the hemorrhage comes in the morning； and why she is the better for
it； feeling neither faint nor sick； but relieved of a weight。
This； sir； is the rationale of the complaint； and it is to you I
must look for the cure。 To judge from my other female patients；
and from the few words Miss Lusignan has let fall； I fear we must
not count on any very hearty co…operation from her： but you are her
father； and have great authority； I conjure you to use it to the
full； as you once used itto my sorrowin this very room。 I am
forgetting my character。 I was asked here only as her physician。
Good…evening。〃
He gave a little gulp； and hurried away； with an abruptness that
touched the father and offended the sapient daughter。
However； Mr。 Lusignan followed him； and stopped him before he left
the house； and thanked him warmly； and to his surprise； begged him
to call again in a day or two。
〃Well； Rosa； what do you say？〃
〃I say that I am very unfortunate in my doctors。 Mr。 Wyman is a
chatterbox and knows nothing。 Dr。 Snell is Mr。 Wyman's echo。
Christopher is a genius； and they are always full of crotchets。 A
pretty doctor！ Gone away； and not prescribed for me！〃
Mr。 Lusignan admitted it was odd。 〃But； after all；〃 said he； 〃if
medicine does you no good？〃
〃Ah！ but any medicine HE had prescribed would have done me good；
and that makes it all the unkinder。〃
〃If you think so highly of his skill； why not take his advice？ It
can do no harm。〃
〃No harm？ Why； if I was to leave them off I should catch a
dreadful cold； and that would be sure to settle on my chest； and
carry me off； in my present delicate state。 Besides； it is so
unfeminine not to wear them。〃
This staggered Mr。 Lusignan； and he was afraid to press the point；
but what Staines had said fermented in his mind。
Dr。 Snell and Mr。 Wyman continued their visits and their
prescriptions。
The patient got a little worse。
Mr。 Lusignan hoped Christopher would call again； but he did not。
When Dr。 Staines had satisfied himself that the disorder was easily
curable； then wounded pride found an entrance even into his loving
heart。 That two strangers should have been consulted before him！
He was only sent for because they could not cure her。
As he seemed in no hurry to repeat his visit； Mr。 Lusignan called
on him； and said； politely； he had hoped to receive another call
ere this。 〃Personally；〃 said he； 〃I was much struck with your
observations； but my daughter is afraid she will catch cold if she
leaves off her corset； and that； you know； might be very serious。〃
Dr。 Staines groaned； and； when he had groaned； he lectured。
〃Female patients are wonderfully monotonous in this matter； they
have a programme of evasions； and whether the patient is a lady or
a housemaid； she seldom varies from that programme。 You find her
breathing life's air with half a bellows； and you tell her so。
'Oh； no；' says she； and does the gigantic feat of contraction we
witnessed that evening at your house。 But； on inquiry； you learn
there is a raw red line ploughed in her flesh by the cruel stays。
'What is that？' you ask； and flatter yourself you have pinned her。
Not a bit。 'That was the last pair。 I changed them； because they
hurt me。' Driven out of that by proofs of recent laceration； they
say； 'If I leave them off I should catch my death of cold；' which
is equivalent to saying there is no flannel in the shops； no common
sense nor needles at home。〃
He then laid before him some large French plates； showing the
organs of the human trunk； and bade him observe in how small a
space； and with what skill； the Creator has packed so many large
yet delicate organs； so that they should be free and secure from
friction； though so close to each other。 He showed him the liver；
an organ weighing four pounds； and of large circumference； the
lungs； a very large organ； suspended in the chest and impatient of
pressure； the heart； the stomach； the spleen； all of them too
closely and artfully packed to bear any further compression。
Having thus taken him by the eye； he took him by the mind。
〃Is it a small thing for the creature to say to her Creator； 'I can
pack all this egg…china better than you can；' and thereupon to jam
all those vital organs close； by a powerful； a very powerful and
ingenious machine？ Is it a small thing for that sex； which； for
good reasons； the Omniscient has made larger in the waist than the
male； to say to her Creator； 'You don't know your business； women
ought to be smaller in the waist than men； and shall be throughout
the civilized world'？〃
In short； he delivered so many true and pointed things on this
trite subject； that the old gentleman was convinced； and begged him
to come over that very evening and convince Rosa。
Dr。 Staines shook his head dolefully； and all his fire died out of
him at having to face the fair。 〃Reason will be wasted。 Authority
is the only weapon。 My profession and my reading have both taught
me that the whole character of her sex undergoes a change the
moment a man interferes with their dress。 From Chaucer's day to
our own； neither public satire nor private remonstrance has ever
shaken any of their monstrous fashions。 Easy； obliging； pliable；
and weaker of will than men in other things； do but touch their
dress； however objectionable； and rock is not harder； iron is not
more stubborn； than these soft and yielding creatures。 It is no
earthly use my comingI'll come。〃
He came that very evening； and saw directly she was worse。 〃Of
course；〃 said he； sadly； 〃you have not taken my advice。〃
Rosa replied with a toss and an evasion； 〃I was not worth a
prescription！〃
〃A physician can prescribe without sending his patient to the
druggist； and when he does； then it is his words are gold。〃
Rosa shook her head with an air of lofty incredulity。
He looked ruefully at Mr。 Lusignan and was silent。 Rosa smiled
sarcastically； she thought he was at his wit's end。
Not quite： he was cudgelling his brains in search of some horribly
unscientific argument； that might prevail； for he felt science
would fall dead upon so fair an antagonist。 At last his eye
kindled； he had hit on an argument unscientific enough for anybody；
he thought。 Said he； ingratiatingly； 〃You believe the Old
Testament？〃
〃Of course I do； every syllable。〃
〃And the lessons it teaches？〃
〃Certainly！〃
〃Then let me tell you a story from that book。 A Syrian general had
a terrible disease。 He consulted Elisha by deputy。 Elisha said；
'Bathe seven times in a certain river； Jordan； and you will get
well。' The general did not like this at all； he wanted a
prescription； wanted to go to the druggist； didn't believe in
hydropathy to begin； and； in any case； turned up his nose at
Jordan。 What！ bathe in an Israelitish brook； when his own country
boasted noble rivers； with a reputation for sanctity into the
bargain？ In short； he preferred his leprosy to such irregular
medicine。 But it happened； by some immense fortuity； that one of
his servants； though an Oriental； was a friend； instead of a
flatterer； and this sensible fellow said； 'If the prophet told you
to do some great and difficult thing； to get rid of this fearful
malady； would not you do it； however distasteful？ and can you
hesitate when he merely says； Wash in the Jordan； and be healed？'
The general listened to good sense； and cured himself。 Your case
is parallel。 You would take quantities of foul medicine； you would
submit to some painful operation； if life and health depended on
it； then why not do a small thing for a great result？ You have
only to take off an unnatural machine which cripples your growing
frame； and was unknown to every one of the women whose forms in
Parian marble the world admires。 Off with that monstrosity； and
your cure is as certain as the Syrian general's； though science；
and not inspiration； dictates the easy remedy。〃
Rosa had listened impatiently； and now replied with some warmth；
〃This is shockingly profane。 The idea of comparing yourself to
Elisha； and me to a horrid leper！ Much obliged！ Not that I know
what a leper is。〃
〃Come； come！ that is not fair；〃 said Mr。 Lusignan。 〃He only
compared the situation； not the people。〃
〃But； papa； the Bible is not to be dragged into the common affairs
of life。〃
〃Then what on earth is the use of it？〃
〃Oh； papa！ Well； it is not Sunday； but I have had a sermon。 This
is the clergyman； and you are the commentatorhe！ he！ And so now
let us go back from divinity to medicine。 I repeat〃 （this was the
first time she had said it） 〃that my other doctors give me real
prescriptions； written in hieroglyphics。 You can't look at them
without feeling there MUST be something in them。〃
An angry spot rose on Christopher's cheek； but he only said； 〃And
are your other doctors satisfied with the progress your disorder is
making under their superintendence？〃
〃Perfectly！ Papa； tell him what they say； and I'll find him their
prescriptions。〃 She went to a drawer； and rummaged； affecting not
to listen。
Lusignan complied。 〃First of all； sir； I must tell you they are
confident it is not the lungs； but the liver。〃
〃The what！〃 shouted Christopher。
〃Ah！〃 screamed Rosa。 〃Oh； don't！bawling！〃
〃And don't you screech；〃 said her father； with a look of misery and
apprehension impartially distributed on the resounding pair。
〃You must have misunderstood them；〃 murmured Staines； in a voice
that was now barely audible a yard off。 〃The hemorrhage of a
bright red color； and expelled without effort or nausea？〃
〃From the liverthey have assured me again and again；〃 said
Lusignan。
Christopher's face still wore a look of blank amazement； till Rosa
herself confirmed it positively。
Then he cast a look of agony upon her； and started up in a passion；
forgetting once more that his host abhorred the sonorous。 〃Oh；
shame！ shame！〃 he cried； 〃that the noble profession of medicine
should be disgraced by ignorance such as this。〃 Then he said；
sternly； 〃Sir； do not mistake my motives； but I decline to have
anything further to do with this case； until those two gentlemen
have been relieved of it； and； as this is very harsh； and on my
p