injustice of my feelings； and you shall know why； if you can stay till
the day after to…morrow at Montegnac。〃 Then turning to Horace Bianchon
and bowing to him； she added： 〃Monsieur will no doubt confirm my
apprehensions。 God must have sent you； Monseigneur；〃 she said； turning
to the archbishop。 〃In memory of our old friendship you will not
refuse to assist me in my last moments。 By whose mercy is it that I
have about me all the beings who have loved and supported me in life？〃
As she said the word /loved/ she turned with a gracious look to
Monsieur de Grandville； who was touched to tears by this mark of
feeling。 Silence fell for a few moments on every one。 The doctors
wondered by what occult power this woman could still keep her feet；
suffering as she must have suffered。 The other three men were so
shocked at the ravages disease had suddenly made in her that they
communicated their thoughts by their eyes only。
〃Allow me；〃 she said； with her accustomed grace； 〃to leave you now
with these gentlemen； the matter is urgent。〃
She bowed to her guests； gave an arm to each of the doctors； and
walked toward the chateau feebly and slowly； with a difficulty which
told only too plainly of the coming catastrophe。
〃Monsieur Bonnet；〃 said the archbishop； looking at the rector； 〃you
have accomplished a miracle。〃
〃Not I； but God； Monseigneur；〃 he replied。
〃They said she was dying；〃 said Monsieur Grossetete； 〃but she is dead；
there is nothing left of her but spirit。〃
〃A soul；〃 said Gerard。
〃And yet she is still the same；〃 cried the /procureur…general/。
〃A stoic after the manner of the Porch philosophers；〃 said the tutor。
They walked in silence the whole length of the balustrade； looking at
the landscape still red with the declining light。
〃To me who saw this scene thirteen years ago；〃 said the archbishop；
pointing to the fertile plain； the valley； and the mountains of
Montegnac； 〃this miracle is as extraordinary as that we have just
witnessed。 But how comes it that you allow Madame Graslin to walk
about？ She ought to be in her bed。〃
〃She was there；〃 said Madame Sauviat； 〃for ten days she did not leave
it； but to…day she insisted on getting up to take a last look at the
landscape。〃
〃I can understand that she wanted to bid farewell to her great
creation；〃 said Monsieur de Grandville； 〃but she risked expiring on
this terrace。〃
〃Monsieur Roubaud told us not to thwart her；〃 said Madame Sauviat。
〃What a stupendous work！ what a miracle has been accomplished！〃 said
the archbishop； whose eyes were roving over the scene before him。 〃She
has literally sown the desert！ But we know； monsieur；〃 he added；
turning to Gerard； 〃that your scientific knowledge and your labors
have a large share in it。〃
〃They have been only the workmen；〃 replied the mayor。 〃Yes； the hands
only； she has been the thought。〃
Madame Sauviat here left the group； to hear； if possible； the decision
of the doctors。
〃We need some heroism ourselves；〃 said Monsieur de Grandville to the
rector and the archbishop； 〃to enable us to witness this death。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Monsieur Grossetete； who overheard him； 〃but we ought to
do much for such a friend。〃
After several turns up and down the terrace； these persons； full of
solemn thoughts； saw two farmers approaching them； sent as a
deputation from the village； where the inhabitants were in a state of
painful anxiety to know the sentence pronounced by the physician from
Paris。
〃They are still consulting； and as yet we know nothing； my friends；〃
said the archbishop。
As he spoke； Monsieur Roubaud appeared coming toward them； and they
all hurried to meet him。
〃Well？〃 said the mayor。
〃She cannot live forty…eight hours longer；〃 replied Monsieur Roubaud。
〃During my absence the disease has fully developed； Monsieur Bianchon
does not understand how it was possible for her to have walked。 Such
phenomenal exhibitions of strength are always caused by great mental
exaltation。 So； gentlemen；〃 said the doctor to the priests； 〃she
belongs to you now； science is useless； and my illustrious fellow…
physician thinks you have barely time enough for your last offices。〃
〃Let us go now and say the prayers for the forty hours；〃 said the
rector to his parishioners； turning to leave the terrace。 〃His Grace
will doubtless administer the last sacraments。〃
The archbishop bowed his head； he could not speak； his eyes were full
of tears。 Every one sat down； or leaned against the balustrade；
absorbed in his own thought。 The church bells presently sent forth a
few sad calls； and then the whole population were seen hurrying toward
the porch。 The gleam of the lighted tapers shone through the trees in
Monsieur Bonnet's garden； the chants resounded。 No color was left in
the landscape but the dull red hue of the dusk； even the birds had
hushed their songs； the tree…frog alone sent forth its long； clear；
melancholy note。
〃I will go and do my duty；〃 said the archbishop； turning away with a
slow step like a man overcome with emotion。
The consultation had taken place in the great salon of the chateau。
This vast room communicated with a state bedchamber； furnished in red
damask； in which Graslin had displayed a certain opulent magnificence。
Veronique had not entered it six times in fourteen years； the grand
apartments were quite useless to her； and she never received her
friends there。 But now the effort she had made to accomplish her last
obligation； and to overcome her last repugnance had exhausted her
strength； and she was wholly unable to mount the stairs to her own
rooms。
When the illustrious physician had taken the patient's hand and felt
her pulse he looked at Monsieur Roubaud and made him a sign； then
together they lifted her and carried her into the chamber。 Aline
hastily opened the doors。 Like all state beds the one in this room had
no sheets； and the two doctors laid Madame Graslin on the damask
coverlet。 Roubaud opened the windows； pushed back the outer blinds；
and called。 The servants and Madame Sauviat went in。 The tapers in the
candelabra were lighted。
〃It is ordained；〃 said the dying woman； smiling； 〃that my death shall
be what that of a Christian should bea festival！〃
During the consultation she said：
〃The /procureur…general/ has done his professional duty； I was going；
and he has pushed me on。〃
The old mother looked at her and laid a finger on her lips。
〃Mother； I shall speak；〃 replied Veronique。 〃See！ the hand of God is
in all this； I am dying in a red room〃
Madame Sauviat went out； unable to bear those words。
〃Aline；〃 she said； 〃she will speak！ she will speak！〃
〃Ah！ madame is out of her mind；〃 cried the faithful maid； who was
bringing sheets。 〃Fetch the rector； madame。〃
〃Your mistress must be undressed；〃 said Bianchon to the maid。
〃It will be very difficult to do it； monsieur； madame is wrapped in a
hair…cloth garment。〃
〃What！ in the nineteenth…century can such horrors be revived？〃 said
the great doctor。
〃Madame Graslin has never allowed me to touch her stomach；〃 said
Roubaud。 〃I have been able to judge of the progress of the disease
only from her face and her pulse； and the little information I could
get from her mother and the maid。〃
Veronique was now placed on a sofa while the bed was being made。 The
doctors spoke together in a low voice。 Madame Sauviat and Aline made
the bed。 The faces of the two women were full of anguish； their hearts
were wrung by the thought； 〃We are making her bed for the last time
she will die here！〃
The consultation was not long。 But Bianchon exacted at the outset that
Aline should； in spite of the patient's resistance； cut off the hair
shirt and put on a night…dress。 The doctors returned to the salon
while this was being done。 When Aline passed them carrying the
instrument of torture wrapped in a napkin； she said：
〃Madame's body is one great wound。〃
The doctors returned to the bedroom。
〃Your will is stronger than that of Napoleon； madame；〃 said Bianchon；
after asking a few questions； to which Veronique replied very clearly。
〃You keep your mind and your faculties in the last stages of a disease
which robbed the Emperor of his brilliant intellect。 From what I know
of you I think I ought to tell you the truth。〃
〃I implore you to do so；〃 she said。 〃You are able to estimate what
strength remains to me； and I have need of all my vigor for a few
hours。〃
〃Think only of your salvation；〃 replied Bianchon。
〃If God has given me grace to die in possession of all my faculties；〃
she said with a celestial smile； 〃be sure that this favor will be used
to the glory of his Church。 The possession of my mind and senses is
necessary to fulfil a command of God； whereas Napoleon had
accomplished all his destiny。〃
The doctors looked at each other in astonishment at hearing these
words； said with as much ease as though Madame Graslin were still
presiding in her salon。
〃Ah！ here is the doctor who is to cure me；〃 she said presently； when
the archbishop； summoned by Roubaud； entered the room。
She collected all her strength and rose to a sitting posture； in order
to bow graciously to Monsieur Bianchon； and beg him to accept
something else than money for the good news he gave her。 She said a
few words in her mother's ear； and Madame Sauviat immediately led away
the doctors； then Veronique requested the archbishop to postpone their
interview till the rector could come to her； expressing a wish to rest
for a while。 Aline watched beside her。
At midnight Madame Graslin awoke； and asked for the archbishop and
rector； whom Aline silently showed her close at hand； praying for her。
She made a sign dismissing her mother and the maid； and； at another
sign； the two priests came to the bedside。
〃Monseigneur； and you； my dear rector；〃 she said； 〃will hear nothing
you do not already know。 You were the first； Monseigneur； to cast your
eyes into my inner self； you read there nearly all my past； and what
you read sufficed you。 My confessor； that guardian angel whom heaven
placed near me； knows more； I have told him all。 You； whose minds are
enlightened by the spirit of the Church； I wish to consult you as to
the manner in which I ought as a