“You⁠ ⁠… you are mad! How dare you.⁠ ⁠…” She moved backward towards the bed, put her trembling hands between her knees.⁠ ⁠… Like a tense spring, holding her firmly with my gaze, I slowly stretched out my arm towards the table (only one arm could move), and I snatched the piston.

“I implore you! One day⁠—only one day! Tomorrow I shall go and attend to the formalities.⁠ ⁠…”

What was she talking about? I swung my arm.⁠ ⁠… And I consider I killed her. Yes, you my unknown readers, you have the right to call me murderer. I know that I should have dealt the blow on her head had she not screamed:

“For⁠ ⁠… for the sake⁠ ⁠… I agree.⁠ ⁠… I⁠ ⁠… one moment.⁠ ⁠…” With trembling hands she tore off her unif;⁠—a large, yellow, drooping body, she fell upon the bed.⁠ ⁠…

Then I understood; she thought that I pulled the curtains⁠ ⁠… in order to⁠ ⁠… that I wanted.⁠ ⁠…