484 EXPERIENCES OF A SURGEON. 



tionally. I inquired how she was, and if she suffered pain ? " No," 

 she said, " no, none whatever it is quite gone. I am better and 

 when 1 have slept, shall be well." This was said slowly, and at 

 intervals, and with imperfect articulation. Her sister who was in 

 the room, and in high spirits, as the pain had left her, little ima- 

 gining it was a fatal symptom, told me that for several days she had 

 been in great agony. I called the husband aside, and shortly, but 

 distinctly, informed him, that a very brief period, and his wife would 

 be no more. He was startled, but incredulous " she was easier, she 

 must be better" the doctor had told him so. I shook my head, and 

 desired him to go for her mother, who had just left the house, in the 

 confident hope that her daughter was recovering. He obeyed me 

 with some reluctance; and I again sat down at the bed-side, waiting 

 for his return, in order to summon the surgeon. 



The angel of death was, however, nearer than even I had imagined. 

 .A fitful and unmeaning smile played over her features ; her hands 

 wandered about as if in search of something ; while the intervals be- 

 tween respiration became longer and longer; her chest heaved, and 

 that peculiar gurgling sound in the throat, known as " the death 

 rattle," apprised me that the moment of dissolution was at hand. 

 Her sister, terrified at these portentous changes, looked at me for 

 information. I could only say, that in a few minutes all would be 

 over. She fled shrieking out of the room, and I was left alone with 

 the dying woman. I sat gazing upon her, with a feeling of awe and 

 dread I had never before experienced. I almost expected to see the 

 dark form of Azrael stoop over his victim, and the disembodied spirit 

 wing its way from its earthly tabernacle. Beyond the picturing of 

 my disturbed imagination there was nothing frightful no struggling 

 as if immortality was freeing itself from its shackles of dust no dis- 

 tortion of lip or limb, as if the separation was a painful one : on 

 the contrary, she lay perfectly still, and the same bland though un- 

 earthly smile flitted over her face; and though her lips moved, the 

 motions resembled those seen on the lips of childhood in its happy 

 dreams. Not a sound broke the still silence of the apartment, save 

 the rush of the fragrant breeze through the open window, the slight 

 rustle of the bed-clothes made by the movements of her hands, and 

 the low and occasional gurgling in her throat. My presence seemed, 

 to my cowed and overawed mind, as something improper, so strongly 

 was I impressed with the conviction that " a winged spirit was about 

 to depart to its home." I gazed upon her with a species of fascina- 

 tion, without having power to withdraw my eyes a moment from her 

 face, till at length, after a slight convulsive shudder, her eyelids 

 were elevated, and a deeper respiration took place. I waited in vain 

 for its return. Her lower jaw fell; her arms and body lost their 

 life-like position and she was dead. 



Buried in contemplation, I remained motionless, till I was aroused 

 by the hasty entrance of the husband, mother, and sister. Twenty 

 minutes past, and they had fondly believed her convalescent ; and 

 they now found her a corpse. I withdrew to the window, whilst a 

 burst of passionate sorrow overpowered the mourners : they knelt 

 round the bed, the heavy sobs of the man mingling with the wilder 



