''Dr Christie, sir! Dr Graves! Listen to me!''
''That''s enough,'' said Nurse Spiller again. ''Don''t you know what busy men the doctors are? Don''t you think they got better things to do than hear all your nonsense? Get back!''
I had stepped after Dr Christie and was reaching for his coat.
''Please, sir,'' I said. ''Listen to me. I haven''t been perfectly straight with you. My name ain''t Susan Smith, after all.''
He had made to shake me off. Now he turned a little to me.
''Mrs Rivers,'' he began.
Susan Trinder, sir. Sue Trinder, of—'' I was about to say, Lant Street; then knew that of course I must not say it, for fear it should lead the police to Mr Ibbs''s shop. I closed my eyes and
shook my head. My brain felt hot. Dr Christie drew himself from my hand.
''You must not touch my coat,'' he said, his voice grown sterner.-_-!本-_-!作-_-!品-_-!由-_-!思-_-!兔-_-!網-_-!提-_-!供-_-!線-_-!上-_-!閱-_-!讀-_-!
I clutched it again. ''Only hear me out, I beg you! Only let me tell you of the terrible plot I was made to be part of, by Richard Rivers. That devil! He is laughing at you, sir! He is laughing at all of us! He has stolen a fortune. He has fifteen thousand pounds!''
I would not let go of his coat. My voice was high, like the yelp of a dog. Nurse Spiller got her arm about my neck, and Dr Christie put his hands over mine and worked free my fingers. Dr Graves came to help him. At the feel of their hands, I shrieked. I suppose I really seemed mad, then; but it was only through the awfulness of having said nothing but the truth, and being thought to be deluded. I shrieked, and Dr Christie got out his whistle, just like before. There was a bell rung. Mr Bates and Mr Hedges came running, in their brown-paper cuffs. Betty bellowed.