Bilinski and Paul forgot their anger against the boy. They called in
the best physicians of the city, they spared no pains or expense.
The servants, who had always loved this gentle master, were all
kindness and attention. But despite the efforts of all, Stanislaus
became steadily worse.

He was entirely at peace, not at all afraid. Yet he felt that death
was coming near. He prayed whole hours, smiling gladly in talk with
our Lord, with the Blessed Virgin, with his guardian angel. He was
ready, even eager, to go home. The evil spirit wondered at this boy
of sixteen, who had fought him off so bravely through his life and
who was dying now so fearlessly.

One day, when his people and even the servants had left him for a
little while, Stanislaus saw an enormous black dog with glaring eyes
and hideous foaming jaws rush across the room toward his bed. The
door was closed. It was impossible for the beast to have entered
the room in any ordinary way. Stanislaus had no notion how it could
have come there. But if he was frightened for the moment, he did
not lose his wits. With an effort, he sat up in bed and made the
sign of the cross. "In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost!"
he cried aloud. Instantly the huge, snarling dog fell to the floor
with a thud as if struck by a sword. But after a few moments he
sprang up again, and first circling the room, came crouching to the
bed, howling as no mortal dog could howl, making ready to spring at
the sick boy. Again Stanislaus made the sign of the cross. Again the
terrible dog was stricken to the floor. A third time he came, only
to be beaten back in the same way. And then, standing with bristling
hair and horrible cries in the middle of the room, he vanished from
sight. Stanislaus fell back on the bed, fearfully exhausted, and