After trying various expedients to
no purpose, I at length remembered that I had once seen a dry rag set on
fire for a similar purpose. I therefore took one of the cloths from the
sink, and set it on fire, let it burn a moment, and threw it under the
caldron.
I was just beginning to congratulate myself on my success, when I saw
that the nun appeared insensible, and about to fall from her chair. I
caught her in my arms, and leaned her back in the chair, but I did not
dare to lay her on the bed, without permission, even if I had strength
to do it. I could only draw her chair to the side of the room, put a
stick of wood under it, and let her head rest against the wall. I was
very much frightened, and for a moment, thought she was dead. She was
pale as a corpse, her eyes closed, and her mouth wide open. Had I really
killed her? What if the Superior should find her thus? I soon found that
she was not dead, for her heart beat regularly, and I began to hope she
would get over it before any one came in. But just as the thought passed
my mind, the door opened and the Superior appeared. Her first words
were, "What have you been burning? What smells so?" I told her there was
a cloth about the sink that I thought unfit for use, and I put it
under the caldron. She then turned towards the nun and asked if she had
fainted. I told her that I did not know, but I thought she was asleep,
and if she wished me to awaken, and assist her to bed, I would do so. To
this she consented, and immediately went up stairs again. Glad as I was
of this permission, I still doubted my ability to do it alone, for I had
little, very little strength; yet I resolved to do my best. It was long,
however, before I could arouse her, or make her comprehend what I said,
so entirely were her senses stupified with the brandy. When at length I
succeeded in getting her upon her feet, she said she was sure she could
not walk; but I encouraged her to help herself as much as possible, told
her that I wished to get her away before any one came in, or we would
be certainly found out and punished. This suggestion awakened her fears,
and I at length succeeded in assisting her to bed. She was soon in a
sound sleep, and I thought my troubles for that time were over. But
I was mistaken. In my fright, I had quite forgotten the brandy in her
dress. Somehow the bottle was cracked, and while she slept, the brandy
ran over her clothes. The Superior saw it, and asked how she obtained
it. Too noble minded to expose me, she said she drew it herself. I
heard the Superior talking to a priest about it, and I thought they were
preparing to punish her. I did not know what she had told them, but I
did not think she would expose me, and I feared, if they punished her
again, she would die in their hands.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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