in the long thin neck
that lay rigid on the pillow, and I dismissed them, ordering them to
remain at a distance till we rang: the doctor, I said, had an operation
to perform--he was not sure about the death. For the next twenty minutes
I forgot everything but Meunier and the experiment in which he was so
absorbed, that I think his senses would have been closed against all
sounds or sights which had no relation to it. It was my task at first to
keep up the artificial respiration in the body after the transfusion had
been effected, but presently Meunier relieved me, and I could see the
wondrous slow return of life; the breast began to heave, the inspirations
became stronger, the eyelids quivered, and the soul seemed to have
returned beneath them. The artificial respiration was withdrawn: still
the breathing continued, and there was a movement of the lips.

Just then I heard the handle of the door moving: I suppose Bertha had
heard from the women that they had been dismissed: probably a vague fear
had arisen in her mind, for she entered with a look of alarm. She came
to the foot of the bed and gave a stifled cry.

The dead woman's eyes were wide open, and met hers in full recognition--
the recognition of hate. With a sudden strong effort, the hand that
Bertha had thought for ever still was pointed towards her, and the
haggard face moved. The gasping eager voice said--

"You mean to poison your husband . . . the poison is in the black cabinet
. . . I got it for you . . . you laughed at me, and told lies about me
behind my back, to make me disgusting . . . because you were jealous . . .
are you sorry . . . now?"

The lips continued to murmur, but the sounds were no longer distinct.
Soon there was no sound--only a slight movement: the flame had leaped
out, and was being extinguished the faster. The wretched woman's heart-
strings had been set to hatred and vengeance; the spirit of life had
swept the chords for an instant, and was gone again for ever. Great God!
Is this what it is to live again . . . to wake up with our unstilled
thirst upon us, with our unuttered curses rising to our lips, with our
muscles ready to act out their half-committed sins?

Bertha stood pale at the foot of the bed, quivering and helpless,
despairing of devices, like a cunning animal whose hiding-places are
surrounded by swift-advancing flame. Even Meunier looked paralysed; life
for that moment ceased to be a scientific problem to him.