Page:Doughty--Mirrikh or A woman from Mars.djvu/258

 “There may be much in what you say; but tell me, Maurice, when Walla seemed to be controlled and you spoke with her—the time you walked, I mean—do you claim that the  woman was then out of your body and in the body of that  unfortunate girl? I have had no opportunity to ask you of this until now."

“Claim is hardly the word, George; it was so. But for heaven’s sake don’t let the Doctor hear.”

“He is sound asleep.”

“Don’t be too sure.”

“But I am sure,” I answered, when suddenly the Doctor raised his head.

“You are mistaken, George. I am wide awake and listening, though I did drop off for awhile. I will not be mean enough to listen any longer to your secrets, Maurice, since  you do not wish me to hear them, but I have heard enough  already to show me in what particular direction your brain  disturbance runs.”

Maurice was furious; it was as much as he could do to restrain himself; as for me, I was sincerely sorry that the subject had been brought to the Doctor’s notice. He kept right on talking, for neither of us spoke.

“You may think that yours is altogether a new disease, my boy, but allow me to correct you. It’s as old as Adam, whose case is the first on record, and you must admit  that Adam was a deuced sight better off with Mrs. Eve inside of him than after she was let out to go apple stealing  and fooling round with snakes, instead of attending to her  domestic duties, as she should. During the Middle Ages such cases were common; and they are not undiscoverable  now; almost any first-class lunatic asylum ought to produce  three or four, at least. I remember when I had my last charge in London—it was an old church down among the watermen, on the very banks of the Thames—for a certain  reason I’d rather not locate it exactly—there was a man who  used to bother the life out of me insisting that he had a  woman inside of him and wanting my advice as to how to  get her out. I suggested an emetic, but”

He paused for he caught the look upon Maurice's face. It was terrible! I knew what my friend was in anger for I had seen him angry in the old days at Panompin. He was furiously angry now, but before he could explode I interposed in the interest of peace.