pite
of warnings and protests, and then fell on the top of him. Of course,
he didn't do it on purpose, but--'

The doctor mentioned Greatorex of Manchester, the celebrated brain
specialist. And Horace took Sidney to Manchester. They had to wait an
hour and a quarter to see Greatorex, his well-known consulting-rooms in
John Dalton Street being crowded with imperfect brains; but their turn
came at last, and they found themselves in Greatorex's presence.
Greatorex was a fat man, with the voice of a thin man, who seemed to
spend the whole of his career in the care of his fingernails.

'Well, my little fellow,' said Greatorex, 'don't cry.' (For Sidney was
already crying.) And then to Horace, in a curt tone: 'What is it?'

And Horace was obliged to humiliate himself and relate the accident in
detail, together with all that had subsequently happened.

'Yes, yes, yes, yes!' Greatorex would punctuate the recital, and when
tired of 'yes' he would say 'Hum, hum, hum, hum!'

When he had said 'hum' seventy-two times he suddenly remarked that his
fee was three guineas, and told Horace to strengthen Sidney all he
could, not to work him too hard, and to bring him back in a year's time.

Horace paid the money, Greatorex emitted a final 'hum', and then the
stepbrothers were whisked out by an expeditious footman. The experience
cost Horace over four pounds and the loss of a day's time. And the
worst was that Sidney had a violent attack that very night.

School being impossible for him, Sidney had intermittent instruction
from professors of both sexes at home. But he learnt practically
nothing except the banjo. Horace had to buy him a banjo: it cost the
best part of a ten-pound note; still, Horace could do no less. Sidney's
stature grew rapidly; his general health certainly improved, yet not
completely; he always had a fragile, interesting air. Moreover, his
deafness did not disappear: there were occasions when it was extremely
pronounced. And he was never quite safe from these attacks in the head.
He spent a month or six weeks each year in the expensive bracing
atmosphere of some seaside resort, and altogether he was decidedly a
heavy drain on Horace's resources. People were aware of this, and they
said that Horace ought to be happy that he was in a position to spend
money freely on his poor brother. Had not the doctor predicted, before
the catastrophe due to Horace's culpable negligence, that Sidney would
grow into a strong man, a