ament--at
Dr. Fu-Manchu. The latter continued:--

"Your experience, Sir Baldwin, will enable you readily to diagnose my
symptoms. Owing to the passage of a bullet along a portion of the
third left frontal into the postero-parietal convolution--upon which,
from its lodgment in the skull, it continues to press--hemiplegia of
the right side has supervened. Aphasia is present also...."

The effort of speech was ghastly. Beads of perspiration dewed
Fu-Manchu's brow, and I marveled at the iron will of the man, whereby
alone he forced his half-numbed brain to perform its function. He
seemed to select his words elaborately and by this monstrous effort
of will to compel his partially paralyzed tongue to utter them. Some
of the syllables were slurred; but nevertheless distinguishable. It
was a demonstration of sheer _Force_ unlike any I had witnessed, and
it impressed me unforgettably.

"The removal of this injurious particle," he continued, "would be an
operation which I myself could undertake to perform successfully upon
another. It is a matter of some delicacy as you, Sir Baldwin, and"--
slowly, horribly, turning the half-dead and half-living head towards
me--"you, Dr. Petrie, will appreciate. In the event of clumsy surgery,
death may supervene; failing this, permanent hemiplegia--or"--the
film lifted from the green eyes, and for a moment they flickered with
transient horror--"idiocy! Any one of three of my pupils whom I might
name could perform this operation with ease, but their services are
not available. Only one English surgeon occurred to me in this
connection, and you, Sir Baldwin"--again he slowly turned his head--
"were he. Dr. Petrie will act as anaesthetist, and, your duties
completed, you shall return to your home richer by the amount
stipulated. I have suitably prepared myself for the operation, and I
can assure you of the soundness of my heart. I may advise you, Dr.
Petrie"--again turning to me--"that my constitution is inured to the
use of opium. You will make due allowance for this. Mr. Li-King-Su,
a graduate of Canton, will act as dresser."

He turned laboriously to Zarmi. She clapped her hands and held the
curtain aside. A perfectly immobile Chinaman, whose age I was unable
to guess, and who wore a white overall, entered, bowed composedly to
Frazer and myself and began in a matter-of-fact way to prepare the
dressings.

CHAPTER XVIII

QUEEN OF HEARTS

"Sir Baldwin Frazer," said Fu-Manchu, inter