Місіс Деллоуей

           Hehadworkedveryhard;hehadwonhispositionbysheerability(beingthesonofashopkeeper);lovedhisprofession;madeafinefigureheadatceremoniesandspokewell—allofwhichhadbythetimehewasknightedgivenhimaheavylook,awearylook(thestreamofpatientsbeingsoincessant,theresponsibilitiesandprivilegesofhisprofessionsoonerous),whichweariness,togetherwithhisgreyhairs,increasedtheextraordinarydistinctionofhispresenceandgavehimthereputation(oftheutmostimportanceindealingwithnervecases)notmerelyoflightningskill,andalmostinfallibleaccuracyindiagnosisbutofsympathy;tact;understandingofthehumansoul.Hecouldseethefirstmomenttheycameintotheroom(theWarrenSmithstheywerecalled);hewascertaindirectlyhesawtheman;itwasacaseofextremegravity.Itwasacaseofcompletebreakdown—completephysicalandnervousbreakdown,witheverysymptominanadvancedstage,heascertainedintwoorthreeminutes(writinganswerstoquestions,murmureddiscreetly,onapinkcard).

           HowlonghadDr.Holmesbeenattendinghim?

           Sixweeks.

           Prescribedalittlebromide?Saidtherewasnothingthematter?Ahyes(thosegeneralpractitioners!thoughtSirWilliam.Ittookhalfhistimetoundotheirblunders.Somewereirreparable).

           “YouservedwithgreatdistinctionintheWar?”

           Thepatientrepeatedtheword“war”interrogatively.