“The present-day physicians shrug their shoulders when the name of Ambrose Pare is mentioned.  They used to pooh-pooh the idea of the alchemists that gold had medicinal virtue.  Their fine scorn does not now prevent them from using alternate doses of the salts and of the filings of this metal.  They use concentrated arseniate of gold against anemia, muriate against syphilis, cyanide against amenorrhea and scrofula, and chloride of sodium and gold against old ulcers.  No, I assure you, it is disgusting to be a physician, for in spite of the fact that I am a doctor of science and have extensive hospital experience I am quite inferior to humble country herborists, solitaries, who know a great deal more than I about what is useful to know—­and I admit it.”

“And homeopathy?”

“It has some good things about it and some bad ones.  It also palliates without curing.  It sometimes represses maladies, but for grave and acute cases it is impotent, just like this Mattei system, which, however, is useful as an intermediary to stave off a crisis.  With its blood-and lymph-purifying products, its antiscrofoloso, its angiotico, its anti-canceroso, it sometimes modifies morbid states in which other methods are of no avail.  For instance, it permits a patient whose kidneys have been demoralized by iodide of potassium to gain time and recuperate so that he can safely begin to drink iodide again!

“I add that terrific shooting pains, which rebel even against chloroform and morphine, often yield to an application of ‘green electricity.’  You ask me, perhaps, of what ingredients this liquid electricity is made.  I answer that I know absolutely nothing about it.  Mattei claims that he has been able to fix in his globules and liquors the electrical properties of certain plants, but he has never given out his recipe, hence he can tell whatever stories suit him.  What is curious, anyway, is that this system, thought out by a Roman count, a Catholic, has its most important following and propaganda among Protestant pastors, whose original asininity becomes abysmal in the unbelievable homilies which accompany their essays on healing.  Indeed, considered seriously, these systems are a lot of wind.  The truth is that in the art of healing we grope along at hazard.  Nevertheless, with a little experience and a great deal of nerve we can manage so as not too shockingly to depopulate the cities.  Enough of that, old man, and now where have you been keeping yourself?”

“Just what I was going to ask you.  You haven’t been to see me for over a week.”

“Well, just now everybody in the world is ill and I am racing around all the time.  By the way, I’ve been attending Chantelouve, who has a pretty serious attack of gout.  He complains of your absence, and his wife, whom I should not have taken for an admirer of your books, of your last novel especially, speaks to me unceasingly of them and you.  For a person customarily so reserved, she seems to me to have become quite enthusiastic about you, does Mme. Chantelouve.  Why, what’s the matter?” he exclaimed, seeing how red Durtal had become.