“If it were twice as much I should count it a high privilege to be allowed to do that for him.”
Dr. Joliffe shook the head of a prudent man over this piece of quixotism. “Very generous of you,” he said, “but they look after their patients so extraordinarily well at Broad Hill, that I am sure this expense is quite unnecessary.”
Brandon, however, stuck to his plan.
He had now made up his mind that if the worst happened, Wellwood should be the home of John Smith.
“Very well.” Dr. Joliffe saw that a purposeless opposition could do no good. “If the necessity arises it shall be arranged for him to go there. And now I want you to forget all about this miserable matter. Dismiss it entirely from your thoughts.”
“Impossible,” said Brandon. “We are deliberately closing the Door.”
“Closing the door?”
“For the human race.”
The doctor looked sadly, uncomprehendingly at his patient. “I don’t understand,” he said.
“Of course you don’t, my dear friend. It is not to be expected that you should. And at present I can’t enlighten you.”