The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-05-01

Faithful 10 their promise to lose not a
moment, and exactly as the bell II St
Peter and ST. Paul was on the stroke of
10 a. m. next day, the MessieGrs Chairman
and q 'Epinay, de Loustignacs two sec
onds, Numbered at the knOcker of the
doctors door 1t flew open briskly, and a
negro footman, resplendent in gold braid
and buttons, stood before our two ambas-
sailors, clothed themselves in the Gus
tomary black frock OF ceremony but
toned tightly from Waist-line to collar
Grave and dignified, he stood like a mar
tial Cerberus, barring the entrance Of the
two plenipotentiaries. who held in their
hands with their hats and umbrellas, the
lives of two men.
DIR Fumichon. he is here?" they quer-
led, politely at the same time stepping
forward to cross the Threshold
He is, said the black, but the fee
five and twenty francs aplece-frst, II
you please, Messieurs!
What. five and twenty francs apiece,
But we are not here as patients! We
have not come to consult the doctori We
are here to
And our two friends. losing time and
temper both, essayed 10 push back the
door and TO enter without further parley,
but safety catch held It. and the ebony
Cerberus completely filled the half-open
Then they began to urge and coax, but
the bediZened African, who knew only
his instructions, responded immovably:
Five and twenty francs apiece, mes
sieurs; fifty francs for both of you
il goes without saying that as Achi les 5
seconds could neither turn tail and
abandon their mission. nor fulhll 1t on
the doorstep they were compelled TO
yield and to pay up Ike men. since to
enter the house at all It was absolutely
necessary TO give up n yellow piece"
and to receive in return a numbered
ticket the open sesame of the doctor ;
front door and richly furnished salon
beyond the entresol.
Scattered about on sofas and chairs
were seated some eight or ten gentle
men, all Of them. like our two friends
clothed in the 'frock of ceremony" black
and correct; and all OF them like our
two friends again, as solemnly frOwning
the one as the other, while more or less
impatiently awaiting their turn.
Heavens murmured Chairman. as
tonished. in the ear of his companion
did you ever see the like of this or i
clientele more chic than the one before
us? Positively not a soul but invalids
IN frOck coats. Fumichon is undoubted
~ a specialist Of note"'
And Chairman. too. dropped into a
chair and fen into an awed silence OPP
pressed by the gloom and magniiiccnce
of his surroundings, and softly swear
ing in his beard that never before had
he witnessed a scene like ii. where every
one present seemed really to be partici-
pating in the ceremony Of his own inter
ment.
A fun hour passed thus. Not word
or a sound broke the stiffness; only from
time TO time a tapestry al one side Of the
room was drawn back noiselessly. n door
leading into the doctors office opened a
number was called out, and the two gen
tlemen holding the check corresponding
TO the number called would softly get up
and disappear into the sanctuary. And
this, ! say. had gone on for at least an
hour: a new call, a new number, and the
dignfied vanishment of two malades.
Precisely. Two malades; for strange
coincidence DIR. Fumichons patients
went-and they went no other way-in
couples, like beeves TO the shambles, or
like-Charmian leaped In his seat as if a
bee had stung him--or like the seconds in
a duel
Was II possible that all these black
coated gentlemen We're not patients at
all? That ID. Fumichon, not content with
killing people IN the usual way-that DR..
Fumichon--
Achilles proxies however. had no time
now 10 further pursue this disturbing sup
position; the tapestry was moving again;