"And you, who may you be?" he asked.

The man replied by coming forward into the light: no other answer was
needed. He resembled his companion so closely that no one could doubt
they were brothers-twin brothers, probably. Both were above middle
height; both had olive-brown complexions, black eyes, hooked noses,
pointed chins, a slightly projecting lower lip; both were
round-shouldered, though this defect did not amount to disfigurement: the
whole personality suggested strength, and was not destitute of masculine
beauty. So strong a likeness is hardly ever seen; even their ages
appeared to agree, for one would not have supposed either to be more than
thirty-two; and the only difference noticeable, besides the pale
countenance of the wounded man, was that he was thin as compared with the
moderate fleshiness of the other, also that he had a large scar over the
right eyebrow.

"Look well after your brother's soul," said the surgeon to the soldier,
who remained standing; "if it is in no better case than his body, it is
much to be pitied."

"Is there no hope?" inquired the Sosia of the wounded man.

"The wound is too large and too deep," replied the man of science, "to be
cauterised with boiling oil, according to the ancient method. 'Delenda
est causa mali,' the source of evil must be destroyed, as says the
learned Ambrose Pare; I ought therefore 'secareferro,'--that is to say,
take off the leg. May God grant that he survive the operation!"

While seeking his instruments, he looked the supposed brother full in the
face, and added--