Read Online Amok and Other Stories by Stefan Zweig - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Stefan Zweig
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call any other doctor.’
He stared at me, and a flush of red came into his pale, rather plump face. I could tell that he felt bitter. But that was exactly what I needed—all my energies were concentrating on getting a quick decision, for I could feel that my nerves wouldn’t hold out much longer. He was going to return a hostile reply, but then said more mildly, ‘You may think that you can dispense with my services, but it is still my official duty to confirm death—and establish the cause of death.’
I did not reply, but let him go into the room ahead of me. Then I stepped back, locked the door and put the key on the table. He raised his eyebrows in surprise.
‘What’s the meaning of this?’
I faced him calmly. ‘We don’t have to establish the cause of death, we have to think of a different one. This lady called me to treat her after … after suffering the consequences of an operation that went wrong. It was too late for me to save her, but I promised I would save her reputation, and that is what I’m going to do. And I am asking you to help me.’
His eyes were wide with astonishment. ‘You surely aren’t saying,’ he stammered, ‘that you’re asking me, as medical officer, to conceal a crime?’
‘Yes, I am. I must.’
‘So I’m to pay for your crime?’
‘I’ve told you, I didn’t touch this lady, or … or I wouldn’t be here talking to you, I would have put an end to myself by now. She has paid for her transgression, if that’s what you want to call it. There’s no need for the world to know about it. And I will not allow this lady’s reputation to be tarnished now for no good reason.’
My firm tone made him even angrier. ‘You will not allow … oh, so I suppose you’re my superior, or at least you think you are! Just try giving me orders … when you were summoned here from your country outpost I thought at once there was something fishy going on … nice practices you get up to, I must say, here’s a pretty sample of your skill! But now I will examine her, I will do it, and you may depend upon it that any account to which my name is signed will be correct. I won’t put my name to a lie.’
I kept quite calm. ‘This time you must. You won’t leave the room until you do.’
I put my hand in my pocket. In fact I did not have my revolver with me, but he jumped in alarm. I came a step closer and looked at him.
‘Listen, let me tell you something … and then we need not resort to desperate measures. I have reached a point where I set no store by my life or anyone else’s … I am anxious only to keep my promise that the manner of this death will remain secret. And listen to this too: I give you my word of honour that if you will sign the certificate saying that this lady died of … well, died accidentally, I will leave this city and the East Indies too in the course of this week … and if you want, I will take my revolver and shoot myself as soon as the coffin is in the ground and I can be sure that no one… no one , you understand—can make any more inquiries . That ought to satisfy you—it must satisfy you.’
There must have been something menacing in my voice, something quite dangerous, because as I instinctively came closer he retreated with the obvious horror of … of someone fleeing from a man in frenzy running amok, wielding a kris . And suddenly he had changed … he cringed, so to speak, he was bemused, his hard attitude crumbled. He murmured something with a last faint protest. ‘It will be the first time in my life that I’ve signed a false certificate … still, I expect some form of words can be found … Who knows what would happen if … but I can’t simply …’
‘Of course not,’ I said helpfully, to strengthen his will—only move fast, move fast, said the tingling sensation in my temples—‘but now that you know you would only be hurting a living man and doing a terrible injury to a dead woman, I am sure you will not hesitate.’
He
He stared at me, and a flush of red came into his pale, rather plump face. I could tell that he felt bitter. But that was exactly what I needed—all my energies were concentrating on getting a quick decision, for I could feel that my nerves wouldn’t hold out much longer. He was going to return a hostile reply, but then said more mildly, ‘You may think that you can dispense with my services, but it is still my official duty to confirm death—and establish the cause of death.’
I did not reply, but let him go into the room ahead of me. Then I stepped back, locked the door and put the key on the table. He raised his eyebrows in surprise.
‘What’s the meaning of this?’
I faced him calmly. ‘We don’t have to establish the cause of death, we have to think of a different one. This lady called me to treat her after … after suffering the consequences of an operation that went wrong. It was too late for me to save her, but I promised I would save her reputation, and that is what I’m going to do. And I am asking you to help me.’
His eyes were wide with astonishment. ‘You surely aren’t saying,’ he stammered, ‘that you’re asking me, as medical officer, to conceal a crime?’
‘Yes, I am. I must.’
‘So I’m to pay for your crime?’
‘I’ve told you, I didn’t touch this lady, or … or I wouldn’t be here talking to you, I would have put an end to myself by now. She has paid for her transgression, if that’s what you want to call it. There’s no need for the world to know about it. And I will not allow this lady’s reputation to be tarnished now for no good reason.’
My firm tone made him even angrier. ‘You will not allow … oh, so I suppose you’re my superior, or at least you think you are! Just try giving me orders … when you were summoned here from your country outpost I thought at once there was something fishy going on … nice practices you get up to, I must say, here’s a pretty sample of your skill! But now I will examine her, I will do it, and you may depend upon it that any account to which my name is signed will be correct. I won’t put my name to a lie.’
I kept quite calm. ‘This time you must. You won’t leave the room until you do.’
I put my hand in my pocket. In fact I did not have my revolver with me, but he jumped in alarm. I came a step closer and looked at him.
‘Listen, let me tell you something … and then we need not resort to desperate measures. I have reached a point where I set no store by my life or anyone else’s … I am anxious only to keep my promise that the manner of this death will remain secret. And listen to this too: I give you my word of honour that if you will sign the certificate saying that this lady died of … well, died accidentally, I will leave this city and the East Indies too in the course of this week … and if you want, I will take my revolver and shoot myself as soon as the coffin is in the ground and I can be sure that no one… no one , you understand—can make any more inquiries . That ought to satisfy you—it must satisfy you.’
There must have been something menacing in my voice, something quite dangerous, because as I instinctively came closer he retreated with the obvious horror of … of someone fleeing from a man in frenzy running amok, wielding a kris . And suddenly he had changed … he cringed, so to speak, he was bemused, his hard attitude crumbled. He murmured something with a last faint protest. ‘It will be the first time in my life that I’ve signed a false certificate … still, I expect some form of words can be found … Who knows what would happen if … but I can’t simply …’
‘Of course not,’ I said helpfully, to strengthen his will—only move fast, move fast, said the tingling sensation in my temples—‘but now that you know you would only be hurting a living man and doing a terrible injury to a dead woman, I am sure you will not hesitate.’
He
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