tor checked her by a
gesture, and motioned to Ester to pause in her work. He bent over
Maria's little face, placed his mouth upon hers and having breathed
deeply several times, raised his head again. "But she is still rosy, she
is still rosy!" Luisa gasped softly. The doctor sighed gently, struck a
match and held it close to Maria's lips.

Three or four women who were praying on their knees, rose and approached
the bed, holding their breath in suspense. The door leading into the
hall was open, and other faces appeared there, all silent and intent.
Luisa, kneeling beside the bed, kept her eyes fixed on the flame. A
voice murmured:

"It quivers!"

Ester, standing very erect behind Luisa, shook her head. The doctor put
out the match. "Hot flannels," he ordered. Luisa rushed from the room,
and the doctor once more resumed the movements of the arms. When Luisa
returned with the hot flannels they began to rub the child's chest and
bowels, he on one side, she on the other. Presently, noting Luisa's
pallor, and the distortion of her features, he motioned to a girl to
take her place. "You must give up," said he, for Luisa had made a
protesting gesture. "Even I am tired. You cannot go on." Luisa shook her
head without speaking and continued her work with convulsive energy. The
doctor silently shrugged his shoulders and raised his eyebrows, and gave
his place to the girl, ordering Ester to bring more flannel with which
to cover the child's legs. Ester went out and herself heated the
flannel, for Veronica, on hearing what had happened, had disappeared and
was nowhere to be found. In the corridor and on the stairs people were
discussing the how and where of the event, and as Ester passed all
inquired: "What news? What news?" Ester made a despairing gesture and
went on without answering. Then the talk once more flowed on in an
undertone.

No one knew how long the child had been in the water. While the
thunderstorm had been raging a certain Toni Gall had happened to be in
the stables behind Casa Ribera. Reflecting that if the engineer's boat
was not tied fast enough it would be dashed to pieces against the walls
of the boathouse, he bounded down the steps, and seeing the door open,
went in. The boat was being frightfully knocked about, and was drenched
with the splashing of the waves that broke against the walls. It was
tossing and writhing among its chains, and had set itself crosswise,
with the stern knocking against the wall.