unfair to me; in the three and an half Yeares since I had taken up Possession of my Laboratory, I had not fallen more than twice into the melancholy Sea. The Mania that had brought about my Deliverance from the last of my Tutors seemed an half forgotten Nightmare. Mine Unhappiness was compounded by the Fact that on Christmas Eve, Nathaniel, whilst visiting my Chambers and extreamly drunk, had told me that he was to attend the Theological College from September in Accordance with his Father’s Wish that he take Orders. Seeing that I was put severely out of Sorts by these Newes, he had pleaded with me to return with him to the Rectory and restore our good Humour in Company with several of thelocal Maids—one of whom, he hinted, was particularly taken with me—but I had refused. I kept to My Self how much I would miss him.
* * *
At nine of the Clock, on the thirtieth Daye of April, I was painstakingly involved in the Dissection of a large gravid Rat when someone rapped unexpectedly upon my study Door. I startled wildly, and sliced intirely thro’ one of the delicate Amnions, which I had intended to preserve intact, cutting off the Head and dextral fore-Limb of the Foetus in the Process.
“Damnation!” Clutching my Scalpel still in my Hand, I strode across to the Door, turned the Key and threw the Room open. “What the Hell is it?”
“Is that any Way to greet your oldest Friend?” Nathaniel said.
“Oh, ’tis you! I thought it had been the under-Footman.”
“It would have been,” Nathaniel said. “But I perswaded him otherwise. Do you know that your Hands are covered with Blood? And here I am come to steal you away to a Night’s Revellry.”
“Revellry? What? The Blood is from that Rat you sent me. A beautifull Specimen, Nat; but I am running out of pickling Vinegar.”
“I do not take your Meaning.”
“I can’t preserve the Rat in toto; ’tis too big. So I have decided to excise the Uterus and embryo Pups only. And I was managing the Operation exceeding well, before your bloody loud Knock interrupted me. Come and see what you have made me do.”
I crosst over to the long Table and placed my Scalpel carefully upon the thickly felted wooden Board, positioned at the mid-Point of a three-quarter Circle of tall wax Candles, where I had pinned the Rat. Nathaniel peered into the Corpse with a perplext Expression.
“Here, Nat, for God’s sake,” I said.
“Which is the Uterus?” Nathaniel asked.
“That.” I presst the Organ lightly with my smallest Fingertip.
“I see it now, I think. Little Questions, peremptorily dismisst. If her Pregnancy had occurred to me I might not have offered her to you.”
“’Tis but a Rat,” I said. “And I must practise upon something. You know not what Human Suffering may yet be relieved because I have just spent three Houres on this Rat. Though I should have preferred it had been a Monkey.”
“I did not have a Monkey. And as for alleviating human Suffering, I should say ’tis barely worth the Effort. If you were to ease a Man’s Pain by a full Half, he would only curse you for failing to remove the Whole. Now you must wash your Hands and Face, for you have a broad Smear of Rat above your left Eyebrow; change your Attire and come with me. I have tonight called in a Favour of the Landlord of the Bull, and he hath agreed to let me have the upper Room for a private Ridotto.”
This Information was so unexpected that I was forced to look away from my Work and stare at Nathaniel. For the first Time I took in the delicate Embroidery upon his green velvet Frock, the smart Cut of his silken Breeches. His natural Hair lay in perfect Rolls about his slender Neck, and he wore his new Hat. He was not carrying a Cane; instead, he wore a small, silver Sword upon his Hip. The ornate, complicated Hilt gleamed like wrought Sunnelight atop its finely tooled Scabbard. On his opposite Thigh, beneath the Folds of his Coat, he seemed to be carrying something that
* * *
At nine of the Clock, on the thirtieth Daye of April, I was painstakingly involved in the Dissection of a large gravid Rat when someone rapped unexpectedly upon my study Door. I startled wildly, and sliced intirely thro’ one of the delicate Amnions, which I had intended to preserve intact, cutting off the Head and dextral fore-Limb of the Foetus in the Process.
“Damnation!” Clutching my Scalpel still in my Hand, I strode across to the Door, turned the Key and threw the Room open. “What the Hell is it?”
“Is that any Way to greet your oldest Friend?” Nathaniel said.
“Oh, ’tis you! I thought it had been the under-Footman.”
“It would have been,” Nathaniel said. “But I perswaded him otherwise. Do you know that your Hands are covered with Blood? And here I am come to steal you away to a Night’s Revellry.”
“Revellry? What? The Blood is from that Rat you sent me. A beautifull Specimen, Nat; but I am running out of pickling Vinegar.”
“I do not take your Meaning.”
“I can’t preserve the Rat in toto; ’tis too big. So I have decided to excise the Uterus and embryo Pups only. And I was managing the Operation exceeding well, before your bloody loud Knock interrupted me. Come and see what you have made me do.”
I crosst over to the long Table and placed my Scalpel carefully upon the thickly felted wooden Board, positioned at the mid-Point of a three-quarter Circle of tall wax Candles, where I had pinned the Rat. Nathaniel peered into the Corpse with a perplext Expression.
“Here, Nat, for God’s sake,” I said.
“Which is the Uterus?” Nathaniel asked.
“That.” I presst the Organ lightly with my smallest Fingertip.
“I see it now, I think. Little Questions, peremptorily dismisst. If her Pregnancy had occurred to me I might not have offered her to you.”
“’Tis but a Rat,” I said. “And I must practise upon something. You know not what Human Suffering may yet be relieved because I have just spent three Houres on this Rat. Though I should have preferred it had been a Monkey.”
“I did not have a Monkey. And as for alleviating human Suffering, I should say ’tis barely worth the Effort. If you were to ease a Man’s Pain by a full Half, he would only curse you for failing to remove the Whole. Now you must wash your Hands and Face, for you have a broad Smear of Rat above your left Eyebrow; change your Attire and come with me. I have tonight called in a Favour of the Landlord of the Bull, and he hath agreed to let me have the upper Room for a private Ridotto.”
This Information was so unexpected that I was forced to look away from my Work and stare at Nathaniel. For the first Time I took in the delicate Embroidery upon his green velvet Frock, the smart Cut of his silken Breeches. His natural Hair lay in perfect Rolls about his slender Neck, and he wore his new Hat. He was not carrying a Cane; instead, he wore a small, silver Sword upon his Hip. The ornate, complicated Hilt gleamed like wrought Sunnelight atop its finely tooled Scabbard. On his opposite Thigh, beneath the Folds of his Coat, he seemed to be carrying something that
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