The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 147: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A FRIGHTFUL TRAGEDY 121 his hand and feeling his pulse, he shuddered and trembled like a spaniel that fears a whipping, and all the time he sur- veyed the medical man with a fixed look of ferocity and apprehension. Having felt his pulse, the doctor stepped aside a few paces so as to allow the curtains of the bed to conceal him from the view of the invalid; and beckoning Mrs. Brace toward him, he put several questions to her in a low whisper- ing voice. She explained as well as she was able the symp- toms that she had observed; and when the doctor had thus gleaned from her all that she could tell him upon the sub- ject, he said, ‘‘ Do you know whether this person has ever experienced any hurt or injury of a peculiar character? ”’ ‘* Not that I am aware of,” returned the milliner. —“ Does he keep a dog of any kind?” asked the medical man. “Oh, no,” replied Mrs. Brace. “ On the contrary, he cannot bear them.” *“ ‘Then, to speak more plainly still,” said the doctor, “ are you aware whether he has ever been bitten by a dog?”’ “Good God!” exclaimed the milliner, a sensation of sudden horror seizing upon her as the damp of death strikes to the very marrow of one’s bones when descending into the crypt or sepulchres of some ancient cathedral. ‘ Yes, I recollect, on a certain occasion, a dog got into the house, and as the invalid was dragging it forth from under the bed, it lacerated his arm.” “Then, madam,” returned the doctor, “‘ there is no hope for this person. Ina few hours he will be numbered with the dead,’’ he added, in a scarcely audible whisper, and with a grave seriousness of countenance. ‘‘ You must make up your mind to behold a hideous and shocking death-bed, for there is nought more appalling than the agonies of hy- drophobia.”’ | “Ah! then it is really this dreadful malady which has seized upon the wretched man?” said Mrs. Brace, shudder- ing all over with an irrepressible feeling of horror, which was as painful for the moment as the bitterest affliction could possibly have proved. “Yes, madam, it is hydrophobia,”’ returned the doctor; ‘and no earthly power can save that man. His doom is sealed — his fate is unalterable. ’Tis the same as if his GOmiilGcvoo eS mn