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there was much in the consulting room to please him。 Elaborate
instruments； seen more often in hospitals than in the houses of private
practitioners； were scattered about。 A sphygmograph stood upon the
table and a gasometer…like engine； which was new to Dr。 Ripley； in the
corner。 A book…case full of ponderous volumes in French and German；
paper…covered for the most part； and varying in tint from the shell to the
yoke of a duck's egg； caught his wandering eyes； and he was deeply
absorbed in their titles when the door opened suddenly behind him。
Turning round； he found himself facing a little woman； whose plain； palish
face was remarkable only for a pair of shrewd； humorous eyes of a blue
which had two shades too much green in it。 She held a pince…nez in her
left hand； and the doctor's card in her right。
〃How do you do； Dr。 Ripley？ 〃 said she。
〃How do you do； madam？〃 returned the visitor。 〃Your husband is
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perhaps out？〃
〃I am not married；〃 said she simply。
〃Oh； I beg your pardon！ I meant the doctorDr。 Verrinder Smith。〃
〃I am Dr。 Verrinder Smith。〃
Dr。 Ripley was so surprised that he dropped his hat and forgot to pick
it up again。
〃What！〃 he grasped； 〃the Lee Hopkins prizeman！ You！〃
He had never seen a woman doctor before； and his whole conservative
soul rose up in revolt at the idea。 He could not recall any Biblical
injunction that the man should remain ever the doctor and the woman the
nurse； and yet he felt as if a blasphemy had been committed。 His face
betrayed his feelings only too clearly。
〃I am sorry to disappoint you；〃 said the lady drily。
〃You certainly have surprised me；〃 he answered； picking up his hat。
〃You are not among our champions； then？〃
〃I cannot say that the movement has my approval。〃
〃And why？〃
〃I should much prefer not to discuss it。〃
〃But I am sure you will answer a lady's question。〃
〃Ladies are in danger of losing their privileges when they usurp the
place of the other sex。 They cannot claim both。〃
〃Why should a woman not earn her bread by her brains？〃
Dr。 Ripley felt irritated by the quiet manner in which the lady cross…
questioned him。
〃I should much prefer not to be led into a discussion； Miss Smith。〃
〃Dr。 Smith；〃 she interrupted。
〃Well； Dr。 Smith！ But if you insist upon an answer； I must say that I
do not think medicine a suitable profession for women and that I have a
personal objection to masculine ladies。〃
It was an exceedingly rude speech； and he was ashamed of it the
instant after he had made it。 The lady； however； simply raised her
eyebrows and smiled。
〃It seems to me that you are begging the question；〃 said she。 〃Of
course； if it makes women masculine that WOULD be a considerable
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deterioration。〃
It was a neat little counter； and Dr。 Ripley； like a pinked fencer； bowed
his acknowledgment。
〃I must go；〃 said he。
〃I am sorry that we cannot come to some more friendly conclusion
since we are to be neighbours；〃 she remarked。
He bowed again； and took a step towards the door。
〃It was a singular coincidence；〃 she continued； 〃that at the instant that
you called I was reading your paper on ‘Locomotor Ataxia；' in the
Lancet。〃
〃Indeed；〃 said he drily。
〃I thought it was a very able monograph。〃
〃You are very good。〃
〃But the views which you attribute to Professor Pitres； of Bordeaux；
have been repudiated by him。〃
〃I have his pamphlet of 1890；〃 said Dr。 Ripley angrily。
〃Here is his pamphlet of 1891。〃 She picked it from among a litter of
periodicals。 〃If you have time to glance your eye down this passage〃
Dr。 Ripley took it from her and shot rapidly through the paragraph
which she indicated。 There was no denying that it completely knocked
the bottom out of his own article。 He threw it down； and with another
frigid bow he made for the door。 As he took the reins from the groom he
glanced round and saw that the lady was standing at her window； and it
seemed to him that she was laughing heartily。
All day the memory of this interview haunted him。 He felt that he
had come very badly out of it。 She had showed herself to be his superior
on his own pet subject。 She had been courteous while he had been rude；
self…possessed when he had been angry。 And then； above all； there was
her presence； her monstrous intrusion to rankle in his mind。 A woman
doctor had been an abstract thing before； repugnant but distant。 Now she
was there in actual practice； with a brass plate up just like his own；
competing for the same patients。 Not that he feared competition； but he
objected to this lowering of his ideal of womanhood。 She could not be
more than thirty； and had a bright； mobile face； too。 He thought of her
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humorous eyes； and of her strong； well…turned chin。 It revolted him the
more to recall the details of her education。 A man； of course。 could come
through such an ordeal with all his purity； but it was nothing short of
shameless in a woman。
But it was not long before he learned that even her competition was a
thing to be feared。 The novelty of her presence had brought a few
curious invalids into her consulting rooms； and； once there； they had been
so impressed by the firmness of her manner and by the singular； new…
fashioned instruments with which she tapped； and peered； and sounded；
that it formed the core of their conversation for weeks afterwards。 And
soon there were tangible proofs of her powers upon the country side。
Farmer Eyton； whose callous ulcer had been quietly spreading over his
shin for years back under a gentle regime of zinc ointment； was painted
round with blistering fluid； and found； after three blasphemous nights； that
his sore was stimulated into healing。 Mrs。 Crowder； who had always
regarded the birthmark upon her second daughter Eliza as a sign of the
indignation of the Creator at a third helping of raspberry tart which she
had partaken of during a critical period； learned that； with the help of two
galvanic needles； the mischief was not irreparable。 In a month Dr。
Verrinder Smith was known； and in two she was famous。
Occasionally； Dr。 Ripley met her as he drove upon his rounds。 She
had started a high dogcart； taking the reins herself； with a little tiger
behind。 When they met he invariably raised his hat with punctilious
politeness； but the grim severity of his face showed how formal was the
courtesy。 In fact； his dislike was rapidly deepening into absolute
detestation。 〃The unsexed woman；〃 was the description of her which he
permitted himself to give to those of his patients who still remained
staunch。 But； indeed； they were a rapidly…decreasing body； and every
day his pride was galled by the news of some fresh defection。 The lady
had somehow impressed the country folk with almost superstitious belief
in her power； and from far and near they flocked to her consulting room。
But what galled him most of all was； when she did something which
he had pronounced to be impracticable。 For all his knowledge he lacked
nerve as an operator； and usually sent his worst cases up to London。 The
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lady； however； had no weakness of the sort； and to