im.

Coue reached for his hand and shook it.

"My friend, you are cured."

"C'est merveilleux," the man answered. "I believe I am."

"Prove it," said Coue. "Hit me on the shoulder."

The patient laughed, and dealt him a gentle rap.

"Harder," Coue encouraged him. "Hit me harder--as hard as you can."

His arm began to rise and fall in regular blows, increasing in force
until Coue was compelled to call on him to stop.

"Voila, mon ami, you can go back to your anvil."

The man resumed his seat, still hardly able to comprehend what had
occurred. Now and then he lifted his arm as if to reassure himself,
whispering to himself in an awed voice, "I can, I can."

A little further on was seated a woman who had complained of violent
neuralgia. Under the influence of the repeated phrase "ca passe" (it's
going) the pain was dispelled in less than thirty seconds. Then it was
the turn of the visitor from Paris. What he had seen had inspired him
with confidence; he was sitting more erect, there was a little patch of
colour in his cheeks, and his trembling seemed less violent.

He performed the experiment with immediate success.

"Now," said Coue, "you are cultivated ground. I can throw out the seed
in handfuls."

He caused the sufferer first to stand erect with his back and knees
straightened. Then he asked him, constantly thinking "I can," to place
his entire weight on each foot in turn, slowly performing the exercise
known as "marking time." A space was then cleared of chairs, and
having discarded his stick, the man was made to walk to and fro. When
his gait became slovenly Coue stopped him, pointed out his fault, and,
renewing the thought "I can," caused him to correct it. Progressive
improvement kindled the man's imagination. He took himself in his own
hands. His bearing became more and more confident, he walked more
easily, more quickly. His little daughter, all smiles and happy
self-forgetfulness, stood beside him uttering expressions of delight,
admiration and encouragement. The whole company laughed and clapped
their hands.

"After the sitting," said Coue, "you shall come for a run in my garden."

Thus Coue continued his round of the clinic. Each patient suffering
from pain was given complete or partial relief; those with useless
limbs had a varying measure of use restored to them. Coue's manner was
always quietly inspiring. There was no formality, no attitude of the
superior person; he trea