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.」