the lifted veil-第12章

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fatal；　but　which　does　not　differ　physically　from　many　other　cases
that　have　come　under　my　observation。　　But　I'll　tell　you　what　I　have
on　my　mind。　　I　want　to　make　an　experiment　on　this　woman；　if　you
will　give　me　permission。　　It　can　do　her　no　harmwill　give　her　no
painfor　I　shall　not　make　it　until　life　is　extinct　to　all　purposes
of　sensation。　　I　want　to　try　the　effect　of　transfusing　blood　into
her　arteries　after　the　heart　has　ceased　to　beat　for　some　minutes。
I　have　tried　the　experiment　again　and　again　with　animals　that　have
died　of　this　disease；　with　astounding　results；　and　I　want　to　try　it
on　a　human　subject。　　I　have　the　small　tubes　necessary；　in　a　case　I
have　with　me；　and　the　rest　of　the　apparatus　could　be　prepared
readily。　　I　should　use　my　own　bloodtake　it　from　my　own　arm。　　This
woman　won't　live　through　the　night；　I'm　convinced；　and　I　want　you
to　promise　me　your　assistance　in　making　the　experiment。　　I　can't　do
without　another　hand；　but　it　would　perhaps　not　be　well　to　call　in　a
medical　assistant　from　among　your　provincial　doctors。　　A
disagreeable　foolish　version　of　the　thing　might　get　abroad。〃

〃Have　you　spoken　to　my　wife　on　the　subject？〃　I　said；　〃because　she
appears　to　be　peculiarly　sensitive　about　this　woman：　　she　has　been
a　favourite　maid。〃

〃To　tell　you　the　truth；〃　said　Meunier；　〃I　don't　want　her　to　know
about　it。　　There　are　always　insuperable　difficulties　with　women　in
these　matters；　and　the　effect　on　the　supposed　dead　body　may　be
startling。　　You　and　I　will　sit　up　together；　and　be　in　readiness。
When　certain　symptoms　appear　I　shall　take　you　in；　and　at　the　right
moment　we　must　manage　to　get　every　one　else　out　of　the　room。〃

I　need　not　give　our　farther　conversation　on　the　subject。　　He
entered　very　fully　into　the　details；　and　overcame　my　repulsion　from
them；　by　exciting　in　me　a　mingled　awe　and　curiosity　concerning　the
possible　results　of　his　experiment。

We　prepared　everything；　and　he　instructed　me　in　my　part　as
assistant。　　He　had　not　told　Bertha　of　his　absolute　conviction　that
Archer　would　not　survive　through　the　night；　and　endeavoured　to
persuade　her　to　leave　the　patient　and　take　a　night's　rest。　　But　she
was　obstinate；　suspecting　the　fact　that　death　was　at　hand；　and
supposing　that　he　wished　merely　to　save　her　nerves。　　She　refused　to
leave　the　sick…room。　　Meunier　and　I　sat　up　together　in　the　library；
he　making　frequent　visits　to　the　sick…room；　and　returning　with　the
information　that　the　case　was　taking　precisely　the　course　he
expected。　　Once　he　said　to　me；　〃Can　you　imagine　any　cause　of　ill…
feeling　this　woman　has　against　her　mistress；　who　is　so　devoted　to
her？〃

〃I　think　there　was　some　misunderstanding　between　them　before　her
illness。　　Why　do　you　ask？〃

〃Because　I　have　observed　for　the　last　five　or　six　hourssince；　I
fancy；　she　has　lost　all　hope　of　recoverythere　seems　a　strange
prompting　in　her　to　say　something　which　pain　and　failing　strength
forbid　her　to　utter；　and　there　is　a　look　of　hideous　meaning　in　her
eyes；　which　she　turns　continually　towards　her　mistress。　　In　this
disease　the　mind　often　remains　singularly　clear　to　the　last。〃

〃I　am　not　surprised　at　an　indication　of　malevolent　feeling　in　her；〃
I　said。　　〃She　is　a　woman　who　has　always　inspired　me　with　distrust
and　dislike；　but　she　managed　to　insinuate　herself　into　her
mistress's　favour。〃　　He　was　silent　after　this；　looking　at　the　fire
with　an　air　of　absorption；　till　he　went　upstairs　again。　　He　stayed
away　longer　than　usual；　and　on　returning；　said　to　me　quietly；　〃Come
now。〃

I　followed　him　to　the　chamber　where　death　was　hovering。　　The　dark
hangings　of　the　large　bed　made　a　background　that　gave　a　strong
relief　to　Bertha's　pale　face　as　I　entered。　　She　started　forward　as
she　saw　me　enter；　and　then　looked　at　Meunier　with　an　expression　of
angry　inquiry；　but　he　lifted　up　his　hand　as　it　to　impose　silence；
while　he　fixed　his　glance　on　the　dying　woman　and　felt　her　pulse。
The　face　was　pinched　and　ghastly；　a　cold　perspiration　was　on　the
forehead；　and　the　eyelids　were　lowered　so　as　to　conceal　the　large
dark　eyes。　　After　a　minute　or　two；　Meunier　walked　round　to　the
other　side　of　the　bed　where　Bertha　stood；　and　with　his　usual　air　of
gentle　politeness　towards　her　begged　her　to　leave　the　patient　under
our　careeverything　should　be　done　for　hershe　was　no　longer　in　a
state　to　be　conscious　of　an　affectionate　presence。　　Bertha　was
hesitating；　apparently　almost　willing　to　believe　his　assurance　and
to　comply。　　She　looked　round　at　the　ghastly　dying　face；　as　if　to
read　the　confirmation　of　that　assurance；　when　for　a　moment　the
lowered　eyelids　were　raised　again；　and　it　seemed　as　if　the　eyes
were　looking　towards　Bertha；　but　blankly。　　A　shudder　passed　through
Bertha's　frame；　and　she　returned　to　her　station　near　the　pillow；
tacitly　implying　that　she　would　not　leave　the　room。

The　eyelids　were　lifted　no　more。　　Once　I　looked　at　Bertha　as　she
watched　the　face　of　the　dying　one。　　She　wore　a　rich　peignoir；　and
her　blond　hair　was　half　covered　by　a　lace　cap：　　in　her　attire　she
was；　as　always；　an　elegant　woman；　fit　to　figure　in　a　picture　of
modern　aristocratic　life：　　but　I　asked　myself　how　that　face　of　hers
could　ever　have　seemed　to　me　the　face　of　a　woman　born　of　woman；
with　memories　of　childhood；　capable　of　pain；　needing　to　be　fondled？
The　features　at　that　moment　seemed　so　preternaturally　sharp；　the
eyes　were　so　hard　and　eagershe　looked　like　a　cruel　immortal；
finding　her　spiritual　feast　in　the　agonies　of　a　dying　race。　　For
across　those　hard　features　there　came　something　like　a　flash　when
the　last　hour　had　been　breathed　out；　and　we　all　felt　that　the　dark
veil　had　completely　fallen。　　What　secret　was　there　between　Bertha
and　this　woman？　　I　turned　my　eyes　from　her　with　a　horrible　dread
lest　my　insight　should　return；　and　I　should　be　obliged　to　see　what
had　been　breeding　about　two　unloving　women's　hearts。　　I　felt　that
Bertha　had　been　watching　for　the　moment　of　death　as　the　sealing　of
her　secret：　　I　thanked　Heaven　it　could　remain　sealed　for　me。

Meunier　said　quietly；　〃She　is　gone。〃　　He　then　gave　his　arm　to
Bertha；　and　she　submitted　to　be　led　out　of　the　room。

I　suppose　it　was　at　her　order　that　two　female　attendants　came　into
the　room；　and　dismissed　the　younger　one　who　had　been　present
before。　　When　they　entered；　Meunier　had　already　opened　the　artery
in　the　long　thin　neck　that　lay　rigid　on　the　pillow；　and　I　dismissed
them；　ordering　them　to　remain　at　a　distance　till　we　rang：　　the
doctor；　I　said；　had　an　operation　to　performhe　was　not　sure　about
the　death。　　For　the　next　twenty　minutes　I　forgot　everything　but
Meunier　and　the　experiment　in　which　he　was　so　absorbed；　that　I
think　his　senses　would　have　been　closed　against　all　sounds　or
sights　which　had　no　relation　to　it。　　It　was　my　task　at　first　to
keep　up　the　artificial　respiration　in　the　body　after　the
transfusion　had　been　effected；　but　presently　Meunier　relieved　me；
and　I　could　see　the　wondrous　slow　return　of　life；　the　breast　began
to　heave；　the　inspirations　became　stronger；　the　eyelids　quivered；
and　the　soul　seemed　to　have　returned　beneath　them。　　The　artificial
respiration　was　withdrawn：　　still　the　breathing　continued；　and
there　was　a　movement　of　the　lips。

Just　then　I　heard　the　handle　of　the　door　moving：　　I　suppose　Bertha
had　heard　from　the　women　that　they　had　been　dismissed：　　probably　a
vague　fear　had　arisen　in　her　mind；　for　she　entered　with　a　look　of
alarm。　　She　came　to　the　foot　of　the　bed　and　gave　a　stifled　cry。

The　dead　woman's　eyes　were　wide　open；　and　met　hers　in　full
recognitionthe　recognition　of　hate。　　With　a　sudden　strong　effort；
the　hand　that　Bertha　had　thought　for　ever　still　was　pointed　towards
her；　and　the　haggard　face　moved。　　The　gasping　eager　voice　said

〃You　mean　to　poison　your　husband　。　。　。　the　poison　is　in　the　black
cabinet　。　。　。　I　got　it　for　you　。　。　。　you　laughed　at　me；　and　told
lies　about　me　behind　my　back；　to　make　me　disgusting　。　。　。　because
you　were　jealous　。　。　。　are　you　sorry　。　。　。　now？〃

The　lips　continued　to　murmur；　but　the　sounds　were　no　longer
distinct。　　Soon　there　was　no　soundonly　a　slight　movement：　　the
flame　had　leaped　out；　and　was　being　extinguished　the　faster。　　The
wretched　woman's　heart…strings　had　been　set