—'
'Died during the night, in dreadful agony; for the shock had been so violent, that brain-fever almost instantly declared itself.'
'And is Morok dead?'
'I do not know. He was to be taken to another hospital, after being fast bound in the state of weakness which generally succeeds the fit. But, till he can be removed he has been confined in a room upstairs.'
'But he cannot recover.'
'I should think he must be dead by this time. The doctors did not give him twenty-four hours to live.'
The persons engaged in this conversation were standing in an ante-chamber on the ground-floor, in which usually assembled those who came to offer their voluntary aid to the sick. One door of this room communicated with the rest of the hospital, and the other with the passage that opened upon the courtyard.
'Dear me!' said one of the two speakers, looking through the window. 'See what two charming girls have just got out of that elegant carriage. How much alike they are! Such a resemblance is indeed extraordinary.'
'No doubt they are twins. Poor young girls! dressed in Mourning. They have perhaps lost father or mother.'
'One would imagine they are coming this way.'
'Yes, they are coming up the steps.'
And indeed Rose and Blanche soon entered the antechamber, with a timid, anxious air, though a sort of feverish excitement was visible in their looks. One of the two men that were talking together, moved by the embarrassment of the girls, advanced toward them, and said, in a tone of attentive politeness: 'Is there anything I can do for you, ladies?'
'Is not this, sir,' replied Rose, 'the infirmary of the Rue du Mont Blanc?'
'Yes, miss.'
'A lady, called Madame Augustine du Tremblay, was brought here, we are told, about two days ago. Could we see her?'
'I would observe to you, miss, that there is some danger in entering the sick-wards.'
'It is a dear friend that we wish to see,' answered Rose, in a mild and firm tone, which sufficiently expressed that she was determined to brave the danger.
'I cannot be sure, miss,' resumed the other, 'that the person you seek is here; but, if you will take the trouble to walk into this room on the left, you will find there the good Sister Martha; she has the care of the women's wards, and will give you all the information you can desire.'
'Thank you, sir,' said Blanche, with a graceful bow; and she and her sister entered together the apartment which had been pointed out to them.
'They are really charming,' said the man, looking after the two sisters, who soon disappeared from his view. 'It would be a great pity if—'
He was unable to finish. A frightful tumult, mingled with cries of alarm and horror, rose suddenly from the adjoining rooms. Almost instantly, two doors were thrown open, and a number of the sick, half-naked, pale, fleshless, and their features convulsed with terror, rushed into the antechamber, exclaiming: 'Help! help! the madman!' It is impossible to paint the scene of despairing and furious confusion which followed this panic of so many affrighted wretches, flying to the only other door, to escape from the perils they dreaded, and there, struggling and trampling on each other to pass through the narrow entrance.
At the moment when the last of these unhappy creatures succeeded in reaching the door, dragging himself along upon his bleeding hands, for he had been thrown down and almost crushed in the confusion—Morok, the object of so much terror—Morok himself appeared. He was a horrible sight. With the exception of a rag bound about his middle, his wan form was entirely naked, and from his bare legs still hung the remnants of the cords he had just broken. His thick, yellow hair stood almost on end, his beard bristled, his savage eyes rolled full of blood in their orbits, and shone with a glassy brightness; his lips were covered with foam; from time to time, he uttered hoarse, guttural cries. The veins, visible on his iron limbs were swollen almost to bursting. He bounded like a wild beast, and stretched out before him his bony and quivering hands. At the moment Morok reached the doorway, by which those he pursued made their escape, some persons, attracted by the noise, managed to close this door from without, whilst others secured that which communicated with the sick-ward.
Morok thus found himself a prisoner. He ran to the window to force it open, and threw himself into the courtyard. But, stopping suddenly, he drew back from the glittering panes, seized with that invincible horror which all the victims of hydrophobia feel at the sight of any shining object, particularly glass. The unfortunate creatures whom he had pursued, saw him from the courtyard exhausting himself in furious efforts to open the doors that just had been closed upon him. Then, perceiving the inutility of his attempts, he uttered savage cries, and rushed furiously round the room, like a wild beast that seeks in vain to escape from its cage.
But, suddenly, those spectators of this scene, who had approached nearest to the window, uttered a loud exclamation of fear and anguish. Morok had perceived the little door which led to the closet occupied by Sister Martha, where Rose and Blanche had entered a few minutes before. Hoping to get out by this way, Morok drew the door violently towards him, and succeeded in half opening it, notwithstanding the resistance he experienced from the inside. For an instant the affrighted crowd saw the stiffened arms Of Sister Martha and the orphans, clinging to the door, and holding it back with all their might.
CHAPTER LVI. HYDROPHOBIA.
When the sick people, assembled in the courtyard, saw the desperate efforts of Morok to force the door of the room which contained Sister Martha and the orphans, their fright redoubled. 'It is all over, Sister Martha!' cried they.
'The door will give way.'
'And the closet has no other entrance.'
'There are two young girls in mourning with her.'
'Come! we must not leave these poor women to encounter the madman. Follow me, friends!' cried generously one of the spectators, who was still blessed with health, and he rushed towards the steps to return to the ante-chamber.
'It's too late! it's only exposing yourself in vain,' cried many persons, holding him back by force.
At this moment, voices were heard, exclaiming: 'Here is the Abbe Gabriel.'
'He is coming downstairs. He has heard the noise.'
'He is asking what is the matter.'
'What will he do?'
Gabriel, occupied with a dying person in a neighboring room, had, indeed, just learned that Morok, having broken his bonds, had succeeded in escaping from the chamber in which he had been temporarily confined. Foreseeing the terrible dangers which might result from the escape of the lion-tamer, the missionary consulted only his courage, and hastened down, in the hope of preventing greater misfortunes. In obedience to his orders, an attendant followed him, bearing a brazier full of hot cinders, on which lay several irons, at a white heat, used by the doctors for cauterizing, in desperate cases of cholera.
The angelic countenance of Gabriel was very pale; but calm intrepidity shone upon his noble brow. Hastily crossing the passage, and making his way through the crowd, he went straight to the ante-chamber door. As he approached it, one of the sick people said to him, in a lamentable voice; 'Ah, sir! it is all over. Those who can see through the window say that Sister Martha is lost.'
Gabriel made no answer, but grasped the key of the door. Before entering the room, however, he turned to the attendant, and said to him in a firm voice: 'Are the irons of a white heat?'
'Yes, sir.'
'Then wait here, and be ready. As for you, my friends,' he added, turning to some of the sick, who shuddered with terror, 'as soon as I enter shut the door after me. I will answer for the rest. And you; friend, only bring your irons when I call.'
And the young missionary turned the key in the lock. At this juncture, a cry of alarm, pity, and admiration rose from every lip, and the spectators drew back from the door, with an involuntary feeling of fear. Raising his eyes to heaven, as if to invoke its assistance at this terrible moment, Gabriel pushed open the door, and immediately closed it behind him. He was alone with Morok.
