Part 33 (1/2)

CHAPTER VII.

A WIZARD'S TEACHING.

During the six months which followed, Leon advanced rapidly in his studies. His regular routine was to spend a specified number of hours each day in the magnificently appointed chemical laboratory; to accompany the Doctor upon many of his professional rounds, especially to hospital cases, and to the tenements of the poor; and in the evening it became usually their custom to spend an hour together, during which the Doctor gave his pupil oral instruction, rehea.r.s.ed him in what he had already learned, and set new tasks for him to master.

This hour was generally the last before bedtime. After dinner the Doctor's habit was to yield himself to the demands of his wife, who delighted to carry him off to social functions, or to the theatres.

Leon very rarely accompanied them. He remained at home to study, and was ready to meet his teacher at the appointed hour, which was seldom later than eleven o'clock. Dr. Medjora was a great disciplinarian, and had Leon been differently const.i.tuted, he might have rebelled at the amount of work which he was expected to accomplish each day. But he never uttered complaint of any sort. Indeed, he seemed to have an unlimited capacity for study, so that his a.s.siduity, coupled with a marvellous memory, rendered his progress very rapid. Nevertheless the Doctor was not satisfied. He was impatient to see the day arrive when Leon should reach the same pinnacle of knowledge which he himself had attained, in order that thereafter they might traverse the road to fame hand in hand, leaning upon and a.s.sisting one another.

At last the day, the hour, arrived, beyond which the Doctor had decided to pursue their sluggish method no further. He knew how to teach Leon in one year, all that he had learned by weary plodding throughout the greater part of his life. But it was essential to his scheme, that he should be able to hypnotize Leon, and in this he had made one trial which had failed. During the months which had pa.s.sed since then, he had matured a plan which he was sure would prove successful, and now he entered his pupil's presence prepared to carry it into execution.

Leon was reading, but instantly closed his book and laid it aside, greeting the Doctor, not as the foolish schoolboy afraid of his master, but as the ardent student eager for learning. The Doctor seated himself in a comfortable Turkish chair, and began as follows:

”Leon, are you tired? Could you prolong the hour a little to-night if I should not otherwise find time for what I wish to say?”

”I will gladly listen to you till morning, Doctor,” replied Leon.

”You have been taking every night the draught which I prescribed?”

”Yes, sir. There on the table is the potion for to-night.”

”You do not know what it is, Leon, and the time has not yet arrived when I can explain its decoction to you. Suffice it for me to tell you, that this colorless liquid is practically the Elixir of Life, for which the ancients sought in vain.”

”The Elixir of Life? Why, that is a myth!” Leon almost smiled. But he did not quite, because the expression on the Doctor's face was too serious.

”I said that it is practically the magic fluid. It has the property of supplying the body in twenty-four hours, with the vital energy which it would otherwise need several days of rest and recreation to recover. That is why I prescribe it to you, while you are engaged so arduously upon your studies. Do you not find that you are less easily fatigued?”

”I do, indeed. It is certainly a wonderful invigorator!”

”Leon,” said the Doctor, after a slight pause, ”I believe that I have your confidence and trust?”

”Absolutely, Doctor!”

”Would you take any drug that I might administer, without knowing its effects, and without questioning my motive, so long as I a.s.sure you that you would be benefited?”

”I would!”

”I will put you to the test, but, in exchange for your trust, I will tell you in part what I mean to do.” He took a small phial from his pocket, a tiny tube containing less than five minims of a clear colorless liquid. ”In this little bottle, Leon, there is a medicine of frightful potency. One drop would suffice to destroy a human life. But mixed with your nightly draught, a new chemical compound is produced, which, though harmless, will so energize the brain-cells that the powers of recollection will be more than trebled. By this means, your progress can be very much enhanced, for instead of receiving what I offer to you each night, and a.s.similating a part of it, you will find in the future that all my words will be indelibly imprinted upon your mind.”

”I would have taken the drug without your explanation, Doctor, but now I am eager for the experiment.”

”This is no experiment, Leon. Beware of operating upon a human being when your knowledge is so meagre that you must resort to experimental tests.” There was a touch of deep feeling in the Doctor's tones, as though he might at some time have made the error against which he admonished the lad. Leon, however, did not observe anything out of the common. He was intent upon what the Doctor was about to do. Dr.

Medjora carefully removed the tiny gla.s.s stopper from the phial, and, holding it in his left hand, took up the gla.s.s from the table with his right. Pausing a moment he exclaimed:

”Watch!”

Then with a quick movement he poured the contents of the phial into the liquid in the gla.s.s. Instantly there was a commotion. There was a sound of water boiling, and a sort of steam arose.

”The poisonous properties are thrown off, you see, in the form of gas,” said the Doctor.

The liquid in the gla.s.s, from having been colorless, was now converted into a bright green, but as Leon watched he was astonished to see this emerald hue gradually fade, until within a minute it had disappeared, and the fluid was as colorless as before.