"She is suffering from inflammation of the
brain. There is no mistaking that. It is by no means a common complaint,
in spite of the constant working of that organ. What can have caused
it? There appears to be no injury to the brain or its bony covering, the
mischief, then, must have been caused by some violent emotion, a great
grief, some unexpected catastrophe . . ."
Noel interrupted his friend by a gesture, and drew him into the
embrasure of the window. "Yes, my friend," said he in a low tone,
"Madame Gerdy has experienced great mental suffering, she has been
frightfully tortured by remorse. Listen, Herve. I will confide our
secret to your honour and your friendship. Madame Gerdy is not my
mother; she despoiled me, to enrich her son with my fortune and my name.
Three weeks ago I discovered this unworthy fraud; she knows it, and
the consequences terrify her. Ever since, she has been dying minute by
minute."
The advocate expected some exclamations of astonishment, and a host
of questions from his friend; but the doctor received the explanation
without remark, as a simple statement, indispensable to his
understanding the case.
"Three weeks," he murmured; "then, that explains everything.
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