“Good-by, for ever, my dear father; Donovan.”
The unhappy man. He also had been laid on this bed—Klotz also, and who could prove that my uncle had made only those two his victims before me; but I cared very little.
The day sank into night. There was a rapid coming and going above us. At night this slackened and ceased. Then Karl, who had come back from Grey-l’Abbaye, relieved Johann of his post.
Almost immediately afterwards, Lerne had me plunged into a bath, and forced a bitter liquid down my throat. I recognized sulphate of magnesia. No doubt they were going to cut me up. These were forerunners of an operation. No one is ignorant of that now, in this age of appendicitis. It would be on the next day.
What were they going to try on my body before killing it!
I was alone with Karl!
I was hungry!
Not far from me a murmur arose from the wretched poultry-yard. There was a faint sound of stirred straw; timid cackling, strange barks. The beasts began to moan.
Night!
Lerne came in. I was in a state of wild agitation. He felt my pulse. “Are you happy?” he asked me.