That I was well choked is proved by the fact that my throat bore the crescent-shaped mark of my assailant’s thumb nail.  And I am inclined to believe that my rescuer, who was a very powerful man, made a decided impression on my assailant’s throat.  Had not the superintendent opportunely appeared at that moment, the man might soon have lapsed into unconsciousness, for I am sure my ally would never have released him until he had released me.  The moment the attendant with his one good eye caught sight of the superintendent the scrimmage ended.  This was but natural, for it is against the code of honor generally obtaining among attendants, that one should so far forget himself as to abuse patients in the presence of sane and competent witnesses.

The choking which I had just received served only to limber my vocal cords.  I told the doctor all about the preliminary verbal skirmish and the needlessness of the fight.  The superintendent had graduated at Yale over fifty years prior to my own graduation, and because of this common interest and his consummate tact we got along well together.  But his friendly interest did not keep him from speaking his mind upon occasion, as his words at this time proved.  “You don’t know,” he said, “how it grieves me to see you—­a Yale man—­act so like a rowdy.”

“If fighting for the rights of a much older man, unable to protect his own interests, is the act of a rowdy, I’m quite willing to be thought one,” was my reply.

Need I add that the attendant did not take Mr. Blank for a walk that morning?  Nor, so far as I know, was the latter ever forced again to take his exercise against his will.

XVI

The superintendent now realized that I was altogether too energetic a humanitarian to remain in a ward with so many other patients.  My actions had a demoralizing effect upon them; so I was forthwith transferred to a private room, one of two situated in a small one-story annex.  These new quarters were rather attractive, not unlike a bachelor apartment.

As there was no one here with whom I could interfere I got along without making any disturbance—­that is, so long as I had a certain special attendant, a man suited to my temperament.  He who was now placed over me understood human nature.  He never resorted to force if argument failed to move me; and trifling transgressions, which would have led to a fight had he behaved like a typical attendant, he either ignored or privately reported to the doctor.  For the whole period of my intense excitement there were certain persons who could control me, and certain others whose presence threw me into a state bordering on rage, and frequently into passions which led to distressing results.