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No； the stationer was quite positive that there was not。
That was final； then。 A great good fortune had come in his way； and
he must take prompt advantage of it。 He called a cab and drove furiously
to the Towers； with his brain in a whirl； giddy with hope and delight at one
moment； and sickened with fears and doubts at the next lest the case
should in some way be beyond his powers； or lest he should find at some
critical moment that he was without the instrument or appliance that was
needed。 Every strange and outre case of which he had ever heard or read
came back into his mind； and long before he reached the Towers he had
worked himself into a positive conviction that he would be instantly
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required to do a trephining at the least。
The Towers was a very large house； standing back amid trees； at the
head of a winding drive。 As he drove up the doctor sprang out； paid
away half his worldly assets as a fare； and followed a stately footman who；
having taken his name； led him through the oak…panelled； stained…glass
hall； gorgeous with deers' heads and ancient armour； and ushered him into
a large sitting…room beyond。 A very irritable… looking； acid…faced man
was seated in an armchair by the fireplace； while two young ladies in
white were standing together in the bow window at the further end。
〃Hullo！ hullo！ hullo！ What's thisheh？〃 cried the irritable man。
〃Are you Dr。 Wilkinson？ Eh？〃
〃Yes； sir； I am Dr。 Wilkinson。〃
〃Really； now。 You seem very youngmuch younger than I expected。
Well； well； well； Mason's old； and yet he don't seem to know much about it。
I suppose we must try the other end now。 You're the Wilkinson who
wrote something about the lungs？ Heh？〃
Here was a light！ The only two letters which the doctor had ever
written to The Lancetmodest little letters thrust away in a back column
among the wrangles about medical ethics and the inquiries as to how much
it took to keep a horse in the countryhad been upon pulmonary disease。
They had not been wasted； then。 Some eye had picked them out and
marked the name of the writer。 Who could say that work was ever
wasted； or that merit did not promptly meet with its reward？
〃Yes； I have written on the subject。〃
〃Ha！ Well； then； where's Mason？〃
〃I have not the pleasure of his acquaintance。〃
〃No？that's queer too。 He knows you and thinks a lot of your
opinion。 You're a stranger in the town； are you not？〃
〃Yes； I have only been here a very short time。〃
〃That was what Mason said。 He didn't give me the address。 Said he
would call on you and bring you； but when the wife got worse of course I
inquired for you and sent for you direct。 I sent for Mason； too； but he
was out。 However； we can't wait for him； so just run away upstairs and
do what you can。〃
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〃Well； I am placed in a rather delicate position；〃 said Dr。 Horace
Wilkinson； with some hesitation。 〃I am here； as I understand； to meet my
colleague； Dr。 Mason； in consultation。 It would； perhaps； hardly be
correct for me to see the patient in his absence。 I think that I would
rather wait。〃
〃Would you； by Jove！ Do you think I'll let my wife get worse while
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；