The Stark Munro Letters | Page 7

we worked upon our
liver. For our experiments it was necessary to subject it all to great heat
in an endeavour to separate the nitrogenous cellular substance from the
non-nitrogenous waxy matter. With our limited appliances the only
way we could think of was to cut it into fine pieces and cook it in a
frying pan. So night after night the curious spectacle might have been
seen of a beautiful young woman and two very earnest young men
busily engaged in making these grim fricassees. Nothing came of all
our work; for though Cullingworth considered that he had absolutely
established his case, and wrote long screeds to the medical papers upon
the subject, he was never apt at stating his views with his pen, and he
left, I am sure, a very confused idea on the minds of his readers as to
what it was that he was driving at. Again, as he was a mere student
without any letters after his name, he got scant attention, and I never
heard that he gained over a single supporter.
At the end of the year we both passed our examinations and became

duly qualified medical men. The Cullingworths vanished away, and I
never heard any more of them, for he was a man who prided himself
upon never writing a letter. His father had formerly a very large and
lucrative practice in the West of Scotland, but he died some years ago. I
had a vague idea, founded upon some chance remark of his, that
Cullingworth had gone to see whether the family name might still stand
him in good stead there. As for me I began, as you will remember that I
explained in my last, by acting as assistant in my father's practice. You
know, however, that at its best it is not worth more than L700 a year,
with no room for expansion. This is not large enough to keep two of us
at work. Then, again, there are times when I can see that my religious
opinions annoy the dear old man. On the whole, and for every reason, I
think that it would be better if I were out of this. I applied for several
steamship lines, and for at least a dozen house surgeonships; but there
is as much competition for a miserable post with a hundred a year as if
it were the Viceroyship of India. As a rule, I simply get my testimonials
returned without any comment, which is the sort of thing that teaches a
man humility. Of course, it is very pleasant to live with the mater, and
my little brother Paul is a regular trump. I am teaching him boxing; and
you should see him put his tiny fists up, and counter with his right. He
got me under the jaw this evening, and I had to ask for poached eggs
for supper.
And all this brings me up to the present time and the latest news. It is
that I had a telegram from Cullingworth this morning--after nine
months' silence. It was dated from Avonmouth, the town where I had
suspected that he had settled, and it said simply, "Come at once. I have
urgent need of you. "CULLINGWORTH." Of course, I shall go by the
first train to-morrow. It may mean anything or nothing. In my heart of
hearts I hope and believe that old Cullingworth sees an opening for me
either as his partner or in some other way. I always believed that he
would turn up trumps, and make my fortune as well as his own. He
knows that if I am not very quick or brilliant I am fairly steady and
reliable. So that's what I've been working up to all along, Bertie, that
to-morrow I go to join Cullingworth, and that it looks as if there was to
be an opening for me at last. I gave you a sketch of him and his ways,
so that you may take an interest in the development of my fortune,
which you could not do if you did not know something of the man who

is holding out his hand to me.
Yesterday was my birthday, and I was two and twenty years of age. For
two and twenty years have I swung around the sun. And in all
seriousness, without a touch of levity, and from the bottom of my soul,
I assure you that I have at the present moment the very vaguest idea as
to whence I have come from, whither I am going, or what I am here for.
It is not for want of inquiry, or from indifference. I have mastered the
principles of several religions. They have all shocked me by the
violence which I should have to do to my