Page:Anna Karenina.djvu/170

 condition, and gave his reasons for thinking that it was the beginning of tubercular disease, but ....

The celebrated physician listened, and in the midst of his diagnosis took out his great gold watch.

"Yes," said he, "but .... "

The family physician stopped respectfully.

"You know that we can hardly decide when tubercular disease first begins. In the present case, apparently there is as yet no decided lesion. We can only surmise. And the symptoms are: indigestion, nervousness, and others. The question, therefore, stands thus: What is to be done, granting that a tubercular development is to be feared, in order to superinduce improved alimentation?"

"But you know well, in such cases there are always some moral or spiritual causes," said the family doctor, with a cunning smile.

"Of course," replied the celebrated doctor, looking at his watch again. "Excuse me, but do you know whether the bridge over the Yausa is finished yet, or whether one has to go around? Oh, it is finished, is it? Well! Then I have twenty minutes left.—We were just saying that the question remains thus: to improve the digestion, and strengthen the nerves; the one is connected with the other, and it is necessary to act on both halves of the circle."

"But the journey abroad?"

"I am opposed to these journeys abroad. I beg you to follow my reasoning. If tubercular development has already set in, which we are not yet in a condition to prove, then a journey abroad would do no good. The main thing is to discover a means of promoting good digestion."

And the celebrated doctor began to develop his plan for a cure by means of Soden water, the principal merits of which were, in his eyes, their absolutely inoffensive character.

The family doctor listened with attention and respect.

"But I should urge in favor of a journey abroad the