celebrated Polish doctor。 He was shown by a footman to the first floor
of a little house Godefroid had been examining while the porter was
seeking and informing the footman。
Happily； Godefroid's early arrival saved him the annoyance of being
kept waiting。 He was； he supposed； the first comer。 From a very plain
and simple antechamber he passed into a large study； where he saw an
old man in a dressing…gown smoking a long pipe。 The dressing…gown； of
black bombazine； shiny with use； dated from the period of the Polish
emigration。
〃What can I do for you？〃 said the Jewish doctor； 〃for I see you are
not ill。〃 And he fixed on his visitor a look which had the
inquisitive； piercing expression of the eyes of a Polish Jew； eyes
which seem to have ears of their own。
Halpersohn was； to Godefroid's great astonishment； a man of fifty…six
years of age； with small bow…legs； and a broad； powerful chest and
shoulders。 There was something oriental about the man； and his face in
its youth must have been very handsome。 The nose was Hebraic； long and
curved like a Damascus blade。 The forehead； truly Polish； broad and
noble； but creased like a bit of crumpled paper； resembled that given
by the old Italian masters to Saint Joseph。 The eyes； of a sea…green；
and circled； like those of parrots； with a gray and wrinkled membrane；
expressed slyness and avarice in an eminent degree。 The mouth； gashed
into the face like a wound； added to the already sinister expression
of the countenance all the sarcasm of distrust。
That pale； thin face； for Halpersohn's whole person was remarkably
thin； surmounted by ill…kept gray hair； ended in a long and very
thick； black beard； slightly touched with white； which hid fully half
the face； so that nothing was really seen of it but the forehead；
nose； eyes； cheek…bones； and mouth。
This friend of the revolutionist Lelewel wore a black velvet cap which
came to a point on the brow； and took a high light worthy of the touch
of Rembrandt。
The question of the physician （who has since become so celebrated； as
much for his genius as for his avarice） caused some surprise in
Godefroid's mind； and he said to himself：
〃I wonder if he takes me for a thief。〃
The answer to this mental question was on the doctor's table and
fireplace。 Godefroid thought he was the first to arrive； he was really
the last。 Preceding clients had left large offerings behind them；
among them Godefroid noticed piles of twenty and forty…franc gold
pieces and two notes of a thousand francs each。 Could that be the
product of one morning？ He doubted it； and suspected the Pole of
intentional trickery。 Perhaps the grasping but infallible doctor took
this method of showing his clients； mostly rich persons； that gold
must be dropped into his pouch； and not buttons。
Moses Halpersohn was； undoubtedly； largely paid； for he cured； and he
cured precisely those desperate diseases which science declares
incurable。 It is not known in Europe that the Slav races possess many
secrets。 They have a collection of sovereign remedies； the fruits of
their connection with the Chinese； Persians； Cossacks； Turks； and
Tartars。 Certain peasant women in Poland； who pass for witches； cure
insanity radically with the juice of herbs。 A vast body of
observation； not codified； exists in Poland on the effects of certain
plants； and certain barks of trees reduced to powder； which are
transmitted from father to son； and family to family； producing cures
that are almost miraculous。
Halpersohn； who for five or six years was called a quack on account of
his powders and herb medicines； had the innate science of a great
physician。 Not only had he studied much and observed much； but he had
travelled in every part of Germany； Russia； Persia； and Turkey； whence
he had gathered many a traditionary secret； and as he knew chemistry
he became a living volume of those wonderful recipes scattered among
the wise women； or； as the French call them； the /bonnes femmes/； of
every land to which his feet had gone； following his father； a
perambulating trader。
It must not be thought that the scene in 〃The Talisman〃 where Saladin
cures the King of England is a fiction。 Halpersohn possesses a silk
purse which he steeps in water till the liquid is slightly colored；
certain fevers yield immediately when the patient has drunk the
prescribed dose of it。 The virtue of plants； according to his man； is
infinite； and the cure of the worst diseases possible。 Nevertheless；
he； like the rest of his professional brethren； stops short at certain
incomprehensibilities。 Halpersohn approved of the invention of
homoeopathy； more on account of its therapeutics than for its medical
system； he was corresponding at this time with Hedenius of Dresden；
Chelius of Heidelburg； and the celebrated German doctors； all the
while holding his hand closed； though it was full of discoveries。 He
wished for no pupils。
The frame was in keeping with this embodiment of a Rembrandt picture。
The study； hung with a paper imitating green velvet； was shabbily
furnished with a green divan； the cover of which was threadbare。 A
worn…out green carpet was on the floor。 A large armchair of black
leather； intended for clients； stood before the window； which was
draped with green curtains。 A desk chair of Roman shape； made in
mahogany and covered with green morocco； was the doctor's own seat。
Between the fireplace and the long table at which he wrote； a common
iron safe stood against the wall； and on it was a clock of Viennese
granite； surmounted by a group in bronze representing Cupid playing
with Death； the present of a great German sculptor whom Halpersohn had
doubtless cured。 On the mantel…shelf was a vase between two
candlesticks； and no other ornament。 On either side of the divan were
corner…buffets of ebony； holding plates and dishes； and Godefroid also
noticed upon them two silver bowls； glass decanters； and napkins。
This simplicity； which amounted almost to bareness struck Godefroid；
whose quick eye took it all in as he recovered his self…possession。
〃Monsieur； I am； as you say； perfectly well myself； I have come on
behalf of a woman to whom you were asked to pay a visit some time ago。
She lives on the boulevard du Mont…Parnasse。〃
〃Ah！ yes； the lady who has sent her son here several times。 Well；
monsieur； let her come here to me。〃
〃Come here！〃 repeated Godefroid； indignantly。 〃Monsieur； she cannot
even be moved from her bed to a chair； they lift her with pulleys。〃
〃You are not a physician； I suppose？〃 said the Jewish doctor； with a
singular grimace which made his face appear more wicked than it really
was。
〃If the Baron de Nucingen sent word that he was ill and wanted you to
visit him； would you reply； 'Let him come here to me'？〃
〃I should go to him；〃 said the Jew； coldly； spitting into a Dutch pot
made of mahogany and full of sand。
〃You would go；〃 said Godefroid； gently； 〃because the Baron de Nucingen
has two millions a year； and〃
〃The rest has nothing to do with the matter； I should go。〃
〃Well； monsieur； you must go to the lady on the boulevard du Mont…
Parnasse for the same reason。 Without possessing the fortune of the
Baron du Nucingen； I am here to tell you that you may yourself put a
price upon this lady's cure； or upon your attendance if you fail； I am
ready to pay it in advance。 But perhaps； monsieur； as you are a Polish
refugee and； I believe； a communist； the lady's parentage may induce
you to make a sacrifice to Poland。 She is the granddaughter of Colonel
Tarlowski； the friend of Poniatowski。〃
〃Monsieur； you came here to ask me to cure that lady； and not to give
me advice。 In Poland I am a Pole； in Paris I am Parisian。 Every man
does good in his own way； the greed with which I am credited is not
without its motive。 The wealth I am amassing has its destination； it
is a sacred one。 I sell health； the rich can afford to purchase it；
and I make them pay。 The poor have their doctors。 If I had not a
purpose in view I would not practise medicine。 I live soberly and I
spend my time in rushing hither and thither； my natural inclination is
to be lazy； and I used to be a gambler。 Draw your conclusions； young
man。 You are too young still to judge old men。〃
Godefroid was silent。
〃From what you say；〃 went on the doctor； 〃the lady in question is the
granddaughter of that imbecile who had no courage but that of
fighting； and who took part in delivering over his country to
Catherine II？〃
〃Yes； monsieur。〃
〃Well； be at her house Monday next at three o'clock；〃 said Halpersohn；
taking out a note…book in which he wrote a few words。 〃You will give
me then two hundred francs； and if I promise to cure the patient you
will give me three thousand。 I am told；〃 he added； 〃that the lady has
shrunk to almost nothing。〃
〃Monsieur； if the most celebrated doctors in Paris are to be believed；
it is a neurotic case of so extraordinary a nature that they denied
the possibility of its symptoms until they saw them。〃
〃Ah！ yes； I remember now what the young lad told me。 To…morrow；
monsieur。〃
Godefroid withdrew； after bowing to the man who seemed to him as odd
as he was extraordinary。 Nothing about him indicated a physician； not
even the study； in which the most notable object was the iron safe；
made by Huret or Fichet。
Godefroid had just time to get to the passage Vivienne before the
shops closed for the day； and there he bought a superb accordion；
which he ordered sent at once to Monsieur Bernard； giving the address。
XVI
A LESSON IN CHARITY
From the doctor's house Godefroid made his way to the rue Chanoinesse；
passing along the quai des Augustins； where he hoped to find one of
the shops of the commission…publishers open。 He was fortunate enough
to do so； and had a long talk with a young clerk on books of
jurisprudence。
When he reached the rue Chanoinesse； he found Madame de la Chanterie
and her friends just returning from high mass； in reply to the look
she gave him Godefroid made her a significant sign with his head。
〃Isn't our dear father Alain here to…day？〃 he said。
〃No；〃 she replied； 〃not this Sunday； you will not see him till a week
from to…dayunless you go where he