CHAPTER VIII

On the following morning Lamberti went out early, and before nine
o'clock he was in the private study of a famous physician, who was a
specialist for diseases of the nerves. Lamberti had never seen him and
had not asked for an appointment, for the simple reason that his visit
was spontaneous and unpremeditated. He had spent a wretched night, and
it suddenly struck him that he might be ill. As he had never been ill in
his life except from two or three wounds got in fight, he had been slow
to admit that anything could be wrong with his physical condition. But
it was possible. The strongest men sometimes fell ill unaccountably. A
good doctor would see the truth at a glance.

The specialist was a young man, squarely built, with a fresh complexion,
smooth brown hair, and a well-trimmed chestnut beard. At first sight, no
one would have noticed anything remarkable in his appearance, except,
perhaps, that he had unusually bright blue eyes, which had a fixed look
when he spoke earnestly.

"I am a naval officer," said Lamberti, as he took the seat the doctor
offered him. "Can you tell me whether I am ill or not? I mean, whether I
have any bodily illness. Then I will explain what brings me."

The doctor looked at him keenly a few seconds, felt his pulse, pressed
one ear on his waistcoat to listen to his heart, and then against his
back, made him face the light and gently drew down the lower lids of his
eyes, and finally stood off and made a sort of general survey of his
appearance. Then he made him stretch out one hand, with the fingers
spread out. There was not the least tremor. Last of all, he asked him to
shut his eyes tightly and walk slowly across the room, turn round, and
walk back. Lamberti did so, steadily and quietly.

"There is nothing wrong with your body," said the doctor, sitting down.
"Before you tell me why you come here, I should like to know one thing
more. Do you come of sound and healthy people?"

"Yes. My father is the Marchese Lamberti. My brothers and sisters are
all alive and well. So far as I know, there was never any insanity in my
family."

"Were your father and mother cousins?" enquired the doctor.

"No."

"Very good. That is all I need to know. I am at your service. What is
the matter?"

"If we lived in the Middle Ages," said Lamberti, "I should say that I
was possessed by the devil, or haunted." He stopped and laughed oddly.

"Why not s