"I understand you,"
she said again, as quietly as before.
"I beg your pardon," said the doctor, with another attack
of deafness, and with his hand once more at his ear.
She laughed to herself--a low, terrible laugh, which startled
even the doctor into taking his hand off the back of her chair.
"An inmate of your Sanitarium?" she repeated. "You consult
appearances in everything else; do you propose to consult
appearances in receiving me into your house?"
"Most assuredly!" replied the doctor, with enthusiasm. "I am
surprised at your asking me the question! Did you ever know
a man of any eminence in my profession who set appearances
at defiance? If you honor me by accepting my invitation, you
enter My Sanitarium in the most unimpeachable of all possible
characters--in the character of a Patient."
"When do you want my answer?"
"Can you decide to-day?"
"To-morrow?"
"Yes. Have you anything more to say?"
"Nothing more."
"Leave me, then. _I_ don't keep up appearances. I wish to be
alone, and I say so. Good-morning."
"Oh, the sex! the sex!" said the doctor, with his excellent
temper in perfect working order again.
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