BOLLAND. Tell me though--did you yourself experience the life of
that young man you describe?

DOBLER. It's the story of my youth.

BOLLAND. But it's somewhat colored by poetic imagination?

DOBLER. N---o.

BOLLAND. For instance, you have never actually starved?

DOBLER. Oh, yes. There's no imagination in that.

BOLLAND. Just the way you describe it--so that everything turned
red?

DOBLER. Everything had a pink color. On one occasion I did not eat
anything for four and one-half days.

FRAU BEERMANN [compassionately]. You poor thing!

FRAU BOLLAND. That's exceedingly interesting!

BOLLAND. Do tell us all about it! Then you saw dancing fires?

DOBLER. Yes. Everything danced before my eyes, and I saw it all
through a hazy veil, and towards the end my hearing was affected.

BOLLAND. You don't say so? Your hearing also?