“But have I not an uncommon constitution? And have you not told me a hundred times that you would cure me? Have you been deceiving me? Are you making sport of me?”
“Ah!” replied the physician, with a distressed expression, “you surely could not believe such a thing!”
“Well, well, give me the draught. Will it act at once?”
“In a quarter of an hour, provided you do not destroy its effect by your agitation.”
“Give me my watch. There, put it by my side. I want to see if you are sure of the effects of your own drugs.”
The baron drank off the potion, seated himself in his great arm-chair, and rang for his valet-de-chambre.
“Go and find Major Larrson,” he said, “and say to him from me that I beg him to superintend the race. He understands about such matters better than any one else.”
The valet went out, but the baron recalled him almost instantly.
“Tell Johan to go to bed and to sleep. I shall want him at three o’clock in the morning. Let him come himself, and wake me up. Go now—no, wait, I am to hunt to-morrow. Is everything ready? Yes? Very good. Now you may go.”
The valet really went this time; and the young physician, who was very much agitated, remained alone with his patient.