med.

"I mean that behind the misfortune which has just happened to you, there
is another, perhaps, still greater."

"Can it be possible?" murmured Villefort, clasping his hands. "What are
you going to tell me?"

"Are we quite alone, my friend?"

"Yes, quite; but why all these precautions?"

"Because I have a terrible secret to communicate to you," said the
doctor. "Let us sit down."

Villefort fell, rather than seated himself. The doctor stood before him,
with one hand placed on his shoulder. Morrel, horrified, supported
his head with one hand, and with the other pressed his heart, lest its
beatings should be heard. "Dead, dead!" repeated he within himself; and
he felt as if he were also dying.

"Speak, doctor--I am listening," said Villefort; "strike--I am prepared
for everything!"

"Madame de Saint-Meran was, doubtless, advancing in years, but she
enjoyed excellent health." Morrel began again to breathe freely, which
he had not done during the last ten minutes.

"Grief has consumed her," said Villefort--"yes, grief, doctor! After
living forty years with the marquis"--

"It is not grief, my dear Villefort," said the doctor; "grief may kill,
although it rarely does, and never in a day, never in an hour, never
in ten minutes." Villefort answered nothing, he simply raised his
head, which had been cast down before, and looked at the doctor with
amazement.

"Were you present during the last struggle?" asked M. d'Avrigny.

"I was," replied the procureur; "you begged me not to leave."

"Did you notice the symptoms of the disease to which Madame de
Saint-Meran has fallen a victim?"

"I did. Madame de Saint-Meran had three successive attacks, at intervals
of some minutes, each one more serious than the former. When you
arrived, Madame de Saint-Meran had already been panting for breath some
minutes; she then had a fit, which I took to be simply a nervous attack,
and it was only when I saw her raise herself in the bed, and her
limbs and neck appear stiffened, that I became really alarmed. Then
I understood from your countenance there was more to fear than I had
thought. This crisis past, I endeavored to catch your eye, but could
not. You held her hand--you were feeling her pulse--and the second fit
came on before you had turned towards me. This was more terrible than
the first; the same nervous movements were repeated, and the mouth
contracted and turned purple."

"And at the third she expired."

"At the en