按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
enormous nervous energy with which you have drenched him。
166
… Page 167…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
Electricity is life； and you have charged him with it to the utmost。
Perhaps in fifty years you might execute him； but I am not sanguine about
it。〃
〃Great Scott！ What shall I do with him？〃 cried the unhappy Marshal。
Peter Stulpnagel shrugged his shoulders。
〃It seems to me that it does not much matter what you do with him
now；〃 said he。
〃Maybe we could drain the electricity out of him again。 Suppose we
hang him up by the heels？〃
〃No； no； it's out of the question。〃
〃Well； well； he shall do no more mischief in Los Amigos； anyhow；〃
said the Marshal； with decision。 〃He shall go into the new gaol。 The
prison will wear him out。〃
〃On the contrary；〃 said Peter Stulpnagel； 〃I think that it is much more
probable that he will wear out the prison。〃
It was rather a fiasco and for years we didn't talk more about it than we
could help； but it's no secret now and I thought you might like to jot down
the facts in your case…book。
167
… Page 168…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
THE DOCTORS OF HOYLAND。
Dr。 James Ripley was always looked upon as an exceedingly lucky
dog by all of the profession who knew him。 His father had preceded him
in a practice in the village of Hoyland； in the north of Hampshire； and all
was ready for him on the very first day that the law allowed him to put his
name at the foot of a prescription。 In a few years the old gentleman
retired； and settled on the South Coast； leaving his son in undisputed
possession of the whole country side。 Save for Dr。 Horton； near
Basingstoke； the young surgeon had a clear run of six miles in every
direction； and took his fifteen hundred pounds a year； though； as is usual
in country practices； the stable swallowed up most of what the consulting…
room earned。
Dr。 James Ripley was two…and…thirty years of age； reserved； learned；
unmarried； with set； rather stern features； and a thinning of the dark hair
upon the top of his head； which was worth quite a hundred a year to him。
He was particularly happy in his management of ladies。 He had caught
the tone of bland sternness and decisive suavity which dominates without
offending。 Ladies； however； were not equally happy in their
management of him。 Professionally； he was always at their service。
Socially； he was a drop of quicksilver。 In vain the country mammas
spread out their simple lures in front of him。 Dances and picnics were
not to his taste； and he preferred during his scanty leisure to shut himself
up in his study； and to bury himself in Virchow's Archives and the
professional journals。
Study was a passion with him； and he would have none of the rust
which often gathers round a country practitioner。 It was his ambition to
keep his knowledge as fresh and bright as at the moment when he had
stepped out of the examination hall。 He prided himself on being able at a
moment's notice to rattle off the seven ramifications of some obscure
artery； or to give the exact percentage of any physiological compound。
After a long day's work he would sit up half the night performing
iridectomies and extractions upon the sheep's eyes sent in by the village
butcher； to the horror of his housekeeper； who had to remove the debris
168
… Page 169…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
next morning。 His love for his work was the one fanaticism which found
a place in his dry； precise nature。
It was the more to his credit that he should keep up to date in his
knowledge； since he had no competition to force him to exertion。 In the
seven years during which he had practised in Hoyland three rivals had
pitted themselves against him； two in the village itself and one in the
neighbouring hamlet of Lower Hoyland。 Of these one had sickened and
wasted； being； as it was said； himself the only patient whom he had treated
during his eighteen months of ruralising。 A second had bought a fourth
share of a Basingstoke practice； and had departed honourably； while a
third had vanished one September night； leaving a gutted house and an
unpaid drug bill behind him。 Since then the district had become a
monopoly； and no one had dared to measure himself against the
established fame of the Hoyland doctor。
It was； then； with a feeling of some surprise and considerable curiosity
that on driving through Lower Hoyland one morning he perceived that the
new house at the end of the village was occupied； and that a virgin brass
plate glistened upon the swinging gate which faced the high road。 He
pulled up his fifty guinea chestnut mare and took a good look at it。
〃Verrinder Smith； M。 D。；〃 was printed across it in very neat； small
lettering。 The last man had had letters half a foot long； with a lamp like a
fire… station。 Dr。 James Ripley noted the difference； and deduced from it
that the new…comer might possibly prove a more formidable opponent。
He was convinced of it that evening when he came to consult the current
medical directory。 By it he learned that Dr。 Verrinder Smith was the
holder of superb degrees； that he had studied with distinction at Edinburgh；
Paris； Berlin； and Vienna； and finally that he had been awarded a gold
medal and the Lee Hopkins scholarship for original research； in
recognition of an exhaustive inquiry into the functions of the anterior
spinal nerve roots。 Dr。 Ripley passed his fingers through his thin hair in
bewilderment as he read his rival's record。 What on earth could so
brilliant a man mean by putting up his plate in a little Hampshire hamlet。
But Dr。 Ripley furnished himself with an explanation to the riddle。
No doubt Dr。 Verrinder Smith had simply come down there in order to
169
… Page 170…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
pursue some scientific research in peace and quiet。 The plate was up as
an address rather than as an invitation to patients。 Of course； that must
be the true explanation。 In that case the presence of this brilliant
neighbour would be a splendid thing for his own studies。 He had often
longed for some kindred mind； some steel on which he might strike his
flint。 Chance had brought it to him； and he rejoiced exceedingly。
And this joy it was which led him to take a step which was quite at
variance with his usual habits。 It is the custom for a new…comer among
medical men to call first upon the older； and the etiquette upon the subject
is strict。 Dr。 Ripley was pedantically exact on such points； and yet he
deliberately drove over next day and called upon Dr。 Verrinder Smith。
Such a waiving of ceremony was； he felt； a gracious act upon his part； and
a fit prelude to the intimate relations which he hoped to establish with his
neighbour。
The house was neat and well appointed； and Dr。 Ripley was shown by
a smart maid into a dapper little consulting room。 As he passed in he
noticed two or three parasols and a lady's sun bonnet hanging in the hall。
It was a pity that his colleague should be a married man。 It would put
them upon a different footing； and interfere with those long evenings of
high scientific talk which he had pictured to himself。 On the other hand；
there was much in the consulting room t