[i]Valentine bolted upright, then from his pocket he took out a knife, and did what he always did in these situations; he stabbed his left thigh. Then stabbed it again. Then again, and again, and again, until his already dirty pants were so soaked with blood that you couldn't tell their original color. On that single leg, there were four heavy stab wounds; the pain helped clear his mind, and he gasped, stumbling away from Mion.[/i]