The Last Vendée; or, the She-Wolves of MachecoulDumas, Alexandre
History
The Last Vendée; or, the She-Wolves of Machecoul
Dumas, Alexandre
Berry, Marie-Caroline de Bourbon-Sicile, duchesse de, 1798-1870 -- Fiction; France -- History -- Louis Philippe, 1830-1848 -- Fiction
Rosine was watching for him anxiously. When she saw him she was
frightened, and wished to go to Palluau and fetch the doctor; but her
father positively forbade it, and went to bed, declaring it would be
nothing and the next day he should be well. But as his thirst, instead
of lessening, continued to increase, he told Rosine to put a pitcher
of water by his bedside for the night. He spent the night thus,
devoured by thirst, and drinking incessantly without allaying the
fever that burned within him. The next morning he tried to rise; but
he no sooner sat up in bed than his head, in which he complained of
violent shooting pains, became dizzy, and he was seized with a violent
pain in the right side.
Rosine insisted on going for M. Roger (that was the name of the doctor
at Palluau); but again her father forbade her. The girl then stayed
quietly by his bed, ready to obey his wishes and serve his needs. His
greatest need was for drink; every ten minutes he asked for water.
Matters went on thus till four in the afternoon. Then the sick man
shook his head and said, "I see I have got a bad fever; you must go
and get me some help from the good ladies at the castle." We know the
results of Rosine's expedition.
After feeling the sick man's pulse and listening to this account of
his illness, given with great difficulty, Bertha, who counted above a
hundred pulsations, was sure that Tinguy was in a dangerous state.
What the exact nature of the fever was she was too ignorant of the
science of medicine to decide. But as the sick man was constantly
crying for "Drink! drink!" she cut a lemon in slices, boiled it in a
potful of water, sweetened it slightly, and let the sick man drink it
in place of pure water.
It is to be remarked that when she wanted to sweeten the infusion
Rosine told her there was no sugar in the house; sugar, to a Vendéan
peasant, is the supreme of luxury. Fortunately, the provident Bertha
had put a few lumps into the little box which contained her medicines.
She cast her eyes about her in search of the box, and saw it under the
arm of the young man, who was still standing near the door.
She made him a sign to come to her; but before he could obey she made
him another sign to stay where he was. Then she went up to him
herself, laying a finger on her lips, and said in a low voice, so that
the patient might not hear her:--
"The man's condition is very serious. I dare not take much upon
myself. It is absolutely necessary to have a doctor, and even so, I
fear it will be too late. Will you go to Palluau, dear Monsieur
Michel, and fetch Doctor Roger? Meantime I will give Tinguy something
to quiet him."
"But you--you?" said the young baron, anxiously.
"I shall stay here; you will find me when you get back. I have some
important things to say to the patient."
"Important things?" said Michel, astonished.
"Yes."
"But--" insisted the young man.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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