to me quite inexplicable。 The disease is peculiar to negroes and the
American tribes； whose skin is differently constituted to that of the
white races。 Now I can trace no connection with the copper…colored
tribes； with negroes or half…castes； in Monsieur or Madame Crevel。
〃And though it is a very interesting disease to us； it is a terrible
thing for the sufferers。 The poor woman； who is said to have been very
pretty； is punished for her sins； for she is now squalidly hideous if
she is still anything at all。 She is losing her hair and teeth； her
skin is like a leper's； she is a horror to herself； her hands are
horrible； covered with greenish pustules； her nails are loose； and the
flesh is eaten away by the poisoned humors。〃
〃And the cause of such a disease？〃 asked the lawyer。
〃Oh！〃 said the doctor； 〃the cause lies in a form of rapid blood…
poisoning； it degenerates with terrific rapidity。 I hope to act on the
blood； I am having it analyzed； and I am now going home to ascertain
the result of the labors of my friend Professor Duval； the famous
chemist； with a view to trying one of those desperate measures by
which we sometimes attempt to defeat death。〃
〃The hand of God is there！〃 said Adeline； in a voice husky with
emotion。 〃Though that woman has brought sorrows on me which have led
me in moments of madness to invoke the vengeance of Heaven； I hope
God knows I hopeyou may succeed； doctor。〃
Victorin felt dizzy。 He looked at his mother； his sister； and the
physician by turns； quaking lest they should read his thoughts。 He
felt himself a murderer。
Hortense； for her part； thought God was just。
Celestine came back to beg her husband to accompany her。
〃If you insist on going； madame； and you too； monsieur； keep at least
a foot between you and the bed of the sufferer； that is the chief
precaution。 Neither you nor your wife must dream of kissing the dying
man。 And； indeed； you ought to go with your wife； Monsieur Hulot； to
hinder her from disobeying my injunctions。〃
Adeline and Hortense； when they were left alone； went to sit with
Lisbeth。 Hortense had such a virulent hatred of Valerie that she could
not contain the expression of it。
〃Cousin Lisbeth；〃 she exclaimed； 〃my mother and I are avenged！ that
venomous snake is herself bittenshe is rotting in her bed！〃
〃Hortense； at this moment you are not a Christian。 You ought to pray
to God to vouchsafe repentance to this wretched woman。〃
〃What are you talking about？〃 said Betty； rising from her couch。 〃Are
you speaking of Valerie？〃
〃Yes；〃 replied Adeline； 〃she is past hopedying of some horrible
disease of which the mere description makes one shudder〃
Lisbeth's teeth chattered； a cold sweat broke out all over her； the
violence of the shock showed how passionate her attachment to Valerie
had been。
〃I must go there；〃 said she。
〃But the doctor forbids your going out。〃
〃I do not careI must go！Poor Crevel！ what a state he must be in；
for he loves that woman。〃
〃He is dying too；〃 replied Countess Steinbock。 〃Ah！ all our enemies
are in the devil's clutches〃
〃In God's hands； my child〃
Lisbeth dressed in the famous yellow Indian shawl and her black velvet
bonnet； and put on her boots； in spite of her relations'
remonstrances； she set out as if driven by some irresistible power。
She arrived in the Rue Barbet a few minutes after Monsieur and Madame
Hulot； and found seven physicians there； brought by Bianchon to study
this unique case； he had just joined them。 The physicians； assembled
in the drawing…room； were discussing the disease； now one and now
another went into Valerie's room or Crevel's to take a note； and
returned with an opinion based on this rapid study。
These princes of science were divided in their opinions。 One； who
stood alone in his views； considered it a case of poisoning； of
private revenge； and denied its identity with the disease known in the
Middle Ages。 Three others regarded it as a specific deterioration of
the blood and the humors。 The rest； agreeing with Bianchon； maintained
that the blood was poisoned by some hitherto unknown morbid infection。
Bianchon produced Professor Duval's analysis of the blood。 The
remedies to be applied； though absolutely empirical and without hope；
depended on the verdict in this medical dilemma。
Lisbeth stood as if petrified three yards away from the bed where
Valerie lay dying； as she saw a priest from Saint…Thomas d'Aquin
standing by her friend's pillow； and a sister of charity in
attendance。 Religion could find a soul to save in a mass of rottenness
which； of the five senses of man； had now only that of sight。 The
sister of charity who alone had been found to nurse Valerie stood
apart。 Thus the Catholic religion； that divine institution； always
actuated by the spirit of self…sacrifice； under its twofold aspect of
the Spirit and the Flesh； was tending this horrible and atrocious
creature； soothing her death…bed by its infinite benevolence and
inexhaustible stores of mercy。
The servants； in horror； refused to go into the room of either their
master or mistress； they thought only of themselves； and judged their
betters as righteously stricken。 The smell was so foul that in spite
of open windows and strong perfumes； no one could remain long in
Valerie's room。 Religion alone kept guard there。
How could a woman so clever as Valerie fail to ask herself to what end
these two representatives of the Church remained with her？ The dying
woman had listened to the words of the priest。 Repentance had risen on
her darkened soul as the devouring malady had consumed her beauty。 The
fragile Valerie had been less able to resist the inroads of the
disease than Crevel； she would be the first to succumb； and； indeed；
had been the first attacked。
〃If I had not been ill myself； I would have come to nurse you；〃 said
Lisbeth at last； after a glance at her friend's sunken eyes。 〃I have
kept my room this fortnight or three weeks； but when I heard of your
state from the doctor； I came at once。〃
〃Poor Lisbeth； you at least love me still； I see！〃 said Valerie。
〃Listen。 I have only a day or two left to think； for I cannot say to
live。 You see； there is nothing left of meI am a heap of mud！ They
will not let me see myself in a glass。Well； it is no more than I
deserve。 Oh； if I might only win mercy； I would gladly undo all the
mischief I have done。〃
〃Oh！〃 said Lisbeth； 〃if you can talk like that； you are indeed a dead
woman。〃
〃Do not hinder this woman's repentance； leave her in her Christian
mind；〃 said the priest。
〃There is nothing left！〃 said Lisbeth in consternation。 〃I cannot
recognize her eyes or her mouth！ Not a feature of her is there！ And
her wit has deserted her！ Oh； it is awful！〃
〃You don't know；〃 said Valerie； 〃what death is； what it is to be
obliged to think of the morrow of your last day on earth； and of what
is to be found in the grave。Worms for the bodyand for the soul；
what？Lisbeth； I know there is another life！ And I am given over to
terrors which prevent my feeling the pangs of my decomposing body。I；
who could laugh at a saint； and say to Crevel that the vengeance of
God took every form of disaster。 Well； I was a true prophet。Do not
trifle with sacred things； Lisbeth； if you love me； repent as I do。〃
〃I！〃 said Lisbeth。 〃I see vengeance wherever I turn in nature； insects
even die to satisfy the craving for revenge when they are attacked。
And do not these gentlemen tell us〃and she looked at the priest
〃that God is revenged； and that His vengeance lasts through all
eternity？〃
The priest looked mildly at Lisbeth and said：
〃You； madame； are an atheist！〃
〃But look what I have come to；〃 said Valerie。
〃And where did you get this gangrene？〃 asked the old maid； unmoved
from her peasant incredulity。
〃I had a letter from Henri which leaves me in no doubt as to my fate。
He has murdered me。 Andjust when I meant to live honestlyto die an
object of disgust！
〃Lisbeth； give up all notions of revenge。 Be kind to that family to
whom I have left by my will everything I can dispose of。 Go； child；
though you are the only creature who； at this hour； does not avoid me
with horrorgo； I beseech you； and leave me。I have only time to
make my peace with God！〃
〃She is wandering in her wits；〃 said Lisbeth to herself； as she left
the room。
The strongest affection known； that of a woman for a woman； had not
such heroic constancy as the Church。 Lisbeth； stifled by the miasma；
went away。 She found the physicians still in consultation。 But
Bianchon's opinion carried the day； and the only question now was how
to try the remedies。
〃At any rate； we shall have a splendid /post…mortem/；〃 said one of his
opponents； 〃and there will be two cases to enable us to make
comparisons。〃
Lisbeth went in again with Bianchon； who went up to the sick woman
without seeming aware of the malodorous atmosphere。
〃Madame；〃 said he； 〃we intend to try a powerful remedy which may save
you〃
〃And if you save my life；〃 said she； 〃shall I be as good…looking as
ever？〃
〃Possibly；〃 said the judicious physician。
〃I know your /possibly/；〃 said Valerie。 〃I shall look like a woman who
has fallen into the fire！ No