“What's matter? What's all about?” said the man, thickly.
“You've had a fall. Think a moment. Where do you live?”
Again the lips moved, but this time only to emit a confused, incoherent murmur. Dr. Duchesne looked grave, but recovered himself quickly.
“That will do. Leave him alone now,” he said brusquely to the others.
But Josephine lingered.
“He spoke well enough just now,” she said eagerly. “Did you hear what he said?”
“Not exactly,” said the doctor, abstractedly, gazing at the man.
“He said, 'You'll have to kill me first,'” said Josephine, slowly.
“Humph;” said the doctor, passing his hand backwards and forwards before the man's eyes to note any change in the staring pupils.
“Yes,” continued Josephine, gravely. “I suppose,” she added, cautiously, “he was thinking of the operation—of what you had just done to him?”