Hydrophobia? (Maupassant)
A young woman named Geneviève got married and went on her honeymoon to Normandy with her husband, Henry.
On the day of their wedding, Geneviève's dog, Bijou, playfully bit her nose, causing it to bleed. The couple left for their honeymoon, and Geneviève soon became obsessed with the idea that she might have contracted rabies from the bite.
During their honeymoon, Geneviève heard about a woman who had died from rabies after being bitten by a dog. This news made her even more anxious, and she began to experience symptoms that she believed were signs of the disease. She wrote to her mother, asking for news about Bijou, but her mother did not mention the dog in her reply. This made Geneviève even more convinced that she had contracted rabies and that her dog had died from the disease.
I was thinking: 'They're happy, those people. They haven't been bitten. They'll live, they will. They're not living in fear of anything. They can amuse themselves in any way they like. How peaceful they are!'
Geneviève's anxiety continued to grow, and she began to experience spasms and other symptoms that she believed were signs of her impending death. Her husband, unaware of her fears, continued to be affectionate and intimate with her, which only added to her distress.
I let him carry me back to bed. Towards daybreak, my husband's irritating obsessions brought on a fresh attack, which lasted longer than the first.
Finally, Geneviève's mother arrived at their hotel with Bijou, who was alive and well. The sight of her beloved dog relieved Geneviève's fears, and she realized that her symptoms had been the result of her imagination and anxiety.
Geneviève never told anyone about her ordeal, fearing that her husband would ridicule her for her irrational fears. She eventually became used to her husband's teasing and learned to accept the fact that life is full of unexpected surprises and challenges.