Page 533 - of-human-bondage-

‘I’d rather stay where I am,’ said Philip.
He did not want to be disturbed, and he was always shy
of new surroundings. He did not fancy nurses fussing about
him, and the dreary cleanliness of the hospital.
‘I can look after him, sir,’ said Griffiths at once.
‘Oh, very well.’
He wrote a prescription, gave instructions, and left.
‘Now you’ve got to do exactly as I tell you,’ said Griffiths.
‘I’m day-nurse and night-nurse all in one.’
‘It’s very kind of you, but I shan’t want anything,’ said
Philip.
Griffiths put his hand on Philip’s forehead, a large cool,
dry hand, and the touch seemed to him good.
‘I’m just going to take this round to the dispensary to
have it made up, and then I’ll come back.’
In a little while he brought the medicine and gave Philip
a dose. Then he went upstairs to fetch his books.
‘You won’t mind my working in your room this after-
noon, will you?’ he said, when he came down. ‘I’ll leave the
door open so that you can give me a shout if you want any-
thing.’
Later in the day Philip, awaking from an uneasy doze,
heard voices in his sitting-room. A friend had come in to
see Griffiths.
‘I say, you’d better not come in tonight,’ he heard Griffiths
saying.
And then a minute or two afterwards someone else
entered the room and expressed his surprise at finding
Griffiths there. Philip heard him explain.

Of Human Bondage