"I mean that I have just come from him and a similar case has happened
in his house. His assistant--a fine young fellow, you know him,
perhaps?--has also been poisoned by copperas. I have only this instant
quitted him."
"What an odd coincidence."
"Very odd, indeed. Two exactly similar cases of poisoning at the same
time and all because copper vessels were used and not properly cleaned."
"And how is the young man progressing? Is he out of danger?"
"Fortunately; although at the outset his was an even worse case than the
young lady's. But then he is so much stronger. Well, good-bye! I will
look in again to-morrow."
"But I should be so much easier, doctor, if you never left my
grandchild's side."
"I would willingly do even that if I had not other patients in the town
to attend to."
"Could you not entrust them to someone else?"
"Impossible. My reputation would be at stake. Besides I do not often
have the chance of studying two such interesting parallel cases of
poisoning at the same time."
"Very well, doctor. All I ask of you is to cure our little one."
"I hope to save the pair of them. And now I'll go up and have a look at
her, and then I must return to Mr. Sipos's house. But I shall be here
again in an hour or so."
And with that the old man had to be content.
During the whole course of Henrietta's illness he sent to enquire after
his grandchild every hour.
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