"
"Will he assist you in the operation?"
"Yes."
Dr. Hillhouse became thoughtful and silent. His countenance wore a
serious, almost troubled aspect.
"Never before," he said, after a long pause, "have I looked forward
to an operation with such a feeling of concern as I look forward to
this. Three or four months ago, when there was only a little sack
there, it could have been removed without risk. But I greatly fear
that in its rapid growth it has become largely attached to the
blood-vessels and the sheaths of nerves, and you know how difficult
this will make the operation, and that the risk will be largely
increased. The fact is, doctor, I am free to say that it would be
more agreeable to me if some other surgeon had the responsibility of
this case."
"Dr. Kline would, no doubt, be very ready to take it off of your
hands."
"If the family were satisfied, I would cheerfully delegate the work
to him," said Doctor Hillhouse.
"He's a younger man, and his recent brilliant operations have
brought him quite prominently before, the public."
As he spoke Doctor Hillhouse, who was past sixty-five and beginning
to feel the effects of over forty years of earnest professional
labor, lifted his small hand, the texture of which, was as fine as
that of a woman's, and holding it up, looked at it steadily for some
moments. It trembled just a little.
"Not quite so firm as it was twenty years ago," he remarked, with a
slight depression in his voice.
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