Mr. Fleight by Ford Madox Ford--Delphi Classics (Illustrated) by Ford Madox Ford

Author:Ford Madox Ford [FORD, FORD MADOX]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Parts Edition 20 of 46 by Delphi Classics
Publisher: Delphi Classics (Parts Edition)
Published: 2017-08-25T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER IV

WHEN the dentist did, however, arrive, towards a quarter to twelve, he announced that Mr. Fleight’s gums were still too swollen for him to do anything for them. Mr. Fleight had imagined that by the expenditure of a thousand pounds, or twenty thousand pounds, or anything, he could be provided with three new false teeth by breakfast time the next morning. But the dentist told him it just couldn’t be done. There would have to be all sorts of bridges to make, teeth to be filed down, at least a day’s work. And Mr. Wetherell had his other patients to consider. Humanity, he said, came before mere money. He promised, however, to come round next morning about half-past eight to make his measurements in case the swelling should have gone down. And, at the urgent entreaty of Mr. Fleight, he consented to get his dental manufacturers to send a complete set of appliances including an electrical storage battery to the Leroy’s house so that he could work on the spot. This was going to cost something like £197. Mr. Wetherell said it seemed like lunacy, but that after all Mr. Fleight’s money was his own. There was thus an end to romance for that day, and Mr. Fleight got to bed about half-past twelve in a sloping garret beneath the roof.

The way in which money works or does not work in a city like London is, as Mr. Fleight said next morning, amazing. There are times when — say at night — if you had a thousand pounds in your hand you could not possibly buy for yourself a lemon squash. But there are other times — such as on this Tuesday morning — when things turn up as smartly and as mysteriously as the extra twopences present themselves to your notice in a taxi-cab.

Thus, at about a quarter past eight, Mrs. Leroy was annoyed and perturbed by the arrival of an immense red plush armchair, with head rests and leg rests, and arm rests and other and singular complications. Mrs. Leroy tried to bar the entrance of the four men who were carrying this grotesque monstrosity, but, at the urgent instance of Mr. Fleight, it was carried straight through the house and to the back yard, for, as the day promised to be fine, Mr. Fleight expressed his perfect willingness to be operated upon in the open air. Having brought in the chair, the workmen retired, and returned with a quantity of metal objects, long tubes and large metal cases containing storage batteries. These they proceeded to set up beside the monstrous and grotesque red chair in the back yard, which was already amply occupied by packing cases, loose straw, and the washing, which was hanging out to dry. Mrs. Leroy took this down before the arrival of the dentist. The dentist himself came at a quarter to nine, just as Miss Leroy was leaving for business, though, in consideration of the importance of these proceedings, she was

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