Tale of Raw Head and Bloody Bones (9781101614631) (20 page)

I sealed the Letter, addresst it, and put it upon the Fieldings’ Table for the Post, but in mine Heart I had little Expectation of its ever reaching Nathaniel. In somewhat poorer Spirits now than I had been, I took My Self back up to my Chamber, and forced My Self to re-read Willis’
Cerebri anatome
until it was time to depart for Dr Hunter’s.

Dr Hunter’s Spring Lecture Course ran that Yeare until mid-April, and as the Newgate Gaoler, whose Palm, I think, had been generously greased, now proved more than ready to assist, we were fortunate enough to work upon a Variety of Cadavers of different Ages and Sexes before the Term was up. Towards the End of the Series, Dr Hunter began to introduce us to the Art of Surgery proper, and we spent many Evenings removing Growths and setting Splints; then before I knew it the Course was up, the Americans gone, and Mr Glass and I were adjusting our Minds to the many exhausting Houres we must now spend about St Thomas’s and Barts, fetching, watching, assisting, and carrying out small
Procedures under the Supervision of the Surgeons we were following. Mr Glass, I discovered, was not to be Dr Hunter’s Apprentice, but that of his Associate, one Dr Oliver, whom I knew from Repute to be a Physician of great Skill with an unfortunate Habit of telling the Truth to his Patients.

I had been only a Week about this hospital Duty, however, when I received Notice from Dr Hunter that I was to assist him the following Morning in his private Practice, as he was due to perform the Removal of a cancerous Tumour from the Breast of a Baroness, which was causing her much Pain and Terrour.

I was most excited at this Prospect, for it was the first Operation of a serious Nature in which I had been called upon to assist. I was determined to acquit My Self as efficiently as possible, and during the Houre before I left the House, I repeated the Procedure in mine Head as tho’ I were to do it My Self. What, I wondered, must it be like to cut into a living Breast? I dresst all in black, by Reason of the Blood.

Dr Hunter was dresst extreamly smart, in silken Frock and a great Amount of Lace. He seemed in good Spirits, and as the Carriage hurried along Oxford Street, he conversed fluently with me upon the Particulars of the Case, and what he considered to be its likely Prognosis.

The Cancer, he said, was small, and his Belief was that it had not yet reached the Point of spreading, which more often than not ended the Life of its poor Sufferer. Lady B.—— was otherwise quite healthy; she had delivered four Children without any Difficulty whatsoever, and her Pulse usually was strong and regular; all Indications of a resilient Constitution. “The one thing that may impede her Recovery,” he said, “is her Temperament; for she hath an unfortunate Tendency towards the Hysteric Fit, and often before
hath feared herself about to die, quite contrary to all the Evidence. I have always been exceeding gentle and patient with her, in the Desire of reassuring her that her Fears were groundless; but since presently they are not, there is little Hope of Reassurance, whatever Kindnesses we offer her. Nevertheless, we must attempt it; an Operation of this Nature performed upon a compliant and trusting Subject hath, in mine Experience, twice the Potential for Success as the other Kind. So maintain a lively Countenance and friendly Conversation until that may be impossible. I shall perform the Extirpation of the Tumour as quickly as I can. Be sharp about the Irons and we should be finished in less than fifteen Minutes.”

I nodded my Comprehension, altho’ I knew these latter things already. The good Doctor was repeating Advice he had given to me many Times before, both during his own lecture Course and individually, and I guesst from this that privately he held a somewhat darker Apprehension of the Lady’s Case than he chose to reveal to me. Perhaps, I thought, he fears the Cancer be greater than he hath admitted. I knew he did not doubt his Skill, or even mine.

The B.——s’ House, being in May Fair, was in an Area of the City I had not previously visited. It was a new and fashionable Locale populated largely by the better Sort of People, altho’ there were also a Few who had secured thro’ Trade sufficient Sum to pay the Lease demanded by the Grosvenors. Much of the District was still under Construction, which was a Pity, for ’twas impossible to see much of the Houses, their elegant Fronts being obscured behind Rack after Rack of rough Scaffolding. Occasionally the Carriage would pass a Row of Houses that had been compleated; and these were very grand indeed: uniform in outward Aspect and, I supposed, internal Design.

The Carriage slowed, and realising that we were arrived at the Address, I looked out of the Window to take Stock of the Appearance of the House, which I had been told was extreamly beautifull. In Truth, I thought, it was not so, altho’ it was a fine big House, at the very Centre of a Row new finished out of pinkish Stone, which seemed to glimmer faintly thro’ the late morning Mist. Perhaps, I thought, that very Newness is why I cannot call it beautifull.

Dr Hunter descended from the Carriage, and strode up the front Steps to the tall white Door. I followed quickly, and joined him just as he rapped once upon it with his silver-headed Cane. The Door opened directly. I thought that the Maid, her Ladyship’s Abigail by her Dress, must have been awaiting our Arrival in the Atrium.

“Ah, Alice,” Dr Hunter said, stepping over the Threshold. “How doth your Mistress? Is Dr Oliver here, and is all in Readiness?”

“Dr Oliver is above, Sir, with my Mistress,” Alice replied, in a trembling Voice. “She is as well as could be expected, Sir.”

“Good, good,” said Dr Hunter, in a gentler Tone. “And the Room, Alice; is the Room prepared?”

“Yes,” Alice said, and burst forth into Tears.

“Be at Ease, Lassie,” Dr Hunter said, patting her Shoulder. “All will be well. Mr Hart and I shall find our own Way to the Salon. Go down to the Kitchens and remain there with the other Servants till her Ladyship rings for you.”

Weeping, Alice went.

“Now,” Dr Hunter said. “To Business.”

We climbed thro’ the unnerving silent House, Dr Hunter ahead, My Self following, as before. “Will his Lordship be present, also?” I asked.

Dr Hunter stoppt. “Lud, no,” he said. “He hath been sent away, I do most dearly trust; there is naught worse than to have an Husband present at a Procedure such as this.”

“Wherefore?” I said.

Dr Hunter regarded me steadily. “You will understand wherefore, Mr Hart, if ever you take a Wife,” he said; and then turning abruptly from me, he resumed his swift Ascent of the wide, white Staircase.

Lady B.——’s Salon, where she was waiting for Dr Hunter, I discovered to be a large, airy sitting Room, fashionably furnished; and, which was to our Purpose, well lit, with a north facing Window. Her Ladyship herself was presently laid flat upon a silver brocaide Sopha, her left Arm resting theatrically across her Forehead, and her corsetless Bosom heaving with all Appearance of extream Distress. By her Side, awkwardly patting her Hand, knelt Dr Oliver. He stood up at once as Dr Hunter entered the Room, his coarse Physiognomy registering boundless Relief.

Lady B.—— lifted her Wrist from her Brow and stole a Look across the Salon. Her Eyes opened wide in seeming Horrour as she caught Sight of me. “Fie! Dr Hunter!” she cried. “What are you about, to bring a Jew in here! Is it not bad enough that Dr Oliver must witness mine Humiliation? Oh, Dr Hunter! Oh, Sir!”

I came to a shocked Halt in the Doorway. My Countenance must have registered my Distress, for Dr Hunter shot me a Look, to tell me to remain where I stood; then he crosst to her Ladyship’s Side. Thro’ her Sobs, which seemed to me somewhat exuberant, I heard his gentle Scottish Accents explaining to her that I was no Jew, and his own Pupil, and that she must somehow control her Passions, if he was to attempt the Operation.

I looked around the Room. Before the handsome Fireplace stood a lone Armchair, covered by a Number of old Sheets, and fearsome
in its Emptiness. At its left Side, which was the farthest from the Fire, stood a long cup Board, atop which was piled an high Mound of Compresses, Bandages, Sponges, and Lint. Behind it, locked, for now, sate a small Chest, in which I knew were contained all the necessary Implements of Surgery.

Mine Heartbeat quickened. The Mercy Seat, I thought.

I was becoming most impatient to begin, and mine Attention returned to Lady B.—— whose Bawlings had seemingly ceased. Something about her Attitude perplext me. I could understand why she should be suffering, if indeed she was; but her Agonies seemed to mine experienced Ear intirely counterfeit, as if, in Truth, she was secretly delighted by her Predicament, and revelled in the Attention it brought her. This Woman, I thought, who oft makes Pretense that she is about to die, doth not comprehend the Severity of her present Sickness. She mistakes it for but another petty Alarum, that shall prove false, and be soothed by mere Words. But it is not such, and it shall not be so eased. The Room is ready and the Surgeons in Attendance, and the Cancer will not wait.

The Lady’s apparent Quietude now gave to Dr Hunter the Opportunity of introducing me, and then of issuing the Instruction that I was to unpack and make ready the Contents of the Chest, whilst he and Dr Oliver prepared their Patient. I was gladdened to be given something to do. The Activity placated mine Annoyance at the Lady B.——’s Prevarications, and took me, moreover, out of her Sight. I removed my Frock, that it should not impede my Movement, and laid it to one Side before unlocking the Box and beginning to go about my Task.

The two Doctors now between them perswaded Lady B.— to quit her Sopha and to approach the Chair. She was not, I noted in passing, unpleasing in her Features, tho’ she had called me Jew;
her Complexion was smooth and remarkably even despite her Weeping; pale, but not yet with the Pallour of Horrour. She was attired in a blue morning Gown, which reminded me, for one unaccountable Moment, of mine early Childhood. Dr Hunter, with some Difficulty, had her remove it. This left only her Shift and Petticoats, and tho’ the Latter posed no Obstacle to the Doctor’s Knife, the Former certainly did. It, too, was taken off, and then her Ladyship stood before us, strippt naked to the Waist and crimson with Humiliation. I let my Gaze hover about her Body. It was, by the common Measure, well formed; her Waist small, her Breasts heavy and round, free from any superficial Imperfection.

She was induced to sit; then Dr Oliver, over the Lady’s Head, asked: “Shall she be strappt down, Sir?” Dr Hunter nodded, but Lady B.—— sprung straight up again, crying: “No! No! Please! No! Do not tie me! I beg you, do not tie me!”

Now, I thought, she is afraid. I can hear the Panick in her Voice. To mine Horrour, a Surge of dark Excitement travelled up my Spine. I set my Face into a Mask, and removed my cauterising Irons from the Chest.

Conciliatory as Dr Hunter’s Manner had previously been towards her Ladyship, he shewed no Intention whatsoever of being swayed by her Wishes in this. Her Ladyship was to be restrained, he insisted, for her own Safety as much as that the Operation required it. She would find it impossible to sit still, for even knowing it to be necessary, what Creature would willingly submit to such a Mutilation? And what if she should faint, and fall?

Seeing her Physician unmoved, Lady B.—— began in full earnest to weep. Her Sobs had now a very different Timbre; quiet, low; the Protestations of Helplessness. I thanked my Stars, and Dr Hunter, that I had been sent behind the Chair, for my Loins sprang
at once to full Attention at the Tone, and a pretty Picture I should have made had I been in Sight. Then Lady B.—— gave a despairing, high Wail, like to the Shrieking of a Frog. A thin Worm of Pity stirred within my Bowels. Weeping, she was put back into the Chair; weeping, she was tied.

The piteous Sight moved me thro’out mine intire Body. I wished I were the One to wield the Knife. A Storm of Excitation and the cruellest Desire raged within mine Hands, my Belly, my vicious, importunate Loins; yet mine Heart was wrung with Pity. Her Ladyship’s Sufferings, I could discern, were now both real and extreamly great, whatever they had been before. The Reality of her Position had broken in, and the Pains in her Breast and her Arm were no longer perverse Sources of Comfort, but only of Terrour.

Those Pains, I thought, which I would so grievously worsen; and yet, by worsening, intirely take away; thro’ harming, heal. The Notion was so beautifull that I could not speak, and mine own Eyes filled, to my greatest Astonishment, with Tears. I blinked.

Dr Oliver then placed a soft linen Band across her Ladyship’s Eyes, and bade her shut up and be patient. In the loaded Stillness that descended Dr Hunter removed first his Coat, then his Waistcoat and the Ruffles of his Shirt, before signing to me to come around to the Front of the Chair in order to observe his and Dr Oliver’s Deliberations. With some Caution, lest I betray My Self, I approached. He drew mine Attention to a solid Swelling within the outside Tissue of the left Breast, where the Skin was puckered and somewhat flushed. I droppt upon mine Haunches and peered closely at the infected Flesh. My Loins began, to my great Relief, to shrink. The Tumour seemed small, as Dr Hunter had suggested, but mine Instinct was that it lay in an unhappy Place, too near to
the Opening of the Lymphatick Channel for my Liking. Indeed, I thought, ’tis past Time this Thing was got out; ’twill kill her frightening quick if it is not. The Knowledge coursed thro’ mine Entrails with a sickening Chill. I pondered how deeply the Cancer had rooted within the Breast, and hoped that Dr Hunter’s Assessment of its Proportions had been correct.

“Where would you make the Incision, Mr Hart?” Dr Hunter asked.

I understood that this Question was merely to test mine Apprehension of the Case rather than an eager Request for mine Advice. Nevertheless, I indicated silently the Places where I should decide to cut, and then looked to him to see his Reaction.

Dr Hunter nodded. “Intirely right,” he said. “Dr Oliver, if you will hold the Organ, Sir, we must begin.”

As the good Doctor’s Blade bit into her Flesh, Lady B.—— screamed. At once, my Fire was back, as if ’twere never doused. Her Scream was a white Arrow, swift and light, a feathered Shaft vibrating with a stinging Hiss, and climbing, climbing, extatically high, one shining silver Note; but then, as it reached the Apex of its Flight it was suddenly gone. The Room rang with its Silence.