Chapter 33

Painful nights. New visits. Firm words to my tormentors.

Since I wasn’t likely to sleep, I did not hurry to get back into bed. I was overwhelmed with troublesome, painful thoughts…the ways Dr. Pinel, Moreau, and his allies had gained entrance to my home in their invisible forms, Lomini and Prieur’s deceptions. I was looking for the ways they had gained power over me, and which planets I had fallen under the influence of. I was restless, agitated, and simmered in my thoughts until two in the morning. I went to bed, but it was pointless. I had hardly tried to sleep when I felt a physical sensation through my whole body, like what the other magicians had done to me to put me to sleep against my will. I took some holy water and dabbed my cheeks with it, as I always did to ward off curses from my old enemies who had bewitched me. 

When I tired of all this, I thought of going to Prieur, hoping that he would take me to Father Cazin from Quinze-Vingts [1]. I knew this young man had colluded with him to abuse my trust, like all my other enemies. Eventually these restless thoughts finally left my head and I thought I would be able to sleep, but some demon prevented even this. That terrible noise made its way again into my room, the weight of Etienne and the rest heavy on my body. But eventually my familiarity with all this let me rest a little, like so many other unfortunates who become accustomed to their ailments.

I woke up, took care of a few small tasks, and went to Prieur, telling him my intention of meeting with the priest of Quinze-Vingts. When I got to his house, I saw he was with Lomini, as well as a Mr. Frontin and Ms. Métra, both his friends. When I arrived, Prieur announced me in, and they made room for me. 

I had already had the opportunity to speak of my affairs in front of these people. They knew my story. I joked with them, even introducing Prieur to them as my doctor. “He couldn’t possibly be any more interested in my case,” I said. “He comes so often he never leaves. Day and night, he’s like a shadow at my side, attended by spirits whose intent even he does not know, whether they come bearing gladness or sadness. Even last night, he came to visit, along with his worthy students.”

“But I was with Father Cazin,” said Prieur. “We were visiting Father Imbert.”

The rest of the room asked if the Saint-Louis priest was going to be able to complete his healing work. 

“If I had been listening to Imbert,” said Prieur, “I never would have been able to begin the ritual. He was an old, rambling man who never stopped talking. I finally got rid of him to team up with Father Cazin, a famous man who brings together perfect science and perfect magical operation. I told you, I couldn’t be more satisfied. Cazin will be able to flush out Pinel and Moreau, this whole goblin mess. His power is so much greater than theirs. He will send them all back to the devil they’d bound themselves to.”

“But sir,” I said, “you went so far to praise the virtue of this priest, his humanity, his sensitivity. I’m sure he wouldn’t violate the trust of a weak person and open him to goblinish mischief. He wouldn’t conjure up the terrors that these evil spirits have brought against me, even if he could. He would try to save an unfortunate person like myself from his woes. I am dying to know him. Let me meet him with you. I must see him today, tell him everything I’ve been through.”

“My business with these ladies and gentlemen,” he said, indicating his friends, “will keep me away from Imbert’s house today. But tomorrow, I promise.” He seemed sincere in his promise. I begged him to keep it. 

I invited Pamon Lomini, the student of law, to talk with us about how there were no laws to keep magicians and wizards like him from doing whatever they wanted. “Yes, my friend, we have the right to do whatever we please, to bring happiness and comfort or desolation to the human race.” 

“And because of this,” I said, “you come to my home, knowing that you cannot be convicted of a crime, surrounding me by night and day, following me on my walks, tiring me to the point of collapse, distracting me and suffocating me in the holy temple,  keeping me from my prayers and my readings, making me forget that I’m in a temple of God. But nothing you will do will distract me from my duty…and no matter what you think or say, I will be true to him, and fight you with all my strength. The indignities you send, the bad weather you call down, will not keep me from church. But tell me, Mr. Prieur,  Why do you follow me everywhere? You must have an answer for this question, you’ve already made your confession. Do you and your friends somehow think that I hadn’t had enough of your nonsense?

Frontin and Métra turned to him. “Good lord!” one said. “We don’t want to stop you from having fun, do it if you want, you’re young, we can understand that. But you could give a bit more respect to M. Berbiguier.” Prieur and his cousin laughed. Of course they should have some fun. 

“Hey! No one’s stopping you from having fun. Just not at my expense, okay? Go visit the young ladies. You can even do it invisibly, if you like. I’m sure that’ll be great for you. Their mothers, or lovers, or husbands, might take offense. They’d probably give you more abuse than you’ve given me. Surely you’d have more fun in their company than with me. You say you can be as light as you want when you walk across them. I’d be a kindness if you did the same for me, you’re suffocating me. What do you say, friends, does that sound fun?” 

Preiur’s companions burst out in laughter.  They wanted to convince me that it was my destiny to be tormented by them, and I could never change that. “Thank you for that,” I said. “So I am meant to be served up as food for the goblins, to satisfy the wickedness of your species. Could you at least give me my rest? You’ve got so many ways to satisfy yourselves otherwhere. Allow me some peace, I only want to save myself and mankind from your claws.”

Frontin seemed to take my side, and told the other mockers that it was time for these torments to end, I deserved to have my peace of mind restored to me. Prieur agreed, and told his cousin that if he caused any more delays in my treatment, the powers that had been invested in him, to make himself invisible when he played his games, would be taken away. “Surely you can find some pretty women in the city that would be more entertaining than Mr. Berbiguier.”

Frontin and Métra nodded, but when I began to laugh, they looked confused, wondering why I always laughed, but said nothing. 

I was on my guard, seeing that they were playing me on all sides; but I wanted to know how far they would carry this cruel joke. “I have nothing more to say to my doctor. He knows my condition.” I said that with the help of Cazin’s advice, he would surely bring a quick remedy to my ailments. But I won’t hide from you that my desperation to get out of my state had eaten away my patience for these people who dragged their feet and interfered with my recovery. Maybe after this little lecture, Lomini wouldn’t use his invisibility against me. I asked Frontin and Métra to remind Prieur of his promise today, and push him to give me my freedom. 

Then I went for a walk.