Chapter 16

Consultation and change of garden

Guerin seemed surprised to see me at my exercises, and urged me to abandon them. They’d cause more harm than good, and that the man who taught them to me was a creature invested in misfortune. I was hugely surprised by this diversity of opinions of these two doctors. One prescribes, the other decries. What then should I do? 

Talking with my friends, and telling them that I had made myself magnetized in hope of finding some relief for my ills, I was told that I was being abused, to beware of the doctors, that I was entangled in a spell and they would draw me deeper. 

These comments sent me into dark reflections, each thought more cruel than the next. But I went on with my exercises in the garden, with the blind confidence that they would be effective. One Sunday, around two o’clock, while I was sitting near the magnetized tree, I felt a weight on my head, gradually increasing, becoming unbearable. I raised my head up, but found no cause for the sensation…though I heard a noise coming from the body of the tree. Frightened, I took my hat, cane, wand, and glass, and went straight to Nicolas. I showed him my frustration with the absurd, diabolical methods he had made me use in my treatment, and of the strange events of the afternoon, and that I would not be returning to that garden. He listened to my story, but pretended not to believe it. He tried to persuade me with a wheedling tone, but his pathetic voice, his clever smile, and his hypocritical face all aroused my suspicions. I gave him proof of it, but fearing that the inhabitants of Avignon would be affected by this infernal magic unawares, he promised to look for another garden where they would magnetize a new tree, nothing would happen to me, and we parted ways.

A few days later, I met Mr. Nicolas again, and he told he’d found a suitable garden. I saw Bouge as well, and he set up another meeting between the two of us and Nicolas. We went to Jouvin’s house, near the garden on the rue de’l Hospice, near the church of the blue or violet penitents. [1] Nicolas chose the northmost tree and magnetized it. Chairs were brought in, and I again was made to take the usual position on one.

I remained there part of the morning, chatting with our company, and with Nicolas and the owner of the garden. He asked how I had found the garden, how I felt. I said, “quite well,” but there hadn’t been time enough to gauge whether or not the remedy was working. He showed the greatest interest, inviting me to come whenever I chose to walk in the garden, whenever it would give me pleasure or aid my health. I left them then, my business called me elsewhere.

[1] The Church of the Blue Penitents was a group devoted to good works, particulalry in hospitals, prisons, and similar. The Violet Penitents were a similar group devoted to St. Andrea della Fratte, who was apparently less blue.