from its application to man,
it is on man that the new experiment should be performed."

"Ah, yes," sighed Guy; "we are always tripping up against this
impossibility."

"Nothing is impossible," I answered. "I am resolved that the
experiment shall be performed on man."

Guy started, then laughed. "Oh! you are joking," he said.

"Not the least in the world. I have even selected the subject."

"Eh! well, since you are so determined, you may dissect me when you
choose. Only I warn you of difficulties with the tribunals
afterwards."

"I leave you to settle with them. It is not you, but myself, who is to
be the subject; and you must perform the experiment."

I was surprised at the calmness with which I made this momentous
revelation of my purpose. But we are always on the level of the
circumstances to which we have attained, and they do not seem as awful
as when viewed from the distance.

Guy did not at all believe that I was in earnest, and half an hour's
impetuous talking was needed to convince him of the reality and
fixedness of my resolve. Then he tried to reason with me.

"Your experiment will be utterly useless," he said; "because death
will ensue almost immediately after the chest is opened. And during
the few seconds that might intervene for observation, the heart would
beat too rapidly to render observation possible."

"I have devised means for palliating all these difficulties," I
answered eagerly. "In the first place, the last act of the experiment
must be preceded by the administration of woorara, to slacken the
rapidity of the heart's action. In the second place, I do not propose
to open the chest with the bistoury. The operation, even though aided
by chloroform, would cause too violent a shock to the nervous system.
But I intend to burn through gradually, by successive applications of
caustic, as in the procedure for opening hepatic cysts. Deep-seated
adhesions would form and shut out the lungs securely, and thus
probably obviate the necessity for artificial respiration. The
pericardium would be reached with comparatively little disturbance,
and once exposed, the operator would be able to make a first and
important series of observations, before proceeding farther. Finally,
he would rend the pericardium, and arrive directly at the heart
itself."

"And kill you!" cried Guy.

"I should die," I answered composedly, "as men have died after
inoculating themselves with the plague; only my death would