"The runners took a white lamb's skin, brought it, and began putting it over my body. While this was going on, the secretary, who was writing the sentence in the Book, started and said to the Judge:
"'Your Honour, there is a mistake. Please Your Honour read over again; this soul has to be a man now.'
"You know that, on the Big Book of Shadows, all our past deeds are recorded as well as our future destiny.
"The Judge looked at it over again and said:
"'True! Happily, you saw the mistake.'
"Then, turning to the runners, he ordered them to take off the skin, which already covered more than half my body. They had to exert all their strength, and even so, they tore it off into pieces. It hurt me so much that I thought I could not stand it and I should die; but I was dead, and I could not die more than that.
"At last they left me bleeding and panting, and I was born again in my present condition. But they had forgotten a piece of lamb's skin on my right shoulder, and I still have it now."
And he uncovered his arm and shoulder to show a piece of white woollen hair on his right shoulder.