Page:The Soul of a Bishop.djvu/123

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been validated.
THE FIRST VISION
111

§ 3

"That," said Dr. Dale, "is just where my treatment of this case differs from the treatment of"—he spoke the name reluctantly as if he disliked the mere sound of it—"Dr. Brighton-Pomfrey."

"Hitherto, of course," said the bishop, "I've been in his hands."

"He," said Dr. Dale, "would certainly set about trying to restore your old sphere of illusion, your old familiar sensations and ideas and confidences. He would in fact turn you back. He would restore all your habits. He would order you a rest. He would send you off to some holiday resort, fresh in fact but familiar in character, the High lands, North Italy, or Switzerland for example. He would forbid you newspapers and order you to botanize and prescribe tranquillizing reading; Trollope's novels, the Life of Gladstone, the works of Mr. A. C. Benson, memoirs and so on. You'd go somewhere where there was a good Anglican chaplain, and you'd take some of the services yourself. And we'd wash out the effects of the Princhester water with Contrexeville, and afterwards put you on Salutaris or Perrier. I don't know whether I shouldn't have inclined to some such treatment before the war began. Only——"

He paused.

"You think——?"

Dr. Dale's face betrayed a sudden sombre passion.