d. When I got Madame de la Sainte-Colombe for a patient, Philippon
asked my aid, which he was naturally entitled to. We agreed upon our
plan. I was not to appear to know him the least in the world; and he
was to keep me informed of the variations in the moral state of his
penitent, so that I might be able, by the use of very inoffensive
medicines--for there was nothing dangerous in the illness--to keep my
patient in alternate states of improvement or the reverse, according as
her director had reason to be satisfied or displeased--so that he might
say to her: 'You see, madame, you are in the good way! Spiritual grace
acts upon your bodily health, and you are already better. If, on the
contrary, you fall back into evil courses, you feel immediately some
physical ail, which is a certain proof of the powerful influence of
faith, not only on the soul, but on the body also?'"

"It is doubtless painful," said D'Aigrigny, with perfect coolness, "to
be obliged to have recourse to such means, to rescue perverse souls
from perdition--but we must needs proportion our modes of action to the
intelligence and the character of the individual."

"By-the-bye, the princess knows," resumed the doctor, "that I have often
pursued this plan at St. Mary's Convent, to the great advantage of
the soul's peace and health of some of our patients, being extremely
innocent. These alternations never exceed the difference between 'pretty
well,' and 'not quite so well.' Yet small as are the variations, they
act most efficaciously on certain minds. It was thus with Madame de la
Sainte-Colombe. She was in such a fair way of recovery, both moral
and physical, that Rodin thought he might get Philippon to advise
the country for his penitent, fearing that Paris air might occasion a
relapse. This advice, added to the desire the woman had to play 'lady of
the parish,' induced her to buy Cardoville Manor, a good investment in
any respect. But yesterday, unfortunate Philippon came to tell me, that
Madame de la Sainte-Colombe was about to have an awful relapse--moral,
of course--for her physical health is now desperately good. The said
relapse appears to have been occasioned by an interview she has had with
one Jacques Dumoulin, whom they tell me you know, my dear abbe; he has
introduced himself to her, nobody can guess how."

"This Jacques Dumoulin," said the marquis, with disgust, "is one of
those men, that we employ while we despise. He is a writer full of gal