After I could talk to Occo and Agathemer and seemed to want to ask questions, which both of them discouraged, one morning, on wakening for the second time, after a minute allowance of nourishment and a refreshing nap, I found Galen by my bedside.
He looked me over and asked questions, as physicians invariably do, concerning my bodily sensations. After he seemed satisfied he asked:
"My son, were you ever ill before you were hit on the head in your recent affrays?"
"Never that I remember," I answered.
"I judge so," he said. "If you had not been blessed with the very best physique and constitution you would have died in your friend's litter on the Salarian Highway. Thanks to your general strength and healthiness, and thanks, to some extent, to my care and that of my colleagues, you are alive and on the way to complete, permanent recovery and to long life with good health. But you very nearly committed suicide when you went out and about contrary to my orders. I say all this solemnly, for I want you to remember it. If you disobey again, you will, most likely, be soon buried. If you obey you have every chance of getting so well that you can safely forget that you ever were ill.
"But, until I tell you that you are well, do not forget that you are ill."
"I shall remember," I said, "and I shall be scrupulously obedient."
"Good !" he ejaculated. "I infer that you find life worth living."
"Very well worth living," I rejoined devoutly.
"Then listen to me," he said. "You must remain abed until I tell you to get up; when you first get up, it must be for only an hour or so. You must not attempt to go out until I give you permission. You must not risk eating such meals as you are used to. You must take small amounts of specified foods at stated intervals. Agathemer will see to all that, with Occo to help him. Do you promise to acquiesce?"