The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 162: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

=__ THE MYSTERIES OF THE COURT. 151 and the table in the middle, crowded with phials filled with fluids of all colours and qualities, saucers containing crystals, and the other results of a won- drous science perseveringly pursued by ane of its most ardent disciples. The lady, after examining the various implements with great apparent interest and curiosity, turned stewards the table, and inspecting the phials, asked several questions relative to their contents. Dr. Ferney, whu for years had never been excited by any tribute of praise or any personal homage shown to his scientific genius, was now perfeotly overjoyed at the interest which the lady seemed to take therein. But then he loved ber—he had worshipped her- image for those long, long years—and she was now present with him in the living reality! He ex- plained to her one after another the natures and uses of the various fluids contained in the phials; and at length taking up one which she herself had not noticed, he said, “ Here is a liquid of so deadly a poison, that I am even surprised at my own indis- cretion in leaving it here. It is fortunate however that my servants possess no undue curiosity, and never penetrate to my private rooms without pre- vious orders. Indeed, the foolish creatures declare that they sre haunted,” added the doctor with a smile “ But this remarkable poison of which you bogan to speak,” said the lady: “is it also anew discovery of yours ?” “It is an elimination which I succeeded in obtain- ing but yesterday,” replied Dr. Ferney. ‘There is no poison so fatal in existence. It needs not even so much as a drop down the throat: the point of a feather dipped therein and placed with the gentlest tuuch upon the lip, would produce in- atantancous death. The peculiar property of the fluid is that it is inodorous as it is likewise clear as water.” “ And wherefore this deadly—this terrible dis- covery P” asked the lady: “what purpose can it perve ?”” “Not that to which I may have seemed to al- lude,” replied the physician, again smiling: for he experienced a rare happiness in the company of the object of his undying affection. “ But by means of this fluid, used infinitesimally with large admixtures, I have no doubt of accomplishing some wondrous cures. Let us now pass on into the museum :”— and thus speaking, Dr. Ferney placed the little phial containing the deadly poison on the edge of the table. He now took up the lamp once more, and was leading the way out of the laboratory, when there was a sudden crash and a sort of stifled shriek on the part of the lady. Dr. Ferney turned hastily round; and on perceiving what it was, he besought her not to vex herself on account of the accident. “Oh, how awkward—how careless on my part!” she cried, with an air of the utmost annoyance. “It was the fringe of my shawl that swept all these phials from the table.” “No matter! no matter!” said the physician. “ Pray do not blame yourself.” “ But the fruits of your labours?” she exclaimed, looking down at the quantity of broken glass and the pool of liquid on the floor. “ Again I say no matter !” persisted the physician, who was annoyed only on the lady’s account—for she appeared deeply vexed. * But the phisl containing the deadly poi- sonP” she opserved. “That, I fear, was amongst them.” “Still no matter!” rejoined Dr. Ferney. “ It perhaps serves me right for leaving it about in so negligent amanner. Come and let me show you the wonders of my museum.” The lady accordingly followed him from the la- reaching the landing above, Dr. Ferney opened a door which led into the suite of contain- ing the various objects of physiological curiosity, anatomical preparation, and waxen effigy, to which we alluded at the opening of this chapter. “* Here,” said the doctor, as he held the lamp be- fore an array of skulls upon a shelf, “ are the heads of many celebrated criminals, ——no matter exactly how. To the lover of the phrenological ecience each head tells its own peculiar story, and without previous knowledge, affords a certain clue to the reading of the history of the individual to whom it belonged. The very crimes which the wretches and for which they suffered, are dis- tinctly evidenced by the construction of their skulls. Now, here,” continued the doctor, carrying the lamp to the front of a mummy in its case, “is an Egyptian Princess dug out of the Pyramid of This one next to it is the petrified form of a male slave found in a kitohen belonging to a palace in Herculancum. It was dug out from amidst the lava, which had preserved instead of de- stroying it. See that iron chain upon the leg: it was the badge of servitude! Here, in this next case, is a corpse which, to tell you the truth, I prucured from the resurrection-men several years ago. Ah! I used to be a good customer to them, when bodies could not be so easily obtained as they can now. This furnishes the result of an experiment of mine inembalming. See how admirably it is preserved ! does it not seem as if the individual had only died yesterday ? But while I think of embalming, I can show you another specimen. That also I procured from the body-snatchers; and, by the bye, it is just about nineteen years y after our acquaint. ance in London ended and you quitted my mothoe’s abode. Business called me mto the country ; and there I purchased this subject which I am about to show you. It seems he was drowned. He must have been a very fine young man; and I flatter myself that it is the most successful experiment I ever made in the process of embalming. Here, thus wa ia Thus speaking, Dr. Ferney led the lady into the adjacent room: and there, advancing close up to a tall coffin-looking case, which stood upright on one end, and with s glass front, he pointed to its in- mate, saying, “ This is the one.” The lady, though naturally of strong mind, had contemplated with some degree of cold horror the various objects hitherto pointed out: but, as already stated, it suited her purpose to manifest as much interest as she was able in the things that consti- tuted the doctor’s favourite studies. She now ad- vanced up to this fresh object of curiosity to which Dr. Ferney had alluded: but what words can depict her horror, astonishment, and dismay, when sne COMME MOO (CO