Page:Garshin - A Red Flower (1911).djvu/30

28 is in food; you are aware that I do not sleep at all."

"All right, my dear fellow, eat all you want. Taras, give him a spoon and bread."

Sitting down before one of the bowls, he ate another enormous quantity of gruel.

"Well, enough, enough," said the superintendent finally, when all had finished their supper; but our patient still continued to sit over the bowl, employing one hand to draw the gruel, and clasping the other tightly to his breast.

"You'll overeat yourself."

"Ah, if you only knew how much strength I need, how much strength! Farewell, Nicolai Nicolaiich," said the patient, rising from his seat and grasping vigorously the hand of the superintendent. His voice trembled and tears ran down his cheeks.

"Calm yourself, my dear fellow, calm yourself," replied the superintendent. "Why such gloomy thoughts? Go, lie down and fall asleep. You should sleep more."

The patient wept. The superintendent turned away, in order to tell the attendant to remove what remained of the supper. In the course of half an hour every one slumbered in the hospital, save one man who lay