+------------------------------------+ | DR. ESMERALD THORNE. | | OFFICE HOUR 12-1 O’CLOCK. | +------------------------------------+
(_A door opens within._ DR. THORNE _appears in the entrance to the corridor_.)
_Enter_ DR. THORNE (_upon the sidewalk. Standing irresolute, he seems to wince from the daylight and the morning air; he mutters_).
Now it is light, I can find my way to Helen. (_Steps slowly along the sidewalk; shades his eyes from the sun. He wears no hat, and his pallor has increased. No person addresses him._)
(_On the bulletin boards of_ “The Earth” _can be seen the following announcement_:
WAR WITH THE ISLAND OF BORNEO. BORNEO LAYS DOWN HER ULTIMATUM. THE PRESIDENT HAS CALLED FOR VOLUNTEERS. PANIC IN STOCK STREET. SANTA MA FALLEN 30 POINTS SINCE YESTERDAY. DISSENSION AT THE CITY HOSPITAL. RUMORS OF ACCIDENT AT THE WEST END.)
_Enter_ DR. GAZELL (_a short, blond, thick-set, suave man of middle age_) _and_ DR. CARVER (_a very young man; the latter reading a fresh copy of_ “The Universe”).
DR. GAZELL (_with emotion_). Shocking! Shocking! I cannot express--I am overcome!
DR. CARVER (_without emotion_). Yes. It is very sad. You’ll be apt to find these things in “The Universe” before “The Earth” gets them. I wonder if he--
DR. GAZELL. No. Never. He was above reproach. A hard man to get along with--willful, but above reproach. I am greatly shocked!
DR. THORNE (_stepping out into the crowd_). Ah, Gazell! Good-morning. I am--I am very glad to see you, Dr. Gazell (_pathetically_).
(DR. GAZELL _continues reading his paper. He does not look up._)
DR. THORNE (_with embarrassment_). Gazell! (_He moves directly in front of the office of_ “The Earth.” _At that moment a new bulletin flashes in large letters, over the heads of the crowd, these words_:--
RUMOR CONFIRMED. SHOCKING ACCIDENT! TERRIBLE TRAGEDY. RUNAWAY AT THE WEST END. MRS. FREDERICK FAYTH DANGEROUSLY HURT. THE EMINENT AND POPULAR PHYSICIAN, DR. ESMERALD THORNE, KILLED INSTANTLY.)
(DR. THORNE _reads, and reels; stares about him appealingly._)
(FIRST OFFICE GIRL _starts, and points to the bulletin_.)
SECOND OFFICE GIRL. Oh! Oh! (_She bursts into tears._)
SUBURBAN. Too bad! He was a clever fellow. He saved my little boy’s life last summer.