Ridgeon.  Well, she hasnt done so badly.  For half-a-crown she’s had a consultation with Sir Ralph Bloomfield Bonington and Cutler Walpole.  Thats six guineas’ worth to start with.  I dare say she’s consulted Blenkinsop too:  thats another eighteenpence.

Emmy.  Then youll see her for me, wont you?

Ridgeon.  Oh, send her up and be hanged. [Emmy trots out, satisfied.  Ridgeon calls] Redpenny!

Redpenny [appearing at the door] What is it?

Ridgeon.  Theres a patient coming up.  If she hasnt gone in five minutes, come in with an urgent call from the hospital for me.  You understand:  she’s to have a strong hint to go.

Redpenny.  Right O! [He vanishes].

Ridgeon goes to the glass, and arranges his tie a little.

Emmy [announcing] Mrs Doobidad [Ridgeon leaves the glass and goes to the writing-table].

The lady comes in.  Emmy goes out and shuts the door.  Ridgeon, who has put on an impenetrable and rather distant professional manner, turns to the lady, and invites her, by a gesture, to sit down on the couch.

Mrs Dubedat is beyond all demur an arrestingly good-looking young woman.  She has something of the grace and romance of a wild creature, with a good deal of the elegance and dignity of a fine lady.  Ridgeon, who is extremely susceptible to the beauty of women, instinctively assumes the defensive at once, and hardens his manner still more.  He has an impression that she is very well dressed, but she has a figure on which any dress would look well, and carries herself with the unaffected distinction of a woman who has never in her life suffered from those doubts and fears as to her social position which spoil the manners of most middling people.  She is tall, slender, and strong; has dark hair, dressed so as to look like hair and not like a bird’s nest or a pantaloon’s wig (fashion wavering just then between these two models); has unexpectedly narrow, subtle, dark-fringed eyes that alter her expression disturbingly when she is excited and flashes them wide open; is softly impetuous in her speech and swift in her movements; and is just now in mortal anxiety.  She carries a portfolio.

Mrs Dubedat [in low urgent tones] Doctor—­

Ridgeon [curtly] Wait.  Before you begin, let me tell you at once that I can do nothing for you.  My hands are full.  I sent you that message by my old servant.  You would not take that answer.

Mrs Dubedat.  How could I?

Ridgeon.  You bribed her.

Mrs Dubedat.  I—­

Ridgeon.  That doesnt matter.  She coaxed me to see you.  Well, you must take it from me now that with all the good will in the world, I cannot undertake another case.

Mrs Dubedat.  Doctor:  you must save my husband.  You must.  When I explain to you, you will see that you must.  It is not an ordinary case, not like any other case.  He is not like anybody else in the world:  oh, believe me, he is not.  I can prove it to you:  [fingering her portfolio] I have brought some things to shew you.  And you can save him:  the papers say you can.