Chapter 3

           Aboutayearandahalfbefore,DoctorDohmlerhadsomevaguecorrespondencewithanAmericangentlemanlivinginLausanne,aMr.DevereuxWarren,oftheWarrenfamilyofChicago.AmeetingwasarrangedandonedayMr.WarrenarrivedattheclinicwithhisdaughterNicole,agirlofsixteen.ShewasobviouslynotwellandthenursewhowaswithhertookhertowalkaboutthegroundswhileMr.Warrenhadhisconsultation.

           Warrenwasastrikinglyhandsomemanlookinglessthanforty.HewasafineAmericantypeineveryway,tall,broad,well-made—"unhommetrèschic,"asDoctorDohmlerdescribedhimtoFranz.Hislargegrayeyesweresun-veinedfromrowingonLakeGeneva,andhehadthatspecialairabouthimofhavingknownthebestofthisworld.TheconversationwasinGerman,foritdevelopedthathehadbeeneducatedatGöttingen.Hewasnervousandobviouslyverymovedbyhiserrand.

           "DoctorDohmler,mydaughterisn’trightinthehead.I’vehadlotsofspecialistsandnursesforherandshe’stakenacoupleofrestcuresbutthethinghasgrowntoobigformeandI’vebeenstronglyrecommendedtocometoyou."

           "Verywell,"saidDoctorDohmler."Supposeyoustartatthebeginningandtellmeeverything."

           "Thereisn’tanybeginning,atleastthereisn’tanyinsanityinthefamilythatIknowof,oneitherside.Nicole’smotherdiedwhenshewaselevenandI’vesortofbeenfatherandmotherbothtoher,withthehelpofgovernesses—fatherandmotherbothtoher."

           Hewasverymovedashesaidthis.