LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 756, 22 November 1876, Page 3

LITERATURE.

DR. BASILIUS.

( Concluded .)

‘ Since your wife is dead, you cannot wish to live; you loved her too dearly to be willing to he separated from her V ‘Yes,’ I stammered.

‘I shall prove to you then, young man, that my friendship for you, as inexplicable as itj is not feigned. Take this Malay poinard. It is poisoned ; a prick on any part of the body, provided it draws blood, is sufficient to bring on a prompt and painless death. Take this poinard, Eusebe Beek, take it, and you will be spared the trouble of showing me gratitude. ’ ‘Thanks,’ I returned, seizing the deadly weapon he held out to me. ‘Oh! dear me ! do take care, dear friend,’ he said at once. ‘ You might prick or cut yourself by inadvertance, and you would never forgive yourself. Au revoir, my young friend,’ he added, with his explosive and fatal laugh, ‘au revoir.' With this he went out.

Left alone, I knelt by the bed and attempted to pray. One would have thought that the presence of the diabolical doctor had driven off every religious sentiment which is the consolation of suffering mankind.

I rose to my knees, threw myself beside my wife’s cold body, wound my left arm around her neck, and seized the poniard with my right hand, turning the blade toward my breast.

At that moment I perceived, standing at the foot of the bed. Dr Basilius, who had re-entered the room noiselessly. He eyed me sneeringly. As if impelled by a spring, I leaped to my feet, and threw myself upon him with the rapidity of lightning. He awaited me unflinchingly, giving vent to a cry which resembled that of a hyena rather than a human being. But, when I was within his reach, he se’zed the hand which brandished the poisonous weapon, and twisted it with such force that the poniard fell from my grasp, while I fairly bellowed with pain. Then, without giving me time to recover myself, he precipitated himself upon me, and, with the address of a professional wrestler, lifted me from the floor, made me describe a circle, and, without ever stooping, threw me stunned upon my back, ‘Ah ! ah ! ah ! he sneered, *we would like to turn the poniard against the giver ? That is not nice, Mr Eusebe. ’ * I told you, sir, that your presence was odious to me,’ I broke in, essaying in vain to struggle. ‘ Ungrateful fellow, I love you as my own flesh,’ muttered the doctor. If you love me, why this jeering at my grief ; if you love me, why did you give me the poniard, then prevent me from using it?’

* I gave you the poniard merely to see what you would d r > with it.’ ‘You had left; I thought myself rid of you. Why did you return, tell me ? ’ ‘ To save you, perhaps.’

* Still mocking.’ ‘ A little patience, my young friend, a little patience! there lies the secret of life, there is the source of all strength. ’ I closed my eyes and remained silent. * Rise,’ he said, presently, freeing me from his grasp, ‘and listen to me.’ I obeyed. This strange man possessed a wonderful influence over me. I took a seat, and waited for him to speak. ‘ Come, now, Eusebe van den Beek,’ he began, ‘ how could you suppose that Doctor Basilius would walk a mile and a half in such weather, and at night, merely to assist at the shrouding of a corpse ? ’ ‘ Is Esther not dead ? ’ ‘ Not so fast, young man. I did not tell you she was alive. ’ This ambiguous language was exasperating. I again besought him to speak plainly. ‘She will live,’ he finallysaid, in measured tones, ‘ but under one condition. ’ ‘ Tell me what it is, doctor,’ I cried, trembling with excitement, ‘ and I shall agree to it without hesitatation. I would pledge you my soul, should it be necessary.’ ‘Ah! ah I ah!’ be laughed, ‘what the deuce could Ido with your soul ? If I have one it is immortal, and in this case I do not require yours ; if I have no soul, have you, since both of us are men. JN ow, without a soul in your possession, how can you sell it ? ’ ‘ Make haste, good doctor. What compact do you propose ? ‘ Compact, mauiac ! there is neither compact nor sorcery here, but a man who knows more about the mysteries of the soul and tho elasticity and mechanism of tho human body than you do, and this man tells you ; this woman can live; but, if you ready love her, beware of desiring her resurrection ! ’

‘ Resurrection ? ’ ‘ Yes; ami if ever you regret wliat I am about to accomplish for you, if it happen that you curse this odious Dr Basilius for having resuscitated this 'woman, your body will belong to me, that is all. Mind that I say your body, without bothering myself about your soul, if you have one ; I stake the body against the eternity of the sentiment to which you lay claim; nothing more or less,’

‘ You believe I will regret such a miracle ? Impossible !’ ‘I believe it so earnestly that I have drawn up here a kind of little contract in order to secure the fulfilment of our agreement.’

‘ Give it to me, doctor ; I will sign it, I said impatiently. * Oh 1 oh ! one does not sign without reading ; later, you would accuse me of having prepared a snare,’ He drew from his pocket a portfolio from which he took a paper covered with writing. ‘You see,’ he said, ‘ here is the stamp of the honorable company of the Netherlands, which, ostensibly at least, has nothing in common with Lucifer; you may assure yourself that it does not smell of brimstone,’ he concluded, handing me the paper. It ran thus ;

‘ Disgusted with life, married to a woman I do not love, cursing the day that Dr Basilius restored life to her to whom a fatal destiny binds me for ever, I voluntarily seek death through suicide, I leave my property to my natural heirs, but I wish my body to be delivered up to Dr Basilius, or to whomsoever he may have charged, if he be dead himself, to take possession of it, which person may dispose of it as he pleases. ‘Friday, November 13th, 1847.’ ‘A pen and ink, doctor,’ I said, having concluded the reading, ‘give me pen and ink 1 ’

‘You are too hasty, young man,’ he returned, shaking his head, you are decidedly too hasty.’ ‘ I wish pen and ink,’ I repeated. ‘ Reflect,’ my visitor went on, * I force you to do nothing; there is neither suggestion, deception, nor compulsion here. It is in sound mind and body, of your own accord, you sign this paper ? ’ ‘Yes, a thousand times yes. But give me pen and ink.’ ‘ Wait. Bear this in mind: no matter what reports are circulated respecting me, once this paper signed by you, whether you are far or near, dead or alive, your heart will be a book in which I shall read your most secret thoughts. Are you still willing to sign ? ’ ‘ I only reproach you for one thing,’ I answered; ‘ you delay too long in giving me what I wish. I have neither pen nor ink here, but a man as powerful as you cannot be embarrassed for so little.’ ‘You are right,’ was the rejoinder, ‘I always carry a pen with me, and as for ink, if there be none here, we will indulge in tradition, Ah !ah!ah ! a drop of blood will be the only cost.’ ‘ A drop of blood, good ! ’ I Said, rolling back my shirt sleeve. The doctor produced a steel pen with a nib as fine as the point of a lancet, and pricked my mesial vein. I uttered a faint cry as a drop of blood like a liquid ruby appeared on my arm. He received it on the nib of his pen and held it out to me; but, before allowing me to take it, asked : ‘ This is of your own accord ? ’ Having assured him that it was, I took the pen and signed the paper. ‘lf you repent having done this,’ he then said, ‘you may still destroy this paper.’ 1 handed it to him without replying. He accepted it, folded it carefully, and returned it to his portfolio, saying, ‘ I am going ; from here to the door, you man call me back ; but, once the threshhold crossed, it will be too late.’ ‘ Go, doctor, go, and may good luck attend you,’ ‘ The deuce take your wishes,’ was the blunt response. Approaching the door, he stopped short of the threshold, as though to give me time to call him back if I had regretted the concluded bargain, raised the matting, extended his arm to see if the rain had ceased, and, having made a sign to me with his hand, passed out. The matting fell behind him. I heard his nervous and spasmodic laugh once more, then a terrible report which shook the house to its foundation.

When my senses came back to me, I found myself still sitting at the bedside. My wife was reposing more calmly, and I could hear her gentle breathing. The storm had somewhat abated, still at times the thunder shook the earth and the lightning illumined the sky. I looked about me interrogatively, searching for the stool I had seen occupied by the strange doctor, then gazed toward the door where he had disappeared. Immediately the truth flashed through my mind. I had had a terrible dream !

In conclusion, I will say that with time and care my wife was cured of her pulmonary complaint, and is now living. This dream has never faded from my memory, and I shall carry the remembrance of it to my grave.