Bella Donna - A Novel by Robert Smythe Hichens
page 62 of 765 (08%)
page 62 of 765 (08%)
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She turned away, and once more spoke to Armine. "I went this afternoon to a doctor, Mr. Armine, to consult him about a friend of mine who is ill and obstinate, and we had a most extraordinary talk about the soul and the body. A sort of fight it was. He thought me a typical silly woman. I'm sure of that." "Why?" "Because I suppose I took a sentimental view of our subject. We women always instinctively take the sentimental view, you know. My doctor was severely scientific and frightfully sceptical. He thought me an absurd visionary." "And what did you think him?" "I'm afraid I thought him a crass materialist. He had doctored the body until he was able to believe only in the body. He referred everything back to the body. Every emotion, according to him, was only caused by the terminal of a nerve vibrating in a cell contained in the grey matter of the brain. I dare say he thinks the most passionate love could be operated for. And as to any one having an immortal soul--well, I did dare, being naturally fearless, just to mention the possibility of my possessing such a thing. But I was really sorry afterwards." "Tell us why." "Because it brought upon me such an avalanche of scorn and arguments. I didn't much mind the scorn, but the arguments bored me." |
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