He wore a look of stern sadness and infinite pity.
"As I expected," he murmured, with that hissing inspiration of his which meant so much.

Without a word he went and locked the door, and then began to set out on the little table the instruments for yet another operation of transfusion of blood.

I had long ago recognized the necessity, and begun to take off my coat, but he stopped me with a warning hand.

"No!" he said.

"Today you must operate.