At the sight of the eager crowd, who, anxious to see and to know, to understand and to learn, pressed around her bed, the unhappy woman, seized with a tremor of fear and shame, wrapped herself closely in the covering. The severe and intelligent face of Dr. Griffon, his penetrating look, his brow habitually contracted, his rough manner of speaking, augmented still more the alarm of Jeanne. "A new subject!" said the doctor, casting his eye on the card where was inscribed the nature of the malady of the new-comer. He preserved a profound silence, while his assistants, imitating the prince of science, fixed their eyes on the patient with curiosity. She, to throw aside as much as possible all the painful emotions caused by so many spectators, looked steadily at the doctor, with deep anguish. After an examination of several minutes, the doctor, remarking something anomalous in the yellowish tint of the eyeball, approached nearer to her, and with the end of his finger pushing back the eyelid, he examined the crystalline lens. Then several students, answering to a kind of mute invitation of their professor, went, in turn, to observe the appearance of the eye. Afterward the doctor proceeded to this interrogatory: "Your name?" "Jeanne Duport," murmured the patient, more and more alarmed. "Your age?" "Thirty-six and a half." "Louder. Born in--" "Paris." "Your occupation?" "Fringe-maker." "Married?" "Alas! yes, sir," answered Jeanne, with a deep sigh. "How long since?" "Eighteen years." "Any children?" Here, instead of answering, the unhappy mother gave vent to her tears, for a long time restrained. "We do not want tears, but an answer. Have you any children?" "Yes, sir, two little boys and a girl." "How long have you been sick?" "For four days, sir," said Jeanne, wiping her eyes. "Tell me how you became sick." "Sir, there are so many people, I do not dare." "Where do you come from, my dear?" said the doctor, impatiently. "Would you not like me to bring a confessional here? Come, speak, and be quick. Be composed, we are quite a family party--quite a large family, as you see," added the prince of science, who was on that day in a gay humor. "Come, let us finish." More and more intimidated, Jeanne said, stammering and hesitating at each word, "I had, sir, a quarrel with my husband, on the subject of my children; I mean to say, of my eldest daughter. He wished take her away. I--you comprehend, sir,--I did not wish it, on account of a vile woman, who might give bad advice to my child; then my husband, who was drunk--oh! yes, sir, except for that he would not have done it--my husband pushed me very hard; I fell, and--then, a short time after, I began to throw up blood." "Ta, ta, ta; your husband pushed you, and you fell. You set it off very nicely. He has certainly done more than push you; he must have struck you very hard, and what is more, several times. Perhaps, also, he has trampled you under foot. Come, answer! tell the truth."