I went along—not exactly because I wanted to, but because my better nature told me that I could drink the doctor's claret with more decency when claret-time came round if I had first earned my share. "But," said I to the doctor, "I will thank you to take notice that I have no intention whatever of watching you perform post-mortems."
"I don't perform post-mortems," replied my host. "This is one of the little matters which we 'arrange.'"
Knowing that this mysterious statement was one which time itself would explain, I did not ask any questions, but put on my boots instead, and we walked out into the murk and slosh, and the doctor went into two pig-styes and ushered in two lives, and I stood in two doorways and caught two colds.
And then we pursued the darkling ways until they ended in a red brick mansion with art-metal fittings, one of which we pulled with such effect that dogs began to bark at every hand, and a window was violently opened, and a heavy voice, high up, said, "All right!" very gruffly.
"That is George," remarked the doctor cheerfully. "George will have to slip his trousers on and come downstairs and be useful."
"George," I ventured to remark, "inhabits a very fine house."
"Yes," replied the doctor, "he occupies a pleasant flat. So well placed. He is within a stone's throw of his own mortuary, as I daresay you have observed."
"Then George——" I began.
"Is the official guardian of our English dead. His technical skill is profound. He was a porter at St. Giles's for ten years, you see. Ah! Ha! Here is George."
There was a grating of bolts behind the big oak gate at which we stood, and a little wicket which was set within the same came slowly open to disclose an ox-like bulk which growled out some inquiry. The doctor, ignoring this presence, stepped daintily through the wicket, and I followed. I then perceived that we were standing in a courtyard, neatly paved, and having large, neat buildings upon every side. The doctor, jerking his umbrella towards each of these natural objects in turn, spoke as with the mouth of a guide.