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〃Oh； that's all right。〃 The doctor concealed his disappointment under
an affectation of facetiousness。 〃You don't look as if you troubled them
much。 I don't know what we should do if every one were as robust。 I
shall call at the company's offices and pay this small amount。〃
〃If you could make it convenient； sir； now that I am here； it would save
trouble〃
〃Oh； certainly！〃 These eternal little sordid money troubles were
more trying to the doctor than plain living or scanty food。 He took out
his purse and slid the contents on to the table。 There were two half…
crowns and some pennies。 In his drawer he had ten golden sovereigns。
But those were his rent。 If he once broke in upon them he was lost。 He
would starve first。
〃Dear me！ 〃 said he； with a smile； as at some strange； unheard…of
incident。 〃I have run short of small change。 I am afraid I shall have to
call upon the company； after all。〃
〃Very well； sir。〃 The inspector rose； and with a practised glance around；
which valued every article in the room； from the two…guinea carpet to the
eight… shilling muslin curtains； he took his departure。
When he had gone Dr。 Wilkinson rearranged his room； as was his habit
a dozen times in the day。 He laid out his large Quain's Dictionary of
Medicine in the forefront of the table so as to impress the casual patient
that he had ever the best authorities at his elbow。 Then he cleared all the
little instruments out of his pocket…casethe scissors； the forceps； the
bistouries； the lancetsand he laid them all out beside the stethoscope； to
make as good a show as possible。 His ledger； day…book； and visiting…
book were spread in front of him。 There was no entry in any of them yet；
but it would not look well to have the covers too glossy and new； so he
rubbed them together and daubed ink over them。 Neither would it be
well that any patient should observe that his name was the first in the book；
so he filled up the first page of each with notes of imaginary visits paid to
nameless patients during the last three weeks。 Having done all this； he
rested his head upon his hands and relapsed into the terrible occupation of
waiting。
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Terrible enough at any time to the young professional man； but most of
all to one who knows that the weeks； and even the days during which he
can hold out are numbered。 Economise as he would； the money would
still slip away in the countless little claims which a man never understands
until he lives under a rooftree of his own。 Dr。 Wilkinson could not deny；
as he sat at his desk and looked at the little heap of silver and coppers； that
his chances of being a successful practitioner in Sutton were rapidly
vanishing away。
And yet it was a bustling； prosperous town； with so much money in it
that it seemed strange that a man with a trained brain and dexterous
fingers should be starved out of it for want of employment。 At his desk；
Dr。 Horace Wilkinson could see the never…ending double current of people
which ebbed and flowed in front of his window。 It was a busy street； and
the air was forever filled with the dull roar of life； the grinding of the
wheels； and the patter of countless feet。 Men； women； and children；
thousands and thousands of them passed in the day； and yet each was
hurrying on upon his own business； scarce glancing at the small brass
plate； or wasting a thought upon the man who waited in the front room。
And yet how many of them would obviously； glaringly have been the
better for his professional assistance。 Dyspeptic men； anemic women；
blotched faces； bilious complexionsthey flowed past him； they needing
him； he needing them； and yet the remorseless bar of professional etiquette
kept them forever apart。 What could he do？ Could he stand at his own
front door； pluck the casual stranger by the sleeve； and whisper in his ear；
〃Sir； you will forgive me for remarking that you are suffering from a
severe attack of acne rosacea； which makes you a peculiarly unpleasant
object。 Allow me to suggest that a small prescription containing arsenic；
which will not cost you more than you often spend upon a single meal；
will be very much to your advantage。〃 Such an address would be a
degradation to the high and lofty profession of Medicine； and there are no
such sticklers for the ethics of that profession as some to whom she has
been but a bitter and a grudging mother。 Dr。 Horace Wilkinson was still
looking moodily out of the window； when there came a sharp clang at the
bell。 Often it had rung； and with every ring his hopes had sprung up；
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only to dwindle away again； and change to leaden disappointment； as he
faced some beggar or touting tradesman。 But the doctor's spirit was
young and elastic； and again； in spite of all experience； it responded to that
exhilarating summons。 He sprang to his feet； cast his eyes over the table；
thrust out his medical books a little more prominently； and hurried to the
door。 A groan escaped him as he entered the hall。 He could see through
the half…glazed upper panels that a gypsy van； hung round with wicker
tables and chairs； had halted before his door； and that a couple of the
vagrants； with a baby； were waiting outside。 He had learned by
experience that it was better not even to parley with such people。
〃I have nothing for you；〃 said he； loosing the latch by an inch。 〃Go
away！〃
He closed the door； but the bell clanged once more。 〃Get away！
Get away！〃 he cried impatiently； and walked back into his consulting…
room。 He had hardly seated himself when the bell went for the third time。
In a towering passion he rushed back； flung open the door。
〃What the？〃
〃If you please； sir； we need a doctor。〃
In an instant he was rubbing his hands again with his blandest
professional smile。 These were patients； then； whom he had tried to hunt
from his doorstepthe very first patients； whom he had waited for so
impatiently。 They did not look very promising。 The man； a tall； lank…
haired gypsy； had gone back to the horse's head。 There remained a small；
hard…faced woman with a great bruise all round her eye。 She wore a
yellow silk handkerchief round her head； and a baby； tucked in a red shawl；
was pressed to her bosom。
〃Pray step in； madam；〃 said Dr。 Horace Wilkinson； with his very best
sympathetic manner。 In this case； at least； there could be no mistake as to
diagnosis。 〃If you will sit on this sofa； I shall very soon make you feel
much more comfortable。〃
He poured a little water from his carafe into a saucer； made a compress
of lint； fastened it over the injured eye； and secured the whole with a spica
bandage； secundum artem。
〃Thank ye kindly； sir；〃 said the woman； when his work was finished；
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〃that's nice and warm； and may God bless your honour。 But it wasn't
about my eye at all that I came to see a doctor。〃
〃Not your eye？〃 Dr。 Horace Wilkinson was beginning to be a little
doubtful as to the advantages of quick diagnosis。 It is an excellent thing
to be able to surprise a patient； but hitherto it was always the patient who
had surprised him。
〃The baby's got the measles。〃
The mother parted the red shawl； and exhibited a little dark； black…
eyed gypsy baby； whose swarthy face was all flushed and mottled with a
dark…red rash。 The child breathed with a rattling sound； and it looked up
at the doctor with eyes which were heavy with want of sleep and