’Recklessandimprovidentdogs，then，’saidPangloss。’Alwaysare-ninetimesoutoften。’
Iturnedtothemasteroftheworkhouse，andaskedhimwhetherthemenhadanymoney？
’Money？’saidhe。’Ihaveinmyironsafe，nearlyfourhundredpoundsoftheirs；theagentshavenearlyahundredpoundsmoreandmanyofthemhaveleftmoneyinIndianbanksbesides。’
’Hah！’saidItomyself，aswewentup-stairs，’thisisnotthebestofallpossiblestories，Idoubt！’
Wewentintoalargeward，containingsometwentyorfive-and-
twentybeds。Wewentintoseveralsuchwards，oneafteranother。
IfinditverydifficulttoindicatewhatashockingsightIsawinthem，withoutfrighteningthereaderfromtheperusaloftheselines，anddefeatingmyobjectofmakingitknown。
OthesunkeneyesthatturnedtomeasIwalkedbetweentherowsofbeds，or-worsestill-thatglazedlylookedatthewhiteceiling，andsawnothingandcaredfornothing！Here，laytheskeletonofaman，solightlycoveredwithathinunwholesomeskin，thatnotaboneintheanatomywasclothed，andIcouldclaspthearmabovetheelbow，inmyfingerandthumb。Here，layamanwiththeblackscurvyeatinghislegsaway，hisgumsgone，andhisteethallgauntandbare。Thisbedwasempty，becausegangrenehadsetin，andthepatienthaddiedbutyesterday。Thatbedwasahopelessone，becauseitsoccupantwassinkingfast，andcouldonlyberousedtoturnthepoorpinchedmaskoffaceuponthepillow，withafeeblemoan。Theawfulthinnessofthefallencheeks，theawfulbrightnessofthedeepseteyes，thelipsoflead，thehandsofivory，therecumbenthumanimageslyingintheshadowofdeathwithakindofsolemntwilightonthem，likethesixtywhohaddiedaboardtheshipandwerelyingatthebottomofthesea，O
Pangloss，GODforgiveyou！
Inonebed，layamanwhoselifehadbeensavedasitwashoped
bydeepincisionsinthefeetandlegs。WhileIwasspeakingtohim，anursecameuptochangethepoulticeswhichthisoperationhadrenderednecessary，andIhadaninstinctivefeelingthatitwasnotwelltoturnaway，merelytosparemyself。Hewassorelywastedandkeenlysusceptible，buttheeffortshemadetosubdueanyexpressionofimpatienceorsuffering，werequiteheroic。Itwaseasytosee，intheshrinkingofthefigure，andthedrawingofthebed-clothesoverthehead，howacutetheendurancewas，anditmademeshrinktoo，asifIwereinpain；but，whenthenewbandageswereon，andthepoorfeetwerecomposedagain，hemadeanapologyforhimselfthoughhehadnotutteredaword，andsaidplaintively，’Iamsotenderandweak，yousee，sir！’Neitherfromhimnorfromanyonesuffererofthewholeghastlynumber，didI
hearacomplaint。Ofthankfulnessforpresentsolicitudeandcare，Iheardmuch；ofcomplaint，notaword。
IthinkIcouldhaverecognisedinthedismalestskeletonthere，theghostofasoldier。SomethingoftheoldairwasstilllatentinthepalestshadowoflifeItalkedto。Oneemaciatedcreature，inthestrictestliteralityworntothebone，laystretchedonhisback，lookingsolikedeaththatIaskedoneofthedoctorsifhewerenotdying，ordead？Afewkindwordsfromthedoctor，inhisear，andheopenedhiseyes，andsmiled-looked，inamoment，asifhewouldhavemadeasalute，ifhecould。’Weshallpullhimthrough，pleaseGod，’saidtheDoctor。’PlaseGod，surr，andthankye，’saidthepatient。’Youaremuchbetterto-day；areyounot？’saidtheDoctor。’PlaseGod，surr；’tistheslapeIwant，surr；’tismybreathin’makesthenightssolong。’’Heisacarefulfellowthis，youmustknow，’saidtheDoctor，cheerfully；
’itwasraininghardwhentheyputhimintheopencarttobringhimhere，andhehadthepresenceofmindtoasktohaveasovereigntakenoutofhispocketthathehadthere，andacabengaged。Probablyitsavedhislife。’Thepatientrattledouttheskeletonofalaugh，andsaid，proudofthestory，’’Deed，surr，anopencairtwasacomicalmeanso’bringin’adyin’manhere，andacleverwaytokillhim。’Youmighthavesworntohimforasoldierwhenhesaidit。
Onethinghadperplexedmeverymuchingoingfrombedtobed。A
verysignificantandcruelthing。Icouldfindnoyoungmanbutone。Hehadattractedmynotice，byhavinggotupanddressedhimselfinhissoldier’sjacketandtrousers，withtheintentionofsittingbythefire；buthehadfoundhimselftooweak，andhadcreptbacktohisbedandlaidhimselfdownontheoutsideofit。
Icouldhavepronouncedhim，alone，tobeayoungmanagedbyfamineandsickness。AswewerestandingbytheIrishsoldier’sbed，ImentionedmyperplexitytotheDoctor。HetookaboardwithaninscriptiononitfromtheheadoftheIrishman’sbed，andaskedmewhatageIsupposedthatmantobe？Ihadobservedhimwithattentionwhiletalkingtohim，andanswered，confidently，’Fifty。’
TheDoctor，withapityingglanceatthepatient，whohaddroppedintoastuporagain，puttheboardback，andsaid，’Twenty-four。’
Allthearrangementsofthewardswereexcellent。Theycouldnothavebeenmorehumane，sympathising，gentle，attentive，orwholesome。Theownersoftheship，too，haddonealltheycould，liberally。Therewerebrightfiresineveryroom，andtheconvalescentmenweresittingroundthem，readingvariouspapersandperiodicals。ItookthelibertyofinvitingmyofficialfriendPanglosstolookatthoseconvalescentmen，andtotellmewhethertheirfacesandbearingwereorwerenot，generally，thefacesandbearingofsteadyrespectablesoldiers？Themasteroftheworkhouse，overhearingme，saidhehadhadaprettylargeexperienceoftroops，andthatbetterconductedmenthanthese，hehadneverhadtodowith。Theywerealwaysheaddedaswesawthem。AndofusvisitorsIaddtheyknewnothingwhatever，exceptthatwewerethere。
Itwasaudaciousinme，butItookanotherlibertywithPangloss。
Prefacingitwiththeobservationthat，ofcourse，Iknewbeforehandthattherewasnotthefaintestdesire，anywhere，tohushupanypartofthisdreadfulbusiness，andthattheInquestwasthefairestofallpossibleInquests，IbesoughtfourthingsofPangloss。Firstly，toobservethattheInquestWASNOTHELDIN
THATPLACE，butatsomedistanceoff。Secondly，tolookrounduponthosehelplessspectresintheirbeds。Thirdly，torememberthatthewitnessesproducedfromamongthembeforethatInquest，couldnothavebeenselectedbecausetheywerethemenwhohadthemosttotellit，butbecausetheyhappenedtobeinastateadmittingoftheirsaferemoval。Fourthly，tosaywhetherthecoronerandjurycouldhavecomethere，tothosepillows，andtakenalittleevidence？Myofficialfrienddeclinedtocommithimselftoareply。
Therewasasergeant，reading，inoneofthefiresidegroups。Ashewasamanofveryintelligentcountenance，andasIhaveagreatrespectfornon-commissionedofficersasaclass，Isatdownonthenearestbed，tohavesometalkwithhim。Itwasthebedofoneofthegrisliestofthepoorskeletons，andhediedsoonafterwards。
’Iwasgladtosee，intheevidenceofanofficerattheInquest，sergeant，thatheneversawmenbehavebetteronboardshipthanthesemen。’
’Theydidbehaveverywell，sir。’
’Iwasgladtosee，too，thateverymanhadahammock。’Thesergeantgravelyshookhishead。’Theremustbesomemistake，sir。
Themenofmyownmesshadnohammocks。Therewerenothammocksenoughonboard，andthemenofthetwonextmesseslaidholdofhammocksforthemselvesassoonastheygotonboard，andsqueezedmymenout，asImaysay。’
’Hadthesqueezed-outmennonethen？’
’None，sir。Asmendied，theirhammockswereusedbyothermen，whowantedhammocks；butmanymenhadnoneatall。’
’Thenyoudon’tagreewiththeevidenceonthatpoint？’
’Certainlynot，sir。Amancan’t，whenheknowstothecontrary。’
’Didanyofthemenselltheirbeddingfordrink？’
’Thereissomemistakeonthatpointtoo，sir。Menwereundertheimpression-Iknewitforafactatthetime-thatitwasnotallowedtotakeblanketsorbeddingonboard，andsomenwhohadthingsofthatsortcametosellthempurposely。’
’Didanyofthemenselltheirclothesfordrink？’
’Theydid，sir。’Ibelievethereneverwasamoretruthfulwitnessthanthesergeant。Hehadnoinclinationtomakeoutacase。
’Many？’
’Some，sir’consideringthequestion。’Soldier-like。Theyhadbeenlongmarchingintherainyseason，bybadroads-noroadsatall，inshort-andwhentheygottoCalcutta，menturnedtoanddrank，beforetakingalastlookatit。Soldier-like。’
’Doyouseeanymeninthisward，forexample，whosoldclothesfordrinkatthattime？’
Thesergeant’swaneye，happilyjustbeginningtorekindlewithhealth，travelledroundtheplaceandcamebacktome。’Certainly，sir。’
’ThemarchingtoCalcuttaintherainyseasonmusthavebeensevere？’
’Itwasverysevere，sir。’
’Yetwhatwiththerestandtheseaair，Ishouldhavethoughtthatthemeneventhemenwhogotdrunkwouldhavesoonbeguntorecoveronboardship？’