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they chiefly suffered from; one went to the H.P. and the oth-
er to the clerk, handing in their letters: if they were going on
well the words Rep 14 were written on them, and they went
to the dispensary with their bottles or gallipots in order to
have medicine given them for fourteen days more. Some
old stagers held back so that they might be seen by the phy-
sician himself, but they seldom succeeded in this; and only
three or four, whose condition seemed to demand his atten-
tion, were kept.
Dr. Tyrell came in with quick movements and a breezy
manner. He reminded one slightly of a clown leaping into
the arena of a circus with the cry: Here we are again. His air
seemed to indicate: What’s all this nonsense about being ill?
I’ll soon put that right. He took his seat, asked if there were
any old patients for him to see, rapidly passed them in re-
view, looking at them with shrewd eyes as he discussed their
symptoms, cracked a joke (at which all the clerks laughed
heartily) with the H.P., who laughed heartily too but with
an air as if he thought it was rather impudent for the clerks
to laugh, remarked that it was a fine day or a hot one, and
rang the bell for the porter to show in the new patients.
They came in one by one and walked up to the table at
which sat Dr. Tyrell. They were old men and young men and
middle-aged men, mostly of the labouring class, dock la-
bourers, draymen, factory hands, barmen; but some, neatly
dressed, were of a station which was obviously superior,
shop-assistants, clerks, and the like. Dr. Tyrell looked at
these with suspicion. Sometimes they put on shabby clothes
in order to pretend they were poor; but he had a keen eye to

0 Of Human Bondage