Sorely was I tempted to relax the rigors of the just-inaugurated regime; nobly, though, I resisted the impulse.
As I look back now on that day I find the memory of my suffering has dimmed slightly.

The passage of weeks and months has served to soften the harsh outlines of poignant recollection.

What now in retrospect most impresses me is the heroism I displayed, the stark fortitude, the grandeur of will power, the triumph for character.

Sheer gallantry, I call it.
For my midday meal I had more dry toast, a reduced portion of boiled tongue and a raw apple--satisfying enough to some, I grant you, but to me no more than a tease to my palate.

Long before three o'clock I knew exactly how a tapeworm feels when its landlord goes on a hunger strike.
Every salivary gland I owned was standing on tiptoe screaming for help; every little mucous membrane had a sorrow all its own.