Suddenly, he felt hungry.
He was silent and then he said very solemnly:
"I haven't had dinner today!
Please take me to the nearest inn."
His hunger had calmed him.
They rolled along the dark streets for quite a while.
All the innkeepers had locked their doors.
All the fat people in town were worried that night.
They had put new locks on their door and had piled chests and wardrobes behind them.
They stuffed up the windows with pillows and striped mattresses.
The fattest and the richest expected to be attacked that night.
Their watch dogs had not been fed since the morning to make them still fiercer.
It was a terrible night for the fat and the rich.
They were certain the people would rise up again at any moment.
Rumours that several Guards had turned against the Three Fat Men am had run their swords through the doll of Tutti the Heir, and had then left the Palace, spread quickly through the town.
This made all the rich and the gluttons still more nervous.
"Well!" they all raged. "Just think! We can't even rely on the Guards any more.
Yesterday they put down the uprising, but today they're ready to turn against us!"
Doctor Caspar lost all hope of having supper and some rest.
There was not a sign of life anywhere.
"Do I really have to go back home?" he thought unhappily. "It's so far away.
I'll probably die of hunger on the way."
Just then he smelled roast meat.
Yes, that was what was! It smelled like roast lamb and onions.
And the driver had caught sight of a light nickering in the distance.
What could it be?
"Ah, if only it's an inn!" the doctor cried happily.
They drove up.
But it was not an inn.
Away from the road on an empty plot beyond some dark houses, stood a house on wheels.
A narrow strip of light was coming from a crack in the door.
The driver climbed down from his box and went to have a look, while the doctor, who had forgotten all about his terrible adventure, was inhaling the wonderful aroma of the roast lamb.
He snorted and closed his eyes with delight.
"I'm afraid of dogs!" the driver shouted back to him. "And I think there are some sort of steps here."
It all ended well.
The driver climbed the steps and knocked.
"Who's there?"
The door opened, turning the narrow strip of light into a big bright square of light.
A man was standing on the threshold.
In all that blackness, with the bright light shining at his back, he seemed like a black paper cutout.
The driver said:
"It's Doctor Caspar Arnery.
And who are you?
Whose house on wheels is this?"
"This is Uncle Brizak's carnival wagon," the shadow on the doorstep replied.
It seemed excited and waved its hands. "Please come in, gentlemen!
We are very happy to see Doctor Caspar Arnery here at Uncle Brizak's."
What a happy ending!
They had certainly driven around enough in the dark for one night!
Hooray for Uncle Brizak's carnival wagon!