"And I think there remains very little for me to say to you about the treatment, Miss Gray," he finished calmly."You will have received minute instructions from Sir Deryck himself.The great thing now is to help the patient to take an interest in the outer world.The temptation to persons who suddenly become totally blind, is to form a habit of living entirely in a world within; a world of recollection, retrospection, and imagination; the only world, in fact, in which they can see."Jane made a quick movement of appreciation and interest.After all she might learn something useful from this eccentric little Scotchman.Oh to keep his attention off rubbish on the carpet, and grease spots on the table-cloth!
"Yes?" she said."Do tell me more."
"This," continued Dr.Mackenzie, "is our present difficulty with Mr.
Dalmain.There seems to be no possibility of arousing his interest in the outside world.He refuses to receive visitors; he declines to hear his letters.Hours pass without a word being spoken by him.
Unless you hear him speak to me or to his valet, you will easily suppose yourself to have a patient who has lost the power of speech as well as the gift of sight.Should he express a wish to speak to me alone when we are with him, do not leave the room.Walk over to the fireplace and remain there.I desire that you should hear, that when he chooses to rouse and make an effort, he is perfectly well able to do so.The most important part of your duties, Nurse Gray, will be the aiding him day by day to resume life,--the life of a blind man, it is true; but not therefore necessarily an inactive life.Now that all danger of inflammation from the wounds has subsided, he may get up, move about, learn to find his way by sound and touch.He was an artist by profession.He will never paint again.But there are other gifts which may form reasonable outlets to an artistic nature."He paused suddenly, having apparently caught sight of another grease spot, and walked over to the table; but the next instant jumped round on Jane, quick as lightning, with a question.
"Does he play?" said Dr.Rob.
But Jane was on her guard, even against accidental surprises.
"Sir Deryck did not happen to mention to me, Dr.Mackenzie, whether Mr.Dalmain is musical or not.""Ah, well," said the little doctor, resuming his Napoleonic attitude in the centre of the hearth-rug; "you must make it your business to find out.And, by the way, Nurse, do you play yourself?""A little," said Jane.
"Ah," said Dr.Rob."And I dare say you sing a little, too?"Jane acquiesced.
"In that case, my dear lady, I leave most explicit orders that you neither sing a little nor play a little to Mr.Dalmain.We, who have our sight, can just endure while people who 'play a little' show us how little they can play; because we are able to look round about us and think of other things.But to a blind man, with an artist's sensitive soul, the experience might culminate in madness.We must not risk it.I regret to appear uncomplimentary, but a patient's welfare must take precedence of all other considerations."Jane smiled.She was beginning to like Dr.Rob.
"I will be most careful," she said, "neither to play nor to sing to Mr.Dalmain.""Good," said Dr.Mackenzie."But now let me tell you what you most certainly may do, by-and-by.Lead him to the piano.Place him there upon a seat where he will feel secure; none of your twirly, rickety stools.Make a little notch on the key-board by which he can easily find middle C.Then let him relieve his pent-up soul by the painting of sound-pictures.You will find this will soon keep him happy for hours.And, if he is already something of a musician,--as that huge grand piano, with no knick-knacks on it indicates,--he may begin that sort of thing at once, before he is ready to be worried with the Braille system, or any other method of instructing the blind.
