{"product_id":"2940148224334","title":"'\u0026#x00A3;19,000' (Illustrated)","description":"The gong fixed in the door frame sounded.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA man entered as Sawyer hurriedly ceased a perusal of the pages of the Boys of the World, and stuffed that sample of the literature of young England up his page's jacket.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Is the boss in?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Yes, sir.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I want a tooth out.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Yes, sir. Will you take a seat a moment?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe boy handed the visitor a newspaper as he spoke, and then entered the inner room. To his employer he said:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Gent wants a tooth extracted, sir.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHe had attained the word \"extracted\" by diligent practice. It had been hard work, but he got home with it at last.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThere was a hope prevailing in the dentist's breast that in time the boy would be able to say \"gentleman\"; at present there were no indications of the realization of that hope beyond the word's first syllable.[Pg 8]\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe dentist was wearily glancing out of the window. He looked very down in the mouth.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThat is said of him metaphorically, as, actually, it is part of the business of a dentist to do that sort of thing. That is patent.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHe had little to do but admire the scenery of Finsbury Circus. It is not an inspiring landscape—weariness naturally follows its frequent observation.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHis brother had rooms a few doors away, and was the proprietor of a brass plate which bore four letters after his name—Arthur Lennox, M.R.C.S.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSawyer was a divided possession. However impossible it may seem for a man to serve two masters, the boy did—it came cheaper that way.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe surgeon and dentist were not having good times.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePatience is necessary in waiting for patients, and the stock of it they had laid in when they started in their respective practices was nearly exhausted.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOverdue rent and unpaid bills stared them in the face. In addition to their kinship they were brothers in misfortune.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt was such a rare thing for a patient to call that, when the page announced one, the dentist quite started. Immediately he said:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Show him in.\"[Pg 9]\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe boy did so, and retired. To his visitor, the dentist said:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Good-morning.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Good-morning. You are Mr. Charles Lennox?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThere was just that twang about the speaker's voice which some persons find so \"charming\"—and others tip their noses at—American.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"That is my name.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I saw it up on the wire blind with the word 'dentist' after it.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"You need dental attention?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I need a tooth out.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Will you sit down here?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Say! Hold on a minute. There's another combination on your blind. 'Painless Dentistry.'\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Yes.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I want to sample that kind.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"You mean—gas?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I mean the kind where you yank the tooth out without the owner knowing it. I've heard that it's done that way.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Oh, yes, very frequently.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Then fire away, boss.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I shall have to ask you to wait a minute or two.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"What for?\"[Pg 10]\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I must send for a medical man to administer the gas.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Can't do it yourself?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"No, it is not usual.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Will it be long?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"No, my anæsthetist is but a few doors away.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"All right, then.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"It is proper that I should mention that for the administration of gas an extra fee is charged.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"How do you mean?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"The charge is half a guinea extra.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Fifteen and six in all?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Yes.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"That's all right. If it really comes out without my knowing it, I shan't ask for my change out of a sovereign. Money's no object with me just now.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe dentist looked his opinion of the speaker, and, opening the communication doors, called the boy.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Run in to Mr. Arthur, and ask him if he will come in—gas patient waiting.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe boy ran in—and remained in Mr. Arthur Lennox' rooms, minding them while the surgeon went to help his brother.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs he entered the dentist's sanctum, the man who had been sent for said:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Good-morning.\"[Pg 11]\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Good-morning; are you the pain killer?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"That is my present mission,\" replied the surgeon, with a smile, as he drew out the rubber gas bag, and prepared the apparatus.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"What happens after I'm loaded? Sort of balloon business, this. How long do I stay gassed up?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"But a minute, and during that minute the tooth is extracted.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Sure it don't hurt?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Not at all—take my word for it. You are conscious, perhaps, of what is being done, but you will experience no pain.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"All right, then. It's warm in here; do you mind me taking off my coat, mister?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Not at all.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I've been walking around pretty much all to-day winding things up.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Ah!\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePoliteness induced the surgeon to utter that exclamation; he was wholly uninterested.","brand":"Lost Leaf Publications","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47122376163568,"sku":"2940148224334","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940148224334_p0.jpg?v=1763699869","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940148224334","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}