for several days now. He was a
mechanician by trade, living in Budapest, and an unsuccessful invention
turned his mind."

"Is he a large, powerful man?" asked Muller.

Dr. Orszay looked a bit surprised. "Why do you ask that? He does happen
to be a large man of considerable strength, but in spite of it I have no
fear of him. I have an attendant who is invaluable to me, a man of such
strength that even the fiercest of them cannot overcome him, and yet
with a mind and a personal magnetism which they cannot resist. He can
always master our patients mentally and physically--most of them are
afraid of him and they know that they must do as he says. There is
something in his very glance which has the power to paralyse even
healthy nerves, for it shows the strength of will possessed by this
man."

"And what is the name of this invaluable attendant?" asked Muller with a
strange smile which the doctor took to be slightly ironical.

"Gyuri Kovacz. You are amused at my enthusiasm? But consider my position
here. I am an old man and have never been a strong man. At my age I
would not have strength enough to force that little woman there--she
thinks herself possessed and is quite cranky at times--to go to her own
room when she doesn't want to. And do you see that man over there in the
blue blouse? He is an excellent gardener but he believes himself to
be Napoleon, and when he has his acute attacks I would be helpless to
control him were it not for Gyuri."

"And you are not afraid of Cardillac?" interrupted Muller.

"Not in the least. He is as good-natured as a child and as confiding. I
can let him walk around here as much as he likes. If it were not for the
absurd nonsense that he talks when he has one of his attacks, and which
frightens those who do not understand him, I could let him go free
altogether."

"Then you never let him leave the asylum grounds?

"Oh, yes. I take him out with me very frequently. He is a man of
considerable education and a very clever talker. It is quite a pleasure
to be with him. That was the opinion of my poor friend also, my poor
murdered friend."

"The pastor?"

"The pastor. He often invited Cardillac to come to the rectory with me."

"Indeed. Then Cardillac knew the inside of the rectory?"

"Yes. The pastor used to lend him books and let him choose them himself
from the library shelves. The people in the village are very kind to my
poor patients here. I have long since had the habit of ta