FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35  
36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   >>   >|  
urst into the room. "Your father is mad, Ruth!" he exclaimed; "absolutely stark mad! And I refuse to hold any further communication with him." "The present interview was not of his seeking," Miss Bellingham replied coldly. "No, it was not," was the wrathful rejoinder; "it was my mistaken generosity. But there--what is the use of talking? I've done my best for you and I'll do no more. Don't trouble to let me out; I can find my way. Good morning." With a stiff bow and a quick glance at me, the speaker strode out of the room, banging the door after him. "I must apologise for this extraordinary reception," said Miss Bellingham; "but I believe medical men are not easily astonished. I will introduce you to your patient now." She opened the door and, as I followed her into the adjoining room, she said: "Here is another visitor for you, dear. Doctor--" "Berkeley," said I. "I am acting for my friend Doctor Barnard." The invalid, a fine-looking man of about fifty-five, who sat propped up in bed with a pile of pillows, held out an excessively shaky hand, which I grasped cordially, making a mental note of the tremor. "How do you do, sir?" said Mr. Bellingham. "I hope Doctor Barnard is not ill." "Oh, no," I answered; "he has gone for a trip down the Mediterranean on a currant ship. The chance occurred rather suddenly, and I bustled him off before he had time to change his mind. Hence my rather unceremonious appearance, which I hope you will forgive." "Not at all," was the hearty response. "I'm delighted to hear that you sent him off; he wanted a holiday, poor man. And I am delighted to make your acquaintance, too." "It is very good of you," I said; whereupon he bowed as gracefully as a man may who is propped up in bed with a heap of pillows; and having thus exchanged broadsides of civility, so to speak, we--or, at least, I--proceeded to business. "How long have you been laid up?" I asked cautiously, not wishing to make too evident the fact that my principal had given me no information respecting his case. "A week to-day," he replied. "The _fons et origo mali_ was a hansom-cab which upset me opposite the Law Courts--sent me sprawling in the middle of the road. My own fault, of course--at least, the cabby said so, and I suppose he knew. But that was no consolation to me." "Were you much hurt?" "No, not really; but the fall bruised my knee rather badly and gave me a deuce of a shake up. I'm too old for
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35  
36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Bellingham

 
Doctor
 
delighted
 

propped

 
pillows
 
Barnard
 
replied
 

gracefully

 

broadsides

 

civility


exchanged
 

acquaintance

 

change

 

unceremonious

 
appearance
 
refuse
 

suddenly

 

bustled

 

forgive

 
wanted

holiday
 

proceeded

 

exclaimed

 

hearty

 
response
 

absolutely

 

father

 
suppose
 

Courts

 
sprawling

middle
 

consolation

 

bruised

 

opposite

 

evident

 
wishing
 

principal

 

cautiously

 

occurred

 
information

respecting

 

hansom

 

business

 

generosity

 
medical
 

reception

 

extraordinary

 
apologise
 

easily

 

astonished