Though Emmanuel read in a low voice, and Marguerite signed to him to omit the passage, Balthazar heard it.
Suddenly the dying man raised himself by his wrists and cast on his frightened children a look which struck like lightning; the hairs that fringed the bald head stirred, the wrinkles quivered, the features were illumined with spiritual fires, a breath passed across that face and rendered it sublime; he raised a hand, clenched in fury, and uttered with a piercing cry the famous word of Archimedes, "EUREKA!"-- I have found.
He fell back upon his bed with the dull sound of an inert body, and died, uttering an awful moan,--his convulsed eyes expressing to the last, when the doctor closed them, the regret of not bequeathing to Science the secret of an Enigma whose veil was rent away,--too late!--by the fleshless fingers of Death.
ADDENDUM The following personages appear in other stories of the Human Comedy.
Note: The Alkahest is also known as The Quest of the Absolute and is referred to by that title when mentioned in other addendums.
Casa-Real, Duc de The Quest of the Absolute A Marriage Settlement Chiffreville, Monsieur and Madame Cesar Birotteau The Quest of the Absolute Claes, Josephine de Temninck, Madame The Quest of the Absolute A Marriage Settlement Protez and Chiffreville The Quest of the Absolute Cesar Birotteau Savaron de Savarus The Quest of the Absolute Albert Savarus Savarus, Albert Savaron de The Quest of the Absolute Albert Savarus.