Mrs Dubedat.  Then can any doctor cure my husband?  Oh, why dont they do it?  I have tried so many:  I have spent so much.  If only you would give me the name of another doctor.

Ridgeon.  Every man in this street is a doctor.  But outside myself and the handful of men I am training at St Anne’s, there is nobody as yet who has mastered the opsonin treatment.  And we are full up?  I’m sorry; but that is all I can say. [Rising] Good morning.

Mrs Dubedat [suddenly and desperately taking some drawings from her portfolio] Doctor:  look at these.  You understand drawings:  you have good ones in your waiting-room.  Look at them.  They are his work.

Ridgeon.  It’s no use my looking. [He looks, all the same] Hallo! [He takes one to the window and studies it].  Yes:  this is the real thing.  Yes, yes. [He looks at another and returns to her].  These are very clever.  Theyre unfinished, arnt they?

Mrs Dubedat.  He gets tired so soon.  But you see, dont you, what a genius he is?  You see that he is worth saving.  Oh, doctor, I married him just to help him to begin:  I had money enough to tide him over the hard years at the beginning—­to enable him to follow his inspiration until his genius was recognized.  And I was useful to him as a model:  his drawings of me sold quite quickly.

Ridgeon.  Have you got one?

Mrs Dubedat [producing another] Only this one.  It was the first.

Ridgeon [devouring it with his eyes] Thats a wonderful drawing. 
Why is it called Jennifer?

Mrs Dubedat.  My name is Jennifer.

Ridgeon.  A strange name.

Mrs Dubedat.  Not in Cornwall.  I am Cornish.  It’s only what you call Guinevere.

Ridgeon [repeating the names with a certain pleasure in them] Guinevere.  Jennifer. [Looking again at the drawing] Yes:  it’s really a wonderful drawing.  Excuse me; but may I ask is it for sale?  I’ll buy it.

Mrs Dubedat.  Oh, take it.  It’s my own:  he gave it to me.  Take it.  Take them all.  Take everything; ask anything; but save him.  You can:  you will:  you must.

Redpenny [entering with every sign of alarm] Theyve just telephoned from the hospital that youre to come instantly—­a patient on the point of death.  The carriage is waiting.

Ridgeon [intolerantly] Oh, nonsense:  get out. [Greatly annoyed] What do you mean by interrupting me like this?

Redpenny.  But—­

Ridgeon.  Chut! cant you see I’m engaged?  Be off.

Redpenny, bewildered, vanishes.

Mrs Dubedat [rising] Doctor:  one instant only before you go—­

Ridgeon.  Sit down.  It’s nothing.

Mrs Dubedat.  But the patient.  He said he was dying.

Ridgeon.  Oh, he’s dead by this time.  Never mind.  Sit down.