Act III

_Room partly darkened, a table with a lamp on it, and an empty
chair. From room next door faint and occasional sounds of the
tossing or talking of the invalid._

_Enter_ DOCTOR GRIMTHORPE _with a rather careworn air, and a
medicine bottle in his hand. He puts it on the table, and sits down
in the chair as if keeping a vigil._

_Enter_ CONJURER, _carrying his bag, and cloaked for departure. As he
crosses the room the_ DOCTOR _rises and calls after him._

DOCTOR. Forgive me, but may I detain you for one moment? I suppose you
are aware that--[_he hesitates_] that there have been rather grave
developments in the case of illness which happened after your
performance. I would not say, of course, because of your performance.

CONJURER. Thank you.

DOCTOR. [_Slightly encouraged, but speaking very carefully._]
Nevertheless, mental excitement is necessarily an element of importance
in physiological troubles, and your triumphs this evening were really so
extraordinary that I cannot pretend to dismiss them from my patient's
case. He is at present in a state somewhat analogous to delirium, but in
which he can still partially ask and answer questions. The question he
continually asks is how you managed to do your last trick.

CONJURER. Ah! My last trick!

DOCTOR. Now I was wondering whether we could make any arrangement which
would be fair to you in the matter. Would it be possible for you to give
me in confidence the means of satisfying this--this fixed idea he seems
to have got. [_He hesitates again, and picks his words more slowly._]
This special condition of semi-delirious disputation is a rare one, and
connected in my experience with rather unfortunate cases.

CONJURER. [_Looking at him steadily._] Do you mean he is going mad?

DOCTOR. [_Rather taken aback for the first time._] Really, you ask me an
unfair question. I could not explain the fine shades of these things to
a layman. And even if--if what you suggest were so, I should have to
regard it as a professional secret.

CONJURER. [_Still looking at him._] And don't you think you ask me a
rather unfair question, Dr. Grimthorpe? If yours is a professional
secret, is not mine a professional secret too? If you may hide truth
from the world, why may not I? You don't tell your tricks. I don't tell
my tricks.

DOCTOR. [_With some heat._] Ours are not tricks.

CONJURER. [_Reflectively._] Ah, no one can be sure of that till the
tricks are told.

DOCTOR. But the public can see a doctor's cures as plain as....

CONJURER. Yes. As plain as they saw the red lamp over his door this
evening.

DOCTOR. [_After a pause._] Your secret, of course, would be strictly
kept by every one involved.