Chapter 116
DuringhislastyearatSt.Luke』sPhiliphadtoworkhard.Hewascontentedwithlife.Hefounditverycomfortabletobeheart-freeandtohaveenoughmoneyforhisneeds.Hehadheardpeoplespeakcontemptuouslyofmoney:hewonderediftheyhadevertriedtodowithoutit.Heknewthatthelackmadeamanpetty,mean,grasping;itdistortedhischaracterandcausedhimtoviewtheworldfromavulgarangle;whenyouhadtoconsidereverypenny,moneybecameofgrotesqueimportance:youneededacompetencytorateitatitspropervalue.Helivedasolitarylife,seeingnooneexcepttheAthelnys,buthewasnotlonely;hebusiedhimselfwithplansforthefuture,andsometimeshethoughtofthepast.Hisrecollectiondweltnowandthenonoldfriends,buthemadenoefforttoseethem.HewouldhavelikedtoknowwhatwasbecomeofNorahNesbit;shewasNorahsomethingelsenow,buthecouldnotrememberthenameofthemanshewasgoingtomarry;hewasgladtohaveknownher:shewasagoodandabravesoul.OneeveningabouthalfpastelevenhesawLawson,walkingalongPiccadilly;hewasineveningclothesandmightbesupposedtobecomingbackfromatheatre.Philipgavewaytoasuddenimpulseandquicklyturneddownasidestreet.Hehadnotseenhimfortwoyearsandfeltthathecouldnotnowtakeupagaintheinterruptedfriendship.HeandLawsonhadnothingmoretosaytooneanother.Philipwasnolongerinterestedinart;itseemedtohimthathewasabletoenjoybeautywithgreaterforcethanwhenhewasaboy;butartappearedtohimunimportant.Hewasoccupiedwiththeformingofapatternoutofthemanifoldchaosoflife,andthematerialswithwhichheworkedseemedtomakepreoccupationwithpigmentsandwordsverytrivial.Lawsonhadservedhisturn.Philip』sfriendshipwithhimhadbeenamotiveinthedesignhewaselaborating:itwasmerelysentimentaltoignorethefactthatthepainterwasofnofurtherinteresttohim.
SometimesPhilipthoughtofMildred.Heavoideddeliberatelythestreetsinwhichtherewasachanceofseeingher;butoccasionallysomefeeling,perhapscuriosity,perhapssomethingdeeperwhichhewouldnotacknowledge,madehimwanderaboutPiccadillyandRegentStreetduringthehourswhenshemightbeexpectedtobethere.Hedidnotknowthenwhetherhewishedtoseeherordreadedit.Oncehesawabackwhichremindedhimofhers,andforamomenthethoughtitwasshe;itgavehimacurioussensation:itwasastrangesharppaininhisheart,therewasfearinitandasickeningdismay;andwhenhehurriedonandfoundthathewasmistakenhedidnotknowwhetheritwasreliefthatheexperiencedordisappointment.
AtthebeginningofAugustPhilippassedhissurgery,hislastexamination,andreceivedhisdiploma.ItwassevenyearssincehehadenteredSt.Luke』sHospital.Hewasnearlythirty.HewalkeddownthestairsoftheRoyalCollegeofSurgeonswiththerollinhishandwhichqualifiedhimtopractice,andhisheartbeatwithsatisfaction.
「NowI』mreallygoingtobeginlife,」hethought.
Nextdayhewenttothesecretary』sofficetoputhisnamedownforoneofthehospitalappointments.Thesecretarywasapleasantlittlemanwithablackbeard,whomPhiliphadalwaysfoundveryaffable.Hecongratulatedhimonhissuccess,andthensaid:
「Isupposeyouwouldn』tliketodoalocumforamonthontheSouthcoast?Threeguineasaweekwithboardandlodging.」
「Iwouldn』tmind,」saidPhilip.
「It』satFarnley,inDorsetshire.DoctorSouth.You』dhavetogodownatonce;hisassistanthasdevelopedmumps.Ibelieveit』saverypleasantplace.」
Therewassomethinginthesecretary』smannerthatpuzzledPhilip.Itwasalittledoubtful.
「What』sthecrabinit?」heasked.
Thesecretaryhesitatedamomentandlaughedinaconciliatingfashion.
「Well,thefactis,Iunderstandhe』sratheracrusty,funnyoldfellow.Theagencieswon』tsendhimanyoneanymore.Hespeakshismindveryopenly,andmendon』tlikeit.」
「Butd』youthinkhe』llbesatisfiedwithamanwho』sonlyjustqualified?AfterallIhavenoexperience.」
「Heoughttobegladtogetyou,」saidthesecretarydiplomatically.
Philipthoughtforamoment.Hehadnothingtodoforthenextfewweeks,andhewasgladofthechancetoearnabitofmoney.HecouldputitasidefortheholidayinSpainwhichhehadpromisedhimselfwhenhehadfinishedhisappointmentatSt.Luke』sor,iftheywouldnotgivehimanythingthere,atsomeotherhospital.
「Allright.I』llgo.」
「Theonlythingis,youmustgothisafternoon.Willthatsuityou?Ifso,I』llsendawireatonce.」
Philipwouldhavelikedafewdaystohimself;buthehadseentheAthelnysthenightbefore(hehadgoneatoncetotakethemhisgoodnews)andtherewasreallynoreasonwhyheshouldnotstartimmediately.Hehadlittleluggagetopack.SoonafterseventhateveninghegotoutofthestationatFarnleyandtookacabtoDoctorSouth』s.Itwasabroadlowstuccohouse,withaVirginiacreepergrowingoverit.Hewasshownintotheconsulting-room.Anoldmanwaswritingatadesk.HelookedupasthemaidusheredPhilipin.Hedidnotgetup,andhedidnotspeak;hemerelystaredatPhilip.Philipwastakenaback.
「Ithinkyou』reexpectingme,」hesaid.「ThesecretaryofSt.Luke』swiredtoyouthismorning.」
「Ikeptdinnerbackforhalfanhour.D』youwanttowash?」
「Ido,」saidPhilip.
DoctorSouthamusedhimbyhisoddmanner.Hegotupnow,andPhilipsawthathewasamanofmiddleheight,thin,withwhitehaircutveryshortandalongmouthclosedsotightlythatheseemedtohavenolipsatall;hewasclean-shavenbutforsmallwhitewhiskers,andtheyincreasedthesquarenessoffacewhichhisfirmjawgavehim.Heworeabrowntweedsuitandawhitestock.Hisclotheshunglooselyabouthimasthoughtheyhadbeenmadeforamuchlargerman.Helookedlikearespectablefarmerofthemiddleofthenineteenthcentury.Heopenedthedoor.
「Thereisthedining-room,」hesaid,pointingtothedooropposite.「Yourbed-roomisthefirstdooryoucometowhenyougetonthelanding.Comedownstairswhenyou』reready.」
DuringdinnerPhilipknewthatDoctorSouthwasexamininghim,buthespokelittle,andPhilipfeltthathedidnotwanttohearhisassistanttalk.
「Whenwereyouqualified?」heaskedsuddenly.
「Yesterday.」
「Wereyouatauniversity?」
「No.」
「Lastyearwhenmyassistanttookaholidaytheysentmea『Varsityman.Itold『emnottodoitagain.Toodamnedgentlemanlyforme.」
Therewasanotherpause.Thedinnerwasverysimpleandverygood.Philippreservedasedateexterior,butinhishearthewasbubblingoverwithexcitement.Hewasimmenselyelatedatbeingengagedasalocum;itmadehimfeelextremelygrownup;hehadaninsanedesiretolaughatnothinginparticular;andthemorehethoughtofhisprofessionaldignitythemorehewasinclinedtochuckle.
ButDoctorSouthbrokesuddenlyintohisthoughts.「Howoldareyou?」
「Gettingonforthirty.」
「Howisityou』reonlyjustqualified?」
「Ididn』tgoinforthemedicaltillIwasnearlytwenty-three,andIhadtogiveitupfortwoyearsinthemiddle.」
「Why?」
「Poverty.」
DoctorSouthgavehimanoddlookandrelapsedintosilence.Attheendofdinnerhegotupfromthetable.
「D』youknowwhatsortofapracticethisis?」
「No,」answeredPhilip.
「Mostlyfishermenandtheirfamilies.IhavetheUnionandtheSeamen』sHospital.Iusedtobealonehere,butsincetheytriedtomakethisintoafashionablesea-sideresortamanhassetuponthecliff,andthewell-to-dopeoplegotohim.Ionlyhavethosewhocan』taffordtopayforadoctoratall.」
Philipsawthattherivalrywasasorepointwiththeoldman.
「YouknowthatIhavenoexperience,」saidPhilip.
「Younoneofyouknowanything.」
HewalkedoutoftheroomwithoutanotherwordandleftPhilipbyhimself.WhenthemaidcameintoclearawayshetoldPhilipthatDoctorSouthsawpatientsfromsixtillseven.Workforthatnightwasover.Philipfetchedabookfromhisroom,lithispipe,andsettledhimselfdowntoread.Itwasagreatcomfort,sincehehadreadnothingbutmedicalbooksforthelastfewmonths.Atteno』clockDoctorSouthcameinandlookedathim.Philiphatednottohavehisfeetup,andhehaddraggedupachairforthem.
「Youseemabletomakeyourselfprettycomfortable,」saidDoctorSouth,withagrimnesswhichwouldhavedisturbedPhilipifhehadnotbeen
insuchhighspirits.
Philip』seyestwinkledasheanswered.
「Haveyouanyobjection?」
DoctorSouthgavehimalook,butdidnotreplydirectly.
「What』sthatyou』rereading?」
「PeregrinePickle.Smollett.」
「IhappentoknowthatSmollettwrotePeregrinePickle.」
「Ibegyourpardon.Medicalmenaren』tmuchinterestedinliterature,arethey?」
Philiphadputthebookdownonthetable,andDoctorSouthtookitup.ItwasavolumeofaneditionwhichhadbelongedtotheVicarofBlackstable.Itwasathinbookboundinfadedmorocco,withacopperplateengravingasafrontispiece;thepagesweremustywithageandstainedwithmould.Philip,withoutmeaningto,startedforwardalittleasDoctorSouthtookthevolumeinhishands,andaslightsmilecameintohiseyes.Verylittleescapedtheolddoctor.
「DoIamuseyou?」heaskedicily.
「Iseeyou』refondofbooks.Youcanalwaystellbythewaypeoplehandlethem.」
DoctorSouthputdownthenovelimmediately.
「Breakfastateight-thirty,」hesaidandlefttheroom.
「Whatafunnyoldfellow!」thoughtPhilip.
HesoondiscoveredwhyDoctorSouth』sassistantsfounditdifficulttogetonwithhim.Inthefirstplace,hesethisfacefirmlyagainstallthediscoveriesofthelastthirtyyears:hehadnopatiencewiththedrugswhichbecamemodish,werethoughttoworkmarvellouscures,andinafewyearswerediscarded;hehadstockmixtureswhichhehadbroughtfromSt.Luke』swherehehadbeenastudent,andhadusedallhislife;hefoundthemjustasefficaciousasanythingthathadcomeintofashionsince.PhilipwasstartledatDoctorSouth』ssuspicionofasepsis;hehadaccepteditindeferencetouniversalopinion;butheusedtheprecautionswhichPhiliphadknowninsisteduponsoscrupulouslyatthehospitalwiththedisdainfultoleranceofamanplayingatsoldierswithchildren.
「I』veseenantisepticscomealongandsweepeverythingbeforethem,andthenI』veseenasepsistaketheirplace.Bunkum!」
Theyoungmenwhoweresentdowntohimknewonlyhospitalpractice;andtheycamewiththeunconcealedscornfortheGeneralPractitionerwhichtheyhadabsorbedintheairatthehospital;buttheyhadseenonlythecomplicatedcaseswhichappearedinthewards;theyknewhowtotreatanobscurediseaseofthesuprarenalbodies,butwerehelplesswhenconsultedforacoldinthehead.Theirknowledgewastheoreticalandtheirself-assuranceunbounded.DoctorSouthwatchedthemwithtightenedlips;hetookasavagepleasureinshowingthemhowgreatwastheirignoranceandhowunjustifiedtheirconceit.Itwasapoorpractice,offishingfolk,andthedoctormadeuphisownprescriptions.DoctorSouthaskedhisassistanthowheexpectedtomakebothendsmeetifhegaveafishermanwithastomach-acheamixtureconsistingofhalfadozenexpensivedrugs.Hecomplainedtoothattheyoungmedicalmenwereuneducated:theirreadingconsistedofTheSportingTimesandTheBritishMedicalJournal;theycouldneitherwritealegiblehandnorspellcorrectly.FortwoorthreedaysDoctorSouthwatchedPhilipclosely,readytofallonhimwithacidsarcasmifhegavehimtheopportunity;andPhilip,awareofthis,wentabouthisworkwithaquietsenseofamusement.Hewaspleasedwiththechangeofoccupation.Helikedthefeelingofindependenceandofresponsibility.Allsortsofpeoplecametotheconsulting-room.Hewasgratifiedbecauseheseemedabletoinspirehispatientswithconfidence;anditwasentertainingtowatchtheprocessofcurewhichatahospitalnecessarilycouldbewatchedonlyatdistantintervals.Hisroundstookhimintolow-
roofedcottagesinwhichwerefishingtackleandsailsandhereandtheremementoesofdeep-seatravelling,alacquerboxfromJapan,spearsandoarsfromMelanesia,ordaggersfromthebazaarsofStamboul;therewasanairofromanceinthestuffylittlerooms,andthesaltoftheseagavethemabitterfreshness.Philiplikedtotalktothesailor-men,andwhentheyfoundthathewasnotsupercilioustheytoldhimlongyarnsofthedistantjourneysoftheiryouth.
Onceortwicehemadeamistakeindiagnosis:(hehadneverseenacaseofmeaslesbefore,andwhenhewasconfrontedwiththerashtookitforanobscurediseaseoftheskin;)andonceortwicehisideasoftreatmentdifferedfromDoctorSouth』s.ThefirsttimethishappenedDoctorSouthattackedhimwithsavageirony;butPhiliptookitwithgoodhumour;hehadsomegiftforrepartee,andhemadeoneortwoanswerswhichcausedDoctorSouthtostopandlookathimcuriously.Philip』sfacewasgrave,buthiseyesweretwinkling.TheoldgentlemancouldnotavoidtheimpressionthatPhilipwaschaffinghim.Hewasusedtobeingdislikedandfearedbyhisassistants,andthiswasanewexperience.HehadhalfamindtoflyintoapassionandpackPhilipoffbythenexttrain,hehaddonethatbeforewithhisassistants;buthehadanuneasyfeelingthatPhilipthenwouldsimplylaughathimoutright;andsuddenlyhefeltamused.Hismouthformeditselfintoasmileagainsthiswill,andheturnedaway.InalittlewhilehegrewconsciousthatPhilipwasamusinghimselfsystematicallyathisexpense.Hewastakenabackatfirstandthendiverted.
「Damnhisimpudence,」hechuckledtohimself.「Damnhisimpudence.」