E T a Hoffmann

Weird Tales, Vol. II E T a Hoffmann

Book Excerpt: ...the soup that is made for invalids; but all my companions have gone; there is not one to have compassion upon me and take me in his barca;[16] and now I have fallen down here, and shall, I expect, never get up again." "Hi! hi! hi! hi!" chuckled the old woman; "why do you begin to despair so soon? Why lose heart so quickly? You are thirsty and hungry, but I can help you. Here are a few fine dried fish which I bought only to-day in the Mint; here is lemon-juice and a piece of nice white bread; eat, my son; and then we will look at the wounded arm." And the old woman proceeded to bring forth fish, bread, and lemon juice from the bag which hung like a hood down her back, and also projected right above her bent head. As soon as Antonio had moistened his parched and burning lips with the cool drink, he felt the pangs of hunger return with double fury, and he greedily devoured the bread and the fish. Meanwhile the old woman was busy unwrapping the rags from his wounded arm, and it was found that, tho...