266 LIFE OF ELIE METCHNIKOFF 



cious, how vehement he was — always, so to speak, 

 in a state of ebullition, feverishly active, intensely 

 sensitive — ^it must be admitted that his life really 

 held more than an ordinary life of longer duration. 



He was very desirous that the example of his 

 serenity in the face of death should be encouraging 

 and comforting. It should prove that, at the end of 

 his vital cycle, man fears death no longer ; it has 

 lost its sting for him. 



Early in June his condition became still worse. 

 The nights were so painful that, every evening, recourse 

 had to be had to pantopon.^ It was with the greatest 

 impatience that he awaited his " dear Darre and dear 

 Salimbeni," as he called them. 



After Dr. Darre had finished his complete and 

 thorough medical examination, we three remained 

 talking around Elie's bed for a short hour. He often 

 recalled his personal or scientific memories when he 

 was not too weary ; we talked of the war, of medical 

 questions ; often, too, we would evoke, with Salimbeni, 

 recollections of our journey to the Kalmuk Steppes. 



We loved that peaceful hour,, which ended by an 

 injection of pantopon, the only relief, alas, that could 

 be procured for him. He would thank Dr. Darre with 

 gratitude, and drop his poor weary head on the pillow, 

 awaiting in absolute security the blessed sensation of 

 warm heaviness which pervaded him, for he knew 

 that sleep and rest from his sufferings would not be 

 long in coming. The spectre of tragical nights never 

 ceased to haunt us. 



Until the hot weather came, he was quite com- 

 fortable in the small flat in the Pasteur hospital ; the 

 temperature there had been perfectly regular all 



^ Pantopon is a narcotic drug prepared from opium. 



