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Thus it happened that he once showered kisses on Michelet's hands, objects by no means suitable for such a demonstration. Michelet said, laughing: "Come, stop it; my hands are dirty." And then poor Paga began to kiss Michelet's bare, hairy arms, saying distractedly: "If your hands are dirty, your arms are all right."
As usual, the old cynical proverb was once more justified:—Napoli fa gli peccati, e la Torre gli paga, for of course poor Torre del Greco was grievously affected by the lava streams.
What became of you, precious lives, poor wonderful souls, for whom I fought so many obscure great battles, and who went off again into the realm of adventure? You, Paga, little fellow, where are you? Do you remember the time when I used to dress your two wounds alternately, and when you said to me with great severity: "The leg to-day, only the leg. It's not the day for the foot."
From the very beginning, during those hard moments when the wounded man lies plunged in stupor and self-forgetfulness, Paga distinguished himself by some remarkable eccentricities. Left leg broken, right foot injured, such was the report on Paga's hospital sheet. Now the leg was not doing at all well.
"Señorita," he replied, "lo venderia con gusto pero pienso que me paga lo que quiero por el." Which delighted Helen. "Pagare lo que sea." The Mexican hesitated a moment. "¿Pagara cuarenta pesos?" he asked, finally. "Yo tambien quiero al caballo mucho," he added. "Pero por cuarenta pesos pienso pienso que lo olvido." And he grinned. Helen turned to the others.
Oh, I am really calm. See, Michelet, see, Brugneau, I am calm. Doctor, see, I am quite calm." Meantime the dressings were gradually loosening under a trickle of water, and Paga muttered between his teeth: "He's pulling, he's pulling.... Oh, the cruel man! I won't have it, I won't have it." Then suddenly, with flaming cheeks: "That's right. That's right!
I am bound to say Paga understood that he had meddled with things which did not concern him. He nevertheless continued to offer imperative advice as to the manner in which he wished to be nursed. "Don't pull off the dressings! I won't have it. Do you hear, doctor? Don't pull. I won't have it." Then he would begin to tremble nervously all over his body and to say: "I am quite calm!
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