The White Plague [Volume: 7(1988), pp. 431-504]

450
KAREL CAPEK
CHIEF ASSISTANT
The Lilienthal Clinic treatment. I haven't spent eight years here for nothing.
Now that there's such a hullabaloo over the progress we've made....
DEPUTY ASSISTANT
But Galen keep his methods completely to himself.
CHIEF ASSISTANT
Forget Galen! I don't even talk to the man! But with only a little priming
the nurse in Thirteen told me he injects his lepers with a mustard-like goo.
So I whipped up a concoction of the tonics and sedatives we used to give
them, and added some yellow dye. Pretty clever, eh? I've tried a little on
myself. No negative reaction. And it gives them a bit of temporary relief.
So that's what I'm going to start with. (Listens in at the door.) 'Although
we cannot make our treatment public until such time as...' He's a sly one.
He knows exactly as much about the treatment as I do... Now he's rattling
it off in French. He may have studied his languages, but he married his
medical career. God, I hope I can set up my practice before Galen lets
the cat out of the bag...
DEPUTY ASSISTANT
And all the patients run to him.
CHIEF ASSISTANT
Actually, I don't need to worry. The old man made Galen give his word
of honour not to use the treatment on private patients until it had been
fully tested at the clinic. Ill have plenty of time.
DEPUTY ASSISTANT
And Galen will keep his word all right.
CHIEF ASSISTANT (shrugging his shoulders)
What can you do? The man's a lunatic! Now that he's shut down the practice
he had in that slum of his, he's got no income whatever. The nurse in Thirteen tells me he hasn't a thing to eat except for the rolls he carries round
in his pockets. She tried to order him a meal from the kitchen, but they
caught her at it: his name wasn't on the list.
DEPUTY ASSISTANT
My mother... my mother's got one of the spots on her neck. Right here.
And when I asked Galen to have a look at her, he said he couldn't, he'd
given Sigelius his word...
CHIEF ASSISTANT
Just like him, the bastard. As if he'd never heard of collegiality.