Having　thus　taken　him　by　the　eye；　he　took　him　by　the　mind。
  〃Is　it　a　small　thing　for　the　creature　to　say　to　her　Creator；　'I　can
  pack　all　this　egg…china　better　than　you　can；'　and　thereupon　to　jam
  all　those　vital　organs　close；　by　a　powerful；　a　very　powerful　and
  ingenious　machine？　　Is　it　a　small　thing　for　that　sex；　which；　for
  good　reasons；　the　Omniscient　has　made　larger　in　the　waist　than　the
  male；　to　say　to　her　Creator；　'You　don't　know　your　business；　women
  ought　to　be　smaller　in　the　waist　than　men；　and　shall　be　throughout
  the　civilized　world'？〃
  In　short；　he　delivered　so　many　true　and　pointed　things　on　this
  trite　subject；　that　the　old　gentleman　was　convinced；　and　begged　him
  to　come　over　that　very　evening　and　convince　Rosa。
  Dr。　Staines　shook　his　head　dolefully；　and　all　his　fire　died　out　of
  him　at　having　to　face　the　fair。　　〃Reason　will　be　wasted。　　Authority
  is　the　only　weapon。　　My　profession　and　my　reading　have　both　taught
  me　that　the　whole　character　of　her　sex　undergoes　a　change　the
  moment　a　man　interferes　with　their　dress。　　From　Chaucer's　day　to
  our　own；　neither　public　satire　nor　private　remonstrance　has　ever
  shaken　any　of　their　monstrous　fashions。　　Easy；　obliging；　pliable；
  and　weaker　of　will　than　men　in　other　things；　do　but　touch　their
  dress；　however　objectionable；　and　rock　is　not　harder；　iron　is　not
  more　stubborn；　than　these　soft　and　yielding　creatures。　　It　is　no
  earthly　use　my　comingI'll　come。〃
  He　came　that　very　evening；　and　saw　directly　she　was　worse。　　〃Of
  course；〃　said　he；　sadly；　〃you　have　not　taken　my　advice。〃
  Rosa　replied　with　a　toss　and　an　evasion；　〃I　was　not　worth　a
  prescription！〃
  〃A　physician　can　prescribe　without　sending　his　patient　to　the
  druggist；　and　when　he　does；　then　it　is　his　words　are　gold。〃
  Rosa　shook　her　head　with　an　air　of　lofty　incredulity。
  He　looked　ruefully　at　Mr。　Lusignan　and　was　silent。　　Rosa　smiled
  sarcastically；　she　thought　he　was　at　his　wit's　end。
  Not　quite：　he　was　cudgelling　his　brains　in　search　of　some　horribly
  unscientific　argument；　that　might　prevail；　for　he　felt　science
  would　fall　dead　upon　so　fair　an　antagonist。　　At　last　his　eye
  kindled；　he　had　hit　on　an　argument　unscientific　enough　for　anybody；
  he　thought。　　Said　he；　ingratiatingly；　〃You　believe　the　Old
  Testament？〃
  〃Of　course　I　do；　every　syllable。〃
  〃And　the　lessons　it　teaches？〃
  〃Certainly！〃
  〃Then　let　me　tell　you　a　story　from　that　book。　　A　Syrian　general　had
  a　terrible　disease。　　He　consulted　Elisha　by　deputy。　　Elisha　said；
  'Bathe　seven　times　in　a　certain　river；　Jordan；　and　you　will　get
  well。'　　The　general　did　not　like　this　at　all；　he　wanted　a
  prescription；　wanted　to　go　to　the　druggist；　didn't　believe　in
  hydropathy　to　begin；　and；　in　any　case；　turned　up　his　nose　at
  Jordan。　　What！　bathe　in　an　Israelitish　brook；　when　his　own　country
  boasted　noble　rivers；　with　a　reputation　for　sanctity　into　the
  bargain？　　In　short；　he　preferred　his　leprosy　to　such　irregular
  medicine。　　But　it　happened；　by　some　immense　fortuity；　that　one　of
  his　servants；　though　an　Oriental；　was　a　friend；　instead　of　a
  flatterer；　and　this　sensible　fellow　said；　'If　the　prophet　told　you
  to　do　some　great　and　difficult　thing；　to　get　rid　of　this　fearful
  malady；　would　not　you　do　it；　however　distasteful？　and　can　you
  hesitate　when　he　merely　says；　Wash　in　the　Jordan；　and　be　healed？'
  The　general　listened　to　good　sense；　and　cured　himself。　　Your　case
  is　parallel。　　You　would　take　quantities　of　foul　medicine；　you　would
  submit　to　some　painful　operation；　if　life　and　health　depended　on
  it；　then　why　not　do　a　small　thing　for　a　great　result？　　You　have
  only　to　take　off　an　unnatural　machine　which　cripples　your　growing
  frame；　and　was　unknown　to　every　one　of　the　women　whose　forms　in
  Parian　marble　the　world　admires。　　Off　with　that　monstrosity；　and
  your　cure　is　as　certain　as　the　Syrian　general's；　though　science；
  and　not　inspiration；　dictates　the　easy　remedy。〃
  Rosa　had　listened　impatiently；　and　now　replied　with　some　warmth；
  〃This　is　shockingly　profane。　　The　idea　of　comparing　yourself　to
  Elisha；　and　me　to　a　horrid　leper！　　Much　obliged！　　Not　that　I　know
  what　a　leper　is。〃
  〃Come；　come！　that　is　not　fair；〃　said　Mr。　Lusignan。　　〃He　only
  compared　the　situation；　not　the　people。〃
  〃But；　papa；　the　Bible　is　not　to　be　dragged　into　the　common　affairs
  of　life。〃
  〃Then　what　on　earth　is　the　use　of　it？〃
  〃Oh；　papa！　　Well；　it　is　not　Sunday；　but　I　have　had　a　sermon。　　This
  is　the　clergyman；　and　you　are　the　commentatorhe！　he！　　And　so　now
  let　us　go　back　from　divinity　to　medicine。　　I　repeat〃　（this　was　the
  first　time　she　had　said　it）　〃that　my　other　doctors　give　me　real
  prescriptions；　written　in　hieroglyphics。　　You　can't　look　at　them
  without　feeling　there　MUST　be　something　in　them。〃
  An　angry　spot　rose　on　Christopher's　cheek；　but　he　only　said；　〃And
  are　your　other　doctors　satisfied　with　the　progress　your　disorder　is
  making　under　their　superintendence？〃
  〃Perfectly！　　Papa；　tell　him　what　they　say；　and　I'll　find　him　their
  prescriptions。〃　　She　went　to　a　drawer；　and　rummaged；　affecting　not
  to　listen。
  Lusignan　complied。　　〃First　of　all；　sir；　I　must　tell　you　they　are
  confident　it　is　not　the　lungs；　but　the　liver。〃
  〃The　what！〃　shouted　Christopher。
  〃Ah！〃　screamed　Rosa。　　〃Oh；　don't！bawling！〃
  〃And　don't　you　screech；〃　said　her　father；　with　a　look　of　misery　and
  apprehension　impartially　distributed　on　the　resounding　pair。
  〃You　must　have　misunderstood　them；〃　murmured　Staines；　in　a　voice
  that　was　now　barely　audible　a　yard　off。　　〃The　hemorrhage　of　a
  bright　red　color；　and　expelled　without　effort　or　nausea？〃
  〃From　the　liverthey　have　assured　me　again　and　again；〃　said
  Lusignan。
  Christopher's　face　still　wore　a　look　of　blank　amazement；　till　Rosa
  herself　confirmed　it　positively。
  Then　he　cast　a　look　of　agony　upon　her；　and　started　up　in　a　passion；
  forgetting　once　more　that　his　host　abhorred　the　sonorous。　　〃Oh；
  shame！　shame！〃　he　cried；　〃that　the　noble　profession　of　medicine
  should　be　disgraced　by　ignorance　such　as　this。〃　　Then　he　said；
  sternly；　〃Sir；　do　not　mistake　my　motives；　but　I　decline　to　have
  anything　further　to　do　with　this　case；　until　those　two　gentlemen
  have　been　relieved　of　it；　and；　as　this　is　very　harsh；　and　on　my
  part　unprecedented；　I　will　give　you　one　reason　out　of　many　I　COULD
  give　you。　　Sir；　there　is　no　road　from　the　liver　to　the　throat　by
  which　blood　can　travel　in　this　way；　defying　the　laws　of　gravity；
  and　they　knew；　from　the　patient；　that　no　strong　expellent　force　has
  ever　been　in　operation。　　Their　diagnosis；　therefore；　implies
  agnosis；　or　ignorance　too　great　to　be　forgiven。　　I　will　not　share
  my　patient　with　two　gentlemen　who　know　so　little　of　medicine；　and
  know　nothing　of　anatomy；　which　is　the　A　B　C　of　medicine。　　Can　I　see
  their　prescriptions？〃
  These　were　handed　to　him。　　〃Good　heavens！〃　said　he；　〃have　you　taken
  all　these？〃
  〃Most　of　them。〃
  〃Why；　then　you　have　drunk　about　two　gallons　of　unwholesome　liquids；
  and　eaten　a　pound　or　two　of　unwholesome　solids。　　These　medicines
  have　co…operated　with　the　malady。　　The　disorder　lies；　not　in　the
  hemorrhage；　but　in　the　precedent　extravasation　that　is　a　drain　on
  the　system；　and　how　is　the　loss　to　be　supplied？　　Why；　by　taking　a
  little　more　nourishment　than　before；　there　is　no　other　way；　and
  probably　Nature；　left　to　herself；　might　have　increased　your
  appetite　to　meet　the　occasion。　　But　those　two　worthies　have　struck
  that　weapon　out　of　Nature's　hand；　they　have　peppered　away　at　the
  poor　ill…used　stomach　with　drugs　and　draughts；　not　very　deleterious
  I　grant　you；　but　all　more　or　less　indigestible；　and　all　tending；
  not　to　whet　the　appetite；　but　to　clog　the　stomach；　or　turn　the
  stomach；　or　pester　the　stomach；　and　so　impair　the　appetite；　and　so
  co…operate；　indirectly；　with　the　malady。〃
  〃This　is　good　sense；〃　said　Lusignan。　　〃I　declare；　II　wish　I　knew
  how　to　get　rid　of　them。〃
  〃Oh；　I'll　do　that；　papa。〃
  〃No；　no；　it　is　not　worth　a　rumpus。〃
  〃I'll　do　it　too　politely　for　that。　　Christopher；　you　are　very
  cleverTERRIBLY　clever。　　Whenever　I　threw　their　medicines　away；　I
  was　always　a　little　better　that　day。　　I　will　sacrifice　them　to　you。
  It　IS　a　sacrifice。　　They　are　both　so　kind　and　chatty；　and　don't
  grudge　me　hieroglyphics；　now　you　do。〃
  She　sat　down　and　wrote　two　sweet　letters　to　Dr。　Snell　and　Mr。
  Wyman；　thanking　them　for　the　great　attention　they　had　paid　her；　but
  finding　herself　getting　steadily　worse；　in　spite　of　all　they　had
  done　for　her；　she　proposed　to　discontinue　her　medicines　for　a　time；
  and　try　change　of　air。
  〃And　suppose　they　call　to　see　whether　you　are　changing　the　air？〃
  〃In　that　case；　papa'not　at　home。'〃
  The　notes　were　addressed　and　despatched。
  Then　Dr。　Staines　brightened　up；　and　said　to　Lusignan；　〃I　am　now
  happy　to　tell　you　that　I　have　overrated　the　malady。　　The　sad　change
  I　see　in　Miss　Lusignan　is　partly　due　to　the　great　bulk　of
  unwholesome　esculents　she　has　been　eating　and　drinking　under　the
  head　of　medicines。　　These　discontinued；　she　might　linger　on　for
  years；　existing；　though　not　livingthe　tight…laced　cannot　be　said
  to　live。　　But　if　she　would　be　healthy　and　happy；　let　her　throw　that
  diabolical　machine　into　the　fire。　　It　is　no　use　asking　her　to
  loosen　it；　she　can't。　　Once　there；　the　temptation　is　too　strong。