CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT: Denny Returns

To his great pride, Andrew was now a doctor in one of the oldest and most famous hospitals in London.

The Victoria was certainly old. The building was in a noisy, dirty street and it rarely saw the sun, even in summer. The department in which Andrew worked smelt of old age.

Andrew worked at the Victoria on two afternoons a week, and all his patients had some form of lung disease. But, though he was excited about his new appointment, Andrew could not put his heart into his work. He had lost interest in his coal dust discoveries. He had more important things to think about now! He decided that it was not worth his time and trouble to make a thorough medical examination of every person who came to see him. Instead, he took a quick look at each patient, and then gave him or her a bottle of medicine.

Six weeks after he started work at the Victoria, Andrew received a letter from Denny. He gave a sudden cry of pleasure. ‘He’s coming home – to work in England. Heavens, it will be nice to see him again, Chris!’

She was as pleased as Andrew was – but for a different reason. She had always felt that Denny and Hope had been a good influence on Andrew, and she hoped that Denny might influence his behaviour now. ‘I think that I will invite Denny and Hope to dinner next week,’ she said.

‘All right,’ he replied, ‘but they will have to come on Sunday. I’m too busy during the rest of the week!’

On the following Sunday, Denny arrived. He looked older, but seemed to be happier. Yet he was the same Denny.

‘This is a very grand house!’ he greeted them. Then, turning to Christine, he added: ‘And who is this well-dressed gentleman? Is he Dr Manson?’

Seated, a moment later, he refused a drink. ‘No, thanks. I don’t drink now. I’m going to settle down.’

He told them that he had found himself a good post at a country hospital.

Andrew looked at him quickly. ‘You shouldn’t bury yourself in the country, Philip! With your degree, you could get a much better post in London. Come to London!’

‘What have you been doing to him?’ Denny asked Christine. ‘He doesn’t sound like the man who blew up that sewer with me at Drineffy!’

At that moment Hope arrived. He and Denny had not met before; but they liked each other at once. Five minutes later, as they sat down to dinner, they began to joke about Andrew’s success to his face.

‘Of course, Hope,’ Philip remarked sadly, ‘I have known these people for a long time. I knew the Doctor before he came to London – before he became so successful! He was dismissed from his last post for using animals in his research!’

Hope laughed loudly and replied with another joke about Andrew.

There was more of this sort of talk during the meal. Then, as Christine had hoped, the conversation became more serious. At first, Andrew was rather quiet. Although he was pleased to see Philip again, he did not feel that his old friend was showing enough respect for his success. After all, he had done very well – extremely well! And what had Denny done? Several times he nearly told Denny and Hope to stop trying to be funny. Yet, when they began to discuss hospitals, Andrew joined in the conversation with real interest.

‘They’re all out of date!’ he cried. ‘The Victoria is falling down! Most of the hospitals in London are falling down! The buildings are old, and the streets are noisy! How can patients get well in such conditions? The whole system is wrong!’

‘Well, what’s the answer?’ Philip asked, with an annoying smile. ‘What do you suggest? A new Board of Control, with you in charge, to reorganize all the hospitals?’

‘Don’t be a fool, Denny!’ Andrew answered angrily. ‘The only sensible answer is to build new hospitals a few kilometres outside London – in quiet areas, where there is good, fresh air. I tell you: the present system is terrible. And what are we doing about it? Nothing! If I were in charge…’

They talked until after midnight. Denny complained about the lack of knowledge shown by so many doctors; and Hope complained about the waste of medical supplies.

Soon after midnight, Hope left. While Andrew was out of the room, saying goodbye to him, Denny gave Christine a small present which he had brought home for her from abroad. She tried to thank him, but he stopped her. His kind eyes avoiding hers, Denny said: ‘Don’t worry about Andrew.’ He smiled. ‘But we must try to lead him back to his old Drineffy standards, mustn’t we?’