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 rejoined Marianne upstairs, still unwilling to call or warn
anybody. But a third attack followed, and this time it was the
thunderbolt.
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