About one o'clock
The doctor , wishing to distract her attention from the terrible sight , strove , by assigning some little duties to her , to keep her at a distance . But she ever and ever returned , drawn to the bedside by the physical craving to see . She waited , standing erect , her arms hanging beside her , and her face swollen by despair . About one o'clock Abbe Jouve and Monsieur Rambaud arrived . The doctor went to meet them , and muttered a few words . Both grew pale , and stood stock-still in consternation , while their hands began to tremble . Helene had not turned round .