The Knickerbocker, Vol. 10, No. 4, October 1837Various
History
The Knickerbocker, Vol. 10, No. 4, October 1837
Various
Periodicals
He had been removed to a different ward, that he might not be
affected by the situation of the other, and was doing well. I stated
as much.
'I feel cold, very cold,' he continued. 'Wouldn't some of that warm
drink give me a little heat? No! I've tried that; it burns my throat.
Yet, I'm all dried up inside.'
'Here is some cool water with wine.'
'Cool! The sound is enough to make me shiver. But I will take some,
for the sake of the experiment.'
He touched a little of it to his lips, and then drank the whole
of the potion. It agreed with him better than warm drinks, which
were more suitable to his condition. Then sinking into quietude,
he seemed about to be falling asleep. All at once, he burst out
into exclamations of horror and alarm, and cries for assistance;
vehemently declared his innocence; and in the course of his
ramblings, made a complete exposure of his secret. He terminated by
springing up in bed, and attempting to jump on to the floor. His
eyes fell upon me, and he seemed to recover his mental faculties as
speedily as he had lost them. He reclined back on his pillow, and
said, with much earnestness:
'Doctor, what have I been uttering? Have I revealed any thing?'
'You have disclosed some things which I should not hear, except
in the confidence of a physician,' I replied.
'What!--any thing that would criminate me?'
'Yes, you and others.'
'I see that I have unwittingly taught you my secret. Curse
this wild delirium! But on whom should the curse fall! I will
trust you. I know that until I am dead, you will not be able to
betray any thing; and after that, it will be at your option, at
any rate, to make that public which will endanger the life of
another.'
'Have no fears of me, if there is a possibility that any one
may receive injury from my information.'
The patient, whose name was Ludovico, being satisfied with my
assurance of secrecy, proceeded to give a short narration of
the facts.
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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