Volume II Part 41 (1/2)

When Girdel and Irene reached the roo, upon a chair, and ”the brave athlete” tried his best to console her

”It will be all right,” he assured her; ”Fanfaro has sed a strong narcotic which makes hi hi him away as soon as possible”

At this moment Bobi+chel breathlessly rushed into the room, and Irene uttered a cry of terror when she saw his pale face

”What has happened?” she cried, filled with gloos

”O God--he is lost!” stammered the clown

”Who is lost?”

”Fanfaro”

”Speak clearly,” cried Girdel, beside hiht--Fanfaro--to the--Hotel Dieu,” said Bobi+chel, sobbing

”Well, that isn't such ahtened us”

”But the worst is to come--they want to hold an autopsy over him to find out the cause of death”

”Merciful God! thather hands ”We must run to the hospital and tell all”

”Who is the physician that is going to undertake the autopsy?” asked Girdel

”Doctor Albaret, as I was informed”

”Then rely onaway; ”either I rescue Fanfaro or else I die with him”

CHAPTER XXV

FROM SCYLLA TO CHARYBDIS

Bobi+chel unfortunately had not said too much The fact that Fanfaro had dropped dead so suddenly had caused great excite's private physician, was the first to propose the autopsy His colleagues iht to the Hotel Dieu and placed upon the marble table in the anatomy room The attendants busily rushed here and there, and while they brought in the necessary instrues,--numerous disciples of Esculapius stood about the deadmuscles

”He could have lived to a hundred years,” said the physician, as he beat Fanfaro's breast, and his colleagues agreed with him Fanfaro lay like a marble statue upon the table; the dark locks covered the pale forehead, and a painful expression lay over the firmly closed lips Did the poor fellow suspect that he would become a victim of science and be delivered over to the knife?

In the meantime the hall had become crowded, and when Dr Albaret appeared a h the ranks of the students and physicians

Dr Albaret, a sturdy oldoff his coat he took the dissecting knife in his hand and began to speak: ”Gentlemen! a death so sudden as this in a person apparently in the best of health demands the attention of all physicians, and I hope that ill be able to discover the cause of this surprising pheno an autopsy such as this The German professors, for instance, make a cut from the chin to the pit of the stomach, the Italians from the underlip to the breast-bone, while the French--”

”Dr Albaret,” cried a stentorian voice at this moment--”where is Dr