"I like tying up things," she explained easily, "You see, I'm going to be a doctor."
The rabbit's ears stopped waving for a minute in sheer astonishment.
"Girls aren't doctors."
"Yes, they are. Heaps of them. I'm reading up already, in that book. It's all about first-aid. There's the bandage I did for you. You can read how it's done."
He couldn't. And he was ashamed again. In his shame he began to swagger.
"My father's a doctor—awfully clever——"
"Is he? How jolly! Why didn't you tell me? Has he lots of patients?"
"Lots. All over the world. But he doesn't think much of other doctors. L-licensed h-humbugs, he calls them."
She drew away a little, her face between her hands, and he felt that somehow he had failed again—that she had slipped through his fingers. If only for a moment she had looked up to him and believed in him the evil spirit that was climbing up on to his shoulders would have fled away. There was a stout piece of stick lying amidst the rubble at his feet, and he took it up and felt it as a swordsman tests his blade.
"I'm going to be a doctor too," he said truculently. "A big doctor. I shall make piles of money, and have three ass-assistants. P'r'aps, if you're any good you shall be one of them."