A Great Man

debts?_ In order to support the argument with which I began this communication, perhaps you will permit me, sir, to briefly outline the history of the National Debt, our national shame. In 1688 the National Debt was little more than six hundred thousand pounds….’

After briefly outlining the history of the National Debt, Mr. Knight began a new paragraph thus:

‘In the immortal words of Shakspere, wh----‘

But at this point he was interrupted. A young and pleasant woman in a white apron pushed open the door.

‘Henry,’ she called from the doorway.

‘Well?’

‘You’d better go now.’

‘Very well, Annie; I’ll go instantly.’

He dropped the pen, reduced the gas to a speck of blue, and in half a minute was hurrying along Oxford Street. The hour was ten o’clock, and the month was July; the evening favoured romance. He turned into Bury Street, and knocked like fate at a front-door with a brass tablet on it, No. 8 of the street.

‘No, sir. He isn’t in at the moment, sir,’ said the maid who answered Mr. Knight’s imperious summons.

‘Not in!’ exclaimed Mr. Knight.

‘No, sir. He was called away half an hour ago or hardly, and may be out till very late.’

‘Called away!’ exclaimed Mr. Knight. He was astounded, shocked, pained. ‘But I warned him three months ago!’

‘Did you, sir? Is it anything very urgent, sir?’

‘It’s----‘ Mr. Knight hesitated, blushing. The girl looked so young and innocent.

‘Because if it is, master left word that anyone was to go to Dr. Christopher’s, 22, Argyll Street.’

‘You will be sure to tell your master that I came,’ said Mr. Knight frigidly, departing.

At 22, Argyll Street he was informed that Dr. Christopher had likewise been called away, and had left a recommendation that urgent cases, if any, should apply to Dr. Quain Short, 15, Bury Street. His anger was naturally increased by the absence of this second doctor, but it was far more increased by the fact that Dr. Quain Short happened to live in Bury Street. At that moment the enigma of the universe was wrapped up for him in the question, Why should he have been compelled to walk all the way from Bury Street to Argyll Street merely in order to walk all the way back again? And he became a trinity consisting of Disgusted, Indignant, and One Who Would Like to Know, the middle term predominating. When he discovered that No. 15, Bury Street, was exactly opposite No. 8, Bury Street, his feelings were such as break bell-wires.

‘Dr. Quain Short is at the Alhambra Theatre this evening with the family,’ a middle-aged and formidable housekeeper announced in reply to Mr. Knight’s query. ‘In case of urgency he is to be fetched. His box is No. 3.’

‘The Alhambra Theatre! Where is that?’ gasped Mr. Knight.

It should be explained that he held the stage in abhorrence, and, further, that the Alhambra had then only been opened for a very brief period.

‘Two out, and the third at the theatre!’ Mr. Knight mused grimly, hastening through Seven Dials. ‘At the theatre, of all places!’

A letter to the Times about the medical profession was just shaping itself in his mind as he arrived at the Alhambra and saw that a piece entitled King Carrot filled the bill.

‘King Karrot!‘ he muttered scornfully, emphasizing the dangerously explosive consonants in a manner which expressed with complete adequacy, not only his indignation against the entire medical profession, but his utter and profound contempt for the fatuities of the modern stage.

The politeness of the officials and the prompt appearance of Dr. Quain Short did something to mollify the draper’s manager of ten years’ standing, though he was not pleased when the doctor insisted on going first to his surgery for certain requisites. It was half-past eleven when he returned home; Dr. Quain Short was supposed to be hard behind.

‘How long you’ve been!’ said a voice on the second flight of stairs, ‘It’s all over. A boy. And dear Susan is doing splendidly. Mrs. Puddiphatt says she never saw such a----‘

From the attic floor came the sound of a child crying shrilly and lustily:

‘Aunt Annie! Aunt Annie! Aunt Annie!’

‘Run up and quieten him!’ Mr. Knight commanded. ‘It’s like him to begin making a noise just now. I’ll take a look at Susan—and my firstborn.’

CHAPTER II

TOM

In the attic a child of seven years was sitting up in a cot placed by the side of his dear Aunt Annie’s bed. He had an extremely intelligent, inquisitorial, and agnostical face, and a fair, curled head of hair, which he scratched with one hand as Aunt Annie entered the room and held the candle on high in order to survey him.

‘Well?’ inquired Aunt Annie firmly.