They lifted the count and laid him upon
the sofa. The instant Mrs. Lawkins saw his face, and the foam issuing
from his lips, she exclaimed,--

"It is another fit! It is his second stroke! Lord have mercy upon him!
and upon _you_," she continued, turning to the countess, solemnly; "for,
if he dies, so sure as there is a heaven above us, you have killed your
own son!"

The countess' look of horror softened the kindly house-keeper, in spite
of her just wrath, and she added, "He may recover,--he has great
strength. Robert, run quickly for Dr. Bayard."

Then she unfastened the patient's cravat and dashed cold water upon his
head, and chafed his hands, while his mother, slowly awakening from her
state of stupefaction, drew near, and bent over him. But not a finger
did she raise to minister to him; she would not have known what to do,
so little were her hands accustomed to ministration,--so seldom had they
been stretched out to perform the slightest service for any one, even
her own son.

We left Madeleine chasing away all heaviness from the soul of Maurice by
her sweet singing. She was still at the piano, and he still hanging over
her, when Robert burst into the room. He was a man almost stolid in his
quietude, and his hurried entrance, and agitated manner, were sufficient
to terrify Maurice and Madeleine before he spoke.

"Mademoiselle, it was my fault! Oh, if I had been more careful to obey
your orders it would never have happened!"

His contrition was so deep that he could not proceed.

"Has Madame de Gramont discovered who sent the salver?" asked Madeleine,
with an air of vexation.

"That's not the worst, Mademoiselle. The countess has found out how Mrs.
Lawkins came there. She overheard us talking about the milk-jug I
missed. Madame de Gramont was very violent; she said such things of you,
Mademoiselle, that Mrs. Lawkins, who loves you like her own, couldn't
stand it, and gave her a bit of her mind, and M. de Gramont was roused
up also; he wouldn't hear you spoken against; he took on so it caused
him another attack; down he dropped like dead!"

"My father,--he has been seized again, and"--Maurice did not finish his
sentence, but caught up his hat.

"I've been for the doctor, sir," said Robert; "he's there by this time."

Maurice was out of the room, and hurrying toward the street door;
Madeleine sprang after him.

"Maurice! Maurice! Stay one moment! Oh, if I could be near your
father,--if I could see him!