ful friend of our
poor patient, and have sought you to consult with you, respecting his
lamentable and enigmatical state. I have never met with a similar
illness, I do not understand it, and, therefore, am but groping in the
dark with my remedies; nor do I know whether the waters here are
salutary to him or his sick wife, who seems wasting away from the same
complaint. I have no name for this wasting fever, which defies all
known remedies. Sometimes I could almost imagine them insane, did not
reason absolutely manifest itself. But even should their minds be
unimpaired, they are, doubtless, hypochondriacs. And the worst is, the
count will not communicate freely, but, on the contrary, anxiously
avoids all questions respecting his condition, and all inquiries as to
its cause and commencement. I do not wish to irritate him, though my
inquiries and questions have more than once had that effect, and yet it
seems necessary to learn from himself the history of his complaint. I
therefore request you, dear sir, to exert your influence with him, as
his friend, that he may confess to us the origin of his illness. If I
once knew this, it might, perhaps, be possible to afford relief to both
of them. If the disease is mental, of which I feel almost convinced,
the physician must be in their confidence to afford relief; but if this
is withheld, he may cause even death, not only by his prescriptions,
but by an unguarded word. I therefore conjure you to do all in your
power to make him confide every thing to you." I promised all he
desired, for I had long entertained the same opinion. But when, on the
following day, I remonstrated with my friend, I found the task more
difficult than I expected, as he was inaccessible on that point. He
did not yield until I united tears to my entreaties, and his suffering
wife joined with me, as the hope arose within her that the physician
might be able to afford relief to her husband. He stipulated that
whatever he should communicate should be communicated in private to me
alone, undisturbed, and without even the presence of his wife, who
would be much pained at the relation.

Thus was it arranged. My little room looking on the garden was so
quiet and retired, that no intrusion was to be feared, and after a
frugal supper I dismissed the servant, enjoining him not to admit any
one. The invalid countess was left with her attendants, and a lady of
my acquaintance kindly read some amusing work