Slowly, week by week, and month by month, the
practice began to spread and to strengthen. There were
spells when never a ring came to the bell, and it seemed
as though all our labour had gone for nothing--but then
would come other days when eight and ten names would
appear in my ledger. Where did it come from you will
ask. Some from old Whitehall and his circle of
Bohemians. Some from accident cases. Some from new
comers to the town who drifted to me. Some from people
whom I met first in other capacities. An insurance
superintendent gave me a few cases to examine, and
that was a very great help. Above all, I learned a fact
which I would whisper in the ear of every other man who
starts, as I have done, a stranger among strangers. Do
not think that practice will come to you. You must go to
it. You may sit upon your consulting room chair until it
breaks under you, but without purchase or partnership you
will make little or no progress. The way to do it is to
go out, to mix everywhere with men, to let them know you.
You will come back many a time and be told by a
reproachful housekeeper that some one has been for you in
your absence. Never mind! Go out again. A noisy
smoking concert where you will meet eighty men is better
for you than the patient or two whom you might have seen
at home. It took me some time to realise, but I speak
now as one who knows.
But--there is a great big "but" in the case.
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