Page 403 - The Grotesque Children's Book

Valerius replied, “If she’d only tried just the one something else! But she kept ingesting
them all.”

“Yes, again, so you’ve said. We’ve been over this, Ludovico. The alchemist gave her
some Piscean jewel to wear on her forehead or something; I don’t pretend to understand it. I just
know that Bianca’s been singing and dancing about again.”

The doctor’s eyes sparkled. “It must be the cinchona bark! That’s what’s new! That’s
what’s different. I thought it might have worked. I’ve administered some to Lady Bianca.
There’s a Portuguese scientist who has been dispensing varying levels of dosages to the people
in Peru, which points with nearly conclusive certainty the healing properties of the cinchona
against tertian fever.”

“No, it’s the magic jewel.”
“If you’ll just look at my medical logs for the past several weeks! They’re not very well
chronologized, but they’re complete. I just need time to sort them in order.”
“There will be no more time for you, doctor. My men will be arresting you this
afternoon.”
“No! You can’t do that.”
“I actually can,” said Francesco. “But I thought I’d do you the courtesy of telling you in
person. I feel I owe you that.”
“I’m to be grateful?”
“I should think you would be. Or even if you aren’t actually grateful, that you would say
to me that you are, because you think that’s what I want to hear.”
Valerius cleared his throat, then continued, “So tell me, my liege, my Duke. Do you
honestly believe I’ve been poisoning your wife?”
“My alchemist says you are.”
“But do you believe I am?”
“That is what the trial will determine.”
“Will it also determine whether magic jewels can cure a contagious fever?”
“They already have, Dr. Valerius. The jewels will not be on trial. You will be.” And
with that, the Duke left the room and the conversation was at an end. As was the doctor’s
liberty.

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