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Elie Wiesel - Night FULL TEXT

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worldly, the face of a stranger. It lasted only a moment and then<br />

he ran away.<br />

SUFFERING FROM DYSENTERY, my father was prostrate on his cot,<br />

with another five sick inmates nearby. I sat next to him, watching<br />

him; I no longer dared to believe that he could still elude Death.<br />

I did all I could to give him hope.<br />

All of a sudden, he sat up and placed his feverish lips against<br />

my ear:<br />

"<strong>Elie</strong>zer…I must tell you where I buried the gold and silver…In<br />

the cellar…You know…"<br />

And he began talking, faster and faster, afraid of running out<br />

of time before he could tell me everything. I tried to tell him that<br />

it was not over yet, that we would be going home together, but he<br />

no longer wanted to listen to me. He could no longer listen to<br />

me. He was worn out. Saliva mixed with blood was trickling from<br />

his lips. He had closed his eyes. He was gasping more than<br />

breathing.<br />

FOR A RATION OF BREAD I was able to exchange cots to be next to<br />

my father. When the doctor arrived in the afternoon, I went to tell<br />

him that my father was very ill.<br />

"Bring him here!"<br />

I explained that he could not stand up, but the doctor would<br />

not listen. And so, with great difficulty, I brought my father to<br />

him. He stared at him, then asked curtly:<br />

"What do you want?"<br />

"My father is sick," I answered in his p l a c e … " D y s e n t e r y … "<br />

"That's not my business. I'm a surgeon. Go on. Make room for<br />

the others!"<br />

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