ABSTRACT
The last days of Mr. Thibault’s life are painful for all concerned. For him, there is agonizing pain, accompanied by convulsions and symptoms of blood poisoning. Jacques feels grief and consternation, as his father, in his delirium, fails to recognize him. Antoine, as a doctor, tries tirelessly to prolong life, but his efforts are fruitless. The fatigue of sleepless nights and over-wrought days gives him a sense of utter futility. The nurses and servants become nerve-wracked and exhausted.
