Possessed | Page 5

danger that I can see and face squarely, but the unseen, the unknown----" She broke off suddenly, a strained, listening look on her face. Then she shivered though the glowing fire in the grate was making the room almost uncomfortably warm.
"Do you mind giving me some details?" Dr. Owen spoke in his gentlest manner, for he realized that he must gain her confidence.
Penelope continued with an effort:
"For several months I have heard voices about me, sometimes when no one is present, sometimes in crowds on the street, at church, anywhere. But the voices that I hear are not the voices of real persons."
"What kind of voices are they? Are they loud? Are they distinct? Or are they only vague whispers?"
"They are perfectly distinct voices, just as clear as ordinary voices. And they are voices of different persons. I can tell them apart; but none of them are voices of persons that I have ever seen or known."
"Hm! I suppose you have heard, as a trained nurse, of what we call clairaudient hallucinations?"
"Yes, doctor, and I know that those hallucinations often appear in the early stages of insanity. That is what distresses me."
"How often do you hear these voices--not all the time? Do you hear them in the night?"
"I hear them at any time--day or night. I have tried not to notice them, I pretend that I do not hear them. I do my best to forget them. I have prayed to God that He will make these voices cease troubling me, that He will make them go away; but nothing seems to do any good."
"What kind of things do these voices say? Do they seem to be talking to you directly?"
"Sometimes they do, sometimes they seem to be talking about me, as if two or three persons were discussing me, criticizing me. They say very unkind things. It seems as if they read my thoughts and make mischievous, wicked comments on them. Sometimes they say horrid things, disgusting things. Sometimes they give me orders. I am to do this or that; or I am not to do this or that. Sometimes they say the same word over and over again, many times. It was that way when I went out on the battlefield to help Captain Herrick. As I ran along, stumbling over the dead and wounded, I heard these voices crying out: 'Fool! Fool! Don't do it! You mustn't do it! You're a coward! You know you're a coward! You're going to be killed! You're a little fool to get yourself killed!'"
"And yet you went on? You did not obey these voices?"
"I went on because I was desperate. I tell you I wanted to die. What is the use of living if one is persecuted like this? There is nothing to live for, is there?"
He met her pathetic look with confidence.
"I think there is, Mrs. Wells. There is a lot to live for. Those hallucinations and dreams are not as uncommon as you think. I could give you cases of shell shock patients who have suffered in this way and come back to normal health. You have been through enough, my young friend, to bring about a somewhat hysterical condition that is susceptible of cure, if you will put yourself in favorable conditions. Do you mind if I ask you straight out whether you have any objections to marrying a second time?"
"N--no, that is to say I--er----" The color burned in her cheeks and Owen took note of this under his grizzled brows.
"As an old friend of the family--I mean Herrick's family--may I ask you if you would have any objection to Captain Herrick as a husband--assuming that you are willing to accept any husband?"
"I like Captain Herrick very much, I--I think I care for him more than any man I know, but----"
"Well? If you love Herrick and he loves you----" Owen broke off here with a new thought, "Ah, perhaps that is the trouble, perhaps Captain Herrick has not told you that he loves you? I hope, dear lady, I am not forcing your confidence?"
"No, doctor, I want you to know. Captain Herrick cares for me, he loves me, he has asked me to marry him, but--I have refused him."
"But why--if you love him? Why refuse him?"
"Oh, can't you see? Can't you understand? How could I think of such a thing, knowing, as I do, that something is wrong with my mind? It is quite impossible. Besides, there is another reason."
"Another reason?" he repeated.
"It has to do with my married life. As I said I would rather tell you about that some other time--if you don't mind?"
He saw that she could go no farther.
"Exactly, some other time. Let us say in about two weeks. During that time my prescription for you is a rest down at Atlantic City