1 44
2 forks ; in fact, we played our parts so well, that none recognised
3 us as Christians. Having our quarters in the mosque, it was
4 very annoying for us to see the musselmans come five times in
5 twenty-four hours, to offer up their prayers. They thought it
6 strange that we, as pilgrims and their guests, did not join in
7 their devotions. It is true, we could easily have done so,
8 but knowing how to excuse ourselves, we did not like to push our
9 dissimulation any further. We had only to whisper into the ear
10 of one of them that we were unclean. From that expression they
11 inferred that we had the gonorrhoea, which excuse became a
12 public secret; and we thus got out of the difficulty. From
13 Mooltan to Lahore we went on horseback. The journey from
14 Bagdad to Lahore occupied four months ; i. e ., two by water, and
15 two by land. On my arrival at Lahore, I found that the king,
16 Runjeet Sing, with his army and the four French officers, was
17 absent, having gone towards Peshawur ; but at the commence-
18 ment of the rainy season, in the middle of June, they had all re-
19 turned to Lahore, and I was well received. The first patient I
20 had to attend, after my arrival at Lahore, and before I got
21 public employment, was Achilles, an adopted son of General
22 Allard. This boy was afflicted with a fistula on the spine, of
23 long duration, and which had been several times superficially
24 healed by the native surgeons. He was so reduced, that one
25 could truly say, he was but skin and bone: “ Ossa atque pellis
26 totus est ,” which of course rendered the case most difficult. I
27 was convinced that my medical reputation depended upon this
28 case. General Allard told me that the boy would die, if not at-
29 tended to, that he could no longer bear to see him in that pitiful
30 state, and urgently solicited my aid. He did not at that time
31 imagine that his darling Achilles would outlive him ; but the
32 destiny of man lies hidden. Allard died at Peshawur, and was
33 buried at Lahore ; and Achilles returned from France to Lahore,
34 where he also died, and was buried in the cemetery, near to
35 General Allard’s own tomb, which was in his adjacent garden.
36 1 ventured to perform an operation, and that by force, for tiie
37 boy made an obstinate resistance, when I placed him on a sofa.
38 General Allard holding his arms and General Ventura his feet,