whatever to you in--your own--capacity--character--individual quality.
They are purely professional--that is, technical--I should say
disciplinary,--entirely disciplinary. Yes, disciplinary." The word seemed
to afford Dr. Mulbridge the degree of relief which can come only from an
exactly significant and luminously exegetic word.

"I don't at all know what you mean," said Grace. "But it is not necessary
that I should know. Will you allow me?" she asked, for Dr. Mulbridge had
got between her and the door, and stood with his hand on the latch.

His face flushed, and drops stood on his forehead. "Surely, Miss--I mean
Doctor--Breen, you must know why I can't consult with you! We belong to
two diametrically opposite schools--theories--of medicine. It would be
impracticable--impossible for us to consult. We could find no common
ground. Have you never heard that the--ah regular practice cannot meet
homoeopathists in this way? If you had told me--if I had known--you were
a homoeopathist, I could n't have considered the matter at all. I can't
now express any opinion as to your management of the case, but I have no
doubt that you will know what to do--from your point of view--and that
you will prefer to call in some one of your own--persuasion. I hope that
you don't hold me personally responsible for this result!"

"Oh, no!" replied the girl, with a certain dreamy abstraction. "I had
heard that you made some such distinction--I remember, now. But I could
n't realize anything so ridiculous."

Dr. Mulbridge colored. "Excuse me," he said, "if, even under the
circumstances, I can't agree with you that the position taken by the
regular practice is ridiculous."