cu ms t an ce s, an d o n the imag in ation and every ,
man s tastes and opinions alter so much with

’
time and experien c e that the object o f hi s

,
boyis h passion would seldom if obtained c on

, ,
duce to the happiness o f his after years .
’
M y father s proposal came at a most fortunate
and critical moment for poor E leonore In a .
very short ti me her minority would cease ; her

guardi ans had determined o n leaving Toulon ,
and had she wished t o remain there she wo uld ,
have found it no easy matter to procure a home .
I will not tell y o u o f all the tittle tattle o f -
the town when this news was m ad e publi c by

,
the parties whom it most c oncerned After .
having loudly predicted it nearly three years

before it h ad any basis o n truth they would not
,
credit it even fro mthe lips o f the future couple

, .
I t was not until the parents o f M onsieur Chau

don came from M arseill es in great haste to
, ,
attend the fi a nga i lle s o f the young people that ,
at last the thing was believed ; and then agai n , ,
it gave rise to as much j ealousy and ani madv e r

sion to as many heart burnings and c alumnies
,
-
,
as tho ugh su c h an event had been a flagrant act

1 96 MA GI C AN D M ESM E RI S M .
himself took a special interest o n a cc ou nt o f ,
the extraordinary graces w i th which she was

—
gifted and bein g moreover personally know n
, ,
to the superior —she was re c eived with singular

,
honours ; and all the strange unusual condi ,
tions he made in her behalf were ac quies ce d i n

without demur .
But his after proceedings and her o wn at , ,
t ach e d a still greater importance to Catherine ,
and brought her before the public in a far more

glaring manner than heretofore Abandoni ng
almost entirely his concerns at his seminary more ,
to the satis faction o f his superiors than to the

e di fi cat i o n o f his other penitents the whole o f ,
Father G irard s t i me was taken up with j our

’
n eys to and fi o m Ollioules ; and the s dul o f
C atherine oc c upied his attention so exclusively

as to cause much jealousy and dis c ontent among
those whom it had long been his habit and was ,
now more than ever his duty to attend to ; for ,
they all seemed to live b u t in his presen c e .
M arie L angi ere s M adame la R ue an d her

, ,
daughter were loudest in their complaints o n

,
this occ asion and stood forth the representa

,
t ive s as it were o f the male co nt e n ts

, , .
M A GI C AND ME SMERISM . 1 97
A mo n g these neither l ast nor least were the

,
C adi ere s ; nor were they slow in maki ng their

u neasiness known S erious rumours now began
.
to circ ul ate about mi racles having been wro ught

upon Catherine v isibly and palpably impress
,
ing her w ith the sign manual o f special “

elec
tion ; and they soon became n o t only univer
sally discussed but credited in every circle
, ,
drawing the attention o f the clergy and the

”
great in a marked manner towards the c o n

, ,
vent The nearer she approached the culmi

.
nating point at which they had lo n g desired to

see her the greater became the mo rt i ficati o n
,
o f her relations at having the saint o f Ollioules ,
as she was now called removed beyond their ,
sphere her glory profiting utter strangers rather

,
than themselves This was certainly the first

.
consid e ration that roused the indignation o f her

brothers who if they were not brought into
, ,
notice by her means had but little advance

,
ment to h o pe for in their profession

The mother doubtless was in fluenced by
, ,
tenderer and less i nterested motives Her great .
source of anxiety that which really pressed

,
heavily o n her mi nd was the s tate of her

,
MA GI C AN D MESMERI SM .
daughter s health which seemed materi ally i m

’
,
paired since the last few months S he re .
ro ach e d herself constantly with having yielded

p
to Father G irard s persuasions in delaying to
’
call in me dical aid w hi lst she had yet an o p

,
o rt u n i t o f so doing S he felt moreover se

p y .
, ,
v e re l the loss o f her idol—fo r C atherine might

y
be called such in the fullest sense of the word ;
and her confidence in and reverence for Father, ,
G irard began to di minish from the moment she

,
n o longer beheld in him the promoter o f; but
rather the bar to the realization o f those plans

,
and ambitious desires which she had cherished

in her bosom for years But Father G irard was .
n o t proba bly very desirous o f sharing the glory
re d ounding upon him fo r having made a saint ‘
with any o n e else n o t even with the D ominican

,
o r the A bb é whose interest in their sis t er was

,
thus completely neutralized .
A t Ollioules as at Toulon Catherine had

, ,
trances ecstas ies and fits o f a character that

, ,
almos t bordered o n epilepsy A t other times .

,
she seemed to walk talk and exist like o n e in

, , ,
a perpetual dream The miracles spoken of had

.
2 00 M A GI C AND ME S MER I SM .
combatting her growing pride i n her o wn sur

passing sanctity and the privileges it drew down
,
upon her from heave n .
My father was much pained at the growing

honours o f Mademoiselle C adi ere s A convie .
tion he could no longer repel induced him to

believe they were due to imposture alone ; and
that Catherine herself— his but so lately beloved
Catherine —was the chief impostor I t was most
.
reluctantly that he adm itted this truth even unto

himself ; but his reason spoke loud enough to
silence the pleadings o f his heart These mi
.
racles and wondrous signs fro m above —this gift

of prophecy in o n e so simple minded and little
-
enlightened—this power of penetrating into the

secrets o f consciences reading the darkest my s
,
t e ri e s of the human heart —o f divin g with equal
skill into the past and future —seemed to him ,
not as to the superstitious and illiterate vulgar a

, ,
voice from Heaven speaking to the amazed mul

t i t u de through the lips of an innocent and fa
v o ure d agent but rather the well played comedy

,
-
o f an artful priest pe rformed by a no less cun

,
ning stager When he re fle c ted how p ure an d

.
MA G I C A ND M E SMERISM . 201
spotless was her m ind at the epoch o f his first

introduction to her and then thought o f her
,
actual position so young and brought up i n

, ,
such reserve and obscurity and yet exhibiting

,
herself in so glaring a manner to public notice ,
displaying acting so consummate as to deceive

and blind men of the strictest honour and o f ,
no mean capacities he shuddered at the moral

,
depravity which so much perse v erance an d bold

ness in falsehood betrayed .
These feelings o f disgust weighed heavily on

his spirits ; and altho u gh he permitted them to
be apparent to n o o n e else he frankly comma
,
n i cat e d them to E leonore Her answer was,

.
as usual calc ulated to dispel the clouds fro m

,
his brow .
Yo u are kin d e nough to say y o u hav e some

”
c onfidence in my judgment she said ; , allow
me the n like so many others to perform a pil
, , ,
grimage to Ollioules ; I shall then be better able

to t e ll y o u how much o f all these reports that
affect you so painfully is founded in truth ; fo r
exaggeration has doubtless laid on its colours
with no sparing brush I shall also I doub t
.
, ,
it 3
202 MA GI C AND MESME RIS M .
no be able to detect how far C athe rin e is her

t,
self the dupe o f her own imag ination I will .

,
at all events be a careful observer o f all that I

,
may be permitted to see and will report every ,
thing most faithfully eve n in its m i nutest de ,
tai ls M ay I go to O llio ul es
.
The approbation she sought was not with

hel d ; and Eleonore always prompt in following
,
up a n idea w as that very day o n the ro ad t o

,
’
S t Clare s
. M any and o f vario u s k inds were
.
, ,
the wayfarers she fell in with—all bound to the

same goal as hersel f S he ad dressed several .
females who evidently belonged to the lowest

,
clas s and di sc o vered that their trust in t h e new

,
saint o f Olli oules was i ll imited ; and as they

seemed sufficiently burthened by mise ry and
illness already E leonore thought it a cruelty to
,
seek to lessen the comfort which their strange

delusion afforded them They re c ounted t o her .
the most incredible facts that had occurred to

some o f their friends and relations through the
’
intervention o f the Holy Virgin o f S t Clare s .
,
as they called Catherine The stories they re .
cited in spite o f her utmost e ffor ts to repress

,
mond was e ver above the trivial occurrences o f

life that so often disturb less well strung nerves ; -
and she sat quietly surveying the scene u n co n ,
scious perhaps o f the e ffect her cal m demeanour ,
and the depth of in t elligence reflected in her

lustrous eyes was calculated to produce o n the
,
beholders Having been for some time the sub

.
je c t o f much scrutiny especially from the aris

,
t o crat i c end of the room she was n o t surpri sed

,
when a young lady detached herself from the

group and took a seat beside her
, .
”
You are o f Toulon madam I presume !
, ,
said the stranger in tones the slight hauteur of

, ,
which was almost veiled by their sweetness and ,
whose accent w as decidedly Parisian .
E leonore guessed the rank o f her interlocutor

at a glance ; and though cer tainly not in the
habit of conversin g with o r even o f seei n g,
marquises out o f their glass coaches she was ,
far from being overwhelmed by the c o n de sce n

sion o f the pretty sprig of aristocracy who h o -b
n o u re d her th u s far .
I am , was the reply conveyed in M a

”
,
d
demo iselle R aymond s mo s t ungracious man

’
e
ner.
M A GI C A ND ME SMERI SM . 2 05
The lady was evidently shocked at the wan t

o f respect even o f co u rtesy
, to which she had,
exposed herself and was about to turn away in

,
disgust ; but a second thought seemed to pre

vail with her ; for pushing aside the profusion
,
o f curls an d laces that obscured her features ,
she exhibited them in full to M ademois e lle

R aymond whose gaze in spite o f herself was
, , ,
rI ve t t e d by their exquisite loveliness although ,
time and the fatigue of an agitated life had

, ,
already somewhat dimmed their brightness .
The impertinence of a slightly turned up but ,
most delicately formed nose was fully amended ,
by the gentle smile that played o n her ripe and

pouting lips The re lay a world of love in her
.
deep hazel eyes fringed with darker lashes ;

,
and the grace o f courts and the assurance o f ,
fashion rather than that o f rank was revealed

, ,
in her c areless attitude .
”
Then she said
, y o u must know some
,
~
f —
thing o this thi s she paused a moment ,
as if embarrassed to find the fittin g expression

”
this youn g person she continued remark
, ,
ing the s ardonic smile that lighted up for a

moment th e gravi ty of the T o ulo n e se lady .
2 06 M A GI C A ND ME SME RI SM .
”
I do was the blunt ans w er ; we have
,
been friends from earliest ch ildhood .
R eally oh ! c harming ! Then you can

-
,
”
tell us all about her C o me come she cried .
, ,
o u t in a gleeful t o n e t o her companion come

‘
, ,
”
we have what we want .
I do n o t understand sai d E leonore laugh , ,
i ng
, what you want ; but if it is me o r any i n ,
formation I am able to afford ho w c an you make ,
”
s ure o f securing either .
The handsome and an i mate d Parisian lady

turned her soft eyes upon her with a stare
expressive o f anything but pleasure and already ,
her lips opened doubtless to utt er some

, ,
u ngracious reply which woul d certa inly not

,
have furthered her views with the person she ‘
addressed when another came forward whose

, ,
counte n ance though s c arcely less beauti fu l than

,
that o f the former speaker was more t ouched by ,
time and e v idently had e v er been o f a thought

,
ful cast .
“Ah ! come my dear M ad am to my assist

, ,
“
ance said the repulsed fair o n e if you wo ul d
”
, ,
while away ti me and proc ure some li ght o n

,
2 08 M A GI C AND M E SM E RISM .
high di stinction in the capital —the o n e an

acknowledged wit the other a beauty ; but her
,
utter ignorance o f Paris and the exalted sphere

in which such orbs were accustomed to move ,
prevented these discoveries from being o f any

service to her with regard to satisfying her
awakening curiosity A C anoness and a Phi
.
lo s o p h e r were two qualities which united in o n e ,
and the same person might have s ufficed to

,
betray a name but too well known to the public ,
had E leonore been less provincial ; but as it ,
was the ladies were perfectly safe fro m di sco v ery

, ,
so far as she was concerned .
“Being o f this neighbourhood t o wh i ch we

,
”
are perfect strangers said she whom E leonore
, ,
had heard complimented o n her talents i n a ,
natural and simple manner w hich in proportion

, ,
as it was freer from co urtly graces and mi na u

de ri e s than that o f the other was more congenial
,
to the person she addressed perhaps y o u will

,
be kin d enough to inform us if there be any

truth in the extraordinary things that are re
ported concerning this new marvel o f Provence .
I s she so beautiful so gifted an d ab ov e all so

, , , ,
! ”
trustworthy as pe o ple say
,
M A GI C A ND MESME RI SM . 2 09
The deep thoughtful blue eyes o f the lady

,
’
were fixed o n M ademoiselle R aymond s with ,
an C xpression that said as plainly as words

,
could have spoken it she felt confident o f

,
obtaini n g a satisfactory answer to he r question .
E leonore rose with that involuntary feeli ng o f

respect which the mere presentiment o f tale n t i n
others awakens in those who are conscious o f
possessing some share o f it themselves and she
unhesitatingly replied
The you n g lady you hav e come to see o u t
o f mere curiosity has been most lovely and ex
c e lle n t
, and was once truth itself W hat she .
may have become during the fe w months we

have not met I can scarcely determine until I
have again seen her ; and it is that purpose
”
which has drawn me here t o day -
.
”
I understand said the stranger with a deep
, ,
sigh she has been during that time in this

convent ; and sincerity is n o t always the lesson
”
best taught in cloisters .
D uring the full hour that intervened previous

to Catheri ne s appearance there ensued between
’
,
the two courtly friends and Eleonore an ani

mated c olloquy i n which the latter was u n
,
2 10 MA GI C AN D ME SME RISM .
conscio usly drawn o ut by the extraordinary con

v e rs at i o n al powers o f the el d er lad y who joined ,
to much depth o f thought a gentle earnestness

o f manner that pleased M ademoiselle R aymond ,
and made her overlook at the moment though ,
it afterwards came back t o her memory most

distinctly a few startli ng paradoxes bold views
, ,
of religion and fligh ty ones o f morality which

, ,
were c alculated to amaze a mind like hers firm ,
in womanly strength o f principle but which ,
soared not beyond the limits assigned to her sex

by education and society The other lady t e s
.
t i fie d now by her wearied looks and yawns an d

, ,
n o w by a few sparkling phras es shini n g through ,
the di scourse like the facets o f a diamond and ,
brin gin g a smile even to M ademoise lle R ay '
’
mond s grave lips that her wit more brilliant
, ,
than soli d was o f that light order which distils

,
j ust as mu c h essence from the flower o f all

things as it can conveniently retail to a crowd
o f a d mirers that has no time to be charmed too
,
long ; whereas the honey the other had gathered ,
whether o f a good or bad quality was evidently ,
extra c t e d for her o wn use the w orld only ,

2 12 M A GI C A ND MESME RISM .
“Pr in c ess A de l ai de s perhaps murmured

’
, ,
the other .
Perhaps was the answer ; but it was ac

,
companied with a deep sigh which shewed the ,
heart was not quite so light as the gay roving

glance would have bespoken it .
The heavy dark c urtain so sco m fully de

, ,
scribed by the fair advocate of the capital after ,
s undry j erks and tugs was withdrawn ; and a

,
novice appeared behind the grate s eated in ,
state in an antediluvian arm chair from the -

,
o ld hard stu ffed arms o f which the bras s knobs

-
appeared ready to drop with age Beside her .
w as a p ri e D i e u to match with two miserable

,
looking thi n tapers burning before it ; and a

flaming heart surmounted by doves wrapt i n a
,
chas te embrace c u t delicately out o f paper by

,
the cunning hand o f some o f the sisterhood ,
and resembling the lace like tracery o n e finds -
o n some o f our bo nbo ns boxes stood o u t in ,
relief o n a dark coloured missal placed upon it

-
.
On either hand o f the novice a few nuns had

grouped themselves self importance and idle
,
-
curiosity be ing strongly stampe d upon their

features.
M A GI C A ND MESM E RISM . 213
These me squi ne details were taken in at a

glance by the trio who stood yet aloof from t h e
,
grate and raised a smile that shewed how

, ,
unfavou rable t o the e ffect intended are the toy

like resources o f the catholi c faith when ad
dressed to cultivated intellects o r even to such
,
as have been ripened by the mere influence o f

elegant habits and the refinements attendant
u pon wealth and rank .
The poorer class o f c ourse were more e di fie d

, ,
with this little display however simple ; but

,
Catherine herself occupied most their attention ,
and they drew nigh to where she sat with an

expression o f holy confide n ce ennobling in itself
,
the object to which it was addressed .
The few persons there present that belonged

to the higher order o f society grouped them
selves i n the background as their inferiors
,
crowded o n the first ranks but occasionally

,
caught glimpses O f the young saint thro ugh the

wavin g motions o f her votarie s .
Catherine far from looking pale o r dejected

,
as when last Eleonore beheld her had a colour ,
i n her cheeks so bri ght and transparent as to

2 14 MAGI C A ND M E SME RI SM .
c ontrast with the waxy whiteness o f her brow

and hands in a manner that al most betrayed the
hand of art rather than that o f nature ; and the
l ustre of her eye and the deli c acy o f her
features were heightened beyond the degree
that is ag reeable by this lovely but unnatural
tint The novice s veil shroud ed her slight
.
’
figure and lent ad di tional digni ty t o the pe rfect

,
o v al of her physiognomy ; but it was n o t the

well known lineaments n o r e v en the unusual
-
,
colo uring that startled E leonore —i t w as the

,
expression pervad ing that on c e familiar c o un t e

nance and making it as strange to her eye as
,
tho ugh it h ad never rested o n it before .
There was a radiance o n the brow a lig ht in ,
the eye a suavity in the smile hovering ro und

,
the half unclosed lips the very impress o f hea

-
,
v en itself seeming to s urround her lovely head

with a halo o f refulgent li ght invisible to mortal ,
eye except by the reflection it cas t up o n her

,
irradia ted countenance .
S he s a saint—one h as only to look on her

’
”
t o say so ! exclaime d o ne o f the common
women i n e c stas y
, .
of nature as well as those o f affli cted hearts .
Here is a lock o f my daugh ter s hair Oh tell ’

.
me —tell me in the Virgin s name ! something

,
’
”
about her sweet lady l ,
Catherine looked earnestly at the lock o f

soft dark hair which had been placed by the
,
sobbing mother in her hand put it o n her ,
heart and kept it there some time when she

, ,
said in low but distinct tones as audible as if

, ,
they had been spoken in the ear o f each person

in the room
I see your daughter ; she is very young
almost a child —and very beautiful .
”
”
S he is but fifteen murmure d the grieve d
,
parent .
S he lies on her snowy bed all decked o u t ,
in white The marriage wreath binds her dark

.
locks and the small gold ring glitters o n the

,
third finger o f her left hand But the lights for .
the dead are burning at her head and at her

feet ; people in mourning are kneeling around
her ; a young man is weeping ; —yes she is ,
dead —I see the seal of death upon her brow ! ”
”
N o no not dead ! ex claimed the w o
, ,
-
M A GI C AND MESMERISM .
man putting forth her hand and clasping in

, ,
the anguish o f the moment that o f the young ,
novice who in turn held it tightly imprisoned

,
within the grasp of her o w n slender delicate ,
fingers .
Woman ! woman l—why should y o u doubt

that the hand o f G o d has withdrawn what it
h ad given ! But though you r lips move in
prayer and speak of submission your heart
, ,
murmurs and rebels against his will I t is all .
o f no avail ! The physician has spoken i t — the

priest has read the prayers for the dead over
—
her friends have wept her loss What more
”
would y o u know !
A y but it must be a trance —a lethargy !
”
,
said the mother impetuously the despair at her

, ,
heart drying up the tears at their source .
—
But fifteen and so fair my only darling
,
so happy too ,The priest had but just spoke n

the blessing—the husband pressed his lips to
—
hers for the first time all her little ailings had
ceased—she looked as bright and smiling as t h e
angels —an d as she turned from the altar fel l ,
— —
into my arms de ad l no no ! impossible i t ,
—
V O L . I. L
218 M A GI C AND ME S ME RI SM .
is false I tell you ! and so I would tell the

,
angels were they to come o n earth and tell me

so I t cannot b e —they laid her o n her bridal
bed in her wedding clothes ; but it is now six
,
-
days ago and yet no trace o f death has come to

,
mark her for his prey Her hand is not yet .
cold —her face is pale but not discoloured , .
Oh sweet S aint o f O llioules say the priest

,
and the doctor are wrong—that she is but in

a swoon oh say so and I will worship y o u
-
, ,
evermore
C atherine agai n looked intently at the lock
o f hair w hi c h the mother had given her pressed ,
it to her bosom and after a somewhat protracted

,
pause replied
,
N o you must no longer resist the ord ers of

,
the physician nor refuse the dead the peaceful

,
grave Let flowers spring up from the bed o f

.
sod where must rest your innocent child Her .
sleep is that of eternity—her heart is broken .

”
”
Broken l shrieked the mother broken ! ,
Oh no, the lark that sang at her window was

-
”
n o t gayer than she .
“The fibres o f that heart were t o o weak to

22 0 M A GI C A ND M E sM E Iu S M .
Then after a short consultation as it appeared

, ,
o n e o f them again came forward and announced
that those who had any more demands to make

o f the novice should hasten as she wo uld not ,
be much longer able to reply to them .
The humbler votaries seemed now far less

anxious than previously to draw near the S aint
o f S t Clare s and after some hesitation observed
’
.
, ,
that as their betters were waiting they would

, ,
retire for that day Thi s design they soon

.
put into execution bearing the still insensible

,
woman in their arms whom with the sudden , ,
and warm impulse o f southern natures they ,
were now more intent upo n reviving an d con

soling than concerned about the business that
'
had brought them thither The few ladi es who .
were there lingered not long behind but seem

, , ,
i n gly too painfully affected with what they had

j ust witnessed to have the courage to expose
themselves to anything o f the kind left the ,
parlour with looks and gestures suffi ciently i n

d i cat i v e o f their deep conviction o f the super
natural agency visible i n Catherine .
A s they were moving away the strangers , ,

who still stood at E leonore s elbow spoke in ’

,
low hurrie d tones that gradually became audi

ble discussing the propriety of remaining yet
,
awhile o r of following the example set by

,
others .
A fter having come so far said the graver ,
lady who w as the first to recover her compos ure

, ,
“it were absurd to depart thus unsatis factorily .
To have made all this fuss and yet to lack the ,
co urage to face the matter out ! Nay if y o u ,
go I stay and see we are not alone and her

, , ,
’
glance plainly intimated that M ademoiselle

R aymond was the presence alluded to .
“M ay be but I like not the aspect the thing

,
”
has taken answered the other tremulously
, , .
A t a distance it looked a very amusing

,
p la i s a nte ri e but,it is a very di f

f erent matter
now I tell you I do not feel nerve to go
.
,
”
through it .
”
N onsense my dear ! urged the other with
, ,
reviving spirits it is I assure you but a well

, ,
got up comedy ; it is easy for this pretended

marvel of the place to gain intelligence of what
has been pas sing so im mediately in her vicinity ;
222 M AGI C AND MESME RI SM .
the trick is a stale o n e and ought not to be ,
palmed o ff with success upon a person who

”
knows so much of the world as you do .
“But really I began the other hesi ,
t at i n gly .
Yo u must, ma allow yourself to

t o ute be lle ,
—
be persuaded overruled even if y o u please ,
by me in this affair Let us advance bravely

, .
,
hand in hand and you w ill soon see that to

, ,
unexpected visitors of whose identities and

,
history she must be wholly ignorant her ,
an swers will be altogether of another nature .
S he will get embarras sed speak nonsense o r , ,
take refuge in an obstinate silence ; and after

what y o u have this mornin g seen it will per , ,
haps be a soothin g conviction to yo u r m i nd

,
that she is nothi ng but an impostor .
Truly if I co ul d bring myself to believe

,
so but before the timid beauty had time to

finish her sentence her companion had taken
,
her by the hand and with gentle violence

,
bro ught her close to the grate .
E leonore who h ad not lost a syllable o f the

,
foregoing di alogue although it was spoken in

,
cease their formal opposition to the burial

,
-
taking place according to custom and police

regulations—all this was a matter o f notoriety ,
and caused much discussion amo n g the public ,
who began to shew manifest alarm lest the

ceremony O f interment should be in some ,
cases too promptly performed ; a possibility to

,
which the rumours excited by this event gave

some colour What E leonore had j ust wit
.
n e sse d therefore was n o t conclusive evidence

, ,
o f her friend s veracity S he might still be

’
.
acting a part though M ademoiselle R aymond

,
was forced to acknowledge that in that case she

had proved a most consummate actress .
We have been informed you can divine as

w ell the mysteries of the future as declare th ose
”
o f the past said the bolder o f the two ladies to
,
Catherine with a somewhat incredulous smile

, .
W e would have a proof o f the latter talent that ,
”
we may repose more trust in the former .
T he nuns were at first struck dumb with, , ,
this irreverent mode o f addressing their saint ;

then suddenly gave vent to their reprobation in
terms of anything b u t p laci d reproo f To their
j
.
M AGI C AND MESMERISM . 22 5
vehement objurgations the o ffender replied in

the most winning and honeyed phrases evi ,
d e n tly anxious to make up for her mistake and ,
succeeded after a time though not without ,
di ffi culty in laying t h e storm she had raised

,
.
The softened sisters withdrew from be fore their

idol to whose person they had momentarily
,
formed an impenetrable barrier ; peace w as

restored and the lady prepared herself to ad
,
dress Catherine in more appropriate terms .
I t is n o t to gratify idle curiosity o r to ,
dissipate an hour of languor that we open our ,
gates to the followers o f folly or mundane

van ities Our motives for departing from the
.
strictness of our rules are of a graver higher ,
”
nature said o n e o f the nuns who seemed
, , ,
both in manner and rank above the rest and , ,
who w as addressed as the mistress of the novices .
“I t is that the grace and light whi ch it has

pleased G od to bestow upon this humble maiden ,
and which exalt her above her years and station ,
may peradvent ure recal an erring soul from its

, ,
career of mortal sin and turn it to repentance

,
”
or
, she added wi th a severe look and marked
,
L 3
emph asi s —“
o r to confound pe rchan ce shame , ,
less sceptic i sm that would seek i n the brightness

, ,
o f the sun itse lf a proof of the darkness w hich

,
”
it advocates .
The repro ach cut deep into the soul of the

youn ger lady who devoutly crossed herself ;
,
but the elder cast an inquiring glance on the

nun in whom the fl e e mas o n ry o f education and
,
manner had at once revealed to her practised

eye an equal N or was she mistaken M adame
. .
de L E sco t the mistress o f the novices at the

’
,
convent o f S t Clare o f Olli oules w as a lady

.
, ,
by birt h as well as breeding The result o f this .
discovery was a slight bow o f acquiescence in

the stranger ; who now turning to Catheri ne , ,
and extending her left hand through the wi cket ,
whilst with the right she still tightly grasped

her companion as if afraid that she would break
,
away and leave her alone and un as sisted to get

,
o ut of the dilemma in which she had placed
herself said in a grave submissive tone

, , ,
You behold two women who would wi l ,
li ngly atone by the future for many an error in

the pas t if they but knew how ; they are com e
,
Yours has been a stormy youth lady , .
Your besetting si n was pride ; it is humbled ,
n o t b roken A mbition w as your idol ; to i t

.
y o u have sacri ficed duty and honour — for it ,
stifled alike the voice of your heart and that o f

your conscience —y o u broke the vows that bound
you to heaven the tie that bound you to earth
,
—you forgot your convent and later your child, , ,
in the guilty pursuit o f a guilty aim Yes you . ,
have known the court well and i ts hollowness ,
and deceit I t makes me su ffer to think of

.
such things —to behold them is pain very great ,
pain Yo u have known power too but that

.
, ,
dream is over now ; pleasure pomp and power , , ,
are alike left behind in the rapid flight o f time .
Born to obscurity fate has elevated y o u o n i ts

,
pinions for a time to fling you back into your

,
native element Your son inheriting your gifts

.
, ,
and perchance some o f the errors o f your

, ,
j udgment will rise o n this hemisphere a brilliant

, ,
star but will deny you in his hour of triumph

, ,
as you have denied him in his helplessness .
Yo u rejected a mother s care —a mother s j oys

’ ’
will ne v er be yours B ut the past may y e t be

.
M A G I C AND MESMERISM . 22 9
atoned —to the world by your talents to heaven ,
by sincere contrition
E nough —enough said the lady haughtily , ,
tearing her hand from the novice “ I t is now .
”
your turn madam addressing her companio n
, ,
.
The latter stood as if rooted to the spot by

some irresistible power As her friend fell .
back she inv oluntarily extended her hand to

,
t h e saint who seized and kept it in hers fo r a

, ,
fe w moments without speak ing then gazed ,
intently at it for a few more as if willing to ,
read in the almost imperceptible lines o f the

,
rosy palm the secrets of the heart whose throbs

,
were almost audible .
I t i s fair to look upon an d yet there is ,

”
blood on that hand she said The lady gas ped
, .
for breath and closed her eyes whilst a slight , ,
but visible shudder passed over her frame .
Yes there is blood—i t sickens me to look

,
”
at it
.
I have n o t spilled any, murmured the fair

penitent . Oh ! if you know aught you surely ,
know that
“N ot you —
.
, but it was spilt through y ou ;

23 0 MA GIC AND ME SM E RI SM .
your smil es were his destruction Had he looked

.
less often into your bright eyes never knelt ,
a t your feet—had he not been s u rpri sed there

by a jealous a princely lover—his doom h ad
,
never been sealed Yes that is what weighs

.
,
heaviest on your heart All your manifold sins

.
—your broken vows— your adulterous amours

your shame —your hours o f dallian c e and o f
guilt are all light forgotten o ffences compared
, , ,
with that one fatal consequence o f your levity .
He lov ed you with all the devotion o f a reck

less an erring but a truthful heart ; and you
, ,
accepted the homage that was to prove h i s ruin ,
thoughtlessly carelessly ; but he was hand

-
some youn g high born y o u lo ved hi m too I I i s

, ,
-
.
portion was the rack and t he wheel —his noble

blood was spilt as though it had been that o f
the meanest boor that ever crawled Yes he .
,
loved you well—your name was o n his dying

li ps ; and yet your head rested again o n his
princely rival s bosom ; you heard him call a
’
cowardly revenge justice ; you drank in his

,
cup sat in his halls wreathed gay flowers in

, ,
yo ur locks for hi s banquets, and the pale spe c tre

escaped the knowle dge even o f such rec l uses

as the virgins o f Ollioules The literary fame o f
.
M adame de Tencin had indeed survived in the ,
world o f Paris the renown o f her beauty and

,
her intrigues ; but nought could mitigate their

heinousness in the eyes o f the nuns though ,
swallo wed up for the moment in the deep

, ,
interest created by the supposed hero ine o f the

tragical event just alluded to —the death of t he
young Count de Hom e s — which was yet fresh
in every mind .
Altho ugh all creditable historians hav e agreed

in charging him with the o ffence fo r which he
su ffered yet there were many at the time espe
, ,
c i all among the privileged classes to which he

y
belonged who were inclined to doubt both t h e
,
j ustice o f his sentence and the R egent s motives

’
for enforc ing it with a relentless purpose so

much at variance with his usual easiness o f
temper The dissolute habits of the Prince
.
naturally led the suspicious to couple this n u

wonted severity with some portion o f the scan ~
daloue chronicle of his life ; and they as serted

that j ealo usy of the Count s success wi th one o f
’
MA GI C AND MESMERI SM . 23 3
the very few objects o f his gallantry for whom

he ever professed or felt a real passion the
, , ,
lovely M arquise D e P arabere s was the real ,
cause o f his secret rag e against D e Hornes ,
which a chance accident by involving the ,
Count in a mysterious and criminal affair had ,
favoured . Others there were who affi rmed ,
that the desire to oblige law and protect his ,
system was the only reason for this act of i n

,
clemency .
However slight the foundation for such

rumours may have heen and however obv i ous
,
the motives of those who brought them into

circulation still n one can read the sad fate of
,
this ill starred young nobleman without feeling

-
some surprise perhaps e ven suspicion at such

, ,
un wonted and in some details almost malig

,
nant severity as the R egent displayed in a case

, ,
where so many attenuating circumstances might

have pleaded in favour o f the culprit His .
extreme you th his illustrious origin his more

, ,
t han doubtful sanity o f mind his quality o f ,
foreigner— the mean condi tion and lost character

o f his accusers —all these were so many facilities
23 4 M AGI C A ND ME SME RI SM .
afforded t o the Prince s mercy But vainly di d

’
.
the highest in the real m humble the pride they

almost invariably opposed to the R egent o n
’
every possible occasion to petition the youth s
,
life or at least a commutation of the sentence

,
into inflicting death in a more humane manner .
Vainly did they implore that his blood which ,
c laimed affinity to that o f the R egent himself ,
should not be disgraced by a p e ine i nfama nte

the voice o f pe tition and that of mercy were
alike disregarded ; and at the early age of nine
teen the handsomest youth o f the day perished
,
like the lowest and worst of malefactors .
The general outline of this sad story was as ,
I have said but too well known to admit o f

,
what had just passed not be i ng fully u n de rs t O o d

by all present ; and there ensued at its close a
pause o f surprise and indignation during which
,
the unfortunate woman who had so powerfully

excited the latter feeling in the bosoms o f the
quiet sisterhood was shoved by her friend more
, ,
dead than alive into the chaise that had brought

,
them to the convent door .
I t was the rattle o f its wheels that first re

of an excellently got up exquisitely played,
co medy that only wanted a little better setting

,
o ff in the way of decoration to be perfect or if ,
it were a strange awful mystery of natu re

which she had for the first time beheld Ho w .
long she might yet have remained thu s absorbed

and unmindful of time o r place it is impossible ,
to say ; for a light though firm grasp was laid

,
on her arm she started looked up in surprise

-
, ,
and my father stood before her .
I have been present almost since the very

”
first moment he said though you did not see
, ,
me lost as I was in the shadow of the entrance

,
door I have seen and heard everything ; so

.
trouble not you rself to relate what it were pain

to describe nor attempt to explain what hard ly
,
admits of explanation I am not ashamed to

.
confess it it was a womanish curiosity that

,
brought me here ; but I am glad o f the impulse ,
let its cause be what it may since it has brought

,
”
me to you at the right moment .
M ademoiselle R aymond indeed had cause to

rejoice at his timely presence Her nerves .
,
strong as they naturally were had been nu ,

usually shaken and she needed an arm o n

,
which t o lean a gentle and sympathising but

,
firmer mind than her o w n to lead her by

degrees if not thoroughly to understand in all
,
its details o r to obliterate the general impres

,
sion o f that morni ng s procee di ng at least to

’
,
calm the ag itation it had excited and to regu ,
late the ideas i t had engendered .
A s to my father pu z zled and perplexed he

, ,
once more turned over many a dusty volume ,
that only perplexed and puzzled him the more ,
then ceasing from his unfruitful labour v o lun ,
t ari ly
,
though not without a strong e ffort he ,
dismissed the subject altogether from his mind ,
and trusted to the future to throw m ore light

upon it than his reason torture it as he would
, ,
could well afford at the present moment .
I may as well here mention that when at a ,
later period M ademoiselle R aymond had occa

,
sion to visit P aris and the ladies D e Tencin

,
and D e Parab ere were pointed o u t to her notice ,
she had no difficulty though meeting them in a

,
calmer lighter scene i n recognising in them

, ,
the strangers o f the parlour at S t Clare s and .

’
23 8 MA G IC AND M E SM E RI SM .
when at a still later period D A le mb e rt the

, ,
’
,
former s natural son shone conspicuous in the

’
,
bright but bane ful c onste ll ation that for a time

illumined the horizon of French literature ,
when hi s name was pronounced along with

those o f Volta ire R ousse au D iderot and the
, , ,
rest that name recalled involuntarily to all

, , ,
who had been present at the scene we have

described Catherine s all usions c oncerning him
,
’
.
N o r was the fact thought less remarkable that

when at las t at the re quest o f the phy sician s
,
and desire o f the authorities the body o f the ,
young gi rl whose sudden decease had caused

such general sensation was submitted to an ,
topsy it was di scovered that the cause though

, ,
totally unsuspected w as very natural

, The .
heart had burst ; which as the poor child had ,
been for the last few years subject to constant

and violent palpitations and was otherwi se o f a
,
very delicate c onstitution w as not a matter o f ,
mar vel to the faculty .
The events whi ch led to the sketch I have so

rapidl y traced took however many months i n
, , ,
developing themselves ; and some time had

dame C ad I e re s thought o r had ever thought o f

her ; but the recollection o f the daughter soft
ened her toward s the mother to whose folly ,
she could not but remember that she owed her

own felicity ; and she sai d in a gentle tone
,
And so I could wish ever to remain But .

,
pray is there anythin g in my power by which I

,
”
can testify my friendship at this momen t !
Oh yes —many things replied the o ld
, ,
lady a c cepting a pro ffered seat

,
Yo u see I .
,
a m sadly afraid I have been altogether mis

taken i n Father G irard although not in my
,
”
daughter as you mus t now admit
, .
M ademoiselle R aymond n o t choosing to fill

up the pause which M adame C adi é re s here
made fo r an answer the latter continued
,
Yes there will be a S aint C atherine of

,
Toulon as there is o n e of G enoa and o f S ienna

,
as fo r that heresy itself cannot deny it although

, ,
I have heard it denies saints altogether How .
ever that signifies nothing—mine cannot be

,
talked away ; but I will candidly o w n you were

right in thinking Father G irard sel fish and
overbearing My son the D ominican and
.
, ,
M AGI C AND MESMERIS M . 24 1
even the ecclesiastic have come to the same ,
”
conclusion .
And is it merely to impart this discovery

that you have done me the honour of this
”
visit ! said M ademoiselle R aymon d whose ,
patience was ebbing fas t .
Oh no—not exactly said the expansive

, ,
matron I came to ask your advice your ,
assistance o n a very difficult point for a mother

,
to decide about I have j ust received a letter

from Catherine .
Have y o u it by you said M ademoiselle

R aymond with reviving interest
, what does
”
it contain !
Why you must kno w that neither I nor my
,
poor girl ever liked the idea of her going into a

convent S he al ways declared herself loudly
.
against the plan N0 no ! Catherine was des .

,
tined to be a saint but not a nun Father , .
G irard however insisted in spite o f all her

, ,
tears and protestations —h e also wrung a forced

consent from me His taking her to Ollioule s .
,
and that too wh en she was very ill and needed

, , ,
nothing so mu ch as a mother s care ’
VO L . I . M
242 M A GI C AND M E SME RIS M .
You might you ought to have prevented

,
”
this ; but perhaps it may not be t o o late said ,
M ademoiselle R aymond endeavo u ri ng to cu t ,
short the wearisome repetition o f facts with

which she w as well a c quainted and which had ,
ceased to be o f paramount interest to her I .
hope Catherine is n o worse Hav e y o u seen .
”
her lately !
N o t very recently ; but when I last saw
her I thought my heart would break only to
,
—
look upon her S he is so changed she looks
.
”
as if she had j ust risen from her grave .
M adame C adi ere s put her kerchief to her

eyes and E leonore did not feel wearied by the
,
sight o f this natural sorrow n o r at the mo d e in ,
which it was expressed but pressed her visitor s

,
’
hand in sym pathizing kin dness .
Well Father G irard s power be ing at an

,
’
end with Catherine it wil l be e as y to put a

,
”
stop to all this she said, E xert yourself but
.
”
a very little and you will recover her
, .
There s the di fficulty ; the poor ch il d is

’
completely in his hands —she c an t withdraw ’
he rs elf fro m him but wants us to do i t ; she

,
244 M A GI C A ND ME S ME R I SM .
What can be hi s motiv e fo r this strange

insistance said E leonore thoughtfully e u , ,
de av o u ri ng in her o w n mind to find a C lue

to the seemingly aimless labyrinth o f the J e
suit s system o f persecution
’
.
He says it is to humble my poor Cathe

rine s pride ; but if you but saw her she
’
, ,
already looks more dead than alive The con .
vent kills her by inches and yet the order ,
o f S t Claire is very mild

. What will she n o t
.
have to suffer if forced into o n e o f a more

austere description ! I cannot brin g myself to
”
think o f it .
But after all my dear madam what can

, ,
Catherine object to so much in a convent life

”
she dislike s m arriage M ademo i selle R ay
.
mond blushed deeply as she spoke .
Ye s ; and some people doubtless think , ,
themselves lucky that she does .
E leonore forbore fro m answering the taunt

with o n e in the same bad taste for which the ,
e fforts o f M adame C adi ere s at o n e time to , ,
obtain her hand and fortune fo r o ne of her sons ,
might have afforded her an ample opportu nity ;

M AGI C AND M ESMERISM . 2 45
but as I before have had occasion to say she w as

, ,
superior if not to all the weaknesses of her sex

, ,
at least to those that take their rise in narrow

n ess o f mind o r badness o f the heart Her .
spirit was as noble as her feelings were ge

nerons S he could utter a reproach but never
.
,
a sarcasm —she could blame but never turn ,
any o n e into ridicule I fear there are not

.
many like her o r we should se e the world

,
abounding with better brough t up families

But this is again a digression—
-
.
forgive it me I ,
entreat I hav e cause to d well on this subject

,
with pleasure .
M adame C adI e re s was utterly unable t o u n

de rst an d such sentiments and accordin gly , ,
without p any attention to the delicacy of

the yo s silence sh e added i n the tone
, ,
of one deeply affronted

But although Catherine does not like the
notion of matrimony as you say she loves her
, ,
”
home and her mother .
S he is happy in possessin g e i th er said ,
M ademoiselle R aymond with a sigh , .
”
Besides continued the mother i n eage r
, ,
vindication of her child you should remem,
ber that the life she leads is not an e asy o n e for

a sick girl accustomed to all t h e indulgences o f
,
home To be rous ed in the depth o f night

.
from sound refreshi n g sleep to attend mid

, ,
night prayers—to kneel o n the cold marble

and above all to abstain from meat all the
, ,
year round—are physical sufferings which ordi

nary beings such as you and I can easily c o m
, ,
prehend But t o these are added moral stru g

.
gles o f which we can have no notion The

, .
latter o f course come from Heaven and c an t ,

’
be helped ; but it is my duty to spare her those

unnecessary trials which can be o f little use in
ele vating such a soul as hers but must b ring ,
her body to premature decay I am proud and .
happy to see the palm o f the saint in Cathe

rine s hand but I hav e not the courage to see
’
,
”
her wear the crown o f martyrdom .
N or I could I but see in w hat manner it

,
were possible to extricate o n e who will n o t be

extricated
That is just the point o n which I came to
consult Having fully explained my motives
.
2 48 M A GI C A ND MESMERISM .
But dear madam if it is M onsieur

, my ,
C haud o n s advice you require why not ask it

’
, ,
personally o him
f ! Yo u know him and must
, ,
be convinced o f his kind feelings towards you

”
and yours .
That is what I could not feel sure of and as

he has experienced so much disappointment a t
o u r hands o f course we feel delicate in aski n g
,
”
any service o f him .
But surely n o t n o w when his being in a

, , ,
”
state of consolation is officially anno unced ,
answered E leonore laughin g “ I t is at the .

, ,
best an exaggeration o f delicacy G o to hi m ;

, .
I c an assure y o u o f a kind welcome .
Oh I have no doubt S till he might resent

, .
,
the p ast ; my sons and even I were obliged to , ,
treat him with grea t distance ; well you kno w ,
it all and so
,
3)
I see that you totally misconceive the whole

a ffair my dear madam said M ademoiselle
, ,
”
R aymond ; but if you will follow my advice

though it seems after all it is not for that you
, , ,
came here —you will sit quiet for a few minutes

lo n ger when M onsieur Chaudon whom I ex
, ,
pe ct every instant w i ll be able,to satisfy all

”
your doubts .
This was said with a malicious smile and ,
produced instantaneously the desired e ffect

, ,
.
M adame C adi é re s rose and took her leave ; b u t

in so doi n g she thrust a sadly crumpled note
into E leon ore s han d sayin g
‘ ’
This is from Catherine Oh ! do n o t .
abandon us
E leonore willi ngly forgot the silly vain w o ,
man the moment the mother spoke in Madam e

,
C ad i é re s S he promised her assistance and

.
,
her promises were sacred as oaths .
The letter contained but these words
If
you do not w i thdraw me hence my ,
mother I perish !
,
C A T H ERI N E .
On re adi ng these few w ords M ademoiselle ,
’
R aymond s emotion was great ; but of co urse , ,
its fi rst impulses were controlled by the wise

hand that i n future was to guide her destiny .
I t was agreed that both her future husband and

herself should go to Ollioules an d try to gain ,
M 3
admittance to the saint They had e v en fixed

.
the day for this joint v i sit when a sudden fit

,
of sickness interfered with M ademoiselle R ay

’
mond s wishes and my father went alone
, .
—
A fter some demur for at first he was not
, ,
willing to let Catherine know who sought an

interview with her apprehensive o f a refusal
,
he gave i n hi s name which proved the real

,
’
s e sa me to the parlour grate o f S t Clare s ; .
where in the habit o f a novi ce o f that orde r

, ,
Catherine awaited hi m .
Had he not been prepared to meet her he ,
could never have recognised in the colourless , ,
worn emaciated being who now stood before

,
him wi th pendant arms half open lips and a

, , ,
wan brow fro m which all intelligence ha d

,
faded the obj ect of his early adoration

, .
Her v estments hung loosely round her

shr unken pers on that no longer exhibited the
,
graceful outlines of ripening womanhood wh i ch

had once di stinguished it They were t o o , ,
donned with a negligence contras ting much

with the scrupulous neatness o f attire whi ch
she was wont to di splay ; but the c hange that
! n i t ed with the familiarity o f past times that

, ,
all awkwardness might be removed o n her part ,
should she feel any i n addressing him for the

first time since she had so unkindly dismissed
him .
! ”
A re y o u sorry to see me Catheri ne he ,
said gently looking steadfas tly at her as he

, ,
spoke — for he remembered E leonore s as ser

,
’
tion that this was the most e ffectual m eans she

,
had d iscovered o f securi n g her attention .
T he novice turned her eyes languidly from

his fixed gaze and answered in a low toneless
, ,
voice that struck painfully o n his ear like the

, ,
harbinger of approachin g decay .
O h no ! why should I 9—1 am never glad

,
o r sorry at anything now .
“But you would be glad to leave the c o n
vent I presume
, A t least I have been told as
,
much .
“Yes if Father G irard will allow me ; b u t

,
—
he won t h e never will
’
S he uttered these
.
words despondingly and su ffered her head to

,
fall o n her breas t .
E xert your o w n w ill but for a moment and ,

MA G IC AND ME SMERISM . 253
you are free urge d my father

, Your mother
.
is ready to receive you back to her arms so ,
are your brothers so is E leonore all who have

, ,
-
e v er known and loved y o u ; and here am I ,
with full authority to claim you in their name

, ,
”
if y o u will but allow me to do so .
—
Yo u l y o u want to take m e away fro m
here This is very very kind and more than I
, ,
deserve at your hands —she blushed slightly

,
”
as she made this allusion to the past —“ but it ,
cannot avail me Yo u had better not put your

.
self for ward i n this matter ; don t thwart him ’
”
he will not bear to be thwarted .
That is spoken more like yo ur former self ,
dear Catherine though not in the same tones

, .
Yo u seem very feeble ; you must really return

home were it only for your health s sake A s
,
’
.
for me I neither seek to o ffend nor yet dread

, ,
to do so in a fair cause any breathing mortal ;

, ,
monk or soldier are alike to me in that respect .
Besides why sho uld this redoubted Jesuit wish

,
to immure y o u here or any where else

,
“Because he w ishes my speedy death now

he has ceased to like me ; that is why he wishes
me to go to S aletta He may cheat others with .
fair words but from me he cannot hide his

,
”
thoughts .
I dare say you know him thoroughly said ,
my father delighted a t see i ng the soulless

,
apathy which at first sight had seemed to him

, , ,
to have usurped in her the place o f every fac ul ty ,
gradually giving way as something more o f life ,
and human interest lighted up her eye I t was .
t o him as if the mists o f night were slowly
rolling away from before a well kno wn prospe c t .
He rej oiced in the chan ge slight as it was and , ,
was pleased to ascribe it to the beneficial e ffe c ts

o f his presen c e but her voice had still the same
monotonous husky powerless sound that so
, ,
painfully grated o n his ear o n whi ch still hung ,
the soft silvery tones that had on c e ch armed

,
hi m .
But knowing hi m and h is purposes well

, ,
”
he conti nued why n o t defeat them !
,
“I may not muttere d the novice with a”

, ,
slight shudder .
Then why wri te to yo ur mo ther t o take

y o u away
25 6 M A GI C A ND MESMERISM .
A lthough well aware h o w powerful are the

rays o f the human eye o n all those to whom
reason is denied either in o ur o wn species or
, ,
even in the most wild o f the animal creation ,
my father had recourse t o the means re co m

mended b v E leonore to command both Cathe
rine s attention and goodwill without much
’
,
trusting in th e ir e ffi cacy S everity indeed he

.
, ,
believed to be operative to a certain extent , ,
over all weak intellects even when n o t actually

,
disordered ; but never had he so stro n g an

evidence o f that doctrine s truth as in this ’
instance which he frankly owned to me made

, , ,
him ful ly understand the nature o f animal mag

n e t i s m though at the time he vainly struggled
, , ,
to class it und e r any recei v ed denominati on ,
o r define its boundaries .
The m anner of the young girl underwent a

marked chan ge at the same time that her whole
,
person assumed an air o f passive obedience ;

an animated expression instantly pervaded her
features nor did she attempt to withdraw her
,
hand from the firm grasp that held it .
“Yes she said as if i n c ommun io n w i th her

,
”
,
M A GI C A ND MESME RISM . 257
own thought rather than with reference to th e

subject under discussion yes y o u me an it , .
well by her and by me Oh no you are not .

,
like Father G irard ! Your hand cools it does ,

”
not burn .
Well then let yours rest in i t and answer

, , ,
k —
freely and fran ly D o y o u lo ve Father G irard
“Oh n o no ! almost shrieked Catherine
”
.
, ,
Ours is a bond of hatred n o t o f love He , .
has bewitched me I tell you —that is o ur only

,
tie
. But do not mention this I t maddens
, .
me to think o f it
“I must insist continued my father au th o ri
”
, ,
t a t i ve ly
,
“painful as the inte rrogatory may be
to both I n what way has t he spell you co m
.
plain o f worked ! ”
Yo u see me after months o f absence and ,
you ask said C atherine reproachfully Is, .
there anything left of what I once possessed !

Youth beauty happiness— h e has wrenched
, ,
everything fro m me ! His words have mocked

my ears his thoughts bewildered my brain
, ,
his wickedness seared my heart From the firs t .
hour his u nhallowed breath warmed my bro w ,

2 58 M A GI C AN D M ESMERIS M .
fever has throbbed in my pulses madness burnt ,
my brai n remorse gnawe d into my heart My

, .
nights have known no rest my days no jo y , ,
my conscience no peace M y life has been but .
a protracted torture and you ask me in what

,
”
manner the spell has worked !
My father was startled at this s udden display
o f vehemence and though prepared fo r some
,
s u ch ebullition by E leonore s account o f her ’
own observations still this strange exhib i tion

,
o f feeling aroused his deepest interest .
Yo u have suffered much I he mechanically ”
exclaimed still retaining within his the passive

,
hand whic h C atherine thou ght not o f with

drawing .
M uch ! she repeated with a bitterness O f

”
,
accent that seemed for a moment to restore

, ,
some tone to her voice —

M uch l more a .
,
thous and times more than you o r any human

, ,
being who has not been in that fie n d s power ’

,
c an guess ! Oh ! b ut w e re I t o speak for hours

,
'
I never could tell all I have suffered My .
whole existence is wrecked in this world and , ,
perhaps i n the next ! Al l I loved he bade me

,
2 60 M AGI C A ND MESMERISM .
circumstan c es hav e felt a mean triumph in it ;

,
o r admitting that he was influenced by more

,
gentl e and gentlemanly feelings some weakness ,
might have come over him and the past become ,
lended with the present N ot so my father . .
His character was as firm as it w as noble The .
latter quality indeed rarely exists where the

, ,
former 1 s missing That which had been was

.
, ,
i n his mind irrevocably separated fl o m what

,
was C o n s t i t u tro n ally free fl o m the infirmity

.
o f melancholy brooding he never looked back ,
wards i n life but ever cheerily forward When

, .
he heard therefore this confirmation o f a fact

, ,
long since suspected by him he w as grieved ,
for Catherine s sake but not for his own fo r his

’
, ,
affections were n o w unreservedly in the poss e s

sion of E leonore ; nor was he depraved enough
to misunderstand the words of the wretched
inmate o f S t Clare s as they welled fro m the
.
’
,
depth of uncontrollab le feeling .
A s he paused to consider in what manner h e

should avoid uttering anything consistent with
the truth without o ffending the young girl she ,
continued w i th increas i ng warmth

,
M AGI C AND MESMERI SM . 2 61
Oh you cannot fancy such an existence as

—
mine has been I could not love I could not
.
pray— that was worse than all beside I thought .
blasphemies even whilst the world called me

,
—
holy My soul is lost ! lost for ever that fiend
.
”
has possessed himself o f it ! and suddenly
tearing her fingers from my father s grasp she ’
wrung her hands in the very wil dness of

despair .
—
Brighter days began my father .
”
Never never ! she exclaimed You .
—
know not I am lost I rretrievably lost in this
, ,
—
world as in the next h e has robbed me o f
every thing—my faith and my hope—even o f
innocence
N ay Catherine you speak wildly ; y o ur
, ,
”
innocence who could taint !
S he covered her face with both her han ds ,
and the tears forced their way through her

slender fingers .
What can this mean Catheri ne ! I must ,
”
I insist on knowing .
”
Yes said the poor girl slowly withdrawing
, ,
her han ds and exhibiting o n her wan cheeks

,
2 62 M A GI C AND M E SME R ISM .
two hecti c spots yes —I kno w what I say —I

am disgraced—h e h as robbed me o f e verything
-
home and friends—my G od and my early
love —h e has left me nothing—nothi ng—not
’ ”
even a woman s honour .
My father was spee c hle ss with am az ement .
M uch as he had pondered o n Father Gi rard s

’
character and the possible motives o f his

,
strange conduct towards C atherine this leading ,
o n e had never struck him ; and when M ade
mo i s e lle R aymond r e cited how she had caused

the Jesuit to tremble at the mere epithet ,
”
seducer which she breathed in hi s c ar on the
,
morning of Catherine s depart ure for Ollioules

’
,
he had not suspected the full meaning which

both the young lady and the priest attached to
the word He fancied indeed she me ant to
.
, ,
reproach him with seduc ing a young girl from

her home and friends inducing her to adopt a
,
c ourse o f life diametri c ally opposed to her real
i nclinations and their wishes ; but the coarser ,
broader acceptation o f the word he had deeme d

inapplicable in referen c e to C atherine had not ,
’
even Father G irard s di sgus ting appearan ce
2 64 M AGI C AN D M E SMERIS M .
those with whom she came in contact answered ,
the questions he put w i th almost childlike

frankness the whole web o f iniquity was laid
,
bare to his scrutiny Father G irard s aim he

.
’
,
now plainly saw was t o elevate himself in his

,
order by mean s of his votaries and proselytes ;

but his ambition though strong was not the
, ,
master passion o f his soul His baser grosser .

,
instincts came athwart it and neutralized his,
other well ordered plans for bettering himsel f

-
,
.
This had been more glaringly the case with

Catherine C adi ere s ; whose peculiarities o f
mind had presented him with a gloriou s o p p o r
t u n i ty o f satisfying his ambition had not her ,
beauty too fatally tempted hi m from the pursuit

of his primary object He would howev er .
, ,
have succeeded in blendin g the glory o f p ro

s e l t i s m with the indulge n ce o f his c ynical
y
’
l ibertinism had not C atherine s violent remorse
, ,
and the moody melancholy that preyed on her

health together with the general attention she
,
excited agitated him with the fear that his foul

,
secret might be discovered .
This then was the re ason why he insisted o n

, ,
M AGI C A ND M ESMERI S M . 2 65
her removal to S t Clare s where he hoped all

.
’
,
chance of discovery would be buried with her

beneath her nun s veil The resistance how
’
.
,
ever which Catherine and her frie n ds opposed

,
to his wishes on this point both incensed and ,
embarrassed him ; b u t he w as determined to

overcome every diffi culty ; for his profane an d
licentious passion drew h i m still towards his
wretched victim by a spell as powerful as any
,
that he himself could raise .
But either fear getting t h e better o f h is

,
—
inclination as a marked ch ange in the lady
abbess s manner warned hi m that her suspicions
’
were roused o r as u sual with depraved beings

, , ,
the very violence o f his passion wearing it

o ut
,
he finally saw less o f its object ; an d a t ,
last formed the project o f removing her alto

,
gether from any co mmunication either with

himself o r others —hence his diabolical deter
mination to bury her wrongs and her sorrows in
the living tomb of a Carthusian cell .
What a mas s O f vices—what a tale o f m i s

fortun e did the fe w words he elicited fro m
Catherine s lips re veal to her compan ion ! He
’
V OL . I.
could hav e wept over her as a father over a

favourite child and he felt i t would have been
a pleasure at that moment to crush the vile
, ,
Jesuit li ke a venemous reptile under his h eel

, .
But his was a profession that teaches self

control better and tames the passions earlier
, ,
than perhaps any other His warm and gene .
rous nat ure had not indeed become chilled

, , ,
but merely guided by the habits o f self p o sses -
sion it imposes He dared not trust himself to

.
s p eak lest he should utter aught that he might

,
repent o f ; but his flashing eye and quivering

lip betrayed the se c ret struggle within and hi s ,
sympathy w ith the victi m more than words

could have conveyed When he felt conscious
.
of having s u fficiently mastered his first i ndi g

n ant emotion he gave , vent to the grief that
filled hi s heart for the ruin o f o n e whose wel
,
fare i n spite o f his alienated a ffe c tio n he yet

, ,
held so dear and whose overwhelming w retched

,
ness—t ose very loss made her still dearer

, .
My poor Catherine he exclaime d clothing ,
his sympathy i n the words o f tenderness with

an almost feminine intui tion o f c ompassio n
repeatedly with his hand her l ook be c ame still ,
more strange .
Yo u have l oved me well she said ; your ,
advice must be the best ; but y o u must no t be

so sad or my heart will break I f I could only
,
.
get home again I should then at least sink

, , ,
”
quietly into my grave .
Yo u s ha ll return home I promise i t sai d .

,
my father ; and his words seeme d to c o nv e y

assuran c e to the poor sufferer .
”
But continued he surely you c an afford
, ,
me consolation o n so me points M ake my mind .
easier o n the past and the future by confessing ,
yourself the involuntary agent o f a fraud not ,
a participator in i t —a pretended saint in short

, , .
S ay so my dear girl ; for your sake as wel l

,
as mine say so
”
.
,
The tone o f my father had bec o me gentle

and imploring as he tried to coax Catherine
into a convictio n which b e conceived an indis
,
pensable prel iminary to any steps he might

think fit to take o n her behal f But to his .
,
gr e at surprise his manner produced exactly the

,
contrary result to that which he was desirous o f

e ffecting .
M AGI C AND MESMERI SM . 2 69
am not obliged to think like other people

I ,
ans wered Catherine the permanent irritability ,
o f her shattered nerves being in nothing more
obvious than in the fi t fuln e ss of her mood ; it

seemed to vary with every tone and turn o f her
interlo c utor “I may b e a saint or a sinner
.
,
,
o r both for aught that others may wish me to

,
be I scarcely know myself what I am ; it

.
is not likely therefore I should be able o r

, ,
”
willing to tell even you .
C atherine I hoped to hav e listened t o

,
kinder language the expression o f gentler feel

,
ings o n your part I am sure if the mos t .

,
devoted the most brotherly sentiments can

,
deserve such I may claim as a right some return

,
o f friendship .
D oubtless y o u are very go o d ; an d if my

,
poor head were not so confused if my pulses ,
did not throb so I am certain I should be and

,
should say all you desire ; but I do not know ,
how it is I cannot fix my thoughts The

, .
pleas ure I had in first seeing you is ebbing

”
fast Perhaps she added with a slight degree
.
, ,
of emb arrassment and perturbatio n perhaps ,
’
o u had better go
y .
2 70 MA G IC AND MESM E RI S M .
To be thus c o olly discarded after havi ng met

with so warm a recept i on and especially after ,
having been made the depositary o f her sad

secret appeared to my father a con clusive
,
e v idence of insanity in the poor girl and a ,
momentary doubt o f the truth of all she had so

lately narrated flashed across his mind .
”
I were worse than an idiot he tho u g ht , ,
to take o ffen c e at her incon si derate u n co n ,
n e c t e d conduct — and most unfeeling as well as

,
”
unreasonable R eassuming therefore the se
.
, ,
v ere aspect which the knowledge gleaned from

,
’
that morning s experience pointed o ut as most
calculated to gain his end he said coldly ,
I shall depart Catherine when I fee l i n

, ,
c li n e d to do so but certainly not before I have

,
obtained fro m you a promise

G o — go she exclaimed in a l ow hurr i ed ,
tone interrupting him as it appeare d without

, , ,
even being aware that he spoke I feel

nervous uneasy—I am sure somethi ng is wrong
.
, .
Oh now I have it ! H e is at the Conv ent

,
gate Leav e me I entreat o r he will visit

.
, ,
upon me your presence here ; if y o u hav e any

why do you thus remain rooted to the spot !

G o ! perhaps you may yet have time to evade
him by gliding for a few moments along the
C loisters until he is passed But no she c o n
.
t i n u e d after another slight pause

, it i s to o
—
,
,
—
late his foot is on the stairs i n two m i nutes ,
he will be here ! ”
S urprise kept my father mute The sol itary .
parlour window lay outside the grate at the

other end o f the room and though o f favour
, ,
able dimensions i t would have been impossible

,
for C atherine to glance through it even had ,
she looked i n that direction ; but her eyes had

fallen as I have said o n the opposite wall with
, , ,
a n intensity of gaze as i f desirous o f question
ing t h e dark oaken panels with which it was

,
adorned The singularity of her manner absorbed

.
him at first too much to admit o f any inter

, ,
ruption o n his part ; but when he had re ,
covered from his astonishment he was about to ,
tax her fo r yielding to so strange an hallucina

tion when a heavy step was heard outside the
,
—
parlour then a hand was laid on the lock i t
,
—
t urned an d Father G irard entered t h e room
, ,
wi th a perturbatio n of spirit which he could

scarcely conceal beneath the veil—and thi n
—
enough it was o f commo n decency His .
countenance moulded by N atur e into a most

,
scowlin g aspect looked absol utely savage with

,
scarce contained rag e His step as he entered

.
,
the parlour was even more haught y than usual ;

,
he walked up at once to the grate behind which ,
stood his victim trembling in every limb con

, ,
t e m p lat i n h i m with a fixed and mournful

g
gaze as the poor bird mus t gaze at the snake
,
that is said to fascinate ere it destroys .
”
How is this ! exclaimed Father G irard in ,
a loud peremptory voice

, I had forbidden
you to receive any more visits even from your
,
nearest and dearest and I find a man with you

,
.
Catherine — Catherine ! are you then decided, ,
to forfeit the last particle of my good will -
I t was not I who wished —who asked

faltered the poor overaw ed creature as sh e
, ,
clung to the grate fo r support ; and her lids

drooped heavily on her moist orbs and her ,
‘
head fell back on her shoulder as if her senses

,
were about to leave her .
N 3
But resumed the mo nk in his hoarse

, ,
tones that fell o n the tympanum like the croak

,
o f a disturbed crow but you consented to

speak to him I t is lucky I was o n my road
.
hither e lse ,
E lse what S ir Jesuit ! said my father i n

”
, ,
t e rp o si n g his person between the confessor and
his fair stricken penitent

, E lse what ! I t is
’
I rather who ought to say G o hence and you ,
to obey I t i s my respect for her alone that

.
s hields you —
Take a timely warnin g meddle
.
n o t again w i th her o r anyth i ng concern ing her

, ,
or
Leav e us —leave us this instant ! almost ”
screame d the priest, in the excess o f hi s rage .
D epart and let us never meet again on earth

, ,
”
who never can meet in heaven !
Beware canting hypocrite what words you
, ,
speak and from this hour forth what deeds

, , ,
you do ! There is a place o n earth where we

should have met face to face but for h e r sake
, ,
N ow y o u know me her avowed protector b e

, ,
ware o f foul deali ngs fo r a brother s eye is

'
”
up on her I
276 M AG I C AND M E s M E R I s M.
which as I live I will bring all the energy

, , ,
every capability with which G od has gifted me ,
to blast to ruin to hi ll y o u as ruthlessly as you

, , ,
have blasted ruined and killed he r But o n e

, , .
step further o n e little ac t o f inj usti ce and o p

,
”
pression more and the n we me e t , .
With these words my father t urned away ,
and strode hastily o u t o f the apartment with ,
o u t casting a single glance behind at the faint
ing form o f his once beloved C atherine as , ,
releasing her hold of the iron bars that sup

ported her she sank heavily O u the floor ; nor
,
did he mark the terrified quiverin gJesuit w h o , , ,
lost i n his fears was not even aware o f his co m

,
panion s situation
’
.
My father felt that the ecclesiastical arm

alone was long enough to overtake the priest
its grasp alone stro n g enough to compel him
the o n ly influence indeed that could be brought
, ,
to bear i n order t o save Catherine since the

, ,
i ne rt i a and timidity o f her natural friends and
protectors would paralyse the e ffects o f their

sympathy But how to implicate himself in
.
this affai r, w i thout i nj ury to Catherine in any

G
MA IC AN D M E SMERISM . 77
w ay , he scarcely knew .
,
—
Chance howev er as
so often happens at the very moment when an
,
affair seems most complicated to o ur puzzled

brains and we in vain endeavour to find the
,
—
right way o u t o f i t served h i m very sat i sfac
t o ri ly at the present crisis .
A family co u ncil was to be held at o n e o f

the aristocratic mansions o f the town that very
evening where as matters of interest were to
, ,
be deliberated upon and contending claims dis

,
cussed ln private previous to their being de

,
bated i n public most o f the parties brought

,
with them their legal advisers among whom ,
was my fa t her A s he never allowed private

.
fee lings to interfere with the duties o f his avo

cation o n his return from Ollioules his first
,
care was to prepare immediately fo r the even

ing s task This he did n o t only by bestowing
’
.
,
upon his toilet the necessary degree o f atte n

tion but by forcibly banishing from his mind
,
every thought unconnected with the interests

he was about t o espouse .
A lways scrup u lously punctual it was ofte n ,
the you n g lawyer s fate to find himself the first

’
2 78 MA GI C AND MESME RISM .
at his re nde z vo us o f business especially when,
he had to do with patrician clients I t was so .
on this occasion W h en he had de file d through

.
the double ro w of expecting footmen who stood

ranged along the anteroom awaiting t h e guests ,
and was formal ly ushered by the valet whose

d uty it was to announce into the grand saloon
, ,
brilliantly lighted up as if for grand reception

, ,
he found himse lf the solitary tenant o f its S plen

dours I ts many candelabra s revealed without
.
di spelling the gloom o f its rich crimson hang

in gs The light o f the tap e rs fell cold and nu
.
fl i e n dly o n the white polished surface o f the

marble co nso le s and tables that stood between
the tall windows gli ttere d o n the gildi ng O f their
,
bases an d played mysteriously in the depths o f

,
the m irrors that overhung them The stiff .
backed sofas and cha irs ranged i n awful preci

,
sion against the walls sombre and rich looked

, , ,
to his unaccustomed eye l ike so man y S panish

,
dons awaiting for the k ing s presence In short

’
.
,
the cold mag nificence o f an apartment furni shed

a la Louis ! I V . and o f dimensions o f the most
,
lofty des c ri pti on n o t much re li e ve d from the

,
The O ld man looked wistfully round as if ,
seeking some one whom he expected to meet

there ; and as my father stepped respectfully
for ward to greet him he b e Came aware that he
, ,
and no other was the individual o f whom the

,
Bishop was in quest I n a fe w brie f, simple

.
words but full o f apostolic eloquence in which

, ,
he sought to bring over my father to the views

o f peace fo r the establishment of which he had
,
forced his o w n presence and counsel o n the

conflicting parties h e communicated the obj ect
,
that had induced him to precede the others .
He s ucceeded perhaps all the better in his

, ,
Christian mission that my father was extremely

,
averse to the meaner parts o f his professio n ,
which often consist in fanning into a devastating

flam e the passions o f men—sometimes even of
those between whom nature and duty should
for m an indissoluble bo nd Far from considering
‘
the worthy Prelate s interference in any way

’
d isadvantageous to himself he entered eagerly ,
into his views ; and promised to open them to

his colleagues in a manner that should prepare
,
them to support or at least prevent their

,
o pposing the amicable arrangements which i t

,
was the Bishop s wish to promote

’
.
The P relate mingled in his conversation a

fe w paternal remarks an d eulogiums o n my
,
father s conduct and talents with the grace

’
peculiar to the sphere in which he habitually

moved and with the sincerity o f a k ind
,
heart .
The young lawyer was much flattered by

this proof o f his dawning reputation H e had .
~
scarcely dared to h O p e that his merits should

be acknowledged in circles where the names o f
the obscure o f other classes seldom penetrate ,
and where consequently to be known at all

, ,
argues no small degree o f notoriety By the .
way it is worthy of remark that those young

,
men who so loudly proclaim t h e i n c are le ssn e ss

of praise their indifference to pub lic opinion
, ,
and think thereby to stamp themselves with the

seal o f superiority seldom if ever rise above
, , ,
the most vulgar mediocrity I t is only he who .
has an ai m in V ie w who u rges forward in the

,
lists o f li fe and meets bravely the shock o f co rn

,
petition —he only who values t he laurel wreath

2 82 M A GI C AN D M E SME RI S M .
that can e ver hope to w i n o r deserv e to wear it

, .
— — —
The poet the painter the hero all need the
spur o f some such ennobling influence to charm
o r dazzle the world . Oftener t o o does this , ,
unnatural affectation o f disdain in the young

arise from the consciousness o f utter nullity and
want o f those powers which enable the more
favoured to gain applause than from any real ,
insensib ili ty to its value The heart that beats

.
with jo y at merited d istinction is the only o n e

worthy o f receivin g it .
My father s heart was elated at that instant

’
with a justifiable pride but still he forgot not

,
those who had an interest in it even in his ,
hour o f triumph . A vaili ng h I mse lf o f the

moment when the Bishop havin g obtained his
,
aim and apparently e x hausted every topic o f

,
conversation was evidently me ditating a retreat

, ,
he arrested his attention by introducing at once

the subject uppermost in h i s thoughts .
I have this day heard he began “

”
that
, ,
Toulon is about to lose o n e o f its palms o f

glory and yield i t up to S aletta I t is said
, .
,
t o o i n a se c ret manner ; but I can s c arcely

,
with the respect due to the rank o f the speaker ,
he replied with apparent carelessness

,
—
Oh no this is no cas e of domestic tyranny
— i t is re ferable merely to the S aint o f Olli
oules whom Father G irard it appears wishes
, , ,
to remove to the community o f Carthusians at

S aletta that she may as he says shine else
, , ,
where having e di fie d enough at S t Clare s

, .
’
”
and Toulon .
All the no ncha la nce o f the g ra nd s e ig ne ur

gave way at once in the Bishop before the ,
roused and instinctive feelings o f the priest .
How is this —the S aint o f Ollioules to be

snatched by the C arthusians o f S ale t t a from o u r\
dear sisters of S t Clare s ! Yo u must be mis

.
’
—
taken M onsieur Chaudon this cannot be I
,
”
’
I have heard it this day from the novice s
o wn lips and yet when I heard too that your
, , , ,
lordship s sanction to so important a measure

’
had neither been obtained nor even soli cited I ,
unhesi tatingly declared my disbelief in the

”
power of any member of the clergy to e ffect it .
Your clear and quick insight young sir , ,
”
does your j udgment credit ans wered the ,
M AGI C AND ME S MERISM . 2 85
Bishop warmly
, We he ar meekly we t rus r
.
, ,
o u r honours and dignity—wield also o u r apos , ,
t o li cal sceptre mildly and with due reserve in

,
all things whenever we can in con science do

,
so ; b u t for the sake of o u rselves o f o u r suc c es

,
sors and above all for that o f the church we

, , , ,
may not permit that dignity to be slighted ,
that power to be braved nor that sceptre to be

,
”
put aside .
I dared to believe so modestly put in my

,
“
father and even t o predict that you would
,
not think it meet to permit any other diocese to

appropriate the glories o f your o wn ; for I ,
argued the high dignitaries o f the church have

,
to consult policy as well as all other rulers ;

and such a step w ould be an error as tending ,
to displease o ur many excellent religious c o m

mu n i t i e s the boast o f this town who all con
, ,
ce i v e they have a greater right to a native

celebrity than those o f other territories—but I
”
am afraid I weary your lordship .
, ,
—
N ay proceed you n g man proceed im ,
patiently u rged the Bishop now evidently ,
d eeply interested in the conversation and ap ,

28 6 M A GI C AN D MESMERISM .
prehe nsive lest the arrival o f the expe c ted

guests should put an end to their colloquy .
Your lucid views are peculiarly agreeable t o

—
me they perfectly c oincide with my o w n .
”
My father whose artful pause had only been

,
made that he might ascertain to a certain ,
degree the impression produced by his words

, ,
n o w continued with in c reased as surance

,
I also urged that the town as well as the ,
clergy would expect their beloved lord to pre

serve to them their young countrywoman in ,
”
whom they take so much pride .
”
Of co urse said the venerable Bishop
, of
course sound policy and duty and the care o f

, ,
my o wn dignity alike require my interference

,
i n this affai r—require I may say an i n s tan t a

, ,
”
n e o us resolute interference ; unless indeed
, , ,
he added the S aint o f Ollioul es herself has

,
been guided in this as i n former resolves by a

, ,
heave n ly voice which to di sobey were sinful

,
even i n the highest and most mighty o f this

”
earth .
My father perceived by these words the , ,
shoal o n which he might strike in his endea

upon his o w n authority in a cas e o f so much

delicacy when our good town is honoured with
,
”
t h e presence o f a lord bishop .
Oh ! but he shall be taught an d Toulon ,
sh all see that none can brave with impunity

,
”
their lawful superiors replie d the Bishop with
, ,
dignity . Providence has placed me at t h e

head of the flock and I were a bad shepherd if
,
I su ffered the sheep to be stolen from me in the

dead o f n ight as it were I thank you my
, .
,
young sir—heartily do I thank you for your ,
timely warning I t would not have been

.
seemly in me to have learnt this t o o late and ,
might have involved m e in great diffi culties

with o u r neighbours o f S aletta ; but the
prelate slightly hesitated ; then resuming the ,
air o f calm dignity habitual to him which in , ,
the uncommon animation o f the moment had ,
bee n somewhat ru ffled he continued , of
course the latter part o f o ur conversation and

,
its subject will remain strictly private for a time

-
perhaps only for this eveni n g ; I must impo s e
secrecy o n you and ,
What more he might have added w as i n

M A GI C AND MESME R ISM . 28 9
by the arrival o f my father s col

t e rru p t e d
’
leagues ; his reply to the last words o f the pre

late was therefore conveyed i n a mute but low
obeisance which was acknowledged by his
,
lordshi p with a most affable n o d as he retired

from the apartment ; nor di d he reappear until
t h e valet o f the chambers announced the arrival
o f the expected parties who awaited nothing ,
bu t his presence to open the evening s debate

’
.
The worthy prelate was received by all pre

sent however hostile their feelings towards
,
each other with the deepest reverence ; the

,
doors were then closed and the business o f the

,
evening began in earnest .
The diffi culties that opposed the bishop s ’
pacific mission were n o t small for bitterness ,
o f feeling was at its height and man y o f the ,
profession gave advice the most contrary to his

desires ; nor woul d he perhaps in spite o f the
, ,
high veneration in which he was he ld have ,
succeeded had it not been for the eloquent

,
manner in which my father laid his views and

wishes before the as se mbly n o t failing to point ,
o u t adroitly to each individually how a fair

, ,
V O L . I . O
2 90 M A GI C AND MESME RISM .
accommodation would best fu rther the person al

views of each ; so well di d he perform this self
imposed task that his success w as complete
, .
A ll the preliminaries to a fair compromise

were then settled ; and the delighted bishop
reaped the grateful thanks o f the soothed as
se mb l before the deliberations o f the evening
y
closed which considering the habits of those
, ,
days had been indeed protracted to a very

, , ,
late hour I t was m idn ight when my father

.
w as summoned to the door of the good bishop s

’
coach to receive his acknowledgments for the

able manner in which he had supported his
measures duri n g the last few hours hintin g at , ,
the same time that his services should n o t be

,
forgotten any more than his timely warning

,
about the sai nt of Ollioules My father re .
turn ed home t o o agitated by all that had passed

,
in the course o f the day to court even the sem

blance o f repose but pacin g the narrow limits
,
o f his bachelor s apart ment with hasty strides

’
,
he according to his wont resolutely endea

, ,
v o u re d to class and arrange the chaos o f

thoughts and emotions that filled his bre ast ,
the sadder ones could not he felt be the result

, , ,
o f a single night o f meditation although it ,
afforded suffi cient leisure to trace o u t both for ,
himself and the unfortun ate obj ect of his solici

tude the line o f conduct most ad visable to
,
pursue with regard to Father G irard and to the ,
rest o f th e world .
There is perhaps no better composing draught

, ,
to administer to the human passi ons when ,
excited than a well weighed firmly embraced

,
-
,
-
,
formal resolution o n any point whatever This

, .
is for most people of all difficulties the greatest

, , , ,
for the very simple reason that weak minds are

more abundant in this world than strong ones
as my father s however belonged most de
’
, ,
c i d e dl to the latter order he did not experience

y ,
any such embarrassment ; and in p u rsuance o f ,
t he measures he had resolved upon the very ,
first rays of the sun escorted him to the house

of Madame C adi ere s where he was soon ,
closeted in earnest conference with Catherine s ’
brothers .
A couple o f hours later the D omini can was ,
on his way to the Carmelite convent where he , ,

MA GI C AND MES M ERISM . 293
t oo, claimed and obtained a long interview with

Father Alexis the former confessor and director
,
of Mademoiselle C adi ere s and not long after ,
Father Al exis was s e en on his road to the

episcopal palace where in his turn a pro
, , ,
tracted audience was granted him .
For the rest of the day great animatio n

seemed to prevail within its usually quiet walls .
Members of the divers religious orders were to

be seen gliding in and out of the gateway with ,
visible traces o f agitatio n o n their ordinarily

impassible countenances The lights burned
.
late in the good old Bishop s chamber and the

’
,
G rand Vicar who shared with a fe w more

, ,
privileged councillors the honours of his table

, ,
le ft him not before the evening meal being

,
concluded the Bishop retired for the night

,
.
Whilst the train he had laid was thus slowly

taking fire my fa ther kept himself aloof fro m
,
it and was t o all appearance a careless unin

, , , ,
t e re s t e d obser v er ; but E leonore with whom he

,
spent the better portion o f the day knew better ,
than to s uspect him of indifference as to its

resul ts .
N o r were they backward in manifesting them

selves A t twelve o clock precisely next day
.
’
, ,
the G rand Vicar was seen accomp an ied by two ,
other o f the most confidential satellites o f the

Bishop all three seated in great pomp in the
, , ,
G rand Vicar s phaeton exhibiti ng in their

’
, ,
whole air and manner an incre as e o f dignity

, ,
that seemed to proclaim the importance o f the

mission o n which they were bound .
M any idlers stood still gazing after them , ,
as they rattled over the roughly paved streets -

,
and here and there a casement was flung open

at the sound and a c u rious female head thrust
,
out I n the streets through which they had t o

.
pas s in order to ga in the M arseilles gate there ,
were however a few houses whose occupants

, ,
denoted a greater interest in their procee di ngs ,
and who evidently were no strangers to them .
A t the first floor of the one might be seen my

fath er and his affian c e d bride j oyfully watching ,
the progress of the clerical vehicle although its ,
tenants did not appear aware o f the circum

stance But shortly afterward s as they e n
.
,
countered t h e watchful glances O f M adame

29 6 MA GI C AN D MESMERISM .
tion which they seemed to imagine their pas sage

must excite nor did the i r inves tigating glances
detect any emotion o f curiosity o r surprise in
the visage of the we ll trained porter whose -
,
brow was as dark and chi lling as his habit .
N ot such however was the appearance o f

, ,
t he Carmelite convent Heads were to be seen

.
in every quarter and anxious eyes peering from

,
beneath every cowl at the very first glimpse

,
of the Grand Vicar s well known equipage

’
-
.
The reverend fathers within and those without

exchanged glances o f inte lli gence which were ,
soon converted by the former at leas t when the

, ,
latter were o u t of sight into looks o f the most

,
uncontrollable triumph for if the Jesuits n u ,
conscious o f the cloud that was lowering s o

near over their heads had paid little or no
,
attention to the all important fact that the G rand

-
Vicar was o n his road to Ollio ules in company

with the P rior o f the C armelites —whose zeal ,
fo r his order was as notorious as the talents

which enabled hi m to display it to advantage ,
the Carmelites were better instructed as to the

impending storm and enj oyed already in antici
,
pat i o n the victory they were about to achieve

over their proud rivals though little guessing
,
h o w complete — how immeasurable it was des

tined to be .
The next day explai n ed satisfactorily the

movements o f the preceding o n e I t was n o w .
publicly reported tha t the G rand Vicar had

proceeded to Ollioules to clai m Mademoiselle
C ad i ere s in the Bishop s name that she had
’
been most willingly delivered into his hands by

the Lady Abbess herself, who contrary to ,
expectation seemed anything but mortified at

,
t he loss ; that in short Catherine was restored

, ,
to her home and her friends and the Bishop ,
had issued forth his interdiction against Father

G irard to prohibit him from atte nding her any
,
more in the light of confessor and had ap ,
pointed Father Nicholas the distinguished Car

,
m e li t e I have already alluded t o in h i s place, .
This intelligence sounded like the trumpet o f

j udgment in the ears of the Jesuit ; like the
be lls o f a Te D eum in those of my father and
E leonore ; resolving however that his o w n
, ,
participation in this event should remain per

298 MA GI C AND MESME RI SM .
unknown — perhaps indeed it was already

fe c t ly , ,
forgotten o r still unsuspected by those whose

, ,
more active interference h ad been but the mere

—
result o f his adroit instigations my father
form ed a determina tion to resume his visits at
the house which he felt certain none would
,
n o w forbid A ll moti v e indeed for refusing

.
, ,
hi m admi t tance had long ceased t o exist ; and

it was a matter o f moment to poor C atherine
that some wise hand should now re unite and -
guide the broken threads of her destiny .
EN D O F V O L. I.
T . C . S avrll, Pr mt e r, 1 07 , S t M art i n ’ s La ne , Ch ar mg C ro s s
. .

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MA G I C A ND ME S ME RI S M

AND O THER TALES .

IN the autumn of a p arty o f friends

male and female started from M anheim o n

whose tributaries they are . The party was

all went right . But j ust as they were about to .

escape from the wors t roadside inn it had yet

been their ill luck to fall in with a mountain ,

storm broke overhe ad with such fury and of ,

such duration as t o render the narro w pre

fo r the ladies whose fears magniﬁed the

Thus weather bound in the full est meani ng

o f the word— an incessant cold rain altern ating

with a high sharp wind by day and early ,

biting frosts by night that made the smoky ,

stoves of mine host crammed ful l of green

wood and his unswept uncurtained rooms a

general stock of patience was much tried , .

P as sing under silence those n ameless priva

but which any traveller whom chance or ca

price has led into the more unfrequented parts

me nte d each in turn ; and though to record

tion s were a hopeless task

more complete specimen o f immeasurable ennui

There was not a musical instrument in the

the society . N ot one of the gentleme n had

The heavy iron tipped ,

and the gentlemen s sh oting jackets boas ted’

little more in the way of musical resources

have been hailed with delight , h ad the landlord

other resources left the travellers but those

these soon ﬂagged ; and—in de fault of any of

those pink bound volumes that

stran ge to say not , o ne copy had found i ts way

at last agreed that story te lling should -

slig htest anecdotical powers were now un me rci ,

fully plied to exert those powers on an enlarged

but when divers subjects were started it came ,

to light that, they did not like pure ﬁction ;

of it ; somethi ng that had really happened

the historic al was decided upon , u na

Needles were soon plied by delicate white

with laudable feelings of tender reminiscences

in cutting out ﬁgures on their sticks , or inde n t

The bravest among the gentleme n then de , ,

voted themselves to the slippery task o f amusin g

it was suggested that the Tales which had whi led

chance render the same service to others if

given a wider circ u lation by means of the Pres s .

In vain did he upon whom the chancy task of

E diting them w as forced grumble and represen t

how under di fferent circumstances the same

the partiali ty of friendly listeners may bli nd

and the E ditor now perhaps stands committed

I WAS yet a very yo ung man and but just

gazetted as a second lieutenant whe n my ill

luck ordained that I should be sent with many ,

other E nglish prisoners to Toulon ; at which

place N apoleon s name being held in e ven

more enthusiastic reverence than elsewhere o ur ,

prospect o f comfort was not re assuring

M any o f my countrymen have complained

treatment they met with in this time o f proba