However, he hastened to comply with Madame de Jonquiere's appeal, and raised the consumptive woman to a sitting posture in the hope of thus stopping her cough, which indeed gradually ceased.

And then he helped the lady-hospitaller to make her swallow a spoonful of some soothing draught.
The doctor's presence in the carriage was still causing a stir among the ailing ones.

M.Sabathier, who was slowly eating the grapes which his wife had been to fetch him, did not, however, question Ferrand, for he knew full well what his answer would be, and was weary, as he expressed it, of consulting all the princes of science; nevertheless he felt comforted as it were at seeing him set that poor consumptive woman on her feet again.

And even Marie watched all that the doctor did with increasing interest, though not daring to call him herself, certain as she also was that he could do nothing for her.
Meantime, the crush on the platform was increasing.

Only a quarter of an hour now remained to the pilgrims.