to Him to requite you. Bless my soul, how these pains shoot
through my whole body! His reverence Abbe Jouve promised me you would
come. It's only you who know what I want. I am going to buy some meat.
But now the pain's going down into my legs. Help me; I have no
strength left--none left at all!"

The old woman wished to turn over, and Helene, drawing off her gloves,
gently took hold of her and placed her as she desired. As she was
still bending over her the door opened, and a flush of surprise
mounted to her cheeks as she saw Dr. Deberle entering. Did he also
make visits to which he never referred?

"It's the doctor!" blurted out the old woman. "Oh! Heaven must bless
you both for being so good!"

The doctor bowed respectfully to Helene. Mother Fetu had ceased
whining on his entrance, but kept up a sibilant wheeze, like that of a
child in pain. She had understood at once that the doctor and her
benefactress were known to one another; and her eyes never left them,
but travelled from one to the other, while her wrinkled face showed
that her mind was covertly working. The doctor put some questions to
her, and sounded her right side; then, turning to Helene, who had just
sat down, he said:

"She is suffering from hepatic colic. She will be on her feet again in
a few days."

And, tearing from his memorandum book a leaf on which he had written
some lines, he added, addressing Mother Fetu:

"Listen to me. You must send this to the chemist in the Rue de Passy,
and every two hours you must drink a spoonful of the draught he will
give you."

The old woman burst out anew into blessings. Helene remained seated.
The doctor lingered gazing at her; but when their eyes had met, he
bowed and discreetly took his leave. He had not gone down a flight ere
Mother Fetu's lamentations were renewed.

"Ah! he's such a clever doctor! Ah! if his medicine could do me some
good! Dandelions and tallow make a good simple for removing water from
the body. Yes, yes, you can say you know a clever doctor. Have you
known him long? Gracious goodness, how thirsty I am! I feel burning
hot. He has a wife, hasn't he? He deserves to have a good wife and
beautiful children. Indeed, it's a pleasure to see kind-hearted people
good acquaintances."

Helene had risen to give her a drink.

"I must go now, Mother Fetu," she said. "Good-bye till to-morrow."

"Ah! how good you are! If I only had some linen! Look at my chemise
--it's torn in half; and this