When Dora saw that Thompson was about to leave, she shrieked. “Don’t go,” she cried. “At the very least, can you give me one more day? If you give me that, I will leave you alone forever. You have my word!”
“How can I give you anything more than I already have?” Thompson growled. “I can’t – not after you hurt Julie right in front of me. What had happened was my fault, but you had no right to take it out on Julie!”
“It wasn’t your fault,” Dora cried.
“I beg your pardon!” Thomson exclaimed.
“You’re not to blame for what happened,” she explained. “It was me.”
“Explain yourself!” Thompson demanded.
“You excused yourself to go to the bathroom,” she said. “Once you returned, the executioners were going to arrest you. It was I who intervened. I volunteered to climb onto the operating bed. I
