O mother, do not desert me!
Physician (to the Man). It is my duty to tell you the truth.
Godfather. Yes, to tell the truth is the duty and virtue of a physician!
Physician. Your son is suffering from incipient insanity, connected with an extraordinary excitability of the nervous system, which sometimes occasions, if I may so express myself, the strange phenomenon of sleeping and waking at the same time, as in the case now before us.
The Man (aside). He reads to me thy sentence, O my God!
Physician. Give me pen, ink, and paper.
He writes a prescription.
The Man. I think it best you should all now retire; George needs rest.
Several Voices. Good night! good night! good night!
George (waking suddenly). Are they wishing me good night, father?