standing on the table, and a bottle of rum; in our profession one can’t get on without it.  They gave me tea; asked me to stop the night...  I consented:  where could I go, indeed, at that time of night?  The old lady kept groaning.  ‘What is it?’ I say; ’she will live; don’t worry yourself; you had better take a little rest yourself; it is about two o’clock.’  ’But will you send to wake me if anything happens?’ ‘Yes, yes.’  The old lady went away, and the girls too went to their own room; they made up a bed for me in the parlour.  Well, I went to bed—­but I could not get to sleep, for a wonder! for in reality I was very tired.  I could not get my patient out of my head.  At last I could not put up with it any longer; I got up suddenly; I think to myself, ’I will go and see how the patient is getting on.’  Her bedroom was next to the parlour.  Well, I got up, and gently opened the door—­how my heart beat!  I looked in:  the servant was asleep, her mouth wide open, and even snoring, the wretch! but the patient lay with her face towards me and her arms flung wide apart, poor girl!  I went up to her ... when suddenly she opened her eyes and stared at me!  ‘Who is it? who is it?’ I was in confusion.  ’Don’t be alarmed, madam,’ I say; ’I am the doctor; I have come to see how you feel.’  ‘You the doctor?’ ’Yes, the doctor; your mother sent for me from the town; we have bled you, madam; now pray go to sleep, and in a day or two, please God! we will set you on your feet again.’  ’Ah, yes, yes, doctor, don’t let me die... please, please.’  ’Why do you talk like that?  God bless you!’ She is in a fever again, I think to myself; I felt her pulse; yes, she was feverish.  She looked at me, and then took me by the hand.  ’I will tell you why I don’t want to die:  I will tell you...  Now we are alone; and only, please don’t you ... not to any one ...  Listen...’  I bent down; she moved her lips quite to my ear; she touched my cheek with her hair—­I confess my head went round—­and began to whisper...  I could make out nothing of it...  Ah, she was delirious! ...  She whispered and whispered, but so quickly, and as if it were not in Russian; at last she finished, and shivering dropped her head on the pillow, and threatened me with her finger:  ‘Remember, doctor, to no one.’  I calmed her somehow, gave her something to drink, waked the servant, and went away.”

At this point the doctor again took snuff with exasperated energy, and for a moment seemed stupefied by its effects.

“However,” he continued, “the next day, contrary to my expectations, the patient was no better.  I thought and thought, and suddenly decided to remain there, even though my other patients were expecting me...  And you know one can’t afford to disregard that; one’s practice suffers if one does.  But, in the first place, the patient was really in danger; and secondly, to tell the truth, I felt strongly drawn to her.  Besides, I liked the whole family.  Though they were really badly