"At last it was the night before the operation was to be performed. The whole house was silent and when the daughter got up to go to the bathroom she heard a faint sound of the boy weeping. Feeling sorry for the child, she took him in her arms and slept with him. The following day as the operation began, the girl as usual stood behind the patient and clutched him to her breast. The child, although he sweated heavily, bore the pain of the operation with admirable fortitude, but apparently the doctor made an error, for the flow of blood could not be stanched. The boy's color began to fade, and it was clear that his life was in danger. The doctor, too, grew pale and became very agitated. By the grace of heaven the hemorrhaging stopped after three days and the boy's life was saved, but he had lost the use of his legs and was completely disabled.

"The boy could only drag himself about and look forlornly at his useless legs. When he wept he looked like a grasshopper who carries its torn-off legs in its mouth, and the expression on his face was of such utter misery it could scarcely be endured.

"The doctor merely looked on with an angry expression, fearing that if the boy continued to cry, his reputation as a doctor would be harmed, but the girl felt pity for the child and held him in her arms while he buried his face in her bosom. The doctor who had treated many patients in his career could do nothing in this case but fold his arms across his chest and snort his disapproval.