The scene changed again. Aurore and I were happy—she was free—she was now mine, and we were married. But there was a cloud upon our happiness. Eugénie was dead.
Yes, dead. I thought I was bending over her, and had taken her hand. Suddenly her fingers closed upon mine, and held them with a firm pressure. I thought that the contact was disagreeable; and I endeavoured to withdraw my hand, but could not. My fingers remained bound within that cold clammy grasp; and with all my strength I was unable to release them! Suddenly I was stung; and at the same instant the chill hand relaxed its grasp, and set me free.
The stinging sensation, however, awoke me; and my eyes mechanically turned towards the hand, where I still felt pain.
Sure enough my wrist was punctured and bleeding!
A feeling of horror ran through my veins, as the “sker-r-rr” of the crotalus sounded in my ear; and, looking around, I saw the glittering body of the reptile extended along the grass, and gliding rapidly away!
Chapter Thirty Two.
Stung by a Snake.
The pain was not a dream; the blood upon my wrist was no illusion. Both were real. I was bitten by a rattlesnake!