The record-union., 1899-11-12
once at night. He was also a Goanese,

once at night. He was also a GOaneSe,
a clever and not unkindly man. The
time passed more quickly with so much
to be done, and Vishnu counted tri-
umphantly that he had now worked six
teen days toward the attainment of his
months wages. True one rupee and a
few odd annas had been advanced him
for food; these must be deducted; the
balance owing to him had to be care
fully reckoned on his fingers. He had
worked faithfully and well for this, and
had earned the praise of both doctor
and apothecary. Not that Vishnu cared
much for words, but still if thrown in
together with other good and Substan
tial things they might be taken as not
altogether worthless. An instinct of
common humanity had led him to be
attentive and patient with the sick
men, who generally lay rolled up like
so many mOtionless mummies, unless
the delirium was on them, during which
it would require sometimes absolute
force to hold them in their beds. There
was one poor fellow to whom ViShnu
was particularly drawn by the fact of
his being the only patient whose rela-
tives had not attended him to the hos
pital. Moreover the man was weak and
suffered during his convalescence from
fainting fits, which had once or twice
sent Vishnu running wildly across for
help, thinking him to be dead. The
doctor duly recorded the fact in the
official report as follows: Suffers from
fainting feats; it is a common occur
renee during recovery among those af
fected with weak hearts" In spite of
the 'feats" the man was recovering,
and babe fair to be discharged cured.
Vishnu had confided to him the great
salary he was to draw, and had been
pleased at seeing his companion duly
impressed
One evening Vishnu sat outside wait
ing for his dinner, which was being pre-
pared by one of the women belonging
to a patient, Brahmin like himself. 1t
had been a very depressing day, with
two deaths in the hospital; the bodies
had been removed to a burning CHAT
not far distant. The CHAT was hidden
from the hospital by the plateau, but
Vishnu could see the flames leaping
into the air in the distance; tree COW
cred with white blossoms which stood
near and appeared at the end of the
ridge was dyed blood red. Overhead the
moon was shining brightly in cloud
less sky, the wind had risen and blew
in from the sea, disturbing the rushes
on the bank, among which the frogs
were croaking loudly, rustling the dry
leaves on the matched roof of the hos
pital and touching the tops of the palm
trees along the ridge. 1t was a cold
wind and Vishnu shivered impatiently.
He had hurt his leg a few nights pre-
viouSly crossing the ground in the dark
and the wound was sore and painful
he had not thought of having it at
tended to. Inside the hospital patient
was screaming wildly in delirium; out
side screech owl settled among the
boughs of the tree behind the apothe-
cary's hut, and joined with the frogs in
making night hideOuS with their noises.
On any ordinary occasion ViShnu would
not have noticed such common, every
day sounds, but he was tired and de-
pressed, and could not get the calcula-
ton of his wages right. He had eaten
very little food that day, land, in fact,
for days past, being loath to draw any
more advances on his salary; after all,
there would be none too much when di-
vided among himself, his wife and
child; then, too, doubtless the uncle
would exact something in payment for
all the time he had lived at home, earn
ing nothing or next to nothing. When
at last the food came he was disinclin-
ed to eat it, and soon returned to the
ward. There, at least, it was warm,
and there was company, however far
from lively. His duties had to be per-
formed, and he set about them in a
mechanical way; at his friends bed he