”One-halfofsocietyspendsitslifeinwatchingtheotherhalf。Averyoldfriendofmineisanattorney，nowretired，whotoldmethatforfifteenyearspastnotariesandlawyershavedistrustedtheirclientsquiteasmuchastheiradversaries。Yoursonisapleader；hasheneverfoundhimselfcompromisedbytheclientforwhomheheldabrief？””Veryoften，”saidVictorin，withasmile。”Andwhatisthecauseofthisdeep-seatedevil？”askedtheBaroness。”Thedecayofreligion，”saidBianchon，”andthepre-eminenceoffinance，whichissimplysolidifiedselfishness。Moneyusednottobeeverything；thereweresomekindsofsuperioritythatrankedaboveit——nobility，genius，servicedonetotheState。Butnowadaysthelawtakeswealthastheuniversalstandard，andregardsitasthemeasureofpubliccapacity。CertainmagistratesareineligibletotheChamber；
Jean-JacquesRousseauwouldbeineligible！Theperpetualsubdivisionofestatecompelseverymantotakecareofhimselffromtheageoftwenty。”Well，then，betweenthenecessityformakingafortuneandthedepravityofspeculationthereisnocheckorhindrance；forthereligioussenseiswhollylackinginFrance，inspiteofthelaudableendeavorsofthosewhoareworkingforaCatholicrevival。Andthisistheopinionofeverymanwho，likeme，studiessocietyatthecore。””Andyouhavefewpleasures？”saidHortense。”Thetruephysician，madame，isinlovewithhisscience，”repliedthedoctor。”Heissustainedbythatpassionasmuchasbythesenseofhisusefulnesstosociety。”Atthisverytimeyouseeinmeasortofscientificrapture，andmanysuperficialjudgeswouldregardmeasamandevoidoffeeling。I
havetoannounceadiscoveryto-morrowtotheCollegeofMedicine，forIamstudyingadiseasethathaddisappeared——amortaldiseaseforwhichnocureisknownintemperateclimates，thoughitiscurableintheWestIndies——amaladyknownhereintheMiddleAges。Anoblefightisthatofthephysicianagainstsuchadisease。ForthelasttendaysIhavethoughtofnothingbutthesecases——fortherearetwo，ahusbandandwife——Aretheynotconnectionsofyours？Foryou，madame，aresurelyMonsieurCrevel’sdaughter？”saidhe，addressingCelestine。”What，ismyfatheryourpatient？”askedCelestine。”LivingintheRueBarbet-de-Jouy？””Preciselyso，”saidBianchon。”Andthediseaseisinevitablyfatal？”saidVictorinindismay。”Iwillgotoseehim，”saidCelestine，rising。”Ipositivelyforbidit，madame，”Bianchonquietlysaid。”Thediseaseiscontagious。””Butyougothere，monsieur，”repliedtheyoungwoman。”Doyouthinkthatadaughter’sdutyislessbindingthanadoctor’s？””Madame，aphysicianknowshowtoprotecthimselfagainstinfection，andtherashnessofyourdevotionprovestomethatyouwouldprobablybelessprudentthanI。”
Celestine，however，gotupandwenttoherroom，whereshedressedtogoout。”Monsieur，”saidVictorintoBianchon，”haveyouanyhopeofsavingMonsieurandMadameCrevel？””Ihope，butIdonotbelievethatImay，”saidBianchon。”Thecaseistomequiteinexplicable。ThediseaseispeculiartonegroesandtheAmericantribes，whoseskinisdifferentlyconstitutedtothatofthewhiteraces。NowIcantracenoconnectionwiththecopper-coloredtribes，withnegroesorhalf-castes，inMonsieurorMadameCrevel。”Andthoughitisaveryinterestingdiseasetous，itisaterriblethingforthesufferers。Thepoorwoman，whoissaidtohavebeenverypretty，ispunishedforhersins，forsheisnowsqualidlyhideousifsheisstillanythingatall。Sheislosingherhairandteeth，herskinislikealeper’s，sheisahorrortoherself；herhandsarehorrible，coveredwithgreenishpustules，hernailsareloose，andthefleshiseatenawaybythepoisonedhumors。””Andthecauseofsuchadisease？”askedthelawyer。”Oh！”saidthedoctor，”thecauseliesinaformofrapidblood-
poisoning；itdegenerateswithterrificrapidity。Ihopetoactontheblood；Iamhavingitanalyzed；andIamnowgoinghometoascertaintheresultofthelaborsofmyfriendProfessorDuval，thefamouschemist，withaviewtotryingoneofthosedesperatemeasuresbywhichwesometimesattempttodefeatdeath。””ThehandofGodisthere！”saidAdeline，inavoicehuskywithemotion。”ThoughthatwomanhasbroughtsorrowsonmewhichhaveledmeinmomentsofmadnesstoinvokethevengeanceofHeaven，Ihope——