"The hospital in Sauveterre," says the guide book, "is, in spite of its limited size, one of the best institutions of the kind in the department. The chapel and the new additions were built at the expense of the Countess de Maupaison, the widow of one of the ministers of Louis Philippe."But what the guide book does not say is, that the hospital was endowed with three free beds for pregnant women, by Mrs. Seneschal, or that the two wings on both sides of the great entrance-gate have also been built by her liberality. One of these wings, the one on the right, is used by the janitor, a fine-looking old man, who formerly was beadle at the cathedral, and who loves to think of the happy days when he added to the splendor of the church by his magnificent presence, his red uniform, his gold bandelaire, his halbert, and his gold-headed cane.
This janitor was, on Sunday morning, a little before eight o'clock, smoking his pipe in the yard, when he saw Dr. Seignebos coming in. The doctor was walking faster than usual, his hat over his face, and his hands thrust deep into his pockets, evident signs of a storm. Instead of coming, as he did every day before making the rounds, into the office of the sister-druggist, he went straight up to the room of the lady superior. There, after the usual salutations, he said,--"They have no doubt brought you, my sister, last night, a patient, an idiot, called Cocoleu?""Yes, doctor."
"Where has he been put?"
"The mayor saw him himself put into the little room opposite the linen room.""And how did he behave?"
"Perfectly well: the sister who kept the watch did not hear him stir.""Thanks, my sister!" said Dr. Seignebos.
He was already in the door, when the lady superior recalled him.
"Are you going to see the poor man, doctor?" she asked.
"Yes, my sister; why?"
"Because you cannot see him."
"I cannot?"
"No. The commonwealth attorney has sent us orders not to let any one, except the sister who nurses him, come near Cocoleu,--no one, doctor, not even the physician, a case of urgency, of course, excepted."Dr. Seignebos smiled ironically. Then he said, laughing scornfully,--"Ah, these are your orders, are they? Well, I tell you that I do not mind them in the least. Who can prevent me from seeing my patient?
Tell me that! Let the commonwealth attorney give his orders in his court-house as much as he chooses: that is all right. But in my hospital! My sister, I am going to Cocoleu's room.""Doctor, you cannot go there. There is a gendarme at the door.""A gendarme?"
"Yes, he came this morning with the strictest orders."For a moment the doctor was overcome. Then he suddenly broke out with unusual violence, and a voice that made the windows shake,--"This is unheard of! This is an abominable abuse of power! I'll have my rights, and justice shall be done me, if I have to go to Thiers!"Then he rushed out without ceremony, crossed the yard, and disappeared like an arrow, in the direction of the court-house. At that very moment M. Daubigeon was getting up, feeling badly because he had had a bad, sleepless night, thanks to this unfortunate affair of M. de Boiscoran, which troubled him sorely; for he was almost of M. Galpin's opinion. In vain he recalled Jacques's noble character, his well-known uprightness, his keen sense of honor, the evidence was so strong, so overwhelming! He wanted to doubt; but experience told him that a man's past is no guarantee for his future. And, besides, like many great criminal lawyers, he thought, what he would never have ventured to say openly, that some great criminals act while they are under the influence of a kind of vertigo, and that this explains the stupidity of certain crimes committed by men of superior intelligence.
Since his return from Boiscoran, he had kept close in his house; and he had just made up his mind not to leave the house that day, when some one rang his bell furiously. A moment later Dr. Seignebos fell into the room like a bombshell.
"I know what brings you, doctor," said M. Daubigeon. "You come about that order I have given concerning Cocoleu.""Yes, indeed, sir! That order is an insult.""I have been asked to give it as a matter of necessity, by M. Galpin.""And why did you not refuse? You alone are responsible for it in my eyes. You are commonwealth attorney, consequently the head of the bar, and superior to M. Galpin."M. Daubigeon shook his head and said,--
"There you are mistaken, doctor. The magistrate in such a case is independent of myself and of the court. He is not even bound to obey the attorney-general, who can make suggestions to him, but cannot give him orders. M. Galpin, in his capacity as examining magistrate, has his independent jurisdiction, and is armed with almost unlimited power. No one in the world can say so well as an examining magistrate what the poet calls,--'Such is my will, such are my orders, and my will is sufficient.'
'Hoc volo, hoc jubeo, sit pro ratione voluntas.' "For once Dr. Seignebos seemed to be convinced by M. Daubigeon's words.
He said,--
"Then, M. Galpin has even the right to deprive a sick man of his physician's assistance.""If he assumes the responsibility, yes. But he does not mean to go so far. He was, on the contrary, about to ask you, although it is Sunday, to come and be present at a second examination of Cocoleu. I am surprised that you have not received his note, and that you did not meet him at the hospital.""Well, I am going at once."
And he went back hurriedly, and was glad he had done so; for at the door of the hospital he came face to face against M. Galpin, who was just coming in, accompanied by his faithful clerk, Mechinet.
"You came just in time, doctor," began the magistrate, with his usual solemnity.
