“No, indeed⁠—I am calm,” said Morrel, giving his hand to the count; “my pulse does not beat slower or faster than usual. No, I feel that I have reached the goal, and I will go no farther. You told me to wait and hope; do you know what you did, unfortunate adviser? I waited a month, or rather I suffered for a month! I did hope (man is a poor wretched creature), I did hope. What I cannot tell⁠—something wonderful, an absurdity, a miracle⁠—of what nature he alone can tell who has mingled with our reason that folly we call hope. Yes, I did wait⁠—yes, I did hope, count, and during this quarter of an hour we have been talking together, you have unconsciously wounded, tortured my heart, for every word you have uttered proved that there was no hope for me. Oh, count, I shall sleep calmly, deliciously in the arms of death.”

Morrel uttered these words with an energy which made the count shudder.

“My friend,” continued Morrel, “you named the fifth of October as the end of the period of waiting⁠—today is the fifth of October,” he took out his watch, “it is now nine o’clock⁠—I have yet three hours to live.”