[Jpos-devel] this Monsieur Malby conducted himself with prudence and

[Masucci W. <fe...@pa...>]

Me the disagreeable task of taking them, and contented himself with
amusing the grief of my poor Madam de Warrens by some of those harmless
preparations, which serve to flatter the hopes of the patient and keep
up the credit of the doctor. I discontinued the strict regimen I had
latterly observed, resumed the use of wine, and lived in every respect
like a man in perfect health, as far as my strength would permit, only
being careful to run into no excess; I even began to go out and visit my
acquaintance, particularly M. de Conzie, whose conversation was
extremely pleasing to me. Whether it struck me as heroic to study to my
last hour, or that some hopes of life yet lingered in the bottom of my
heart, I cannot tell, but the apparent certainty of death, far from
relaxing my inclination for improvement, seemed to animate it, and I
hastened to acquire knowledge for the other world, as if convinced I
should only possess that portion I could carry with me. I took a liking
to the shop of a bookseller, whose name was Bouchard, which was
frequented by some men of letters, and as the spring (whose return I had
never expected to see again) was approaching, furnished myself with some
books for Charmettes, in case I should have the happiness to return
there. I had that happiness, and enjoyed it to the utmost extent. The
rapture with which I saw the trees put out their first bud, is
inexpressible! The return of spring seemed to me like rising from the
grave into paradise. The snow was hardly off the ground when we left our
dungeon and returned to Charmettes, to enjoy the first warblings of the
nightingale. I now thought no more of dying, and it is really singular,
that from this time I never exper