ying
Madame Desvignes and her daughters to the road, called to them through
the darkness: "Au revoir, come back soon." She was again full of gayety
at the thought of the general rendezvous which the family had arranged
for the approaching weddings.

Neither Mathieu nor Marianne went to bed at once, however. Though they
did not even speak of it together, they thought that Rose looked very
strange, as if, indeed, she were intoxicated. She had again staggered
on returning to the house, and though she only complained of some slight
oppression, they prevailed on her to go to bed. After she had retired to
her room, which adjoined their own, Marianne went several times to see
if she were well wrapped up and were sleeping peacefully, while Mathieu
remained anxiously thoughtful beside the lamp. At last the girl fell
asleep, and the parents, leaving the door of communication open, then
exchanged a few words in an undertone, in their desire to tranquillize
each other. It would surely be nothing; a good night's rest would
suffice to restore Rose to her wonted health. Then in their turn they
went to bed, the whole farm lapsed into silence, surrendering itself to
slumber until the first cockcrow. But all at once, about four o'clock,
shortly before daybreak, a stifled call, "Mamma! mamma!" awoke both
Mathieu and Marianne, and they sprang out of bed, barefooted, shivering,
and groping for the candle. Rose was again stifling, struggling against
another attack of extreme violence. For the second time, however, she
soon regained consciousness and appeared relieved, and thus the parents,
great as was their distress, preferred to summon nobody but to wait till
daylight. Their alarm was caused particularly by the great change
they noticed in their daughter's appearance; her face was swollen and
distorted, as if some evil power had transformed her in the night. But
she fell asleep again, in a state of great prostration; and they no
longer stirred for fear of disturbing her slumber. They remained there
watching and waiting, listening to the revival of life in the farm
around them as the daylight gradually increased. Time went by; five and
then six o'clock struck. And at about twenty minutes to seven Mathieu,
on looking into the yard, and there catching sight of Denis, who was to
return to Paris by the seven o'clock train, hastened down to tell him
to call upon Boutan and beg the doctor to come at once. Then, as soon as
his son had started, he