"Be assured of this—if you attend a sick person, and he dies, you will be punished by death."
Ursus hazarded a question.
"And if he gets well?"
"In that case," said the doctor, softening his voice, "you will be punished by death."
"There is little difference," said Ursus.
The doctor replied,—
"If death ensues, we punish gross ignorance; if recovery, we punish presumption. The gibbet in either case."
"I was ignorant of the circumstance," murmured Ursus. "I thank you for teaching me. One does not know all the beauties of the law."
"Take care of yourself."
"Religiously," said Ursus.