「ishallgivehimapieceofmymind,」dr.varleysaidwithcooldistaste.「hisname?」thesunhadsetindr.varley’smanner.itwasgettingtobeachillyevening.

「confidential,doctor.butdon’tgiveitathought.allintheday’swork.nameofwadedoesn’tringabellatall,huh?」

「ibelieveyouknowyourwayout,mr.marlowe.」

thedoorofasmallelevatoropenedbehindhim.anursepushedawheelchairout.thechaircontainedwhatwasleftofabrokenoldman.hiseyeswereclosed,hisskinhadabluishtinge.hewaswellwrappedup.thenursewheeledhimsilentlyacrossthepolishedfloorandoutofasidedoor.dr.varleysaidsoftly:

「oldpeople.sickoldpeople.lonelyoldpeople.donotcomeback,mr.marlowe.youmightannoyme.whenannoyedicanberatherunpleasant.imightevensayveryunpleasant.」

「okaybyme,doctor.thanksforthetime.nicelittledying-inhomeyougothere.」

「whatwasthat?」hetookasteptowardsmeandpeeledofftheremaininglayersofhoney.thesoftlinesofhisfacesetthemselvesintohardridges.

「'what’sthematter?」iaskedhim.「icanseemymanwouldn’tbehere.iwouldn’tlookforanybodyherethatwasn’ttoofrailtofightback.sickoldpeople.lonelyoldpeople.yousaidityourself,doctor.unwantedoldpeople,butwithmoneyandhungryheirs.mostofthemprobablyjudgedincompetentbythecourt.」

「iamgettingannoyed,」dr.varleysaid.

「lightfood,lightsedation,firmtreatment.putthemoutinthesun,putthembackinthebed.barsomeofthewindowsincasethere’salittlespunkleft.theyloveyou,doctor,oneandall.theydieholdingyourhandandseeingthesadnessinyoureyes.it’sgenuinetoo.」

「itcertainlyis,」hesaidinalowthroatygrowl.hishandswerefistsnow.ioughttoknockitoff.buthehadbeguntonauseateme.

「sureitis,」isaid.「nobodylikestoloseagoodpayingcustomer.especiallyoneyoudon’tevenhavetoplease.」

「somebodyhastodoit,」hesaid.「somebodyhastocareforthesesadoldpeople,mr.marlowe.」

「somebodyhastocleanoutcesspools.cometothinkofitthat’sacleanhonestjob.solong,dr.varley.whenmyjobmakesmefeeldirtyi’llthinkofyou.itwillcheermeupnoend.」

「youfilthylouse,」dr.varleysaidbetweenhiswidewhiteteeth.「ioughttobreakyourback.mineisanhonorablebranchofanhonorableprofession.」

「yeah.」ilookedathimwearily.「iknowitis.onlyitsmellsofdeath.」

hedidn’tslugme,soiwalkedawayfromhimandout.ilookedbackfromthewidedoubledoors.hehadn’tmoved.hehadajobtodo,puttingbackthelayersofhoney.