FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   485   486   487   488   489   490   491   492   493   494   495   496   497   498   499   500   501   502   503   504   505   506   507   508   509  
510   511   512   513   514   515   516   517   518   519   520   521   522   523   524   525   526   527   528   529   530   531   532   533   534   >>   >|  
ade him beware of what he was doing, as the licentiate was beyond a doubt still mad; but all his cautions and warnings were unavailing to dissuade the chaplain from taking him away. The governor, seeing that it was the order of the Archbishop, obeyed, and they dressed the licentiate in his own clothes, which were new and decent. He, as soon as he saw himself clothed like one in his senses, and divested of the appearance of a madman, entreated the chaplain to permit him in charity to go and take leave of his comrades the madmen. The chaplain said he would go with him to see what madmen there were in the house; so they went upstairs, and with them some of those who were present. Approaching a cage in which there was a furious madman, though just at that moment calm and quiet, the licentiate said to him, 'Brother, think if you have any commands for me, for I am going home, as God has been pleased, in his infinite goodness and mercy, without any merit of mine, to restore me my reason. I am now cured and in my senses, for with God's power nothing is impossible. Have strong hope and trust in him, for as he has restored me to my original condition, so likewise he will restore you if you trust in him. I will take care to send you some good things to eat; and be sure you eat them; for I would have you know I am convinced, as one who has gone through it, that all this madness of ours comes of having the stomach empty and the brains full of wind. Take courage! take courage! for despondency in misfortune breaks down health and brings on death.' "To all these words of the licentiate another madman in a cage opposite that of the furious one was listening; and raising himself up from an old mat on which he lay stark naked, he asked in a loud voice who it was that was going away cured and in his senses. The licentiate answered, 'It is I, brother, who am going; I have now no need to remain here any longer, for which I return infinite thanks to Heaven that has had so great mercy upon me.' "'Mind what you are saying, licentiate; don't let the devil deceive you,' replied the madman. 'Keep quiet, stay where you are, and you will save yourself the trouble of coming back.' "'I know I am cured,' returned the licentiate, 'and that I shall not have to go stations again.' "'You cured!' said the madman; 'well, we shall see; God be with you; but I swear to you by Jupiter, whose majesty I represent on earth, that for this crime alone, which
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   485   486   487   488   489   490   491   492   493   494   495   496   497   498   499   500   501   502   503   504   505   506   507   508   509  
510   511   512   513   514   515   516   517   518   519   520   521   522   523   524   525   526   527   528   529   530   531   532   533   534   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

licentiate

 

madman

 
senses
 

chaplain

 

courage

 
madmen
 

infinite

 

furious

 
restore
 

answered


remain

 

longer

 

brother

 

raising

 
misfortune
 

breaks

 

health

 

despondency

 

brings

 

opposite


listening

 

return

 

stations

 

returned

 

represent

 

majesty

 

Jupiter

 

coming

 

trouble

 
beware

Heaven

 

deceive

 

replied

 
brains
 
decent
 
clothes
 

Brother

 

commands

 
pleased
 

dressed


obeyed

 
Archbishop
 
moment
 
appearance
 

upstairs

 

entreated

 
charity
 

permit

 

divested

 

Approaching