"I told
you so distinctly. I am going out immediately."
The man paused. He had been with the doctor for many years, and both
adored and understood him. The doctor looked at him.
"It is a patient, I suppose?" he asked.
"Well, sir, I can't exactly say."
"A lady?"
"Yes, sir. At least, sir--well, no, sir."
"What do you mean?"
"A female, sir."
"What does she want?"
"To see you, sir. I can't get her to go. I asked her to, sir; then I told
her to."
"Well?"
"She only gave me this and said she'd come to see you, and if you were in
she'd wait."
He handed a card to his master. The doctor took it and read:
"Cuckoo Bright, 400 Marylebone Road."
The words conveyed nothing to his mind, for neither Julian nor Valentine
had ever talked to him of the lady of the feathers.
"Cuckoo Bright," he said. "An odd name! And an odd person, I suppose,
Lawler?"
Lawler pursed his lips rather primly.
"Very odd, sir. Not at all a usual sort of patient, sir."
"H'm. Go and ask her if she comes as a patient or on private business."
The man retreated and returned.
"The--lady says she's ill and must see you, sir, if only for a moment."
This was Cuckoo's ruse to get into the house, and was based upon Julian's
long-ago remark that the doctor could never resist helping any one who
was in trouble.
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