"It was so, without doubt," said the little man, calmly; "he was angry. Is the gentleman ready to be moved?"
"All right," said Barton, speaking in quite his ordinary voice, "all right, I can walk."
"He must be carried," said the doctors together; "the other gentleman will help us, and then he will perhaps arrange about the money."
We picked Barton up amongst us, his wife going first to prepare the carriage for his reception, and carried him to the door.
"Stop a minute!" said Barton, suddenly, "let me see the poor fellow who is dead."
"It is right that the gentleman should see him," said the smaller brother, "he saved the gentleman's life."
We had propped the corpse up in a sitting position against the end of the bed, and Barton looked long into the ghastly face.
"Good God! how strange!" he whispered at last. "He has saved my life, and I feared him—how I feared him!"
"The gentleman knew Israel Hoffmann then?" said the taller of the two doctors.
"No," said Barton, "I have never met him before. Go on," and we carried him to the carriage where his wife was waiting us. I got in with them, telling the doctors I would return immediately, and they allowed me to depart without protest, somewhat to my surprise. I saw Barton safely in bed, and was hurrying from the room when he called me back and asked his wife to leave us for a moment.