Page:The Strand Magazine (Volume 3).djvu/352

 tity. "But, monsieur," he cried, "what physician has ordered you to be let such an enormous quantity of blood?"

"Myself."

The surgeon did not know what to do. He dared not disobey, with those lackeys and those firearms all around him; yet he could not follow out instructions which would kill the patient. He thought that to bleed from the foot would be less dangerous than from the arm.

"Warm water, if you please," he said to the lackeys; one of them brought it in a white china basin. The other then knelt and took off the phantom's fine white-thread stockings; then a second pair; and so on, until six pairs had been drawn off, as well as a pair of white fur slippers lined with white satin. Then the surgeon beheld a beautiful leg and foot, as white and delicate as those of a woman.

He began to bleed; very shortly the patient appeared unwell, and likely to faint.

"Take off his mask," said Isez, "and give him air."

The lackeys interposed, and prevented Isez from touching their master. He was laid on the floor; the surgeon bound up the foot. Presently the invalid began to recover.

"Let them warm the bed," he whispered.

This was quickly done with a white metal warming-pan, and the sick man assisted to place himself in the bed. Isez felt his pulse and perceived that all was well again, and the servants left the room. The surgeon went to the fireplace and wiped his lancet on some of the linen strips, wondering what could be the explanation of this strange adventure, when he suddenly heard steps behind him, and glancing into the mirror over the mantelpiece, beheld the patient fling himself from the bed, and, with one bound, place himself beside the terrified surgeon, who almost dropped with horror and astonishment.

On the marble chimneypiece lay five crowns. The phantom figure took them in its waxen fingers and held them out to Isez.

"Are you satisfied with the fee?"

"Yes, yes, monsieur," replied Isez, trembling, "quite satisfied."

"Then go!"

Isez did not require to be told twice. He took to his heels, and ran into the outer apartment. There the lackeys awaited him.

He gazed from one to the other.

"Is this some foolish pleasantry, some bad jest?" he asked, growing angry now that he found no bodily harm was intended him. "What does this mean?"

"Monsieur," answered one of the men, "of what have you to complain?"

"Have you not been well paid?" asked the other; "have you been injured?"

Isez found that he had nothing really to complain of; he shrugged his shoulders.

The lackeys took each a flambeau and led him with all due ceremony through the narrow antechamber, down the