ould be doubly
desirable, inasmuch as, for a very long time, I have been anxious to try
the effect of the internal use of phosphorus. Yes, gentlemen," continued
the doctor, hearing amongst his auditory a kind of shudder of
curiosity,--"yes, gentlemen, of phosphorus; it is a singular experiment
that I wish to try, and a bold one, and but _audaces fortuna juvat_, and
the opportunity would be excellent. We will first try if the subject
offers in all parts of the body, and particularly in the chest, that
miliary eruption, so symptomatic according to Huxham, and you will
assure yourselves, by feeling the subject, of the kind of uneven surface
which this eruption produces. But do not let us sell the skin of our
bear before we have killed it," added the prince of science, who was
decidedly in very high spirits. And he shook Mlle. de Fermont's shoulder
very gently, in order to wake her.

The young girl started and opened her large eyes, hollowed by the
malady. It is impossible to describe her amaze and alarm. Whilst a crowd
of men surrounded her bed, all fixing their eyes upon her, she felt the
doctor's hand gliding under the quilt into her bed, in order to take
her hand and feel her pulse. Mlle. de Fermont, collecting all her
strength, in a cry of anguish, exclaimed:

"Mother! Help! Mother! Mother!"

By an almost providential chance, at the moment when the cries of Mlle.
de Fermont made the old Count de Saint-Remy spring from his chair, for
he recognised the voice, the door of the apartment opened, and a young
lady, dressed in mourning, entered very hastily, accompanied by the
governor of the hospital; this lady was the Marquise d'Harville.

"I beg of you, sir," she said to him, "to lead me to Mlle. de Fermont."

"Be so kind as to follow me," he replied, respectfully; "the young lady
is in No. 17."

"Unhappy girl! Here--here!" said Madame d'Harville, drying her tears.
"Ah, this is really frightful!"

The marquise, preceded by the governor, rapidly approached the group
assembled beside the bed of Mlle. de Fermont, when they heard these
words uttered with indignation:

"I tell you it is infamous murder; you will kill her, sir!"

"But, my dear Saint-Remy, do pray hear me!"

"I repeat, sir, that your conduct is atrocious! I consider Mlle. de
Fermont as my daughter, and I forbid you going near her; I will have her
immediately removed hence."

"But, my dear friend, it is a case of slow nervous fever, very rare; I
am de