God's Dog Read Online Free PDF

mission over and done with as soon as possible so that he could get back to Amsterdam. But at the same time he felt a morbid curiosity about this world of pain. On his way back to the sister’s office, he found himself in the prayer room. He sat down on a bench to take stock of things. The room was in semi-darkness; the only light came from the glass partition giving on to the corridor of the adjacent ward, spreading over the bubbles in the linoleum and turning them into dim puddles of whiteness. The little cupboard which served as an altar had been pushed up against the wall, the benches stacked up at the end of the room. The crucifix and the embroidery on the chaplain’s vestments, folded on top of a large missal, glistened faintly in the half-light. A radiator was ticking, the flow of hot water through its pipes making a soft murmuring sound which filled the silence. Suddenly the door to the other ward was opened; two white-coated doctors appeared and immediately locked the door behind them. They came forward cautiously, the soles of their shoes flattening the bubbles on the linoleum, their shadows splintered by the dazzling lamplight. They were engaged in lively argument, although they kept their voices down. One was shaking his head, while the other kept on saying: ‘I can’t do it, I just can’t! Not now!’ They had not noticed Salazar, who was standing in a recess, the upper part of his body sunk in shadow, his legs hidden by a pile of chairs. It was only when they were well into the room that the two doctors saw him, and instantly fell silent, greeted him coldly and went off. Salazar waited until their silhouettes had vanished down the corridor, then, mingling with the relatives who were coming out of the wards, laden with piles of dirty linen and redoubled anguish, he went slowly back to the sister’s office.
    â€˜Sister, what time do you close the gate to the unit?’
    â€˜At eight o’clock, straight after supper. That’s when the night-watch starts.’
    â€˜Do you close all the doors? Including those which lead to the other wing?’
    â€˜Those are never open.’
    â€˜Aha! Not even in the day?’
    â€˜Well, they’re no longer in use, you see. We have the keys, though.’
    Salazar smiled to himself. He had already found the flaw.
    â€˜So no one can get in without coming through here?’ he asked, as though to spell things out.
    â€˜The duty nurse is the only one who can open up. This is the command button.’ The nurse pointed to an electric panel set into the wall of the porter’s lodge.
    â€˜And how does the night-watch get in and out?’
    â€˜They have to come through our porter’s lodge. There’s an intercom system for emergencies.’
    The sister was about to leave. She switched off the computer, lowered the blinds and seemed about to leave the office (double-locking it as she did so).
    â€˜Signor Salazar, if you want to stay here for the vigils, I’ve put a camp-bed in the space behind the changing-rooms. That way you’ll be able to get to the bathroom more easily and no one will disturb you,’ she said, giving him a knowing look.
    â€˜Thank you, sister,’ he said in a neutral tone.
    â€˜Good night then!’ Attaching the bunch of keys to her belt, she slipped on her black jacket and set off towards the stairs.
    â€˜Good night!’ Salazar went with her for a few paces, pretending to be lost in thought. He paused on the gallery to observe the comings and goings of the staff as they ended their shift. When it seemed to him that the way was clear, he went quickly back into the prayer room, pulled the cupboard holding the altar under the video-surveillance camera, climbed on to it and trained the lens on to the door through which the two doctors had gone. Then he went to lie down on his camp-bed, took off his shoes and folded the cushion beneath his head. From where he lay he had a view