Sometimes it
is eleven o'clock at night, Monsieur de Laval, and I am writing to his
dictation with my head aching for want of sleep. It is dreadful work,
for he dictates as quickly as he can talk, and he never repeats
anything. "Now, Meneval," says he suddenly, "we shall stop here and
have a good night's rest." And then, just as I am congratulating
myself, he adds, "and we shall continue with the dictation at three
to-morrow morning." That is what he means by a good night's rest.'
'But has he no hours for his meals, Monsieur de Meneval?' I asked, as I
accompanied the unhappy secretary out of the tent.
'Oh, yes, he has hours, but he will not observe them. You see that it
is already long after dinner time, but he has gone to this review.
After the review something else will probably take up his attention, and
then something else, until suddenly in the evening it will occur to him
that he has had no dinner. "My dinner, Constant, this instant!" he will
cry, and poor Constant has to see that it is there.'
'But it must be unfit to eat by that time,' said I.
Pages:
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159