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"What can I do, dear friend--If you kne et well--Have yourself patched

together--finished so to speak, and then marry and found a faood taste when I was

young not to have too land too There is a duty for you, Nicholas!"

I kissed her hand--

"If I could find a woman like you!" I cried--"indeed then I would

worship her--"

"So--so--! There are hundreds such as I--when I was young I lived as

youth lives--You must not be too critical, Nicholas"

She was called away then, back to one of the wards, and I hobbled down

the beautiful staircases byThe

descent was painful and I felt hot and tired when I reached the ground