At a
glance, therefore, you can see the way in which the malady has travelled
across Europe."

On hearing this, you may be sure I drew closer to the table, and looked
over the shoulders of the men at the map below.

"As you see," said the lecturer, with renewed interest as he observed
this addition to his audience, "it started in Constantinople, made its
appearance next in Southern Russia and the Balkan States. Two days later
a case was notified from Vienna and another in Prague. Berlin was the
next city visited, then Wittenberg, then Hamburg. France did not become
infected until some days later, and then the individual who brought it
was proved to have arrived the day before from Berlin. Yesterday,
according to the official returns, there were twelve hundred cases in
France, eighteen thousand in Austria, sixteen thousand in Germany--of
which Hamburg alone contributes five thousand three hundred and
fifty--while in Italy there have been three thousand four hundred, in
Spain and Portugal only two hundred and thirty, while Turkey and Russia
have forty-five thousand, and thirty-seven thousand three hundred and
eighty, respectively. Greece returns seventeen thousand six hundred and
twenty, Holland seven thousand two hundred and sixty-four, Belgium nine
thousand five hundred and twenty-three, while Denmark completes the
total of Europe with four thousand two hundred and twenty-one. The
inferences to be drawn from these figures are apparent. The total number
of deaths upon the Continent up to midnight last night was one hundred
and fifty-nine thousand eight hundred and thirty-eight. The nations most
seriously affected are Turkey and the countries immediately surrounding
her, namely, Greece, Russia, and Austria. Germany follows next, though
why Hamburg should contribute such a large proportion as five thousand
three hundred and fifty I must admit it is difficult to see. England
hitherto has stood aloof; now, however, it has broken out in London, and
three hundred and seventy-five cases have been notified up to eight
o'clock this morning."

On hearing this, the men standing round him turned pale and shuffled
uneasily upon their feet. As for myself, I might have been changed to
stone, so cold and so incapable of moving was I. It was as if a bandage
had suddenly been removed from my eyes, enabling me to see everything
plainly and in its proper light.

"The returns for our own country," continued this indefatigable
statistic