something wrong with your common sense. Youre not going to die;
but you may be going to make a fool of yourself. So be careful.

RIDGEON. I sec you dont believe in my discovery. Well, sometimes
I dont believe in it myself. Thank you all the same. Shall we
have Walpole up?

SIR PATRICK. Oh, have him up. [Ridgeon rings]. He's a clever
operator, is Walpole, though he's only one of your chloroform
surgeons. In my early days, you made your man drunk; and the
porters and students held him down; and you had to set your teeth
and finish the job fast. Nowadays you work at your ease; and the
pain doesn't come until afterwards, when youve taken your
cheque and rolled up your bag and left the house. I tell you,
Colly, chloroform has done a lot of mischief. It's enabled every
fool to be a surgeon.

RIDGEON [to Emmy, who answers the bell] Shew Mr Walpole up.

EMMY. He's talking to the lady.

RIDGEON [exasperated] Did I not tell you--

Emmy goes out without heeding him. He gives it up, with a shrug,
and plants himself with his back to the console, leaning
resignedly against it.

SIR PATRICK. I know your Cutler Walpoles and their like. Theyve
found out that a man's body's full of bits and scraps of old
organs he has no mortal use for. Thanks to chloroform, you can