Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Black Doctor
IhadenoughmoneytodefraymymedicalstudiesatGlasgow,andIfinallysettledinpracticeatBishop’sCrossing,inthefirmconvictionthatinthatremoteLancashirehamletIshouldneverhearofhimagain.
"Foryearsmyhopeswerefulfilled,andthenatlasthediscoveredme.SomeLiverpoolmanwhovisitedBuenosAyresputhimuponmytrack.Hehadlostallhismoney,andhethoughtthathewouldcomeoverandsharemine.Knowingmyhorrorofhim,herightlythoughtthatIwouldbewillingtobuyhimoff.Ireceivedaletterfromhimsayingthathewascoming.Itwasatacrisisinmyownaffairs,andhisarrivalmightconceivablybringtrouble,andevendisgrace,uponsomewhomIwasespeciallyboundtoshieldfromanythingofthekind.Itookstepstoinsurethatanyevilwhichmightcomeshouldfallonmeonly,andthat"—hereheturnedandlookedattheprisoner—"wasthecauseofconductuponmypartwhichhasbeentooharshlyjudged.Myonlymotivewastoscreenthosewhoweredeartomefromanypossibleconnectionwithscandalordisgrace.Thatscandalanddisgracewouldcomewithmybrotherwasonlytosaythatwhathadbeenwouldbeagain.
"Mybrotherarrivedhimselfonenightnotverylongaftermyreceiptoftheletter.Iwassittinginmystudyaftertheservantshadgonetobed,whenIheardafootstepuponthegraveloutside,andaninstantlaterIsawhisfacelookinginatmethroughthewindow.Hewasaclean-shavenmanlikemyself,andtheresemblancebetweenuswasstillsogreatthat,foraninstant,Ithoughtitwasmyownreflectionintheglass.
