SAINT ANTHONY Allow me. (_He walks into the middle of the room and stands at the foot of the bed. Turning to the corpse and speaking in a loud, grave voice._) Arise! GUSTAVE There, that’ll do! We can’t stand by and allow a stranger to outrage our most sacred feelings; and I ask you once more, for the last time.... SAINT ANTHONY Allow me, please! (_He goes nearer the bed and raises his voice more authoritatively._) Arise! GUSTAVE (_Losing his patience._) That’s enough! We’ll end by quarrelling.... Come, this way: the door’s over here. SAINT ANTHONY Allow me!... She is very far away. (_In a deeper and more commanding tone._) Mademoiselle Hortense, return and arise from the dead. (_To the general amazement, the dead woman first makes a slight movement and then opens her eyes, unfolds her hands, raises herself slowly to a sitting posture, puts her night-cap straight and looks round the room with a crabbed and discontented air. Next she begins quietly to scratch at a bit of candle-grease which she has discovered on the sleeve of her night-gown. There is a moment of overpowering silence; then VIRGINIE starts from the bewildered group, runs up to the bed and flings herself into the arms of the woman restored to life._) VIRGINIE Mademoiselle Hortense! She’s alive! Look, she’s scratching at a bit of candle-grease; she’s feeling for her glasses.... Here they are! Here they are!... Saint Anthony! Saint Anthony!... A miracle! A miracle!... On your knees! On your knees! GUSTAVE Come, come, be still!... Don’t talk nonsense!... This is no time for.... ACHILLE There’s no denying it, she’s alive. A GUEST But it’s not possible! What has he done to her? GUSTAVE You can’t take it seriously. She’ll have a relapse. ACHILLE No, no, I assure you. Just see how she’s staring at us. GUSTAVE I don’t believe it yet. What are we coming to? Where are the laws of nature? Doctor, what do you say? THE DOCTOR (_Embarrassed._) What do I say? What would you have me say? It doesn’t concern me, it’s not my business. It’s absurd and, at the same time, quite simple. If she’s alive, then she was never dead. There’s no reason to be amazed and proclaim a miracle. GUSTAVE But you yourself said.... THE DOCTOR I said, I said.... To begin with, I said nothing positive; and I would have you observe that I have not signed the death-certificate. I even had very serious doubts, but I would not tell you of them, lest I should raise false hopes.... In any case, all this proves nothing; and it is very unlikely that she will live long. ACHILLE Meanwhile we must accept the evidence, the happy evidence, of our senses. VIRGINIE Yes, yes, we must believe it! There’s not a doubt left! I told you he was a saint, a great saint! Just look at her! She’s alive and as fresh as a rose in June! GUSTAVE (_Going to the bed and kissing MADEMOISELLE HORTENSE._) Aunt, my dear aunt, is it really you? ACHILLE