Has she appeared to suffer much during the time ?" "She complained of violent headaches, dimness of sight, and intolerable pains in her ears, she attributed all that though to megrims.

Do not, however, conceal anything from me, Herve; is her complaint very serious ?" "So serious, my friend, so invariably fatal, that I am almost undertaking a hopeless task in attempting a cure." "Ah! good heaven!" "You asked for the truth, and I have told it you.

If I had that courage, it was because you told me this poor woman is not your mother.

Nothing short of a miracle can save her; but this miracle we may hope and prepare for.

And now to work!".