Remarkable Resuscitation
Scary Books:
Apparitions; Or, The Mystery Of Ghosts, Hobgoblins, And Haunted Houses
In the first volume of the Causes Celebres, a popular French work, is
the following extraordinary story, which occasioned a serious law-suit.
Two men in trade, who lived in the street St. Honore in Paris, nearly
equal in circumstances, both following the same profession, and united
in the closest friendship, had each of them a child, much about the same
age. These children were brought up together, and conceived a mut
al
attachment, which, ripening with years into a stronger and more lively
sentiment, was approved by the parents on both sides. This young couple
was upon the point of being made happy, by a more solemn union, when a
rich financier, conceiving a passion for the young maiden, unfortunately
crossed their inclinations by demanding her in marriage. The allurements
of a more brilliant fortune seduced her father and mother,
notwithstanding their daughter's repugnance, to consent to the change.
To their entreaties, however, she was obliged to yield, and sacrificed
her affections by becoming the wife of the financier. Like a woman of
virtue, she forbade her earlier lover the house. A fit of melancholy,
the consequence of this violence done to her inclinations by entering
into an engagement of interest, brought on her a malady, which so far
benumbed her faculties, that at length she was given over by the
faculty, apparently died, and was accordingly laid out for burial.
Her former lover, who had once before beheld her in a similar situation,
flattered himself that he might possibly again find her in a trance.
This idea not only suspended his grief, but prompted him to bribe the
grave-digger, by whose aid he dug up the body in the night-time, and
conveyed it home. He then used every means in his power for recalling
her to life, and was overjoyed on discovering that his endeavours were
not ineffectual.
It is not easy to conceive the surprise of the young woman on her
resuscitation, when she found herself in a strange house, and, as it
were, in the arms of her lover, who soon informed her of what had taken
place on her account. She then comprehended the extent of her obligation
to her deliverer; and love, more pathetic than all his persuasions to
unite their destinies, determined her, on her recovery, to escape with
him into England. This was effected; and they lived for some years in
the closest union.
At the end of ten years, they conceived the natural wish of revisiting
their own country, and at length returned to Paris, where they took no
precaution whatever of concealing themselves, being persuaded that no
suspicion would attach to their arrival. It happened however, by chance,
that the financier met his wife in one of the public walks. The sight of
her made so strong an impression on him, that for some time he imagined
it must be her apparition; and, being fully persuaded of her death, he
could not for a long time efface that idea. However, he so contrived it
as to join her; and, notwithstanding the language she made use of to
impose upon him, he left her with the conviction that he was not
deceived at finding her a living substance.
The singularity of this event gave more charms to the woman in the eyes
of her former husband than she before possessed. He therefore acted with
such address, that he discovered her abode, notwithstanding all her
precautions, and reclaimed her with all the regular formalities of
justice.
It was in vain that the lover maintained the right which his cares for
his mistress gave him to the possession of her; that he represented her
inevitable death but for him; that his adversary divested himself of all
his own rights, by causing her to be buried; that he ought even to be
accused of homicide, for want of having taken proper precautions to
assure himself of her death; and a thousand other ingenious reasons,
which love suggested to him. But, finding that the judicial ear was
unfavourable, and not thinking it expedient to wait the result of a
definitive judgment, he fled with his mistress into a foreign country;
where they passed the remainder of their days without further
molestation.