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he could not afford to let such a chance pass。 He would go。
〃What is the case？〃 he asked。
〃Oh； it is so sad a one！ So sad a one！ You have not； perhaps； heard
of the daggers of the Almohades？〃
〃Never。〃
〃Ah； they are Eastern daggers of a great age and of a singular shape；
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with the hilt like what you call a stirrup。 I am a curiosity dealer； you
understand； and that is why I have come to England from Smyrna； but
next week I go back once more。 Many things I brought with me； and I
have a few things left； but among them； to my sorrow； is one of these
daggers。〃
〃You will remember that I have an appointment； sir；〃 said the surgeon；
with some irritation。 〃Pray confine yourself to the necessary details。〃
〃You will see that it is necessary。 To…day my wife fell down in a faint
in the room in which I keep my wares； and she cut her lower lip upon this
cursed dagger of Almohades。〃
〃I see；〃 said Douglas Stone； rising。 〃And you wish me to dress the
wound？ 〃
〃No； no； it is worse than that。〃
〃What then？〃 〃These daggers are poisoned。〃
〃Poisoned！〃
〃Yes； and there is no man； East or West； who can tell now what is the
poison or what the cure。 But all that is known I know； for my father was
in this trade before me； and we have had much to do with these poisoned
weapons。〃
〃What are the symptoms？〃
〃Deep sleep； and death in thirty hours。〃
〃And you say there is no cure。 Why then should you pay me this
considerable fee？〃
〃No drug can cure； but the knife may。〃
〃And how？〃
〃The poison is slow of absorption。 It remains for hours in the
wound。〃
〃Washing； then； might cleanse it？〃
〃No more than in a snake…bite。 It is too subtle and too deadly。〃
〃Excision of the wound； then？〃
〃That is it。 If it be on the finger； take the finger off。 So said my
father always。 But think of where this wound is； and that it is my wife。
It is dreadful！〃
But familiarity with such grim matters may take the finer edge from a
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man's sympathy。 To Douglas Stone this was already an interesting case；
and he brushed aside as irrelevant the feeble objections of the husband。
〃It appears to be that or nothing；〃 said he brusquely。 It is better to
lose a lip than a life。〃
〃Ah； yes； I know that you are right。 Well； well； it is kismet； and must
be faced。 I have the cab； and you will come with me and do this thing。〃
Douglas Stone took his case of bistouries from a drawer； and placed it
with a roll of bandage and a compress of lint in his pocket。 He must
waste no more time if he were to see Lady Sannox。
〃I am ready；〃 said he； pulling on his overcoat。 Will you take a glass
of wine before you go out into this cold air？〃
His visitor shrank away； with a protesting hand upraised。
〃You forget that I am a Mussulman； and a true follower of the
Prophet；〃 said he。 〃But tell me what is the bottle of green glass which
you have placed in your pocket？〃
〃It is chloroform。〃
〃Ah； that also is forbidden to us。 It is a spirit； and we make no use of
such things。〃
〃What！ You would allow your wife to go through an operation
without an anaesthetic？〃
〃Ah！ she will feel nothing； poor soul。 The deep sleep has already
come on； which is the first working of the poison。 And then I have given
her of our Smyrna opium。 Come； sir； for already an hour has passed。〃
As they stepped out into the darkness； a sheet of rain was driven in
upon their faces； and the hall lamp； which dangled from the arm of a
marble caryatid； went out with a fluff。 Pim； the butler； pushed the heavy
door to； straining hard with his shoulder against the wind； while the two
men groped their way towards the yellow glare which showed where the
cab was waiting。 An instant later they were rattling upon their journey。
〃Is it far？〃 asked Douglas Stone。
〃Oh； no。 We have a very little quiet place off the Euston Road。〃
The surgeon pressed the spring of his repeater and listened to the little
tings which told him the hour。 It was a quarter past nine。 He calculated
the distances； and the short time which it would take him to perform so
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trivial an operation。 He ought to reach Lady Sannox by ten o'clock。
Through the fogged windows he saw the blurred gas…lamps dancing past；
with occasionally the broader glare of a shop front。 The rain was pelting
and rattling upon the leathern top of the carriage and the wheels swashed
as they rolled through puddle and mud。 Opposite to him the white
headgear of his companion gleamed faintly through the obscurity。 The
surgeon felt in his pockets and arranged his needles； his ligatures and his
safety…pins； that no time might be wasted when they arrived。 He chafed
with impatience and drummed his foot upon the floor。
But the cab slowed down at last and pulled up。 In an instant Douglas
Stone was out； and the Smyrna merchant's toe was at his very heel。
〃You can wait；〃 said he to the driver。
It was a mean…looking house in a narrow and sordid street。 The
surgeon； who knew his London well； cast a swift glance into the shadows；
but there was nothing distinctiveno shop； no movement； nothing but a
double line of dull； flat…faced houses； a double stretch of wet flagstones
which gleamed in the lamplight； and a double rush of water in the gutters
which swirled and gurgled towards the sewer gratings。 The door which
faced them was blotched and discoloured； and a faint light in the fan pane
above it served to show the dust and the grime which covered it。 Above；
in one of the bedroom windows； there was a dull yellow glimmer。 The
merchant knocked loudly； and； as he turned his dark face towards the light；
Douglas Stone could see that it was contracted with anxiety。 A bolt was
drawn； and an elderly woman with a taper stood in the doorway； shielding
the thin flame with her gnarled hand。
〃Is all well？〃 gasped the merchant。
〃She is as you left her； sir。〃
〃She has not spoken？〃
〃No； she is in a deep sleep。〃
The merchant closed the door； and Douglas Stone walked down the
narrow passage； glancing about him in some surprise as he did so。 There
was no oilcloth； no mat； no hat…rack。 Deep grey dust and heavy festoons
of cobwebs met his eyes everywhere。 Following the old woman up the
winding stair； his firm footfall echoed harshly through the silent house。
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There was no carpet。
The bedroom was on the second landing。 Douglas Stone followed
the old nurse into it； with the merchant at his heels。 Here； at least； there
was furniture and to spare。 The floor was littered and the corners piled
with Turkish cabinets； inlaid tables； coats of chain mail； strange pipes； and
grotesque weapons。 A single small lamp stood upon a bracket on the
wall。 Douglas Stone took it down； and picking his way among the
lumber； walked over to a couch in the corner； on which lay a woman
dressed in the Turkish fashion； with yashmak and veil。 The lower part of
the face was exposed； and the surgeon saw a jagged cut which zigzagged
along the border of the under lip。
〃You will forgive the yashmak；〃 said the Turk。 〃You know our views
about woman in the East。〃
But the surgeon was not thinking about the yashmak。 This was no
longer a woman to him。 It was a case。 He stooped and examined the