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Mr。 Winterfield's past life？〃
This timefeeling myself； in all probability； on the brink of
discoveryI was careful to preserve my composure。 I said；
quietly： 〃Some such incident as you describe has occurred in Mr。
Winterfield's past life。〃 There I stopped discreetly； and looked
as if I knew all about it。
The doctor showed no curiosity to hear more。 〃My object；〃 he went
on； 〃was merely to be reasonably sure that I was speaking to the
right person； in speaking to you。 I may now tell you that I have
no personal interest in trying to discover Mr。 Winterfield； I
only act as the representative of an old friend of mine。 He is
the proprietor of a private asylum at Sandswortha man whose
integrity is beyond dispute； or he would not be my friend。 You
understand my motive in saying this？〃
Proprietors of private asylums are； in these days； the objects of
very general distrust in England。 I understood the doctor's
motive perfectly。
He proceeded。 〃Yesterday evening； my friend called upon me； and
said that he had a remarkable case in his house； which he
believed would interest me。 The person to whom he alluded was a
French boy； whose mental powers had been imperfectly developed
from his childhood。 The mischief had been aggravated； when he was
about thirteen years old； by a serious fright。 When he was placed
in my asylum； he was not idiotic； and not dangerously madit was
a case （not to use technical language） of deficient intelligence；
tending sometimes toward acts of unreasoning mischief and petty
theft； but never approaching to acts of downright violence。 My
friend was especially interested in the ladwon his confidence
and affection by acts of kindnessand so improved his bodily
health as to justify some hope of also improving the state of his
mind； when a misfortune occurred which has altered the whole
prospect。 The poor creature has fallen ill of a fever； and the
fever has developed to typhus。 So far； there has been little to
interest youI am coming to a remarkable event at last。 At the
stage of the fever when delirium usually occurs in patients of
sound mind； this crazy French boy has become perfectly sane and
reasonable！〃
I looked at him； when he made this amazing assertion； with a
momentary doubt of his being in earnest。 Doctor Wybrow understood
me。
〃Just what I thought； too； when I first heard it！〃 he said。 〃My
friend was neither offended nor surprised。 After inviting me to
go to his house； and judge for myself； he referred me to a
similar case； publicly cited in the 'Cornhill Magazine；' for the
month of April； 1879； in an article entitled 'Bodily Illness as a
Mental Stimulant。' The article is published anonymously； but the
character of the periodical in which it appears is a sufficient
guarantee of the trustworthiness of the statement。 I was so far
influenced by the testimony thus cited； that I drove to
Sandsworth and examined the case myself。〃
〃Did the examination satisfy you？〃
〃Thoroughly。 When I saw him last night； the poor boy was as sane
as I am。 There is； however； a complication in this instance；
which is not mentioned in the case related in print。 The boy
appears to have entirely forgotten every event in his past life；
reckoning from the time when the bodily illness brought with it
the strange mental recovery which I have mentioned to you。〃
This was a disappointment。 I had begun to hope for some coming
result； obtained by the lad's confession。
〃Is it quite correct to call him sane； when his memory is gone？〃
I ventured to ask。
〃In this case there is no necessity to enter into the question；〃
the doctor answered。 〃The boy's lapse of memory refers； as I told
you； to his past lifethat is to say； his life when his
intellect was deranged。 During the extraordinary interval of
sanity that has now declared itself； he is putting his mental
powers to their first free use； and none of them fail him； so far
as I can see。 His new memory （if I may call it so） preserves the
knowledge of what has happened since his illness。 You may imagine
how this problem in brain disease interests me； and you will not
wonder that I am going back to Sandsworth tomorrow afternoon；
when I have done with my professional visits。 But you may be
reasonably surprised at my troubling _you_ with details which are
mainly interesting to a medical man。〃
Was he about to ask me to go with him to the asylum？ I replied
very briefly； merely saying that the details were interesting to
every student of human nature。 If he could have felt my pulse at
that moment； I am afraid he might have thought I was in a fair
way of catching the fever too。
〃Prepare yourself；〃 he resumed； 〃for another surprising
circumstance。 Mr。 Winterfield is； by some incomprehensible
accident； associated with one of the mischievous tricks played by
the French boy； before he was placed under my friend's care。
There； at any rate； is the only explanation by which we can
account for the discovery of an envelope （with inclosures） found
sewn up in the lining of the lad's waistcoat； and directed to Mr。
Winterfieldwithout any place of address。〃
I leave you to imagine the effect which those words produced on
me。
〃Now；〃 said the doctor； 〃you will understand why I put such
strange questions to you。 My friend and I are both hard…working
men。 We go very little into society； as the phrase is； and
neither he nor I had ever heard the name of Winterfield。 As a
certain proportion of my patients happen to be people with a
large experience of society； I undertook to make inquiries； so
that the packet might be delivered； if possible； to the right
person。 You heard how Mrs。 Eyrecourt （surely a likely lady to
assist me？） received my unlucky reference to the madhouse； and
you saw how I puzzled Sir John。 I consider myself most fortunate；
Father Benwell； in having had the honor of meeting you？ Will you
accompany me to the asylum to…morrow？ And can you add to the
favor by bringing Mr。 Winterfield with you？〃
This last request it was out of my powerreally out of my
powerto grant。 Winterfield had left London that morning on his
visit to Paris。 His address there was； thus far； not known to me。
〃Well； you must represent your friend；〃 the doctor said。 〃Time is
every way of importance in this case。 Will you kindly call here
at five to…morrow afternoon？〃
I was punctual to my appointment。 We drove together to the
asylum。
There is no need for me to trouble you with a narrative of what I
sawfavored by Doctor Wybrow's introductionat the French boy's
bedside。 It was simply a repetition of what I had already heard。
There he lay； at the height of the fever； asking； in the
intervals of relief； intelligent questions relating to the
medicines administered to him； and perfectly understanding the
answers。 He was only irritable when we asked him to take his
memory back to the time before his illness； and then he answered
in French； 〃I haven't got a memory。〃
But I have something else to tell you； which is deserving of your
best attention。 The envelope and its inclosures （addressed to
〃Bernard Winterfield； Esqre。〃） are in my possession。 The
Christian name sufficiently identifies the inscription with the
Winterfield whom I know。
The circumstances under which the discovery was made were related
to me by the proprietor of the asylum。
When the boy was brought to the house； two French ladies （his
mother and sister） accompanied him。 and mentioned what had been
their own domestic experience of the case。 They described the
wandering propensities which took the lad away from home； and the
odd concealment of his waistcoat； on the last occasion when he
had returned from one of his vagrant outbreaks。
On his first night at the asylum； he became excited by finding
himself in a strange place。 It was necessary to give him a
composing draught。 On goin g to bed； he was purposely not
prevented from hiding his waistcoat under the pillow； as usual。
When the sedative had produced its effect； the attendant easily
possessed himself of the hidden garment。 It was the plain duty of
the master of the house to make sure that nothing likely to be
turned to evil uses was concealed by a patient。 The seal which
had secured the envelope was found； o