Thinking back, the main topic of conversation with the young ladies had been the aphorisms of Oscar Wilde – a topic with which these middle-class suburban girls seemed entirely unacquainted. Since running into Paul again at University (he was continuing with French), I noted he still had many close friends who were attractive girls. And now I find that he had been attacked in a crypt with Charles while naked. Both he and Charles had been bitten but, unlike every other male I knew that had been bitten, they had both recovered. I decided to explore further. “Paul, you said you became ill after you got bitten?” “Certainly. That’s true. I remember the day after the attack, when we scavenged in the gate-keeper’s house, but nothing after that until yesterday. It was like I was asleep for those days. His Royal Majesty tended to me – or so he says.” “Indeed,” said Charles. “Our court has been much reduced of late and there was need to preserve our standards. The Roundheads press upon us even now, as you have seen for yourself.” Fine. “Did you get sick, too, Charles?” Charles considered his answer. “No, Oliver. We cleaned and bound our wound – just as we had done for Paul – and there was some discomfort but ... no, we did not get ill. On the other hand, we thought Paul had died. He lay there without moving, pale and feverish, for several days. We were in the process of planning a simply wonderful funeral service at St. Patrick’s cathedral when he started to recover. We had the music planned and everything. Mozart’s ‘Requiem’ would have been suitable, don’t you think? Though we know the Pope is not a big fan. In any event, Paul proved to be an ungrateful wretch and, unexpectedly, as we said, started to recover. However, today is the very first day he has really been up and about.” (Paul was, in better times, a reasonable athlete.) So, was there a pattern here?
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