Part 6 (1/2)
”Perhaps very much.”
”Well.”
”And even if I succeed (the chance is one in a thousand) you will never be a sound man, and a constant and terrible danger will always be present.”
”Well.”
Entrefort wrote a note and sent it away in haste by a bell-boy.
”Meanwhile,” he resumed, ”your life is in imminent danger from shock, and the end may come in a few minutes or hours from that cause. Attend without delay to whatever matters may require settling, and Dr.
Rowell,” glancing at that gentleman, ”will give you something to brace you up. I speak frankly, for I see that you are a man of extraordinary nerve. Am I right?”
”Be perfectly candid,” said Arnold.
Dr. Rowell, evidently bewildered by his cyclonic young a.s.sociate, wrote a prescription, which I sent by a boy to be filled. With unwise zeal I asked Entrefort,--
”Is there not danger of lockjaw?”
”No,” he replied; ”there is not a sufficiently extensive injury to peripheral nerves to induce traumatic teta.n.u.s.”
I subsided. Dr. Rowell's medicine came and I administered a dose. The physician and the surgeon then retired. The poor sufferer straightened up his business. When it was done he asked me,--
”What is that crazy Frenchman going to do to me?”
”I have no idea; be patient.”
In less than an hour they returned, bringing with them a keen-eyed, tall young man, who had a number of tools wrapped in an ap.r.o.n.
Evidently he was unused to such scenes, for he became deathly pale upon seeing the ghastly spectacle on my bed. With staring eyes and open mouth he began to retreat towards the door, stammering,--
”I--I can't do it.”
”Nonsense, Hippolyte! Don't be a baby. Why, man, it is a case of life and death!”
”But--look at his eyes! he is dying!”
Arnold smiled. ”I am not dead, though,” he gasped.
”I--I beg your pardon,” said Hippolyte.
Dr. Entrefort gave the nervous man a drink of brandy and then said,--
”No more nonsense, my boy; it must be done. Gentlemen, allow me to introduce Mr. Hippolyte, one of the most original, ingenious, and skilful machinists in the country.”
Hippolyte, being modest, blushed as he bowed. In order to conceal his confusion he unrolled his ap.r.o.n on the table with considerable noise of rattling tools.
”I have to make some preparations before you may begin, Hippolyte, and I want you to observe me that you may become used not only to the sight of fresh blood, but also, what is more trying, the odor of it.”
Hippolyte s.h.i.+vered. Entrefort opened a case of surgical instruments.
”Now, doctor, the chloroform,” he said, to Dr. Rowell.