hospital (who were to be recognised by their long white aprons) came in
their turns to sign the attendance-sheet.

"You see, my dear Saint-Remy, that my staff is pretty considerable."

"It is indeed! But all these beds are occupied by women, and the
presence of so many men must inspire them with painful confusion!"

"All these fine feelings must be left at the door, my dear Alcestis.
Here we begin on the living those experiments and studies which we
complete on the dead body in the amphitheatre."

"Doctor, you are one of the best and worthiest of men, and I owe you my
life, and I recognise all your excellent qualities; but the practice and
love of your art makes you take views of certain questions which are
most revolting to me. I leave you. These are things which disgust and
pain me; and I foresee that it would be a real punishment to me to be
present at your visit. I will wait for you here at the table."

"What a strange person you are with these scruples! But I will not let
you have quite your own way. So remain here till I come for you."

"Now, then, gentlemen," said Doctor Griffon; and he began his round,
followed by his numerous auditory.

On reaching the first bed on the right hand, the curtains of which were
closed, the sister said to the doctor:

"Sir, No. 1 died at half past four o'clock this morning."

"So late? It astonishes me. Yesterday morning I would not have given her
the day through. Has her body been claimed?"

"No, sir."

"So much the better. It is a very fine one; we will not dissect it, but
I will make a man happy." Then turning to one of the pupils, "My dear
Dunoyer, you have long desired a subject; your name is down for the
first, and it is yours."

"Oh, sir, you are too good."

"I am only desirous of rewarding your zeal, my dear fellow; but mark the
subject--take possession; there are so many who covet it."

As the doctor passed onwards, the pupil, with his scalpel, incised very
delicately an F. and D. (his initials) on the arm of the defunct
actress, in order "to take possession," as the doctor termed it. And the
round continued.

"Lorraine," said Jeanne Duport, in a low voice, to her neighbour, "who
is all this crowd of people with the surgeon?"

"It is pupils and students."

"Oh, will all these young men look on whilst the doctor asks me
questions and examines me?"

"Alas, yes!"

"But it is in my chest that I am ill; will they examine me before all
these men?"

"Yes-