第476章

THE TORTURE.

"Reverend fathers," said Dr.Baleinier, graciously, to the three, "I thank you for your kind aid.What you have to do is very simple, and, by the blessing of heaven, this operation will save the life of our dear Father Rodin.

The three black-gowns cast up their eyes piously, and then bowed altogether, like one man.Rodin, indifferent to what was passing around him, never ceased an instant to write or reflect.Nevertheless, in spite of his apparent calmness, he felt such difficulty in breathing, that more than once Dr.Baleinier had turned round uneasily, as he heard the stifled rattling in the throat of the sick man.Making a sign to his pupil, the doctor approached Rodin and said to him: "Come, reverend father; this is the important moment.Courage!"

No sign of alarm was expressed in the Jesuit's countenance.His features remained impassible as those of a corpse.Only, his little reptile eyes sparkled still more brightly in their dark cavities.For a moment, he looked round at the spectators of this scene; then, taking his pen between his teeth, he folded and wafered another letter, placed it on the table beside the bed, and nodded to Dr.Baleinier, as if to say: "I am ready."

"You must take off your flannel waistcoat, and your shirt, father." Rodin hesitated an instant, and the doctor resumed: "It is absolutely necessary, father."

Aided by Baleinier, Rodin obeyed, whilst the doctor added, no doubt to spare his modesty: "We shall only require the chest, right and left, my dear father."

And now, Rodin, stretched upon his back, with his dirty night-cap still on his head, exposed the upper part of a livid trunk, or rather, the bony cage of a skeleton, for the shadows of the ribs and cartilages encircled the skin with deep, black lines.As for the arms, they resembled bones twisted with cord and covered with tanned parchment.

"Come, M.Rousselet, the apparatus!" said Baleinier.

Then addressing the three Jesuits, he added: "Please draw near, gentlemen; what you have to do is very simple, as you will see."

It was indeed very simple.The doctor gave to each of his four assistants a sort of little steel tripod about two inches in diameter and three in height; the circular centre of this tripod was filled with cotton; the instrument was held in the left hand by means of a wooden handle.In the right hand each assistant held a small tin tube about eighteen inches long; at one end was a mouthpiece to receive the lips of the operator, and the other spread out so as to form a cover to the little tripod.These preparations had nothing alarming in them.Father d'Aigrigny and the prelate, who looked on from a little distance, could not understand how this operation should be so painful.They soon understood it.

Dr.Baleinier, having thus provided his four assistants, made them approach Rodin, whose bed had been rolled into the middle of the room.

Two of them were placed on one side, two on the other.

"Now, gentlemen," said Dr.Baleinier, "set light to the cotton; place the lighted part on the skin of his reverence, by means of the tripod which contains the wick; cover the tripod with the broad part of the tube, and then blow through the other end to keep up the fire.It is very simple, as you see."

It was, in fact, full of the most patriarchal and primitive ingenuity.

Four lighted cotton rocks, so disposed as to burn very slowly, were applied to the two sides of Rodin's chest.This is vulgarly called the moxa.The trick is done, when the whole thickness of the skin has been burnt slowly through.It lasts seven or eight minutes.They say that an amputation is nothing to it.Rodin had watched the preparations with intrepid curiosity.But, at the first touch of the four fires, he writhed like a serpent, without being able to utter a cry.Even the expression of pain was denied him.The four assistants being disturbed by, the sudden start of Rodin, it was necessary to begin again.

"Courage, my dear father! offer these sufferings to the Lord!" said Dr.

Baleinier, in a sanctified tone."I told you the operation would he very painful; but then it is salutary in proportion.Come; you that have shown such decisive resolution, do not fail at the last movement!"

Rodin had closed his eyes, conquered by the first agony of pain.He now opened them, and looked at the doctor as if ashamed of such weakness.

And yet on the sides of his chest were four large, bleeding wounds--so violent had been the first singe.As he again extended himself on the bed of torture, Rodin made a sign that he wished to write.The doctor gave him the pen, and he wrote as follows, by way of memorandum; "It is better not to lose any time.Inform Baron Tripeaud of the warrant issued against Leonard, so that he may be on his guard."

Having written this note, the Jesuit gave it to Dr.Baleinier, to hand it to Father d'Aigrigny, who was as much amazed as the doctor and the cardinal, at such extraordinary presence of mind in the midst of such horrible pain.Rodin, with his eyes fixed on the reverend father, seemed to wait with impatience for him to leave the room to execute his orders.

Guessing the thought of Rodin, the doctor whispered Father d'Aigrigny, who went out.

"Come, reverend father," said the doctor, "we must begin again.This time do not move."