Atheist's Mass

De Balzac Honore, Clara Bell

Description

"The Atheist's Mass" is a short story from the "Scenes From Private Life" section of Honore de Balzac's story cycle The Human Comedy. One day, the narrator happens to see one of his acquaintances, a prominent doctor, attending mass. Since he knows that Dr. Desplein is an avowed atheist, the narrator's curiosity is piqued. When the same scene unfolds again months later, he decides to get to the bottom of the mystery and confronts Desplein.

Sujets

• Short story

Informations

• Publié par: The Floating Press
• Date de parution: 01 juillet 2014
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781776539659
• Langue: English

Extrait

THE ATHEIST'S MASS
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HONORE DE BALZAC
Translated by
CLARA BELL
 
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The Atheist's Mass First published in 1836 Epub ISBN 978-1-77653-965-9 Also available: PDF ISBN 978-1-77653-966-6 © 2014 The Floating Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. While every effort has been used to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained in The Floating Press edition of this book, The Floating Press does not assume liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in this book. The Floating Press does not accept responsibility for loss suffered as a result of reliance upon the accuracy or currency of information contained in this book. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Many suitcases look alike. Visit www.thefloatingpress.com
Contents
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The Atheist's Mass Addendum
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This is dedicated to Auguste Borget by his friend De Balzac
The Atheist's Mass
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Bianchon, a physician to whom science owes a fine system of theoreticalphysiology, and who, while still young, made himself a celebrity in themedical school of Paris, that central luminary to which European doctorsdo homage, practised surgery for a long time before he took up medicine.His earliest studies were guided by one of the greatest of Frenchsurgeons, the illustrious Desplein, who flashed across science like ameteor. By the consensus even of his enemies, he took with him to thetomb an incommunicable method. Like all men of genius, he had no heirs;he carried everything in him, and carried it away with him. The glory ofa surgeon is like that of an actor: they live only so long as they arealive, and their talent leaves no trace when they are gone. Actorsand surgeons, like great singers too, like the executants who by theirperformance increase the power of music tenfold, are all the heroes of amoment.
Desplein is a case in proof of this resemblance in the destinies ofsuch transient genius. His name, yesterday so famous, to-day almostforgotten, will survive in his special department without crossing itslimits. For must there not be some extraordinary circumstances to exaltthe name of a professor from the history of Science to the generalhistory of the human race? Had Desplein that universal command ofknowledge which makes a man the living word, the great figure of hisage? Desplein had a godlike eye; he saw into the sufferer and his maladyby an intuition, natural or acquired, which enabled him