None Other Gods

se, only-when I stayed there not long ago-it seemed to me that the doctor did not know how to use it. It stands in its own grounds of two or three acres, on the right-hand side of the roa

s as ever I have seen. The house, too, was a sad sight. There here two big rooms, one on either side of the little entrance-hall-one a dining-room, the other a sort of drawing-room-and both were dreary and neglected-looking places. In the one the doctor occasionally ate, in the other he never sat except when a rare vis

eans-devoted the whole of his fortune, the whole of his attention, and

room by a little old powder-closet with two doors, and the smell was indescribable. Ranks of cages and boxes rose almost to the ceiling, and in the middle of the room was a large business-like looking wooden kitchen-table with various appliances on it. I saw the doctor's room also-terribly shabby, but undoubtedly a place of activity. There were piles of books and unbound magazines standing about in corners, with more on t

that when he enters, with shabby trousers and a small hand-bag, into the room of a polished specialist in Harley Street, he sees as in a dream the specialist rise and bow before him-who, when he can be persuaded to contribute a short and highly technical article to a medical magazine, receives a check fo

s kitchen-table-if you gave him time-to terms of Toxin; therefore, argued Dr. Whitty, you could, if you had more time, reduce everything else to the same terms. There wasn't such a thing as a soul, of course-it was a manifestation of a combination of Toxins (or anti-Toxins, I forget which); there was no God-the idea of God was the result of another combination of Toxins, akin to a belief in the former illusion. Roughly speaking, I think his general position was that as Toxins are a secretion of microbes (I am certain of that phrase, anyhow), so thought and spiritual experiences and so forth are a secretion of the

pproached, in the month of October, a

oon after breakfast, bearing in his hand the corpse of a mouse which had at last, and most disappointingly, succumbed to a severe

r," he heard his man explaining; "h

ustingness of the highest possible value to the human race, especially in the South Seas. Time meant nothing at all to him, when t

thout moving his eye,

is man, "but there's a pa

a few moments longer, poked some dreadful littl

E

in the yard, sir,

thing had ha

not an unkindly man, but this sort of thing w

sir," sai

again," sai

r. 'Arf a d

no attention at all, of course. The leprou

ep down, sir

from soaring through

y. "Tell them I'm not prac

as 'as poisoned 'is foot, 'e

Poi

s,

ect a moment (that mouse, y

said almost mechanically. "T

I

y he did; but, for himself, all he could say was that he supposed the word Poison happened to meet his mood. He had honestly done with the mouse just now; he had no oth

receive him; a young man was sitting back in a Windsor chair, with one boot off, jerking spasmodically; his eyes stared unmeaningly before him. A tallish, l

t, with a rusty velvet cap on his head, and very bright short-sighted eyes behind round spectacles. This figure appeared in the doorway, stood looking at the

he last roll of defiled bandage had dropped

the doctor sharply, holding the disco

ly, "he began to limp about-let's see-

(the spasm was over for the present), cut

y, how d'yo

k them; but he said nothing, and his eyes closed,

" went on the doctor, abruptl

lf an hour ago when we were sitting down a bit; but he's seemed qu

'you mean he couldn

t was somethi

o himself; he pressed his hand once or twice against Frank's stomach; h

sock?" he a

looked at it closely, and began to mu

m, doctor?" asked the Majo

tetanus," sa

y man?" he said

looked at

.. I am hi

riend in my charge. He shall be

or was

napped th

d from your

like an edu

n educa

s of mine. What wer

nt, sir, that this was not qu

d up a book from a pile on the table, th

Go and ask Dr. Foster, if you like.... No, sir;

by a James Whitty, and the name was followed by a series of distincti

" said th

ed the book ba

nce, Dr. Whitty. I have heard of y

tor made a stiff obeisance. The

," he said. "If you will help, Mr.

I

t the doctor, having rung the bell in the

t," he said; "you can go to bed.

face. (He looked queer-like, re

ng man's doin

over the do

he said.... Then he broke off. "Bring the mat

k and close

e doctor was continually looking at him too. Thomas described to me Frank's appearance. He was very much flushed, he said, with very bright eyes, and he was talking incessantly. And it was evidently this delirious talking

talking-about religion.... And that was reall

rbing his wife, put on his slippers and great-coat and made his way down the attic stairs. The October moon was up, and, shining through the stair

rs. He had been a male nurse in an asylum before that. Yet there was something-he told me later-that gripped him suddenly as he was half-way down the stairs and held him in a kind of agony which he could in no way describe. It was connect

r way, listening, always listening, to the voice that rose and sank and lapsed now and then into s

eemed to paralyze his soul; and still in a sort of terror, though no longer in the same stiff agony, he made

from the young man's face, still diffused enough light to shoes the servant the figure lying there, and his master, seated beyond the bed, very close t

rified, and, above all, inexpressibly awed. (At least, that is how I should interpret his description.) He said that it wasn't like the spare bedroom at all, as he ordi

ard it all quite intelligently; yet, once more, all he could say

d contorted features of eloquence. He understood that he was to go. He closed the door noi

I

rubber, and a small covered bowl looking as if it contained beef-tea. He extended his explorations still further, and discovered an Hanoverian wardrobe against the left wall, a glare of light (which he presently

said the

t stiff,"

you h

't thi

's any satisfaction to you," observed

said n

r by the bed that Frank sudde

m a doctor; you're in my house. This is Wednesday afternoon; your friends brought you here yesterday

as the

ess. "You had a blister; it broke and became a sore; then you wor

sked Frank languidly. (He fe

said the doctor. "That doe

the way, who's going to p

wrinkles. (Frank wished he wouldn'

that, my boy. You're a c

d a smile out

ore beef-tea, and then

asse

elt for his rosary under his pillow and it wasn't there. Then he thumped on the floor with a short stic

at the door, it seemed, wit

. "It's a string of beads. I ex

with extraordinary ear

r appeared hol

at you want

! Thanks v

?" went on the oth

es

or sat d

ht so,"

y. Then a thought

?" he said. "I suppo

moment; he was looking at him

, you have

rather un

t said anythin

aughed shortl

rom it. At least, your fr

was it

e," said the doctor. "Now I want you to

how to turn the corners. The chair was brought out through an irregularly-shaped little court at the back of the house and set down in the warm autumn noon, against an old wall, with a big kitchen garden, terribly neglected, spread before him. The smoke of burning went up in the middle distan

an have our little talk." And he s

all. And it appeared to him a little unusual that a doctor should be so anxious about it. Twice or three times since yeste

k. "Is there anything special you want to know

waved a wri

d about a girl a little, of course-everyb

. He wasn't anxious

hat. By the wa

leather case of ciga

of these

ople. The name I've got now is Gregory, you know." He lit his ciga

at," said the doctor;

t him, astonish

hen-?" h

om. I've never heard such a jumble in my life. I know you were delirious; but ... b

asked Frank

rs and autumn leaves, and the yellowing foliage beyond the wall, and the moors behind-all transfigured in October sunshi

.." he broke off again, "... and I know what people call religion about here-and such a pa

Catholic religi

t. I know what that is-

gion," he said. "I ha

e other; "the grip ... the grip it has of y

ing else in the whole world," said

at is. It's a reaction of Nature ... a warning to look out ... it's often simply the effects of building up; and we're beginning to think-ah! that won't interest you! Listen to me! I'

as keenly interested by the fire wit

erfectly true; but what in the world has all that got to d

octor. "We mustn't get e

stared mournf

d more slowly. "But that's just what you

r doctor-"

e other. "I was an old f

ental clearness that comes sometimes to convalescents, and he suddenly perceiv

this," he said. "I wish you'd tel

looked at him with a ki

u say that

ed over people like me, unless there's something.... I

eath. "I hadn't meant to. I know it's mere nonsense; but-

rd's, popped out from a windo

ere a m

h a piece of wash-leather in one hand

man," said the doctor deliberately, "

oubtfully from

fancy, si

about that.

like it. Seemed to

dle of the night," explained th

there was so

the doctor e

musingly.... "And now if you'll exc

espairingly as Thomas scuttl

"no good. And yet he to

ughing quiet

ven't told

e, my boy, it's no laughing matter. I tell you I

ut

r waved h

you looked, the way you spoke. It was most unusual. But it affected me-it

V

isk of traveling again too soon; and there was one scene, actually conducted in the menagerie-the only occasion on which the doctor mentioned Frank's rela

y puzzled at one another-as such people occasionally are. They were as two persons, both intelligent and interested, entirely divided by the absence of any common language,

two a small disused gardener's cottage at the end of his grounds, some bedding, their meals, and a shilling the day. It was wonderful how solicitous the Major was as to Frank's not travel

The doctor took Frank apart into the study where he had first seen him, and had a short

s-that would be far too strong a phrase; but he had, quite unconsciously, run full tilt against them; and finally, worst of all, he had done this right in the middle of the doctor's own private preserve. There was absolutely every element necessary to explain Frank's remarks during his delirium; he was a religiously-minded boy, poisoned by a toxin and treated by the anti-toxin. What in the world could be expected but that he should rave in the most fan

thropic scientist was affected in an astonishing manner by Frank's personality. (It

ive two characters with less in common. The doctor was a dogmatic materialist-and remains so still-Frank was a Catholic. The doctor was scientific to his finger-tips-Frank romantic to the same extremities; the doctor was old and a confirmed stay-at-home-Frank was young, and an incorrigible gipsy. Yet so the matter was. I have certain ideas of my own, but there is no use in stating them, beyond saying perhaps that each recogniz

g of apples-given him by Thomas at the doctor's orders-which he was proceeding to add to Gertie's load at the

inking a moment in

d. "Good luck! Remember that if

sir," sa

t his dise

rms round the boy's neck, kissed him on both cheeks, and hurried back through the garden g

d I scarcely know why I have included it in this book. But I was able to put it togethe