I should be very sorry if he did. All I
want to be sure of is that the doctor wouldn't put himself out to cure
Mr. Simpkins if anybody else poisoned him."
"The Lord save us!" said Sabina. "Is it murder you're thinking of?"
"It is not," said Meldon. "Don't get any foolish idea of that kind
into your head. I'm not a murderer. I'm merely putting what is called
a supposititious case, with a view to finding out what Dr. O'Donoghue's
real feelings are. I don't suppose you know what a supposititious case
is?"
"I do not. It was a backward place where I was reared, and I wasn't
kept to school regular; and what's more, the Irish wasn't taught in
them times."
"It wouldn't have helped you much if it was," said Meldon. "A
supposititious case is the same thing, very nearly, as a hypothetical
proposition. It consists of two parts, a protasis and an apodosis.
For instance--"
"It's laughing at me you are."
"It is not, but trying to educate you a little. For instance, I should
be putting a hypothetical case if I were to say, 'Supposing you cooked
the dinner I described every day for Mr. Doyle--'"
"I couldn't do it then, for I wouldn't be fit.
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