She saw one side of his mouth go up. He took out his watch, but he looked at her.
"You don't imagine that I want to keep you as a patient, do you?" he said.
"You know you always like people best when they are ill," she retorted.
"Do I?" he said.
"Well, don't you?"
"I wonder what makes you think so," he said.
She looked straight up at him with something of defiance. "You never bother to be nice to people unless they are ill."
He frowned a little. "I've been as nice as you would let me," he said.
"Yes, yes," said Olga rather hurriedly. "Of course we are friends. But, Max, there's something I want to say to you. It's very particular. Be quick with my pulse!"
He let her hand slip from his. "It's about a hundred and fifty," he observed, "but that seems to be the normal rate with you. I don't think you had better talk to me now unless it's to be a professional consultation. You can get up if you want to, and I will give Nick a list of the things you are not to do."