Round the Red Lamp

ace Wilkins

. Pray s

ished at having the door opened t

to have a

his very simple housekeeping. He bowed, therefore, waved his visitor in, closed the hall door in a careless fashion, as though his own presence thereat had been a purely accidental circumstance, and finally led the burly stranger into his scantily furnished front room, where he motioned him to a seat. Dr. Wilkinson planted himself behind his desk, and, placing his finger-tips together, he gazed with some apprehension at his companion. What was the matter with the man? He seemed very red in the face. Some of his old professors w

l combined to still further redden his face, which had changed from brick to beet, with a gloss of moisture on his brow. This extreme ruddiness brought a clue at last to the observant doctor. Surely it was not to be attained w

erved the stranger,

r than is good for one," answered Dr. Horace Wilkinson, looki

you shouldn

ver touc

e been an abstaine

ed as the other. "May I ask what I can do for you?" he asked, picki

of your coming, but I couldn't get round bef

the doctor e

ut you know how these things get put off."

ely bronchial by the sound. No doubt the mischief is circumscribed at present, but there is always the danger that it may spread, so you have done wisely to come

ing tobacco, and I know it's a very bad habit. Nine-and-ninepence is what I have to say to you,

ed into his chair. "Then you

a doctor in

etiousness. "You don't look as if you troubled them much. I don't know what we should do if

nient, sir, now that I am h

od. He took out his purse and slid the contents on to the table. There were two half-crowns and some pennies. In his draw

eard-of incident. "I have run short of small change. I am

round, which valued every article in the room, from the two-guinea

s, the forceps, the bistouries, the lancets-and he laid them all out beside the stethoscope, to make as good a show as possible. His ledger, day-book, and visiting-book were spread in front of him. There was no entry in any of them yet, but it would not look well to have the covers too glossy and new, so he rubbed them together and daubed in

mise as he would, the money would still slip away in the countless little claims which a man never understands until he lives under a rooftree of his own. Dr. Wilkinson could

each was hurrying on upon his own business, scarce glancing at the small brass plate, or wasting a thought upon the man who waited in the front room. And yet how many of them would obviously, glaringly have been the better for his professional assistance. Dyspeptic men, anemic women, blotched faces, bilious complexions-they flowed past him, they needing him, he needing them, and yet the remorseless bar of professional etiquette kept them forever apart. What could he do? Could he stand at his own front door, pluck the casual stranger by the sleeve, and

ctor's spirit was young and elastic, and again, in spite of all experience, it responded to that exhilarating summons. He sprang to his feet, cast his eyes over the table, thrust out his medical books a little more prominently, and hurried to the door. A groan escaped him as he entered the hal

said he, loosing the lat

iently, and walked back into his consulting-room. He had hardly seated himself when the

t th

e, sir, we ne

tients, whom he had waited for so impatiently. They did not look very promising. The man, a tall, lank-haired gypsy, had gone back to the horse's head. There remained a sm

manner. In this case, at least, there could be no mistake as to diagnosis. "If

de a compress of lint, fastened it over the injured eye, a

ished; "that's nice and warm, and may God bless your honour.

to the advantages of quick diagnosis. It is an excellent thing to be able to s

's got th

e was all flushed and mottled with a dark-red rash. The child breathed with a rattling sound, and it l

s, sure enough-an

see her, sir, so tha

ld w

if anythin

see-c

sir, I'll go on, for Reuben-

you want an

t's all right. I'll let yo

de up a two-ounce bottle of cooling medicine. In such cities as Sutton there are few patients who can afford to pay a fee to both docto

find the directions upon the bottle. Keep

She shouldered her baby

you think it too small a matter to make a bill of? Per

t him reproachfully out

ge me for that?" she a

ng way, as though it were too small to take serious notice of,

crown! f

not go to the poor doctor

, craning awkwardly to ke

ding out a little pile of copper coins. "I

s well for gentlefolk like you who sit in your grand houses, and can eat and drink what you like, an' charge 'arf-a-crown for just saying as much as, "Ow d'ye do?' We can't pick up' arf-

nted all that separated him from absolute starvation, and he chuckled to himself at the grim joke that he should appear to this poor

ind her. After all she was the thin edge of the wedge. These wandering people have great powers of recommendation. All large practices have been built up from such

er fivepence, so that his first patient had absorbed altogether not less than one sixth of his available capital. If five more were to come he would be a broken man. He sat down upon the portmanteau and shook with laughter at the thought, while he measured out his one spoonful and a half of tea at one shilling eightpence into the brown earthenware teapot. Suddenly, however, the laugh faded from his face, and he cocked his ear towards the door, standing listening

he can come to Lady Millbank, at the Towers. He is to come this very instant. We'd take him with us, but

tant, while the coachman lashed his hors

Millbank, of the Towers! People of wealth and position, no doubt. And a serious case, or why this haste

nation; or was it possible that some one was attempting a cruel hoax upon him? At any rate, it was too p

d newspapers and gossip. He could get information there if anywhere. He put on his well-brushed top hat, secreted instruments a

all the information which he wanted. Sir John Millbank was very well known in the town, it seemed. He was a m

nvalid for some years, and was growing worse. So far the whole thing seemed to

assailed him, and he tu

inson," said he. "Is there any other

was quite positive

d 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 an

d 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-r

is-heh?" cried the irritable ma

I am Dr.

Mason's old, and yet he don't seem to know much about it. I suppose we must try

about medical ethics and the inquiries as to how much it took to keep a horse in the country-had been upon pulmonary disease. They had not been wasted, then.

written on

then, whe

pleasure of hi

d thinks a lot of your opinion. You're

ly been here a

but when the wife got worse of course I inquired for you and sent for you direct. I sent for Mason,

n. "I am here, as I understand, to meet my colleague, Dr. Mason, in consultation. It would, perha

he doctor is coolly kicking his heels in the room below? No, sir, I

but still when a man's wife is ill much may be overlooked. He contented himse

y hocus-pocus of the sort. She has bronchitis and asthma, and that's all. If you can cure it well

ld stand; but the profession was to him a holy thin

the honour to wish you a very good day. I do not c

at's the m

ing my patient. I wonder that you should suggest su

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 y

Have your way! Do what you like and I won't say another word. I'

emure young ladies darted out of their corner, and f

done!" cried the tall

ay he does with poor Dr. Mason. Dr. Mason has never examined mamma yet. He always takes papa's word for everythi

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 gentlem

n, you've co

ve brought, as I promise

son! Why, t

ment. "I have never seen the

ilkinson-Dr. Horace Wilk

, Sir John!" c

onary diseases at Regent's College, London, physician upon the staff of the St. Swithin's Hospital, and author of a dozen works upon the su

thoroughly examined by this young gentleman. I think we will let it stop at that for the present; thoug

his friend, the specialist, very amused, Sir John liste

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 no

tentions toward me, but I am afraid there is no

hat d'y

place in the middle of a case like this

was such a man for making difficulties. You've had a fair offe

y homeward to his spirit-lamp and his one-and-eightpenny tea, with his first guinea in

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 tempt