2:52:01
igniting her nightgown,
hair and bed linens.
2:52:06
Blazing like a torch,
she ran through the house
2:52:10
and by chance made it
into the Bishop's bedchamber.
2:52:17
According to His Grace's sister,
miss Henrietta Vergerus,
2:52:23
he was in a heavy sleep
2:52:27
from a soporific
2:52:29
you had given him earlier that night.
2:52:33
Miss Bergius flung herself on him,
2:52:36
igniting his bedclothes
and nightshirt.
2:52:39
His grace woke up
and succeeded in freeing himself
2:52:41
from the dying woman
who was still ablaze.
2:52:46
But he could not
extinguish the flames
2:52:50
that were now engulfing him.
2:52:53
Old Mrs. Vergerus found her son
2:52:57
with his body burnt
and face charred.
2:53:03
He showed faint signs of life
and said he was in unbearable agony.
2:53:11
Although I can't overlook the fact
2:53:14
that the sleeping aid you gave him
possibly made the disaster worse,
2:53:20
I also cannot attach
any serious importance to it.
2:53:23
Therefore, I must characterize the event
as an ill-fated coincidence
2:53:27
of extremely unfortunate
circumstances.
2:53:58
My dear, dear friends.