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was just on the edge of an abyss； ready to fall over。
What strange early impression was it which led a certain lady always
to shriek aloud if she ventured to enter a church； as it is recorded？
The old and simple way of accounting for it would be the scriptural
one； that it was an unclean spirit who dwelt in her； and who； when
she entered the holy place and brought her spiritual tenant into the
presence of the sacred symbols； 〃cried with a loud voice； and came
out of〃 her。 A very singular case； the doctor himself had recorded；
and which the reader may accept as authentic； is the following： At
the head of the doctor's front stairs stood； and still stands； a tall
clock； of early date and stately presence。 A middle…aged visitor；
noticing it as he entered the front door； remarked that he should
feel a great unwillingness to pass that clock。 He could not go near
one of those tall timepieces without a profound agitation； which he
dreaded to undergo。 This very singular idiosyncrasy he attributed to
a fright when he was an infant in the arms of his nurse。
She was standing near one of those tall clocks； when the cord which
supported one of its heavy leaden weights broke； and the weight came
crashing down to the bottom of the case。 Some effect must have been
produced upon the pulpy nerve centres from which they never
recovered。 Why should not this happen； when we know that a sudden
mental shock may be the cause of insanity？ The doctor remembered the
verse of 〃The Ancient Mariner：〃
〃I moved my lips； the pilot shrieked
And fell down in a fit；
The holy hermit raised his eyes
And prayed where he did sit。
I took the oars； the pilot's boy；
Who now doth crazy go；
Laughed loud and long； and all the while
His eyes went to and fro。〃
This is only poetry； it is true； but the poet borrowed the
description from nature； and the records of our asylums could furnish
many cases where insanity was caused by a sudden fright。
More than this； hardly a year passes that we do not read of some
person； a child commonly； killed outright by terror；scared to
death； literally。 Sad cases they often are； in which； nothing but a
surprise being intended； the shock has instantly arrested the
movements on which life depends。 If a mere instantaneous impression
can produce effects like these； such an impression might of course be
followed by consequences less fatal or formidable； but yet serious in
their nature。 If here and there a person is killed； as if by
lightning； by a sudden startling sight or sound； there must be more
numerous cases in which a terrible shock is produced by similar
apparently insignificant causes；a shock which falls short of
overthrowing the reason and does not destroy life； yet leaves a
lasting effect upon the subject of it。
This point； then； was settled in the mind of Dr。 Butts； namely； that；
as a violent emotion caused by a sudden shock can kill or craze a
human being； there is no perversion of the faculties； no prejudice；
no change of taste or temper； no eccentricity； no antipathy； which
such a cause may not rationally account for。 He would not be
surprised； he said to himself； to find that some early alarm； like
that which was experienced by Peter the Great or that which happened
to Pascal； had broken some spring in this young man's nature； or so
changed its mode of action as to account for the exceptional
remoteness of his way of life。 But how could any conceivable
antipathy be so comprehensive as to keep a young man aloof from all
the world； and make a hermit of him？ He did not hate the human race；
that was clear enough。 He treated Paolo with great kindness； and the
Italian was evidently much attached to him。 He had talked naturally
and pleasantly with the young man he had helped out of his dangerous
situation when his boat was upset。 Dr。 Butts heard that he had once
made a short visit to this young man； at his rooms in the University。
It was not misanthropy； therefore； which kept him solitary。 What
could be broad enough to cover the facts of the case？ Nothing that
the doctor could think of； unless it were some color； the sight of
which acted on him as it did on the individual before mentioned； who
could not look at anything red without fainting。 Suppose this were a
case of the same antipathy。 How very careful it would make the
subject of it as to where he went and with whom he consorted！ Time
and patience would be pretty sure to bring out new developments； and
physicians； of all men in the world； know how to wait as well as how
to labor。
Such were some of the crude facts as Dr。 Butts found them in books or
gathered them from his own experience。 He soon discovered that the
story had got about the village that Maurice Kirkwood was the victim
of an 〃antipathy；〃 whatever that word might mean in the vocabulary of
the people of the place。 If he suspected the channel through which
it had reached the little community； and； spreading from that centre；
the country round； he did not see fit to make out of his suspicions a
domestic casus belli。 Paolo might have mentioned it to others as
well as to himself。 Maurice might have told some friend； who had
divulged it。 But to accuse Mrs。 Butts； good Mrs。 Butts； of petit
treason in telling one of her husband's professional secrets was too
serious a matter to be thought of。 He would be a little more
careful； he promised himself； the next time； at any rate； for he had
to concede； in spite of every wish to be charitable in his judgment；
that it was among the possibilities that the worthy lady had
forgotten the rule that a doctor's patients must put their tongues
out； and a doctor's wife must keep her tongue in。
VIII
THE PANSOPHIAN SOCIETY。
The Secretary of this association was getting somewhat tired of the
office； and the office was getting somewhat tired of him。 It
occurred to the members of the Society that a little fresh blood
infused into it might stir up the general vitality of the
organization。 The woman suffragists saw no reason why the place of
Secretary need as a matter of course be filled by a person of the
male sex。 They agitated； they made domiciliary visits； they wrote
notes to influential citizens； and finally announced as their
candidate the young lady who had won and worn the school name of 〃The
Terror；〃 who was elected。 She was just the person for the place：
wide awake； with all her wits about her； full of every kind of
knowledge； and； above all； strong on points of order and details of
management； so that she could prompt the presiding officer； to do
which is often the most essential duty of a Secretary。 The
President； the worthy rector； was good at plain sailing in the track
of the common moralities and proprieties； but was liable to get
muddled if anything came up requiring swift decision and off…hand
speech。 The Terror had schooled herself in the debating societies of
the Institute； and would set up the President； when he was floored by
an awkward question； as easily as if he were a ninepin which had been
bowled over。
It has been already mentioned that the Pansophian Society received
communications from time to time from writers outside of its own
organization。 Of late these had been becoming more frequent。 Many
of them were sent in anonymously； and as there were numerous visitors
to the village； and two institutions not far removed from it； both
full of ambitious and intelligent young persons； it was often
impossible to trace the papers to their authors。 The new Secretary
was alive with curiosity； and as sagacious a little body as one might
find if in want of a detective。 She could make a pretty shrewd guess
whether a paper was written by a young or old person； by one of her
own sex or the other； by an experienced hand or a novice。
Among the anonymous papers she received was one which exercised her
curiosity to an extraordinary degree。 She felt a strong suspicion
that 〃the Sachem；〃 as the boat…crews used to call him； 〃the Recluse；〃
〃the Night…Hawk；〃 〃the Sphinx；〃 as others named him； must be the
author of it。 It appeared to her the production of a young person of
a reflective； poetical turn of mind。 It was not a woman's way of
writing； at least； so thought the Secretary。 The writer had
travelled much； had resided in Italy； among other places。 But so had
many of the summer visitors and residents of Arrowhead Village。 The
handwriting was not decisive； it had some points of resemblance with
the pencilled orders for books which Maurice sent to the Library； but
there were certain differences； intentional or accidental； which
weakened this evidence。 There was an undertone in the essay which
was in keeping with the mode of life of the solitary stranger。 It
might be disappointment； melancholy； or only the dreamy sadness of a
young person who sees the future h