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with a suspicious glance：
〃Then you have never seen him since you left the College？〃
〃Indeed； I have not；〃 said I。 〃But we are equally to blame for our
forgetfulness。 Young men； as you know； lead such an adventurous and
storm…tossed life when they leave their school…forms； that it is only
by meeting that they can be sure of an enduring affection。 However； a
reminiscence of youth sometimes comes as a reminder； and it is
impossible to forget entirely； especially when two lads have been such
friends as we were。 We went by the name of the Poet…and…Pythagoras。〃
I told him my name； when he heard it； the worthy man grew gloomier
than ever。
〃Then you have not heard his story？〃 said he。 〃My poor nephew was to
be married to the richest heiress in Blois； but the day before his
wedding he went mad。〃
〃Lambert！ Mad！〃 cried I in dismay。 〃But from what cause？ He had the
finest memory； the most strongly…constituted brain； the soundest
judgment； I ever met with。 Really a great geniuswith too great a
passion for mysticism perhaps； but the kindest heart in the world。
Something most extraordinary must have happened？〃
〃I see you knew him well；〃 said the priest。
From Mer； till we reached Blois； we talked only of my poor friend；
with long digressions； by which I learned the facts I have already
related in the order of their interest。 I confessed to his uncle the
character of our studies and of his nephew's predominant ideas； then
the old man told me of the events that had come into Lambert's life
since our parting。 From Monsieur Lefebvre's account； Lambert had
betrayed some symptoms of madness before his marriage； but they were
such as are common to men who love passionately； and seemed to me less
startling when I knew how vehement his love had been and when I saw
Mademoiselle de Villenoix。 In the country； where ideas are scarce； a
man overflowing with original thought and devoted to a system； as
Louis was； might well be regarded as eccentric； to say the least。 His
language would； no doubt； seem the stranger because he so rarely
spoke。 He would say； 〃That man does not dwell in heaven；〃 where any
one else would have said； 〃We are not made on the same pattern。〃 Every
clever man has his own quirks of speech。 The broader his genius； the
more conspicuous are the singularities which constitute the various
degrees of eccentricity。 In the country an eccentric man is at once
set down as half mad。
Hence Monsieur Lefebvre's first sentences left me doubtful of my
schoolmate's insanity。 I listened to the old man； but I criticised his
statements。
The most serious symptom had supervened a day or two before the
marriage。 Louis had had some well…marked attacks of catalepsy。 He had
once remained motionless for fifty…nine hours； his eyes staring；
neither speaking nor eating； a purely nervous affection； to which
persons under the influence of violent passion are liable； a rare
malady； but perfectly well known to the medical faculty。 What was
really extraordinary was that Louis should not have had several
previous attacks； since his habits of rapt thought and the character
of his mind would predispose him to them。 But his temperament；
physical and mental； was so admirably balanced； that it had no doubt
been able to resist the demands on his strength。 The excitement to
which he had been wound up by the anticipation of acute physical
enjoyment； enhanced by a chaste life and a highly…strung soul； had no
doubt led to these attacks； of which the results are as little known
as the cause。
The letters that have by chance escaped destruction show very plainly
a transition from pure idealism to the most intense sensualism。
Time was when Lambert and I had admired this phenomenon of the human
mind； in which he saw the fortuitous separation of our two natures；
and the signs of a total removal of the inner man； using its unknown
faculties under the operation of an unknown cause。 This disorder； a
mystery as deep as that of sleep； was connected with the scheme of
evidence which Lambert had set forth in his /Treatise on the Will/。
And when Monsieur Lefebvre spoke to me of Louis' first attack； I
suddenly remembered a conversation we had had on the subject after
reading a medical book。
〃Deep meditation and rapt ecstasy are perhaps the undeveloped germs of
catalepsy；〃 he said in conclusion。
On the occasion when he so concisely formulated this idea； he had been
trying to link mental phenomena together by a series of results；
following the processes of the intellect step by step； from their
beginnings as those simple； purely animal impulses of instinct； which
are all…sufficient to many human beings； particularly to those men
whose energies are wholly spent in mere mechanical labor； then； going
on to the aggregation of ideas and rising to comparison； reflection；
meditation； and finally ecstasy and catalepsy。 Lambert； of course； in
the artlessness of youth； imagined that he had laid down the lines of
a great work when he thus built up a scale of the various degrees of
man's mental powers。
I remember that； by one of those chances which seems like
predestination； we got hold of a great Martyrology； in which the most
curious narratives are given of the total abeyance of physical life
which a man can attain to under the paroxysms of the inner life。 By
reflecting on the effects of fanaticism； Lambert was led to believe
that the collected ideas to which we give the name of feelings may
very possibly be the material outcome of some fluid which is generated
in all men； more or less abundantly； according to the way in which
their organs absorb； from the medium in which they live； the
elementary atoms that produce it。 We went crazy over catalepsy； and
with the eagerness that boys throw into every pursuit； we endeavored
to endure pain by thinking of something else。 We exhausted ourselves
by making experiments not unlike those of the epileptic fanatics of
the last century； a religious mania which will some day be of service
to the science of humanity。 I would stand on Lambert's chest；
remaining there for several minutes without giving him the slightest
pain； but notwithstanding these crazy attempts； we did not achieve an
attack of catalepsy。
This digression seemed necessary to account for my first doubts； which
were； however； completely dispelled by Monsieur Lefebvre。
〃When this attack had passed off；〃 said he； 〃my nephew sank into a
state of extreme terror； a dejection that nothing could overcome。 He
thought himself unfit for marriage。 I watched him with the care of a
mother for her child； and found him preparing to perform on himself
the operation to which Origen believed he owed his talents。 I at once
carried him off to Paris； and placed him under the care of Monsieur
Esquirol。 All through our journey Louis sat sunk in almost unbroken
torpor； and did not recognize me。 The Paris physicians pronounced him
incurable； and unanimously advised his being left in perfect solitude；
with nothing to break the silence that was needful for his very
improbable recovery； and that he should live always in a cool room
with a subdued light。Mademoiselle de Villenoix； whom I had been