the bed; on hearing the bell she quickly got up, and came out
as usual to receive him. Nevertheless, she soon felt obliged to lie down
again; she kept getting up to attend to this thing and that, but
returned to a lying posture again, now on Miguel's bed, now on her own.

"I am going to call a doctor," said he. Maximina was strongly opposed.
The only compromise that he could make was that she would allow him to
call one on the next day if she were not better. She absolutely expected
to wake up the next day sound and well.

But it was not so.

She awoke with a quick pulse, and Miguel would not hear to her sitting
up. He called in an old and experienced doctor that there was in the
ward, and he, after taking her pulse and looking at her tongue, declared
that she had some fever, but that apparently there was no disorder of
the stomach. Miguel, on hearing this, wished to stay away from the
office, but his wife was so opposed to it that finally he gave in to
her, promising to come home early.

In the afternoon her temperature had risen slightly; still she was calm:
only from time to time, as though she felt some oppression, she would
draw long, deep sighs.

The next morning the doctor found her decidedly feverish, but he could
not as yet decide what was the cause, for the frequent and deep
inspirations which he obliged her to take were perfect, and there seemed
to be no lung difficulty, and the stomach also was in sound condition.
He inclined to think that it was rheumatic fever, for, a few days
before, she remembered that she had complained of pains in her shoulder;
more than that he could not assure them.

Miguel went to his office, but he returned at two o'clock; the doctor
left his clinical thermometer, so that her temperature might be taken
from time to time and recorded on a piece of paper.

On the next day the temperature was still higher. The doctor now
inclined to the opinion that the fever was nervous, because rheumatic
symptoms were not well defined. He prescribed the valerianate of quinine
and a potion. Miguel went to the office to report to his chief--nothing
more. He stopped, however, to speak with his comrades; among them was
one who had studied medicine, although without great success.

"What is the matter with your senora?" they asked him.

"I do not know. The doctor is doubtful whether it is a rheumatic or a
nervous fever."

"Man alive! I don't see what one fever has to do with the other," said