His physical and mental sufferings had already impaired his bodily
health in some of the most important organs. He was on the verge of
one of those maladies for which medicine has no name, and of which the
seat is in some degree variable, like the nervous system itself, the
part most frequently attacked of the whole human machine, a malady
which may be designated as the heart-sickness of the unfortunate.
However serious this invisible but real disorder might already be, it
could still be cured by a happy issue. But a fresh obstacle, an
unexpected incident, would be enough to wreck this vigorous
constitution, to break the weakened springs, and produce the
hesitancy, the aimless, unfinished movements, which physiologists know
well in men undermined by grief.

Derville, detecting in his client the symptoms of extreme dejection,
said to him:

"Take courage; the end of the business cannot fail to be in your
favor. Only, consider whether you can give me your whole confidence
and blindly accept the result I may think best for your interests."

"Do what you will," said Chabert.

"Yes, but you surrender yourself to me like a man marching to his
death."

"Must I not be left to live without a position, without a name? Is
that endurable?"

"That is not my view of it," said the lawyer. "We will try a friendly
suit, to annul both your death certificate and your marriage, so as to