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movement of his thin finely…cut lips。 A thoroughly capable man； beyond
all doubtbut defend me from accidentally sitting next to him at dinner；
or traveling with him for my only companion on a long journey！
I received these distinguished persons with my best grace。 Herr Grosse
complimented me in return on my illustrious name； and shook hands。 Mr。
Sebright said it was a beautiful day； and bowed。 The German； the moment
he was at liberty to look about him； looked at the luncheon…table。 The
Englishman looked out of window。
〃Will you take some refreshment； gentlemen？〃
Herr Grosse nodded his shock head in high approval。 His wild eyes glared
greedily at the Mayonnaise through his prodigious spectacles。 〃Aha！ I
like that；〃 said the illustrious surgeon； pointing at the dish with his
ringed forefinger。 〃You know how to make himyou make him with creams。
Is he chickens or lobsters？ I like lobsters best； but chickens is goot
too。 The garnish is lofelyanchovy； olive； beetroots； brown； green； red；
on a fat white sauce！ This I call a heavenly dish。 He is nice…cool in two
different ways； nice…cool； to the eye； nice…cool to the taste！ Soh！ we
will break into his inside。 Madame Pratolungo； you shall begin。 Here goes
for the liver…wings！〃
In this extraordinary Englishturning words in the singular into words
in the plural； and banishing from the British vocabulary the copulative
conjunction 〃and〃Herr Grosse announced his readiness to sit down to
lunch。 He was politely recalled from the Mayonnaise to the patient by his
discreet English colleague。
〃I beg your pardon；〃 said Mr。 Sebright。 Would it not be advisable to see
the young lady； before we do anything else？ I am obliged to return to
London by the next train。〃
Herr Grosse…with a fork in one hand and a spoon in the other； and a
napkin tied round his neckstared piteously； shook his shock head； and
turned his back on the Mayonnaise； with a heavy heart at parting。
〃Goot。 We shall do our works first： then eat our lunches afterwards。
Where is the patients？ Come…begin…begin！〃 He removed the napkin； blew a
sigh （there is no other way of expressing it）and plunged his finger and
thumb into his tea…caddy snuff…box。 〃Where is the patients？〃 he repeated
irritably。 〃Why is she not close…handy in here？〃
〃She is waiting in the next room；〃 I said。 〃I will bring her in directly。
You will make allowances for her； gentlemen； I am sure； if you find her a
little nervous？〃 I added； looking at both the oculists。 Silent Mr。
Sebright bowed。 Herr Grosse grinned diabolically； and said； 〃Make your
mind easy； my goot creature。 I am not such a brutes as I look！〃
〃Where is Oscar？〃 asked Nugent； as I passed him on my way to Lucilla's
room。
〃After altering his mind a dozen times at least；〃 I replied； 〃he has
decided on not being present at the examination。〃
I had barely said the words before the door opened； and Oscar entered the
room。 He had altered his mind for the thirteenth timeand here he was as
the result of it！
Herr Grosse burst out with an exclamation in his own language； at the
sight of Oscar's face。 〃Ach； Gott！〃 he exclaimed； 〃he has been taking
Nitrates of Silvers。 His complexions is spoilt。 Poor boys！ poor boys！〃 He
shook his shaggy headturnedand spat compassionately into a corner of
the room。 Oscar looked offended； Mr。 Sebright looked disgusted； Nugent
thoroughly enjoyed it。 I left the room and closed the door behind me。
I had not taken two steps in the corridor when I heard the door opened
again。 Looking back directly； I found myself； to my amazement； face to
face with Herr Grossestaring ferociously at me through his spectacles；
and offering me his arm！
〃Hosh！〃 said the famous oculist in a heavy whisper。 〃Say nothing to
nobody。 I am come to help you。〃
〃To help me？〃 I repeated。
Herr Grosse nodded vehementlyso vehemently that his prodigious
spectacles hopped up and down on his nose。
〃What did you tell me just now？〃 he asked。 〃You told me the patient was
nervous。 Goot！ I am come to go with you to the patients； and help you to
fetch her。 Soh！ soh！ I am not such a brutes as I look。 Come…begin…begin！
Where is she？〃
I hesitated for a moment about introducing this remarkable ambassador
into Lucilla's bedroom。 One look at him decided me。 After all； he was a
doctor；and such an ugly one！ I took his arm。
We went together into Lucilla's room。 She started up from the sofa on
which she was reclining when she heard the strange footsteps entering；
side by side with mine。
〃Who is it？〃 she cried。
〃It is me； my dears；〃 said Herr Grosse。 〃Ach； Gott！ what a pretty girls！
Here is jost the complexions I like…nice…fair！ nice…fair！ I am come to
see what I can do； my pretty Miss； for this eyes of yours。 If I can let
the light in on youhey！ you will lofe me； won't you？ You will kees even
an ugly Germans like me。 Soh！ Come under my arm。 We will go back into the
odder rooms。 There is anodder one waiting to let the light in tooMr。
Sebrights。 Two surgeon…optic to one pretty MissEnglish surgeon…optic；
German surgeon…optichey！ between us we shall cure this nice girls。
Madame Pratolungo； here is my odder arms at your service。 Hey！ what？ You
look at my coatsleeve。 He is shabby…greasyI am ashamed of him。 No
matter。 You have got Mr。 Sebrights to look at in the odder rooms。 He is
spick…span； beautiful…new。 Come！ Forwards！ Marsch！〃
Nugent； waiting in the corridor； threw the door open for us。 〃Isn't he
delightful？〃 Nugent whispered behind me； pointing to his friend。 Escorted
by Herr Grosse； we made a magnificent entry into the room。 Our German
doctor had done Lucilla good already。 The examination was relieved of all
its embarrassments and its terrors at the outset。 Herr Grosse had made
her laughHerr Grosse had set her completely at her ease。
Mr。 Sebright and Oscar were talking together in a perfectly friendly way
when we returned to the sitting…room。 The reserved Englishman appeared to
have his attraction for the shy Oscar。 Even Mr。 Sebright was struck by
Lucilla； his cold face lit up with interest when he was presented to her。
He placed a chair for her in front of the window。 There was a warmth in
his tone which I had not heard yet； when he begged her to be seated in
that place。 She took the chair。 Mr。 Sebright thereupon drew back； and
bowed to Herr Grosse； with a courteous wave of his hand towards Lucilla
which signified； 〃You first！〃
Herr Grosse met this advance with a counter…wave of the hand； and a
vehement shake of his shock…head； which signified； 〃I couldn't think of
such a thing！〃
〃Pardon me；〃 entreated Mr。 Sebright。 〃As my senior； as a visitor to
England； as a master in our art。〃
Herr Grosse responded by regaling himself with three pinches of snuff in
rapid successiona pinch as senior； a pinch as visitor to England； a
pinch as master in the art。 An awful pause followed。 Neither of the
surgeons would take precedence of the other。 Nugent interfered。
〃Miss Finch is waiting；〃 he said。 〃Come； Grosse； you were first presented
to her。 You examine her first。〃
Herr Grosse took Nugent's ear between his finger and thumb； and gave it a
good…humoured pinch。 〃You clever boys！〃 he said。 〃You have the