“Impossible,” said the lady.
“Quite true,” replied the guide.
“There is another case,” continued the guide, “that is as striking. There was once an unfortunate man who was afflicted with madness; sometimes he was quiet, at others he would break out in the greatest violence and beat his wife and children almost to death. All the doctors saw him and said he was quite gone, there was no curing him. His illness daily gained ground upon him, until at last he went violently mad. His friends were grieved on his account, and were at last persuaded to take him to the old woman. They did so: as soon as she saw him, she took a little stick and struck him on the head; his skull opened: she took out twenty small fishing hooks that were stuck into his brains; and closed the skull again. In a few moments the man was cured.”
“Is that possible?” exclaimed the lady.
“It is remarkable,” observed the guide.
“Did you see the cure yourself?” inquired the lady.
“No, I did not,” answered the guide, “but every one in the town knows it.”
The path in the meantime became more rugged, broken, and steep.