"One may take wine freely with his
friends and be as abstemious as an anchorite during business-or
profession-hours."
"Not at all probable," replied Mr. Carlton, "and not good in my
observation. The appetite that leads a man into drinking more when
among friends than his brain will carry steadily is not likely to
sleep when he is alone. Any over-stimulation, as you know, doctor,
leaves in the depressed state that follows a craving for renewed
exhilaration. I am very sure that on the morning after one of the
occasions to which I have referred Doctor Kline finds himself in no
condition for the work of a delicate surgical operation until he has
steadied his relaxed nerves with more than a single glass."
He paused for a moment, and then said, with strong emphasis:
"The hand, Doctor Hillhouse, that cuts down into her dear flesh must
be steadied by healthy nerves, and not by wine or brandy. No, sir; I
will not hear to it. I will not have Doctor Kline. In your hands,
and yours alone, I trust my wife in this great extremity."
"That is for you to decide," returned Dr. Hillhouse. "I felt it to
be only right to give you an opportunity to avail of Doctor Kline's
acknowledged skill. I am sure you can do so safely."
But Mr. Carlton was very emphatic in his rejection of Dr. Kline.
"I may be a little peculiar," he said, "but do you know I never
trust any important interest with a man who drinks habitually?--one
of your temperate drinkers, I mean, who can take his three or four
glasses of wine at dinner, or twice that number, during an evening
while playing at whist, but who never debases himself by so low a
thing as intoxication.
Pages:
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177