Madame de Villefort started. Noirtier looked at her with a glance of the most profound scrutiny.
“He has such a short neck,” said she.
“Madame,” said Villefort, “I ask where is M. d’Avrigny? In God’s name answer me!”
“He is with Edward, who is not quite well,” replied Madame de Villefort, no longer being able to avoid answering.
Villefort rushed upstairs to fetch him.
“Take this,” said Madame de Villefort, giving her smelling-bottle to Valentine. “They will, no doubt, bleed him; therefore I will retire, for I cannot endure the sight of blood;” and she followed her husband upstairs. Morrel now emerged from his hiding-place, where he had remained quite unperceived, so great had been the general confusion.
“Go away as quick as you can, Maximilian,” said Valentine, “and stay till I send for you. Go.”
Morrel looked towards Noirtier for permission to retire. The old man, who had preserved all his usual coolness, made a sign to him to do so. The young man pressed Valentine’s hand to his lips, and then left the house by a back staircase.
At the same moment that he quitted the room, Villefort and the doctor entered by an opposite door. Barrois was now showing signs of returning consciousness. The risis seemed past, a low moaning was heard, and he raised himself on one knee. D’Avrigny and Villefort laid him on a couch.
“What do you prescribe, doctor?” demanded Villefort.
“Give me some water and ether. You have some in the house, have you not?”
“Yes.”
“Send for some oil of turpentine and tartar emetic.”
Villefort immediately despatched a messenger. “And now let everyone retire.”
“Must I go too?” asked Valentine timidly.
“Yes, mademoiselle, you especially,” replied the doctor abruptly.
Valentine looked at M. d’Avrigny with astonishment, kissed her grandfather on the forehead, and left the room. The doctor closed the door after her with a gloomy air.
“Look, look, doctor,” said Villefort, “he is quite coming round again; I really do not think, after all, it is anything of consequence.”
M. d’Avrigny answered by a melancholy smile.
“How do you feel, Barrois?” asked he.
“A little better, sir.”
“Will you drink some of this ether and water?”
“I will try; but don’t touch me.”
“Why not?”
“Because I feel that if you were only to touch me with the tip of your finger the fit would return.”
“Drink.”
Barrois took the glass, and, raising it to his purple lips, took about half of the liquid offered him.
“Where do you suffer?” asked the doctor.
“Everywhere. I feel cramps over my whole body.”
“Do you find any dazzling sensation before the eyes?”
“Yes.”
“Any noise in the ears?”
“Frightful.”
40112m
“When did you first feel that?”
“Just now.”
“Suddenly?”
“Yes, like a clap of thunder.”
“Did you feel nothing of it yesterday or the day before?”
“Nothing.”
