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128 becoming in an intellectual being, and gave myself up to lightness of thought, frivolity of speech, and laxity of manners, if not of principles. That is why I am here. I never committed a crime against society, but I was fond of parties, and could drink my glass and sing my song. I was praised by my large circle of acquaintances, who conferred upon me the nickname of "Jolly Chirurgeon"; that is why I am here. I was too fond of the world: not an open scoffer at the religion of Jesus Christ: a believer at one time, a doubter at another, I could not make up my mind. I did not treat religion with contempt, but I gave it no deep consideration. May I be pardoned for my folly! And to crown all I became an idolater.'

'An idolater, Doctor!'

'Yes, I fell in love—madly, deeply, desperately, in love—and fell down, so to speak, and worshipped the object of my love; another reason why I am here. That is my story for the present, and you must be satisfied with that.'

'Have you no hope, my dear sir, of ever being released from this horrible pit?' I asked deferentially.

'Very little,' he replied sadly. 'But I do not think that the good God, whom I have now learned to love and worship above all persons and things, will leave me here for ever. It can give Him no pleasure, and it certainly gives me an immense amount of pain. For one hundred and eighty years I have followed the same round—setting these men up again who have been struck down in battle, and trying to heal the diseases of other poor wretches. That is my occupation. It is true I have learned many things which are not known, or even suspected, in your world, and many things are concealed from me which perhaps you know. My researches in chemistry have made me master of some wonderful secrets. If I could only induce that, infernal Demon to take me up in his balloon,