1880—1882 321 



them, noted M. Rossignol, '^breathlessness is at its maxi- 

 mum; the heaving of the sides is now and then inter- 

 rupted by groans. If the most sick are forced to get 

 up and walk, it is with great difficulty that they advance 

 a few steps, their limbs being so weak and vacillating." 

 Three had died by the time M. Rossignol left Pouilly le 

 Fort. ''Everything leads me to believe," he wrote, 

 *'that a great number of sheep will succumb during the 

 night." 



Pasteur's anxiety was great when Messrs. Chamberland and 

 Roux returned, having noticed a rise in the temperature of 

 certain vaccinated subjects. It was increased by the arrival of 

 a telegram from M. Rossignol announcing that he considered 

 one sheep as lost. By a sudden reaction, Pasteur, who had 

 drawn up such a bold programme, leaving no margin for the 

 unexpected, and who the day before seemed of an imperturbable 

 tranciuillity among all those sheep, the life or death of whom 

 was about to decide between an immortal discovery and an 

 irremediable failure, now felt himself beset with doubts and 

 anguish. 



Bouley, who had that evening come to see his master^ as 

 he liked to call him, could not understand this reaction — the 

 result of too much strain on the mind, said M. Roux, whom 

 it did not astonish. Pasteur's emotional nature, strangely 

 allied to his fighting temperament, was mastering him. ''His 

 faith staggered for a time, ' ' writes M. Roux, "as if the experi- 

 mental method could betray him." The night was a sleepless 



one. 



This morning, at eight o'clock," wrote Mme. Pasteur to 

 her daughter, "we were still very much excited and awaiting 

 the telegram which might announce some disaster. Your father 

 would not let his mind be distracted from his anxiety. At 

 nine o'clock the laboratory was informed, and the telegram 

 hauded to me five minutes later. I had a moment's emotion, 

 which made me pass through all the colours of the rainbow. 

 Yesterday, a considerable rise of temperature had been noticed 

 with terror in one of the sheep ; this morning that same sheep 

 was well again." 



On the arrival of the telegram Pasteur's face lighted up; his 

 joy was deep, and he desired to share it immediately with his 

 absent children. Before starting for Melun, he wrote them this 

 letter : 



