nt
for his strange affection for the said Baron Jeanrenaud, Major with whom
he has but little intercourse. And yet their power is so considerable,
that whenever they need money, if only to gratify a mere whim, this
lady, or her son----' Heh, heh! _No reason even such as morality and the
law concur in disapproving!_ What does the clerk or the attorney mean to
insinuate?" said Popinot.

Bianchon laughed.

"'This lady, or her son, obtain whatever they ask of the Marquis
d'Espard without demur; and if he has not ready money, M. d'Espard draws
bills to be paid by the said Mongenod, who has offered to give evidence
to that effect for the petitioner.

"'That, moreover, in further proof of these facts, lately, on the
occasion of the renewal of the leases on the Espard estate, the farmers
having paid a considerable premium for the renewal of their leases on
the old terms, M. Jeanrenaud at once secured the payment of it into his
own hands.

"'That the Marquis d'Espard parts with these sums of money so little of
his own free-will, that when he was spoken to on the subject he seemed
to remember nothing of the matter; that whenever anybody of any weight
has questioned him as to his devotion to these two persons, his replies
have shown so complete an absence of ideas and of sense of his own
interests, that there obviously must be some occult cause at work to
which the petitioner begs to direct the eye of justice, inasmuch as it
is impossible but that this cause should be criminal, malignant, and
wrongful, or else of a nature to come under medical jurisdiction;
unless this influence is of the kind which constitutes an abuse of moral
power--such as can only be described by the word _possession_----'The
devil!" exclaimed Popinot. "What do you say to that, doctor. These are
strange statements."

"They might certainly," said Bianchon, "be an effect of magnetic force."

"Then do you believe in Mesmer's nonsense, and his tub, and seeing
through walls?"

"Yes, uncle," said the doctor gravely. "As I heard you read that
petition I thought of that. I assure you that I have verified, in
another sphere of action, several analogous facts proving the unlimited
influence one man may acquire over another. In contradiction to the
opinion of my brethren, I am perfectly convinced of the power of the
will regarded as a motor force. All collusion and charlatanism apart,
I have seen the results of such a possession. Actions promised during
sleep