The Price He Paid — page 128: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A NEW PATIENT. 119 Another case soon came under the young man’s notice, which, though even less likely to be lucra- tive, provided in an unhoped-for degree the “amuse- ment” here so ruthlessly denied him. George had begged his friend to visit the wife of a poor law- writer who occasionally copied for the assessor, and for whom the latter had obtained employment in the government bureaux. The wife had long been suffering from some wasting disease. The visits of the doctor called in to her were few and far between, and one day he declared with a shrug of the shoulders that there was not much to be done; and finally ceased his visits altogether, the family being in impoverished circumstances and quite unable to pay his fees. Max at once responded to his friend’s appeal, and went next day to the cot- tage indicated to him as the patient’s dwelling, which was situated in the suburb lying at the foot of the Castle-hill. A little girl about ten years of age opened the door, and admitted the young surgeon to a scantily- furnished room. Max was going straight up to the invalid when he paused suddenly, seeing at her side a young lady with pale cheeks and smoothly- braided hair, attired in a dark, nun-like dress, She was reading aloud from a volume she held in her hand, its gilt edges and the cross on the cover un- mistakably denoting a prayer-book. The young lady was Councilor Moser’s daughter. She ceased reading, and rose in some confusion on recognizing the new-comer. asi “Good-morning, fraulein,” said Max, quietly. “Hxcuse my disturbing you, but mine is a doctor’s errand to an invalid, and this time I really am the person expected, and no mistake.” : The young girl crimsoned to the temples, and drew back. Shemadenoreply. Dr. brunnow now intro- duced himself to the sick woman, who was prepared for his visit. He began at once to question her as to her symptoms, in order to ascertain the precise stage the malady had reached. He went to work in no specially miid or considerate manner, not at- tempting consolation, or even giving any decided Eomichboo <S (E(0)