LOUIS. Thank you. Dont mind me.

B. B. But then, what are many of my patients? Vicious and ignorant young
men without a talent for anything. If I were to stop to argue about
their merits I should have to give up three-quarters of my practice.
Therefore I have made it a rule not so to argue. Now, as an honorable
man, having made that rule as to paying patients, can I make an
exception as to a patient who, far from being a paying patient, may more
fitly be described as a borrowing patient? No. I say No. Mr Dubedat:
your moral character is nothing to me. I look at you from a purely
scientific point of view. To me you are simply a field of battle in
which an invading army of tubercle bacilli struggles with a patriotic
force of phagocytes. Having made a promise to your wife, which my
principles will not allow me to break, to stimulate those phagocytes,
I will stimulate them. And I take no further responsibility. [He digs
himself back in his seat exhausted].

SIR PATRICK. Well, Mr Dubedat, as Sir Ralph has very kindly offered to
take charge of your case, and as the two minutes I promised you are up,
I must ask you to excuse me. [He rises].

LOUIS. Oh, certainly. Ive quite done with you. [Rising and holding up
the sketch block] There! While youve been talking, Ive been doing. What
is there left of your moralizing? Only a little carbonic acid gas which
makes the room unhealthy. What is there left of my work? That. Look at
it [Ridgeon rises to look at it].

SIR PATRICK [who has come down to him from the throne] You young rascal,
was it drawing me you were?

LOUIS. Of course. What else?

SIR PATRICK [takes the drawing from him and grunts approvingly] Thats
rather good. Dont you think so, Lolly?

RIDGEON. Yes. So good that I should like to have it.

SIR PATRICK. Thank you; but _I_ should like to have it myself. What d'ye
think, Walpole?

WALPOLE [rising and coming over to look] No, by Jove: _I_ must have
this.

LOUIS. I wish I could afford to give it to you, Sir Patrick. But I'd pay
five guineas sooner than part with it.

RIDGEON. Oh, for that matter, I will give you six for it.

WALPOLE. Ten.

LOUIS. I think Sir Patrick is morally entitled to it, as he sat for it.
May I send it to your house, Sir Patrick, for twelve guineas?

SIR PATRICK. Twelve guineas! Not if you were President of the Royal
Academy, young man. [He gives him back the drawing decisively and turns
away, taking up his hat].

LOUIS [to B. B.] W