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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 stole on； many little packets
of absurdly small white garments with frill work and ribbons began to
arrive among the big consignments of male necessities。 And then one
evening； as Johnson was ticketing the scarfs in the shop； he heard a bustle
upstairs； and Mrs。 Peyton came running down to say that Lucy was bad
and that she thought the doctor ought to be there without delay。
It was not Robert Johnson's nature to hurry。 He was prim and staid
and liked to do things in an orderly fashion。 It was a quarter of a mile
from the corner of the New North Road where his shop stood to the
doctor's house in Bridport Place。 There were no cabs in sight so he set
off upon foot； leaving the lad to mind the shop。 At Bridport Place he was
told that the doctor had just gone to Harman Street to attend a man in a fit。
Johnson started off for Harman Street； losing a little of his primness as he
became more anxious。 Two full cabs but no empty ones passed him on
the way。 At Harman Street he learned that the doctor had gone on to a
case of measles； fortunately he had left the address69 Dunstan Road； at
the other side of the Regent's Canal。 Robert's primness had vanished
now as he thought of the women waiting at home； and he began to run as
hard as he could down the Kingsland Road。 Some way along he sprang
into a cab which stood by the curb and drove to Dunstan Road。 The
doctor had just left； and Robert Johnson felt inclined to sit down upon the
steps in despair。
Fortunately he had not sent the cab away； and he was soon back at
Bridport Place。 Dr。 Miles had not returned yet； but they were expecting
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him every instant。 Johnson waited； drumming his fingers on his knees； in
a high； dim lit room； the air of which was charged with a faint； sickly
smell of ether。 The furniture was massive； and the books in the shelves
were sombre； and a squat black clock ticked mournfully on the
mantelpiece。 It told him that it was half…past seven； and that he had been
gone an hour and a quarter。 Whatever would the women think of him！
Every time that a distant door slammed he sprang from his chair in a
quiver of eagerness。 His ears strained to catch the deep notes of the
doctor's voice。 And then； suddenly； with a gush of joy he heard a quick
step outside； and the sharp click of the key in the lock。 In an instant he
was out in the hall； before the doctor's foot was o