Fever 1793: Chapter 14 Summary & Analysis

Mattie hears someone saying, “Is she dead? […] I’ve got to take the bodies to the pit.” Mattie opens her eyes and sees an old woman bending over her with a candle, a man in the shadows. She’s cold and hears moaning on either side of her.

Mattie drifts back into feverish dreams. In the dreams, she cries to a rushing crowd of people, “What am I supposed to do?” She sees troops of soldiers marching and Grandfather, in a bloody shirt, ordering soldiers to fire in her direction. She jerks awake, trying to separate dream from reality. Around her are the familiar smells of yellow fever.

Mattie watches as two French-speaking orderlies carry her neighbor, a dead woman, away and then bring the mattress back, empty. The next time she wakes, she observes that she’s in a massive room with expensive carpets, furniture, and chandeliers. A woman says, “You’ve beat the Grim Reaper, you have, lassie.” The woman, a nurse, introduces herself as Mrs. Flagg.

Mrs. Flagg helps Mattie sit up and explains that Grandfather has been waiting for her this whole time. She offers Mattie a bowl of broth, but Mattie pushes it away, wanting to know how she got here. Mrs. Flagg explains that Grandfather doesn’t have yellow fever; his heart was acting up in the heat. But he is strong and carried Mattie all this way. Mattie relaxes, figuring that if Grandfather is well enough to “tell exaggerated stories,” then he must be fine.

After Mattie finishes her broth, Grandfather appears, having “never looked so handsome or brave” as he does to Mattie now. He kisses Mattie and tells her she looks well enough to be out of bed. He also flirts with Mrs. Flagg, telling her that Bridget is “a melodious name for a beautiful lady.” Mattie rolls her eyes while Mrs. Flagg giggles.

Mattie still has questions. When Mrs. Flagg explains that they are at Bush Hill, Mattie starts struggling out of bed, asking Grandfather to take her away from this “dangerous place.” Mrs. Flagg tucks her in firmly, explaining that Bush Hill “is now a respectable place.” Previously rumored to be “one step away from Hell,” filled with criminals, now Bush Hill has been transformed by Mr. Stephen Girard into “a right proper hospital,” and all the “scoundrels” have been driven off.

Mr. Stephen Girard is a wealthy Frenchman, a merchant, importer, and banker. Mrs. Flagg explains that he made repairs to the mansion and brought in a French doctor, staff, and supplies. Mrs. Flagg also explains that it’s the French doctors who really know how to cure the fever, not Dr. Rush with his bleeding techniques.

Grandfather further explains that they’ve been away from home for five days, and that when he checked on the coffeehouse, it was locked up tight. He assumes that Lucille has gone to her friends, the Ludingtons, to recover, and he’s sent a letter to inquire. Mattie drifts off to sleep again.