MS-WU-MSS008-3-50-2

[3587] which of my two knees I had rubbed in front of him, with iodex, the night
we left. [3588] And I went to sleep again a little reassured, saying, It's a
touch of neuralgia brought on by all the tramping and trudging and the
chill damp nights, and promising myself to procure a packet of thermogenic^[⁁]e
wool, with the pretty demon the on the outside, at the first opportunity.

[3589] Such is the rapidity of thought. [3590] But there was more to come. [3591] For waking
again towards dawn, this time in consequence of a natural need, and with
a mild erection, to make things more lifelike, I was unable to get up.
[3592] That is to say I did get up finally to be sure, I simply had to, but by
dint of what exertions! [3593] Unable, unable, it's easy to talk about being
unable, whereas in reality nothing is more difficult.

[3594] Because of the will
I suppose, which the least opposition seems to lash into a fury. [3595] And this
explains no doubt how it was I despaired at first of ever bedⁿding my leg
again and then, a little later, through sheer determination, did succeed
in bending it, slightly. [3596] The anchylosis was not total. [3597] I am still talking
about my knee. [3598] But was it the same one that had waked me early in the
night?

[3599] I w^[⁁]could not have sworn it was. [3600] It was not painful. [3601] It simply
refused to bend. [3602] The pain, having warned me several times in vain, had no
more to say. [3603] That is how I saw it. [3604] It would have been impossible for me
to kneel, for example, for no matter how you kneel you must always bend
both knees, unless you adopt an attitude frankly grotev^sque and impossible
to maintain for more than a few seconds, I mean with the bad leg stretched
out before you, like a Caucasian dancer.

[3605] I examined the bad knee in the
light of my torch. [3606] It was neither red nor swollen. [3607] I fiddled with the
knee-cap. [3608] It felt like a clitoris. [3609] All this time my son was puffing
like a grampus. [3610] He had no suspicion of what life could do to you. [3611] I too
was innocent. [3612] But I knew it.

[3613] The sky was that horrible colour which heralds dawn. [3614] Things steal