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Read Ebook: Lukemisia lapsille 6 by Topelius Zacharias
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Ebook has 2025 lines and 55271 words, and 41 pages
The dentist looked his opinion of the speaker, and, opening the communication doors, called the boy.
"Run in to Mr. Arthur, and ask him if he will come in--gas patient waiting."
The boy ran in--and remained in Mr. Arthur Lennox' rooms, minding them while the surgeon went to help his brother.
As he entered the dentist's sanctum, the man who had been sent for said:
"Good-morning."
"Good-morning; are you the pain killer?"
"That is my present mission," replied the surgeon, with a smile, as he drew out the rubber gas bag, and prepared the apparatus.
"What happens after I'm loaded? Sort of balloon business, this. How long do I stay gassed up?"
"But a minute, and during that minute the tooth is extracted."
"Sure it don't hurt?"
"Not at all--take my word for it. You are conscious, perhaps, of what is being done, but you will experience no pain."
"All right, then. It's warm in here; do you mind me taking off my coat, mister?"
"Not at all."
"I've been walking around pretty much all to-day winding things up."
"Ah!"
Politeness induced the surgeon to utter that exclamation; he was wholly uninterested. He wondered why patients should be so communicative.
"Yes; I'm off back to the States to-morrow. I have been round to Eldon Street about my passage, and as I walked into Finsbury Circus, blest if this tooth didn't come on aching a treat. I didn't reckon on any dentist being aboard the boat, so, when I saw your sign, I popped right in."
"And now, if you will sit here.... So. That's it."
"Hullo! what's that?"
"Don't be nervous--just the gas. Imagine you are going to sleep. That is it.... There you are; Charley, he's gone under."
The surgeon walked aside, the dentist took his place, and, instrument in hand, quickly operated.
As he put the forceps down, and picked up a glass of water, he suddenly cried:
"Arthur! what's wrong? Arthur, quick!"
The surgeon was at the window, drumming with his finger-tips on the panes. He turned round hurriedly when he was addressed and inquired:
"What's the matter?"
But he needed no verbal answer. A look at the patient's face told him much.
He clawed up a towel, and putting it beneath the chin, snatched the glass of water the dentist was holding, and dashed it on the livid, colorless face.... It had no effect.
He threw the glass and towel down, and felt the pulse, tore open the man's vest, and applied his stethoscope; seized the body, laid it on the floor, and on his knees was astride it.
"Brandy," he said, as he started in his muscular endeavor to restore animation.
His brother brought brandy, and poured some between the unconscious man's lips.
"My case is in the bag, Charley," said the surgeon, as he continued his efforts to pump air into the man's lungs. "Fill the hypo-syringe with brandy."
The dentist did so, and handed it to his brother.
The injection had no effect. Once more the manual exercise was tried--tried for nearly half an hour.
The dentist wore a very white face as he watched what was being done--the exercise kept the color in the surgeon's.
But when presently the latter rose to his feet and wiped the perspiration from his brow with his handkerchief, the hue of his face was in close competition with his brother's.
"Lock the outer door, Charley," he said, hoarsely.
The dentist did so without a word, but with a shaking hand. When he returned, the surgeon was drinking neat brandy.
And when he had finished drinking, he poured out more, and handed the glass to his brother.
The dentist looked his inquiry. The surgeon answered it:
"Yes. Dead. This happens about once in five thousand cases. Our luck, I suppose, our luck still helping us."
He said this very bitterly, as they stood looking down at the body.
Presently the dentist inquired:
"What is to be done?"
The other shook his head by way of reply.
Again the dentist broke the silence.
"Shall we send for the police?"
"What good will that do?"
"Usual! The whole thing is unusual. The police spells for us ruin. A thing of this sort gets into the papers, and we might as well put up the shutters at once."
"We must. Let me think--yes."
"You have thought of something?"
"Plain and ordinary enough. It did not want much thinking about."
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