Almost immediately the doctor appeared, preceded by Marguerite.
"Good Heavens! what is the matter with you?" exclaimed M. Dufour on seeing Marie.
"Nothing, doctor—"
"Nothing!" repeated the physician, scrutinising Marie with evident surprise, so terrible was the change which the events of the previous evening had wrought in her appearance. "Nothing?"
"Ah, yes, I know," replied Madame Bastien, with a heart-broken smile, reading the doctor's thoughts from the expression of his face.
Then placing a finger on her lips, she added, in a low tone, with a meaning glance toward the door of Frederick's chamber:
"We must be very careful, my dear doctor, my son is in there asleep. He has had a terrible experience this evening. I was about to write to you and ask you to come to-morrow. It was Heaven that sent you."
"As my coming seems so opportune, I shall not have to apologise for coming at such an unseasonable hour. I wished to talk with you about a matter that would brook no delay, so I ventured to come almost in the middle of the night and at the risk of disturbing you."
"My God! what is it?"
"Your son is asleep, is he not?"