The Janeites Read Online Free PDF

Institute, where his mail goes, and he keeps his papers. Here now he sits, and he’s thinking that ‘this won’t do’.
    This so far is nothing but bits and scraps; jerky, jagged fragments of life. Now he must put it together, smooth it out, and make a plan.
    I was called into consultation quite a time ago, to go to Paris, take a look at Monsieur le Marquis. This suggestion did not come from eminent colleagues in Paris who were already treating him. That could happen, does occasionally, but hadn’t. Which makes for difficulties. Deontology: one will not criticize nor interfere with treatment prescribed by eminent colleagues who haven’t asked my opinion. It came from the Marquis himself, who had heard of me God-knows-where and wasn’t saying. He was very insistent that I should have a shot. He has of course the right to consult whom he pleases, including charlatans. I was not in a happy position but did not see my way to refusing.
    I didn’t get far with this. Clinically the crab had got too much of a grip on him. He had refused surgery. The eminent whosis had puthim on a good standard treatment which would keep him going quite a while yet. I made efforts to get inside this man, and the best I could do was to get alongside. We liked each other, had some good talk about this-and-that. It stopped short of any real understanding. A politician in all his fibres, hardened and polished by the years; intensely secretive, incredibly devious, and one has to say it, fundamentally dishonest. I had to say what I had been in little doubt of from the start.
    “I can’t treat you.” No foothold, but this old man neither needs nor wants explanations, metaphors, illustrations. He has courage, an immensely sharp intelligence, a remarkable lucidity.
    “You need not worry about it, Raymond. Most men are tools; they come to my hand, I use them. You are not a tool. I enjoy knowing you. You increase my self-knowledge. That is a gain I do not think lightly of. There are those who prolong my life and I am grateful. Others – yourself – I gain in profundity.”
    “I don’t much like this profit and loss talk.” The old man has a delightful smile. No doubt it has often served him well but that does not interest me.
    Six months later I get a call from him, asking me to look at William. Of course I accept – I owe him that much. I don’t even have to go to Paris; William lives in my back yard.
    Very likely I shall have to go to Paris. This wife – Joséphine – separated, not divorced, is a key, no doubt of it. If I am to do serious work here I must try to know something of this woman.
    Clinically speaking – I have seen the dossier, and Rupprecht’s notes: I have talked to him. I have a chance here. Rupprecht’s policy is mostly defensive. He doesn’t think there is much he can do beyond a skilful delaying action. I am not so sure. For the crab to step backwards is not unknown. To abandon altogether – not unheard of. That depends upon the subject. I call William a pretty good subject.
    It begins to be sure with this firm principle, the refusal of violence. There at our first meeting, in that country restaurant, he had a good and well-told tale.
    “Violencia… Once, a while back, this wasn’t Marky but old Lavigne when he was President, I was drafted for state visits inSouth America. The Ol’ Man was mad on Incas or whatever, there we were, Olmecking & Toltecking. One temple, we were lodged in a tourist place, I was on duty, little man walks in asking for the Boss. He had a little cardboard suitcase – I want that open, it was full of rocks. What d’you want? Sell you this for five thousand dollars. A fortune to him. Says it’s raw emeralds. I can’t do that. And isn’t it dangerous? I can protect myself, he says, and shows me this gun he has, old seven-sixty-five Mat, wouldn’t shoot a paper doll. Cheap, cheap, he kept saying, me with my three words of Spanish. Three men walked in at the door just like a Western