l between Bertha and this maid, apparently
during a visit to a distant family, in which she had accompanied her
mistress. I had overheard Archer speaking in a tone of bitter insolence,
which I should have thought an adequate reason for immediate dismissal.
No dismissal followed; on the contrary, Bertha seemed to be silently
putting up with personal inconveniences from the exhibitions of this
woman's temper. I was the more astonished to observe that her illness
seemed a cause of strong solicitude to Bertha; that she was at the
bedside night and day, and would allow no one else to officiate as head-
nurse. It happened that our family doctor was out on a holiday, an
accident which made Meunier's presence in the house doubly welcome, and
he apparently entered into the case with an interest which seemed so much
stronger than the ordinary professional feeling, that one day when he had
fallen into a long fit of silence after visiting her, I said to him--

"Is this a very peculiar case of disease, Meunier?"

"No," he answered, "it is an attack of peritonitis, which will be 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 harm--will give her no pain--for 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 blood--take 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