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come on； which is the first working of the poison。 And then I have given
her of our Smyrna opium。 Come； sir； for already an hour has passed。〃
As they stepped out into the darkness； a sheet of rain was driven in
upon their faces； and the hall lamp； which dangled from the arm of a
marble caryatid； went out with a fluff。 Pim； the butler； pushed the heavy
door to； straining hard with his shoulder against the wind； while the two
men groped their way towards the yellow glare which showed where the
cab was waiting。 An instant later they were rattling upon their journey。
〃Is it far？〃 asked Douglas Stone。
〃Oh； no。 We have a very little quiet place off the Euston Road。〃
The surgeon pressed the spring of his repeater and listened to the little
tings which told him the hour。 It was a quarter past nine。 He calculated
the distances； and the short time which it would take him to perform so
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trivial an operation。 He ought to reach Lady Sannox by ten o'clock。
Through the fogged windows he saw the blurred gas…lamps dancing past；
with occasionally the broader glare of a shop front。 The rain was pelting
and rattling upon the leathern top of the carriage and the wheels swashed
as they rolled through puddle and mud。 Opposite to him the white
headgear of his companion gleamed faintly through the obscurity。 The
surgeon felt in his pockets and arranged his needles； his ligatures and his
safety…pins； that no time might be wasted when they arrived。 He chafed
with impatience and drummed his foot upon the floor。
But the cab slowed down at last and pulled up。 In an instant Douglas
Stone was out； and the Smyrna merchant's toe was at his very heel。
〃You can wait；〃 said he to the driver。
It was a mean…looking house in a narrow and sordid street。 The
surgeon； who knew his London well； cast a swift glance into the shadows；
but there was nothing distinctiveno shop； no movement； nothing but a
double line of dull； flat…faced houses； a double stretch of wet flagstones
which gleamed in the lamplight； and a double rush of water in the gutters
which swirled and gurgled towards the sewer gratings。 The door which
faced them was blotched and discoloured； and a faint light in the fan pane
above it served to show the dust and the grime which covered it。 Above；
in one of the bedroom windows； there was a dull yellow glimmer。 The
merchant knocked loudly； and； as he turned his dark face towards the light；
Douglas Stone could see that it was contracted with anxiety。 A bolt was
drawn； and an elderly woman with a taper stood in the doorway； shielding
the thin flame with her gnarled hand。
〃Is all well？〃 gasped the merchant。
〃She is as you left her； sir。〃
〃She has not spoken？〃
〃No； she is in a deep sleep。〃
The merchant closed the door； and Douglas Stone walked down the
narrow passage； glancing about him in some surprise as he did so。 There
was no oilcloth； no mat； no hat…rack。 Deep grey dust and heavy festoons
of cobwebs met his eyes everywhere。 Following the old woman up the
winding stair； his firm footfall echoed harshly through the silent house。
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There was no carpet。
The bedroom was on the second landing。 Douglas Stone followed
the old nurse into it； with the merchant at his heels。 Here； at least； there
was furniture and to spare。 The floor was littered and the corners piled
with Turkish cabinets； inlaid tables； coats of chain mail； strange pipes； and
grotesque weapons。 A single small lamp stood upon a bracket on the
wall。 Douglas Stone took it down； and picking his way among the
lumber； walked over to a couch in the corner； on which lay a woman
dressed in the Turkish fashion； with yashmak and veil。 The lower part of
the face was exposed； and the surgeon saw a jagged cut which zigzagged
along the border of the under lip。
〃You will forgive the yashmak；〃 said the Turk。 〃You know our views
about woman in the East。〃
But the surgeon was not thinking about the yashmak。 This was no
longer a woman to him。 It was a case。 He stooped and examined the
wound carefully。
〃There are no signs of irritation；〃 said he。 〃We might delay the
operation until local symptoms develop。〃
The husband wrung his hands in incontrollable agitation。
〃Oh！ sir； sir！〃 he cried。 〃Do not trifle。 You do not know。 It is deadly。
I know； and I give you my assurance that an operation is absolutely
necessary。 Only the knife can save her。〃
〃And yet I am inclined to wait；〃 said Douglas Stone。
〃That is enough！〃 the Turk cried； angrily。 〃Every minute is of
importance； and I cannot stand here and see my wife allowed to sink。 It
only remains for me to give you my thanks for having come； and to call in
some other surgeon before it is too late。〃
Douglas Stone hesitated。 To refund that hundred pounds was no
pleasant matter。 But of course if he left the case he must return the
money。 And if the Turk were right and the woman died； his position
before a coroner might be an embarrassing one。
〃You have had personal experience of this poison？〃 he asked。
〃I have。〃
〃And you assure me that an operation is needful。〃
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〃I swear it by all that I hold sacred。〃
〃The disfigurement will be frightful。〃
〃I can understand that the mouth will not be a pretty one to kiss。〃
Douglas Stone turned fiercely upon the man。 The speech was a
brutal one。 But the Turk has his own fashion of talk and of thought； and
there was no time for wrangling。 Douglas Stone drew a bistoury from his
case； opened it and felt the keen straight edge with his forefinger。 Then
he held the lamp closer to the bed。 Two dark eyes were gazing up at him