“I am a doctor not only to cure illness, but to prevent it where I can. And cucumbers are poison to everybody.”
“Cum-bers! Cum-bers! Fresh cumbers!” yelled the man,
Dr. Mitchell started his car.
“When will they learn intelligence?” he said to Alvina, smiling and showing his white, even teeth.
“I don’t care, you know, myself,” she said. “I should always let people do what they wanted—”
“Even if you knew it would do them harm?” he queried, smiling with amiable condescension.
“Yes, why not! It’s their own affair. And they’ll do themselves harm one way or another.”
“And you wouldn’t try to prevent it?”
“You might as well try to stop the sea with your fingers.”
“You think so?” smiled the doctor. “I see, you are a pessimist. You are a pessimist with regard to human nature.”