I was in a siege thirty years before you were born, and I am
alive yet, after many others. Obey me and we will get through the
siege of Dantzig, which is only just beginning."
Then suddenly he gave way to anger, and banged his hand down on the
table.
"But, sacred name of thunder, do not make me believe you have eaten
when you have not," he shouted. "Never do that."
Carried away by the importance of this question, he said many things
which cannot be set before the eyes of a generation sensitive to
plainness of speech, and only tolerant of it in suggestions of
impropriety.
"And the patron," he ended abruptly, "how is he?"
"He is not very well," answered Desiree. Which answer did not
satisfy Barlasch, who insisted on taking off his boots, and going
upstairs to see Sebastian.
It was a mere nothing, the invalid said. Such food did not suit
him.
"You have been accustomed to live well all your life," answered
Barlasch, looking at him with the puzzled light of a baffled memory
in his eye which always came when he looked at Desiree's father.
"One must see what can be done."
And he went out forthwith to return after an hour and more with a
chicken freshly killed. Desiree did not ask him where he had
procured it. She had given up such inquiries, for Barlasch always
confessed quite bluntly to theft, and she did not know whether to
believe him or not.
But the change of diet had no beneficial effect, and the next day
Desiree sent Barlasch to the house of the doctor whose practice lay
in the Frauengasse.
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