had　been　found　by　his　horrified　parent　stretched　insensible　on　the
  staircase。　　Diachylon　in　the　one　case　and　ammonia　in　the　other　were
  all　that　my　patients　required；　and　I　had　a　faint　suspicion　that　the
  present　summons　was　perhaps　occasioned　by　no　case　more　necessitous
  than　those　I　have　quoted。　　I　was　too　young　in　my　profession；
  however；　to　neglect　opportunities。　　It　is　only　when　a　physician
  rises　to　a　very　large　practice　that　he　can　afford　to　be
  inconsiderate。　　I　was　on　the　first　step　of　the　ladder；　so　I　humbly
  opened　my　door。
  A　woman　was　standing　ankle　deep　in　the　snow　that　lay　upon　the
  stoop。　　I　caught　but　a　dim　glimpse　of　her　form；　for　the　night　was
  cloudy；　but　I　could　hear　her　teeth　rattling　like　castanets；　and；　as
  the　sharp　wind　blew　her　clothes　close　to　her　form；　I　could　discern
  from　the　sharpness　of　the　outlines　that　she　was　very　scantily
  supplied　with　raiment。
  〃Come　in；　come　in；　my　good　woman；〃　I　said　hastily；　for　the　wind
  seemed　to　catch　eagerly　at　the　opportunity　of　making　itself　at　home
  in　my　hall；　and　was　rapidly　forcing　an　entrance　through　the　half…
  open　door。　　〃Come　in；　you　can　tell　me　all　you　have　to　communicate
  inside。〃
  She　slipped　in　like　a　ghost；　and　I　closed　the　door。　　While　I　was
  striking　a　light　in　my　office；　I　could　hear　her　teeth　still
  clicking　out　in　the　dark　hall；　till　it　seemed　as　if　some　skeleton
  was　chattering。　　As　soon　as　I　obtained　a　light　I　begged　her　to
  enter　the　room；　and；　without　occupying　myself　particularly　about
  her　appearance；　asked　her　abruptly　what　her　business　was。
  〃My　father　has　met　with　a　severe　accident；〃　she　said；　〃and　requires
  instant　surgical　aid。　　I　entreat　you　to　come　to　him　immediately。〃
  The　freshness　and　the　melody　of　her　voice　startled　me。　　Such　voices
  rarely；　if　ever；　issue　from　any　but　beautiful　forms。　　I　looked　at
  her　attentively；　but；　owing　to　a　nondescript　species　of　shawl　in
  which　her　head　was　wrapped；　I　could　discern　nothing　beyond　what
  seemed　to　be　a　pale；　thin　face　and　large　eyes。　　Her　dress　was
  lamentable。　　An　old　silk；　of　a　color　now　unrecognizable；　clung　to
  her　figure　in　those　limp　folds　which　are　so　eloquent　of　misery。
  The　creases　where　it　had　been　folded　were　worn　nearly　through；　and
  the　edges　of　the　skirt　had　decayed　into　a　species　of　irregular
  fringe；　which　was　clotted　and　discolored　with　mud。　　Her　shoes
  which　were　but　half　concealed　by　this　scanty　garmentwere
  shapeless　and　soft　with　moisture。　　Her　hands　were　hidden　under　the
  ends　of　the　shawl　which　covered　her　head　and　hung　down　over　a　bust；
  the　outlines　of　which；　although　angular；　seemed　to　possess　grace。
  Poverty；　when　partially　shrouded；　seldom　fails　to　interest：　witness
  the　statue　of　the　Veiled　Beggar；　by　Monti。
  〃In　what　manner　was　your　father　hurt？〃　I　asked；　in　a　tone
  considerably　softened　from　the　one　in　which　I　put　my　first
  question。
  〃He　blew　himself　up；　sir；　and　is　terribly　wounded。〃
  〃Ah！　　He　is　in　some　factory；　then？〃
  〃No；　sir；　he　is　a　chemist。〃
  〃A　chemist？　　Why；　he　is　a　brother　professional。　　Wait　an　instant；
  and　I　will　slip　on　my　coat　and　go　with　you。　　Do　you　live　far　from
  here？〃
  〃In　the　Seventh　Avenue；　not　more　than　two　blocks　from　the　end　of
  this　street。〃
  〃So　much　the　better。　　We　will　be　with　him　in　a　few　minutes。　　Did
  you　leave　anyone　in　attendance　on　him？〃
  〃No；　sir。　　He　will　allow　no　one　but　myself　to　enter　his　laboratory。
  And；　injured　as　he　is；　I　could　not　induce　him　to　quit　it。〃
  〃Indeed！　　He　is　engaged　in　some　great　research；　perhaps？　　I　have
  known　such　cases。〃
  We　were　passing　under　a　lamp…post；　and　the　woman　suddenly　turned
  and　glared　at　me　with　a　look　of　such　wild　terror　that　for　an
  instant　I　involuntarily　glanced　round　me　under　the　impression　that
  some　terrible　peril；　unseen　by　me；　was　menacing　us　both。
  〃Don'tdon't　ask　me　any　questions；〃　she　said　breathlessly。　　〃He
  will　tell　you　all。　　But　do；　oh；　do　hasten！　　Good　God！　he　may　be
  dead　by　this　time！〃
  I　made　no　reply；　but　allowed　her　to　grasp　my　hand；　which　she　did
  with　a　bony；　nervous　clutch；　and　endeavored　with　some　difficulty　to
  keep　pace　with　the　long　stridesI　might　well　call　them　bounds；　for
  they　seemed　the　springs　of　a　wild　animal　rather　than　the　paces　of　a
  young　girlwith　which　she　covered　the　ground。　　Not　a　word　more　was
  uttered　until　we　stopped　before　a　shabby；　old…fashioned　tenement
  house　in　the　Seventh　Avenue；　not　far　above　Twenty…third　Street。
  She　pushed　the　door　open　with　a　convulsive　pressure；　and；　still
  retaining　hold　of　my　hand；　literally　dragged　me　upstairs　to　what
  seemed　to　be　a　back　offshoot　from　the　main　building；　as　high；
  perhaps；　as　the　fourth　story。　　In　a　moment　more　I　found　myself　in　a
  moderate…sized　chamber；　lit　by　a　single　lamp。　　In　one　corner；
  stretched　motionless　on　a　wretched　pallet　bed；　I　beheld　what　I
  supposed　to　be　the　figure　of　my　patient。
  〃He　is　there；〃　said　the　girl；　〃go　to　him。　　See　if　he　is　deadI
  dare　not　look。〃
  I　made　my　way　as　well　as　I　could　through　the　numberless　dilapidated
  chemical　instruments　with　which　the　room　was　littered。　　A　French
  chafing　dish　supported　on　an　iron　tripod　had　been　overturned；　and
  was　lying　across　the　floor；　while　the　charcoal；　still　warm；　was
  scattered　around　in　various　directions。　　Crucibles；　alembics；　and
  retorts　were　confusedly　piled　in　various　corners；　and　on　a　small
  table　I　saw　distributed　in　separate　bottles　a　number　of　mineral　and
  metallic　substances；　which　I　recognized　as　antimony；　mercury；
  plumbago；　arsenic；　borax；　etc。　　It　was　veritably　the　apartment　of　a
  poor　chemist。　　All　the　apparatus　had　the　air　of　being　second…hand。
  There　was　no　luster　of　exquisitely　annealed　glass　and　highly
  polished　metals；　such　as　dazzles　one　in　the　laboratory　of　the
  prosperous　analyst。　　The　makeshifts　of　poverty　were　everywhere
  visible。　　The　crucibles　were　broken；　or　gallipots　were　used　instead
  of　crucibles。　　The　colored　tests　were　not　in　the　usual　transparent
  vials；　but　were　placed　in　ordinary　black　bottles。　　There　is　nothing
  more　melancholy　than　to　behold　science　or　art　in　distress。　　A
  threadbare　scholar；　a　tattered　book；　or　a　battered　violin　is　a　mute
  appeal　to　our　sympathy。
  I　approached　the　wretched　pallet　bed　on　which　the　victim　of
  chemistry　was　lying。　　He　breathed　heavily；　and　had　his　head　turned
  toward　the　wall。　　I　lifted　his　arm　gently　to　arouse　his　attention。
  〃How　goes　it；　my　poor　friend？〃　I　asked　him。　　〃Where　are　you　hurt？〃
  In　a　moment；　as　if　startled　by　the　sound　of　my　voice；　he　sprang　up
  in　his　bed；　and　cowered　against　the　wall　like　a　wild　animal　driven
  to　bay。　　〃Who　are　you？　　I　don't　know　you。　　Who　brought　you　here？
  You　are　a　stranger。　　How　dare　you　come　into　my　private　rooms　to　spy
  upon　me？〃
  And　as　he　uttered　this　rapidly　with　a　frightful　nervous　energy；　I
  beheld　a　pale　distorted　face；　draped　with　long　gray　hair；　glaring
  at　me　with　a　mingled　expression　of　fury　and　terror。
  〃I　am　no　spy；〃　I　answered　mildly。　　〃I　heard　that　you　had　met　with
  an　accident；　and　have　come　to　cure　you。　　I　am　Dr。　Luxor；　and　here
  is　my　card。〃
  The　old　man　took　the　card；　and　scanned　it　eagerly。　　〃You　are　a
  physician？〃　he　inquired　distrustfully。
  〃And　surgeon　also。〃
  〃You　are　bound　by　oath　not　to　reveal　the　secrets　of　your　patients。〃
  〃Undoubtedly。〃
  〃I　am　afraid　that　I　am　hurt；〃　he　continued　faintly；　half　sinking
  back　in　the　bed。
  I　seized　the　opportunity　to　make　a　brief　examination　of　his　body。
  I　found　that　the　arms；　a　part　of　the　chest；　and　a　part　of　the　face
  were　terribly　scorched；　but　it　seemed　to　me　that　there　was　nothing
  to　be　apprehended　but　pain。
  〃You　will　not　reveal　anything　that　you　may　learn　here？〃　said　the
  old　man；　feebly　fixing　his　eyes　on　my　face　while　I　was　applying　a
  soothing　ointment　to　the　burns。　　〃You　will　promise　me。〃
  I　nodded　assent。
  〃Then　I　will　trust　you。　　Cure　meI　will　pay　you　well。〃
  I　could　scarce　help　smiling。　　If　Lorenzo　de'　Medici；　conscious　of
  millions　of　ducats　in　his　coffers；　had　been　addressing　some　leech
  of　the　period；　he　could　not　have　spoken　with　a　loftier　air　than
  this　inhabitant　of　the　fourth　story　of　a　tenement　house　in　the
  Seventh　Avenue。
  〃You　must　keep　quiet；〃　I　answered。　　〃Let　nothing　irritate　you。　　I
  will　leave　a　composing　draught　with　your　daughter；　which　she　will
  give　you　immediately。　　I　will　see　you　in　the　morning。　　You　will　be
  well　in　a　week。〃
  〃Thank　God！〃　came　in　a　murmur　from　a　dusk　corner　near　the　door。　　I
  turned；　and　beheld　the　dim　outline　of　the　girl；　standing　with
  clasped　hands　in　the　gloom　of　the　dim　chamber。
  〃My　daughter！〃　screamed　the　old　man；　once　more　leaping　up　in　the
  bed　with　renewed　vitality。　　〃You　have　seen　her；　then？　　When？
  Where？　　Oh；　may　a　thousand　cur〃
  〃Father！　father！　　Anythinganything　but　that。　　Don't；　don't　curse
  me！〃　　And　the　poor　girl；　rushing　in；　flung　herself　sobbing　on　her
  knees　beside　his　pallet。
  〃Ah；　brigand！　　You　are　there；　are　you？　　Sir；〃　said　he；　turning