The pedagogue jumped no longer. He just lay with gaping mouth and protruding eyes, and only twitched convulsively.
At last, the governor of the fortress, boiling with indignation, roared out to the accompaniment of the barking of his dog:
“Madness! Debauch! Unheard of! Order up the fire-brigade!”
This idea was the wisest. The governor of the town was an enthusiast for the fire-brigade, and had smartened the firemen to a rare pitch. In less than five minutes, and at that moment when the indicator showed stroke No. 4550, the brave young fellows of the fire-brigade broke on the scene with choppers and hooks.
The magnificent mechanical self-flogger was destroyed for ever and ever. With the machine perished also the idea. As regards the inventor, it should be said that, after a considerable time of feeling sore in a corporal way and of nervous weakness, he returned to his occupation. But the fatal occasion completely changed his character. He became for the rest of his life a calm, sweet, melancholy man, and though he taught Latin and Greek he was a favourite with the schoolboys.
He has never returned to his invention.
[VIII]
THE LAST WORD
Yes, gentlemen, I killed him!