However drunk he might be, he never forgot his duty and when the hour
for starting the night's baking arrived he would stagger off to the
bakery; the moment he took up his position before the mouth of the
furnace his intoxication evaporated and he set to work as soberly as
ever, himself laughing at his extravagances.
The German possessed remarkable organic powers and unheard-of
resistance; Manuel had to sleep during all his free time, and even at
that never rose from his bed completely rested. For the two months
that he spent in the bakery Manuel lived like an automaton. Work at
the furnace had so shifted about his hours of sleep that the days
seemed to him nights and the nights, days.
One day Manuel fell ill and all the strength that had been sustaining
him abandoned him suddenly; he gave up his job, took his two-week's
pay and without knowing how, fairly dragging himself thither, made his
way to the lodging-house.
Petra, finding him in this condition, made him go to bed, and Manuel
lay for nearly two weeks in the delirium of a very high fever. On
getting out it seemed that he had grown; he was much emaciated, and
felt in his whole body a great lassitude and languor and such a keen
sensitivity that any word the least mite too harsh would affect him to
the point of tears.
When he was able to go out into the street again, he bought, at
Petra's suggestion, a gold-plated brooch which he presented to Dona
Casiana; she was so pleased with the gift that she told her servant
the boy might remain in the house until he was completely recovered.
Pages:
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182