"Hello! How are you feeling? Any weaker? You are not to sleep in that bed. I want you by the window."
Then he saw Miss Kerr, and smiled. That smile always saved him verbal battles. It was delivered straightforward and deep into the eyes of the avenging female, whatever her age. Miss Kerr moistened her lips and prepared to resist it, but Miss Kexter had returned from Mrs. Witherspoon's disaster and Dr. Mattus turned to her quickly.
"Please get Miss Standish undressed immediately, I want to do a physical upon her."
"You cannot. Until we can definitely locate your area, the more rest, the better. Remember that, young lady, and be a good patient."
He smiled at her ... and she returned it ... and Miss Kerr went down the corridor and into the medicine closet door.
Dr. Mattus went for his stethoscope, Miss Kexter went to an insistent telephone and Rose Standish drew the curtains and undressed. Then she folded her best pink rayon panties and undershirt, her chiffon stockings and silk blouse with the rose-point and her plain suit and put them into the small suitcase. On top she placed her hat and patent leather pumps. She put her hairbrush ... the ivory one with heavy bristles which Tony had given her (he had bought it with five dollars an Italian pressed upon him when he delivered the man's wife in externe-obstetrics) ... onto the bedside table and laid her tooth brush and paste beside it.
She re-opened the suitcase and took from a pocket in the top the same volume of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's "Sonnets from the Portuguese" she had been reading at luncheon.
She put her purse in the bedside table, closed the suitcase, dropped her black satin bedroom slippers from her feet, slipped off her black rayon kimona and got into bed.
She wore her only silk nightgown and it felt soothing upon her small round breasts. It caressed her thighs. She opened her book, pulled back the curtains and began to read.
A student nurse came on the floor and took the suitcase and brought the bed-pan for a specimen. Then she asked if there was anything else, and went away.
Mrs. Witherspoon, who had completed her operations for the moment, emerged from her curtains.
"Good evin', dearie. Hope you feelin' fair?"