B1204 <=> B1206 [BTG XLVIII From the Author, p. 1205]

“In short, from every point of view, you are fully deserving of imitation, and a man to be envied.

“In the morning you wake up under the impression of some oppressive dream.

“Your slightly depressed state, that dispersed on awakening, has nevertheless left its mark.

“A certain languidness and hesitancy in your movements.

“You go to the mirror to comb your hair and carelessly drop the brush; you have only just picked it up, when you drop it again. You then pick it up with a shade of impatience, and, in consequence, you drop it a third time; you try to catch it as it is falling, but . . . from an unlucky blow of your hand, the brush makes for the mirror; in vain you rush to save it, crack . . . there is a star of cracks on that antique mirror of which you were so proud.

“Damn! Devil take it! And you experience a need to vent your fresh annoyance on some one or other, and not finding the newspaper beside your morning coffee, the servant having forgotten to put it there, the cup of your patience overflows and you decide that you cannot stand the fellow any longer in the house.

“It is time for you to go out. The weather being pleasant, and not having far to go, you decide to walk. Behind you glides your new automobile of the latest model.

“The bright sunshine somewhat calms you, and a crowd which has collected at the corner attracts your attention.

“You go nearer, and in the middle of the crowd you see a man lying unconscious on the pavement. A policeman, with the help of some of the, as they are called, ‘idlers’ who have collected, puts the man into a ‘taxi’ to take him to the hospital.