doors-servants, and others from the Annex who had been attracted by the noise of the falling chandelier.
I said to the nurse, quite calmly:
"The chandelier fell while Dr. Braile was standing at the foot of my bed talking to me. It has killed him.
But do not tell the others that. Only say that the chandelier fell, injuring Dr. Braile. Send them back to
their beds-say that we are taking Dr. Braile to the hospital. Then return with Porter and clean up what
you can of the blood. Leave the chandelier as it is."
When she had gone I turned to Ricori's gunmen.
"What did you see when you shot?"
One answered: "They looked like monkeys to me."
The other said: "Or midgets."