Probably heard something he didn't like.' Even as he thought, a great fear came upon Dick, a fear that made him hold his breath as he walked into the oculist's waiting room, with the heavy carved furniture, the dark-green paper, and the sober-hued prints on the wall.

He recognised a reproduction of one of his own sketches.
Many people were waiting their turn before him.

His eye was caught by a flaming red-and-gold Christmas-carol book.

Little children came to that eye-doctor, and they needed large-type amusement.
'That's idolatrous bad Art,' he said, drawing the book towards himself.
'From the anatomy of the angels, it has been made in Germany.' He opened in mechanically, and there leaped to his eyes a verse printed in red ink-- The next good joy that Mary had, It was the joy of three, To see her good Son Jesus Christ Making the blind to see; Making the blind to see, good Lord, And happy we may be.
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost To all eternity! Dick read and re-read the verse till his turn came, and the doctor was bending above him seated in an arm-chair.

The blaze of the gas-microscope in his eyes made him wince.