round the red lamp(红灯四周)-第12章
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the doctor is coolly kicking his heels in the room below？ No； sir； I am a
plain man； and I tell you that you will either go up or go out。〃
The style of speech jarred upon the doctor's sense of the fitness of
things； but still when a man's wife is ill much may be overlooked。 He
contented himself by bowing somewhat stiffly。 〃I shall go up； if you
insist upon it；〃 said he。
〃I do insist upon it。 And another thing； I won't have her thumped
about all over the chest； or any hocus…pocus of the sort。 She has
bronchitis and asthma； and that's all。 If you can cure it well and good。
But it only weakens her to have you tapping and listening； and it does no
good either。〃
Personal disrespect was a thing that the doctor could stand； but the
profession was to him a holy thing； and a flippant word about it cut him to
the quick。
〃Thank you；〃 said he； picking up his hat。 〃I have the honour to wish
you a very good day。 I do not care to undertake the responsibility of this
case。〃
〃Hullo！ what's the matter now？〃
〃It is not my habit to give opinions without examining my patient。 I
wonder that you should suggest such a course to a medical man。 I wish
you good day。〃
But Sir John Millbank was a commercial man； and believed in the
commercial principle that the more difficult a thing is to attain the more
valuable it is。 A doctor's opinion had been to him a mere matter of
guineas。 But here was a young man who seemed to care nothing either
for his wealth or title。 His respect for his judgment increased amazingly。
〃Tut！ tut！〃 said he； 〃Mason is not so thin… skinned。 There！ there！
Have your way！ Do what you like and I won't say another word。 I'll
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just run upstairs and tell Lady Millbank that you are coming。〃
The door had hardly closed behind him when the two demure young
ladies darted out of their corner； and fluttered with joy in front of the
astonished doctor。
〃Oh； well done！ well done！〃 cried the taller； clapping her hands。
〃Don't let him bully you； doctor；〃 said the other。 〃Oh； it was so nice
to hear you stand up to him。 That's the way he does with poor Dr。 Mason。
Dr。 Mason has never examined mamma yet。 He always takes papa's
word for everything。 Hush； Maude； here he comes again。〃 They
subsided in an instant into their corner as silent and demure as ever。
Dr。 Horace Wilkinson followed Sir John up the broad； thick…carpeted
staircase； and into the darkened sick room。 In a quarter of an hour he had
sounded and sifted the case to the uttermost； and descended with the
husband once more to the drawing… room。 In front of the fireplace were
standing two gentlemen； the one a very typical； clean…shaven； general
practitioner； the other a striking…looking man of middle age； with pale blue
eyes and a long red beard。
〃Hullo； Mason； you've come at last！〃
〃Yes； Sir John； and I have brought； as I promised； Dr。 Wilkinson with
me。〃
〃Dr。 Wilkinson！ Why； this is he。〃
Dr。 Mason stared in astonishment。 〃I have never seen the gentleman
before！〃 he cried。
〃Nevertheless I am Dr。 WilkinsonDr。 Horace Wilkinson； of 114
Canal View。〃
〃Good gracious； Sir John！〃 cried Dr。 Mason。
〃Did you think that in a case of such importance I should call in a
junior local practitioner！ This is Dr。 Adam Wilkinson； lecturer on
pulmonary diseases at Regent's College； London； physician upon the staff
of the St。 Swithin's Hospital； and author of a dozen works upon the subject。
He happened to be in Sutton upon a visit； and I thought I would utilise his
presence to have a first…rate opinion upon Lady Millbank。〃
〃Thank you；〃 said Sir John； dryly。 〃But I fear my wife is rather tired
now； for she has just been very thoroughly examined by this young
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gentleman。 I think we will let it stop at that for the present； though； of
course； as you have had the trouble of coming here； I should be glad to
have a note of your fees。〃
When Dr。 Mason had departed； looking very disgusted； and his friend；
the specialist； very amused； Sir John listened to all the young physician
had to say about the case。
〃Now； I'll tell you what；〃 said he； when he had finished。 〃I'm a man
of my word； d'ye see？ When I like a man I freeze to him。 I'm a good
friend and a bad enemy。 I believe in you； and I don't believe in Mason。
From now on you are my doctor； and that of my family。 Come and see
my wife every day。 How does that suit your book？〃
〃I am extremely grateful to you for your kind intentions toward me；
but I am afraid there is no possible way in which I can avail myself of
them。〃
〃Heh！ what d'ye mean？〃
〃I could not possibly take Dr。 Mason's place in the middle of a case
like this。 It would be a most unprofessional act。〃
〃Oh； well； go your own way！〃 cried Sir John； in despair。 〃Never was
such a man for making difficulties。 You've had a fair offer and you've
refused it； and now you can just go your own way。〃 The millionaire
stumped out of the room in a huff； and Dr。 Horace Wilkinson made his
way homeward to his spirit…lamp and his one…and…eightpenny tea； with his
first guinea in his pocket； and with a feeling that he had upheld the best
traditions of his profession。
And yet this false start of his was a true start also； for it soon came to
Dr。 Mason's ears that his junior had had it in his power to carry off his best
patient and had forborne to do so。 To the honour of the profession be it
said that such forbearance is the rule rather than the exception； and yet in
this case； with so very junior a practitioner and so very wealthy a patient；
the temptation was greater than is usual。 There was a grateful note； a
visit； a friendship； and now the well…known firm of Mason and Wilkinson
is doing the largest family practice in Sutton。
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THE CURSE OF EVE。
Robert Johnson was an essentially commonplace man； with no
feature to distinguish him from a million others。 He was pale of face；
ordinary in looks； neutral in opinions； thirty years of age； and a married
man。 By trade he was a gentleman's outfitter in the New North Road；
and the competition of business squeezed out of him the little character
that was left。 In his hope of conciliating customers he had become
cringing and pliable； until working ever in the same routine from day to
day he seemed to have sunk into a soulless machine rather than a man。
No great question had ever stirred him。 At the end of this snug century；
self…contained in his own narrow circle； it seemed impossible that any of
the mighty； primitive passions of mankind could ever reach him。 Yet
birth； and lust； and illness； and death are changeless things； and when one
of these harsh facts springs out upon a man at some sudden turn of the
path of life； it dashes off for the moment his mask of civilisation and gives
a glimpse of the stranger and stronger face below。
Johnson's wife was a quiet little woman； with brown hair and gentle
ways。 His affection for her was the one positive trait in his character。
Together they would lay out the shop window every Monday morning； the
spotless shirts in their green cardboard boxes below； the neckties above
hung in rows over the brass rails； the cheap studs glistening from the white
cards at either side； while in the background were the rows of cloth caps
and the bank of boxes in which the more valuable hats were screened from
the sunlight。 She kept the books and sent out the bills。 No one but she
knew the joys and sorrows which crept into his small life。 She had
shared his exultations when the gentleman who was going to India had
bought ten dozen shirts and an incredible number of collars； and she had
been as stricken as he when； after the goods had gone； the bill was
returned from the hotel address with the intimation that no such person
had lodged there。 For five years they had worked； building up the
business； thrown together all the more closely because their marriage had
been a childless one。 Now； however； there were signs that a change was
at hand； and that speedily。 She was unable to come downstairs； and her
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mother； Mrs。 Peyton； came over from Camberwell to nurse her and to
welcome her grandchild。
Little qualms of anxiety came over Johnson as his wife's time
approached。 However； after all； it was a natural process。 Other men's
wives went through it unharmed； and why should not his？ He was
himself one of a family of fourteen； and yet his mother was alive and
hearty。 It was quite the exception for anything to go wrong。 And yet in
spite of his reasonings the remembrance of his wife's condition was
always like a sombre background to all his other thoughts。
Dr。 Miles of Bridport Place； the best man in the neighbourhood； was
retained five months in advance； and； as time st
