"Gracious me, James!" "Aren't you ready yet?" " Does it look like it?" "That wretched animal will have given birth by now." "I wouldn't mind if you went instead of me." "I wouldn't be in the least offended." "No, it's you Mr. blackburn wants to see," "I shall come and observe." "You're not serious?" " Of course I'm serious." "It's a quarter to 6:00." " I'm aware of the time." "I do possess a watch." "You could still be in bed." "More to the point, so could I." "Such a waste!" "The mind is at its sharpest before breakfast." "Don't you agree?" "More ready for new experiences." "Frankly, I'm longing to see..." "Mr. blackburn's modern methods actually at work." "I wish I shared your enthusiasm." "We must welcome change!" "Rush to meet it!" "Give me those!" "We must not shelter and slink inside our cozy, traditional shell!" "Siegfried..." " James, sometimes I suspect..." "You lack the true scientific spirit." "Does it fill you with hope for the future?" "It's easy to criticize, but we must make the effort, try and understand the thinking behind it." "The men who invented this thought they were on to something." "It's our duty to find out what that... was." "It's efficient." "You have to say that for it." "I wonder who suffers most..." "The men or the animals?" "Yes, progress, James." "One still sometimes naively hopes it might just improve the quality of life." "Foolishly romantic, I suppose." "Still, who do you suppose the patient is?" "I don't know." "Ah, there's Mr. blackburn." "Mr. blackburn!" "So sorry." "Anything in the newspaper?" "No." "You sure?" "Mm." "What, nothing at all?" "At last." " You won't be glad, will you?" "I shall be glad when we know one way or the other." "It's the waiting I can't bear." "I thought it was all going to blow over." "I really did." "You and the rest down at the drovers'." "If anything happens, you will be careful, won't you?" "Me?" " All of you." "I should say so." "I'll be extraordinarily careful." "I'm much too young to die." "Sorry." "It's going to be all right." "Honestly." "There's no point in worrying, anyway." "We're not the sort to go under." " Everybody thinks that." "It's true." "Look at it this way:" "We can't come to any harm." "It's not possible." "Not till I've passed my finals anyway." "Wouldn't be fair." "She should've calved last night." "There must be something amiss." "We're behind with milking." "If I can leave you to it?" "Have you had a feel inside her?" "How could I?" "We're getting ready for the milkman." "If you'll excuse me." "Mr. blackburn?" "I haven't got time for chat." " I'm sure a few seconds?" "You don't know milkmen." "They'll have my guts for garters if we're not ready." "Would you please tell me where I can find hot water, soap, and a towel?" "Ask one of the men." "I haven't got time!" "Then neither have we." "Good day to you." "Come on, James." "Hey!" "All right, all right!" "But don't blame me if they leave half the churns." "Just a little cooperation, Mr. blackburn." "Not something we have much time for round here." "She isn't pushing at all." "She's never gonna calve like this." "Her uterus has lost its tone." "Start of milk fever, don't you think?" "I think so." "I'll get the calcium." "Hello, herbie." "What are you doing here?" "Everybody's in a rush round here." "They certainly are." "Let me introduce you to "number 87."" "Eh?" " That's what they call her." "Much better than "snowdrop" or "marigold."" "Dreadful, ain't it?" "I don't know what the world's coming to." "Do you always get your milk here?" "Aye, always have done." "You won't remember it afore this lot took over." "A right nice little farm it were then." "Me and my poor little horse and cart." "Must be an embarrassment even having them in the yard against all these lorries." "I should've gone somewhere else." "But you know..." "Stopping with what you know, like..." "I suppose the milk tastes the same." "Wouldn't be too sure of that." "Well, we've never noticed anything." "What you don't know, you don't miss." "What's this?" "Not complaining again?" "Nay, nay." "You've got your health." "That's the main thing." "And my work." "You're right, Mr. farnon." "They can't take that away from me." "Remarkable old boy." "He's been delivering milk since Mrs. hall was no higher than that." "Not that long, surely?" "Come on, let's get on with the job." "Shouldn't herbie be thinking about retiring?" "He is getting on a bit." "Herbie, retire?" "Good lord, no." "That'll kill him stone dead." "Ready?" " Mm-hmm." "My foot!" "Concentrate on the job at hand, James." "I hope you don't want any more coffee." "There's no more milk." "Beg your pardon?" "Surprised it's not off by the time we get it." "Are you planning to sit there all morning?" "Don't mind me." "So rare I get the chance to read the newspaper." "Not until it's weeks old." "What are you reading?" "Sports page?" "World affairs." "To keep in touch with the state of the world." "First I've heard of it." " I beg your pardon?" "Didn't know you were interested in that sort of thing." "I am part of the world." "Why should I not be interested?" "It's time we cleared up this misapprehension that siegfried is the only one with any brains." "Would you be kind enough to open the door for me?" "As a matter of fact, I know just as much as him." "This sounds interesting." "What exactly do you know?" "Don't be facetious, Helen." "I'll tell you one thing he doesn't know." "There's a lady been waiting in surgery for the last 15 minutes." "Tsk, tsk tsk." "She didn't tell me!" "What on earth's the matter with you?" "You look as if you'd just seen a ghost." "It's worse than that." "It's miss westerman." "And hamish." "Oh, dear." "Does he look all right?" "I didn't give him a thorough checkup, but I should say so." "So he's not suffering from the effects of you losing him?" "Probably not, but I should think she is." "Oh, tris, go on!" "Don't be such a coward!" "Why not?" "It'll be good practice for later." "I've got a good idea." "You go in, tell her I'm ill." "No!" " That's not asking very much." "It is!" "I'm not in the habit of telling lies." "It's quite easy." " No!" "Anyway, it's not a lie." "I feel ill just thinking-- ah." "Mr. farnon, I thought I heard you." "Ah, miss westerman." "I was just coming in-- - good." "I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting." " Oh!" "Come on, old girl." "Come on." "Couple of good shoves!" "Come on!" "Come on, girl!" "That's the way!" "Terribly inconvenient business, birth." "I'm sure they'll invent a more efficient method soon." "Hold on, James." "You might have to take over in a couple of minutes." "James, I have every confidence in you." "All right, come on, old girl, let's go." "Come on." "Come!" "Yes!" "Come on, baby!" "Come on, baby!" "Well done, James." "Well, if that isn't worth getting up in the morning early for." "Aye, that's grand." "Come and see your mother." "Up we go." "Up we go." "Come on, up." "There we go... there we go." "There you are." "There's your baby." "Call in the office when you've cleared up." "I'll settle the account." "A most profitable morning, thank you." "You haven't done anything." "On the contrary." "I've been given a privileged glimpse into the future." "I'm not at all sure I like what I see." "Yes, I'm afraid they're not ready to come out yet." "I hardly expected they would be." "Oh, then what else can I do for you?" "I've heard a rumor, Mr. farnon." "You shouldn't believe rumors." " A particularly distressing rumor." "I'm sure there wasn't a word of truth in it." "People can say the cruelest things" "I'd prefer if you'd refrain from judging until you know what it is." "Yes, of course." "I'm sorry." "I'm talking about the threat to our nearest and dearest, and I want an honest answer." "Is it true that in the event of war, they will have to be destroyed?" "I'd say that's a bit drastic." " That's what I thought." "But I've heard on the highest authority." "I'm sure that couldn't be true." "Because if he does go..." "I shall go, too." "I don't care what they say." "We've been through too much to be separated now." "I couldn't bear it." "Miss westerman, let me assure you that you and hamish are in no danger of being parted." "You're not just saying that?" "I've distinctly heard" "I give you my word." "Something I do not do lightly." "You've probably read, as I have, several thousand animals have been destroyed in recent weeks." "That's exactly what I've read!" "Sheer ignorance, miss westerman." "People not bothering to find out the facts." "There was an interesting little piece about it in "the times."" "You read "the times"?" " Yes, when I get a moment." "My point is, miss westerman, the only possible reason for having your pet destroyed is if you're being evacuated and are unable to find a home for it." "We're very unlikely to be evacuated from a small town like darrowby." "I can't tell you what a relief this is." "We aim to please." "I've been extremely mistaken about you, young man." "There was I, thinking what an impossible nincompoop you are." "Oh, really?" "You don't deny you mislaid poor hamish?" "I wouldn't put it quite like that." "I realize the truth of the matter now." "Anyone who takes his job as serious as you do, his mind must be on other more urgent matters." "Miss westerman, you never spoke a truer word." "Have you ever thought of setting up a practice on your own?" "No, not just at the moment." "I should." " You would?" "Definitely." "Unless you're completely devoid of ambition." "Of course not." "It's crossed my mind, naturally." "Good." " Actually..." "Between you and me, I do sometimes hanker after the freedom and the independence, the challenge of running a practice precisely how one wants, you know?" "Believe me, it can be irksome when one knows in one's own mind exactly how things should be done, but-- but finds oneself hopelessly hamstrung by the caution and the conservatism of others." "Then why don't you?" "Why don't I what?" " Set up on your own?" "To be Frank with you," "I wouldn't like to leave my poor brother in the lurch." "What unselfishness!" "So rare these days." "Goodbye, Mr. farnon." "Good luck." "Goodbye, miss westerman." "There's herbie and Dolly flashing along the road." "I'm surprised they've still got the strength." "Appreciate them while you can, James." "They're a dying breed." "I fear the future lies with your Mr. blackburns." "Nonsense." "They'll never replace herbie and the milk cart." "Then we must make sure they don't." "What are you doing?" "Knock some sense into that dotty old camel!" "Siegfried!" "We have left Tristan in charge of the surgery, you know." "Well, where is it?" "I don't know what you're talking about." "I told you about it last week." "She should be wearing a webbing halter underneath her bridle!" " Piffle!" "It's not piffle." "It's a government regulation, and for once, it's an eminently practical one." "I've got it about me somewhere." "No need to bother on my account." "It's no bother at all." "There you are." ""The times" newspaper." "And it's..." "July the 11th." "So it's only a month ago." ""Air raid precautions for animals..." "General recommendations..."" ""Every horse working in the streets during an emergency should be provided with a webbing halter worn under the harness bridle as an additional control."" "There." "What do you say to that?" "I say I'm sick of rules and regulations." "That's a philosophy with which I heartily agree." "Unfortunately, if you'll agree, in this case, it makes perfect sense!" "Isn't that so, James?" "What?" "Oh-- yes." "I got through one war." "I'll get through another." "I'm too old to change my ways." "What if she were to take fright at a sudden noise, and bolt across in front of a motorcar?" "What would you do without her?" "Have you thought of that?" " She wouldn't be so daft!" "Would she...?" " Why take the risk?" "You've been together now-- how long is it?" "17 year... nigh on." "Aye..." "Happen you're right, Mr. farnon." "So..." "Where would I get one of these..." "Halters?" "And cheap, mind!" "I never thought you were such a heartless man, Mr. herriot." "I am not being the least bit heartless, I assure you." "It's just that..." "I can't do a major operation on your cat for 10 shillings." "I should have thought you could do it for a poor widow." "Mrs. Beck, please don't distress yourself." "We try to do jobs at reduced cost for people who can't afford it." "I should have thought you wanted to perform an operation like that." "Especially at a time like this." "It's a public service, isn't it?" "I would be happy to spay your cat at a cost of £1.00." "I can't afford that much!" "I can't do it for less!" "You don't realize the work involved." "I'm sure Mr. farnon would." " I very much doubt it." "I've heard what a kindhearted sort of person he is." "Can I borrow a moment of your valuable time?" "Ah, the very man." "Siegfried, would you tell Mrs. Beck-- oh, no, not him." "T'other one." "Tristan?" " Aye." "What's he done now?" "Miss westerman was saying how helpful he was." "She was full of his praises." "My younger brother?" "That Tristan?" "Aye, he sounds a very responsible, serious-minded young man to me, and bang up-to-date with modern developments." "I'd take his word on it." " On what?" "On how much it would cost to have my Georgina spayed." "Mrs. Beck, I must say the implication of what you're saying is-- no, James." "Mrs. Beck has every right to see whom she pleases." "Tristan!" "I'm afraid we may be wrenching him from the arms of some abstruse medical term or other, but... never mind." "I'm not one of the dogs, you know." "Oh, hello." "We need your expert advice, or Mrs. Beck does." "Oh, really?" "She would like to know what would be a fair price to pay for having Georgina spayed?" "Georgina?" "Her cat." "You're good with cats, aren't you?" "Yes, I suppose I do have a skill-- good." "Be a kind fellow and answer the question." "How much would you charge a poor widow woman for a small operation like that?" "Removing the uterus and the ovaries under general anesthetic." "James, you must not influence the issue." "But the" " James...?" "How about... 10 Bob?" "That would suit me grand!" "I knew you'd treat me fair, Mr. farnon." "Please remember to give Georgina no food after midday tomorrow." "She must have an empty stomach when you bring her in." "I can't bring her in, Mr. herriot." "I haven't got a car." "You'll have to collect her." "But you live in rayton, don't you?" "It's five miles away, that's no distance, not if you've got a motorcar." "I expect you'll want her brought back again afterwards?" "She'll be in no fit condition to go back on her own." "Mrs. Beck, you're asking us to collect her, operate, and take her back... all for 10 shillings?" "Aye." "That's what we agreed." "I'll see you gentlemen tomorrow, then." "Ooh." "What a pretty place." "If she gets her gardener as cheaply as her vet," "I'm not surprised." "So nice to see you gentlemen." "Mrs. Beck." " I'm so glad you came." "Very nice to be here." "Mrs. Beck, we need detain you no longer." "She's not in there." "She's out in garden." "She always has a play in the afternoon." "Would you bring her in?" "We've got a lot to get through." "Follow me, gentlemen." " Thank you." ""Poor old widow woman," my foot." "If you go straight through kitchen, you can't miss it." "I'll make us all a nice cup of tea." "Mmm." "Very nice." "Straight through." "That's right." "Georgina..." "Puss, puss, puss?" "Pussy...?" "Puss, puss...?" "Pussy..." "Puss, puss." "Georgina." "Georgina... where are you, pussums?" "If she thinks I'm gonna play hide-and-seek all afternoon-- - don't be like that." "I have every right to be like that." "James!" "There she goes!" "Head her off!" "This is hopeless." "We'll never get her down from there." "That's defeatist talk." "I'll get her down for you." "No, tris, put them down." "All right." "I'll still get her down for you." "No, you won't." "I will." "I don't think that's a very good idea." "Oh?" "Why not?" " I just have this feeling." "What feeling?" " A feeling you might strangle her if you get hold of her." "Nonsense." "Puss?" "Puss, puss-- come on, puss." "Come on." "Puss, puss, puss." "Come on, puss." "Puss, puss..." "James?" " What?" "Would you like me to catch you when you fall?" "Puss, puss, puss?" "Good puss-- ow!" "Why, you little" "don't strangle her, tris." "Mustn't let our feelings get the better of us." "I can't watch!" " In we go." "Come on, baby." "Don't be rough with her." "Good cat." "That's it." "Still there?" "Her head in?" "Hold tight, tris." "How about our tea?" "I could do with it now." "I'm sorry, Mr. herriot." "I clean forgot to make it in all the excitement." "But you won't want to be stopping now, with all that work you've got on." "James, she's out." "Little beast has got out!" "Get her back in, you fool!" "I'm trying to!" "What do you think I'm trying to do?" "Get hold of her, for heaven's sake!" " I can't!" "Come here, you little beast!" "Oh!" "Oh, no..." "What?" " Oh, James, no..." "The filthy little-- it's all over the floor!" "The smell!" "Ugh!" "It's very well looking smug, siegfried, but it was lethal." "Honestly." "If you're going to get squeamish at the first whiff of an animal's natural bodily function-- there was nothing natural about what I smelled." "It does not augur well for the future." "You must see that-- don't sit down!" "How are you going to explain yourself to a board of examiners?" "Men whose sole pleasure in life is to pounce on the least sign of ineptitude?" "I'm not in the mood for this-- don't come near me!" " Now who's getting squeamish?" "There's a world of difference between what is acceptable in a farmyard and what may be allowed in a sitting room." "If you don't realize that, I'm hardly surprised that your social circle is so limited." "I gather your afternoon wasn't altogether a success." "You could say that." "This is the hardest 10 shillings I've ever earned." "Never mind." "It's good for the soul, my dear chap." "We're too complacent, all of us, nowadays." "You're making a meal of that, aren't you?" "Unfortunately I can't find the uterus." "Really?" "Good lord, I'm not surprised." "What an ocean of fat!" "I do detest overfed cats." "Never mind." "I'm sure you'll find it if you dig deep enough." "Are you tired?" " Very." "Well, stick with it." "It's the only way." "Do you know, there's a threshold of exhaustion." "Once you break through it, you'll be perfectly all right again." "You know I'd do anything for you." " Of course." "Anything at all, except for one thing." "I'm not going back in the car with that cat." "Is she asleep?" " For the moment." "My precious!" "What has that nasty man done to you?" "She'll be all right." "Milk tonight, solids tomorrow, she'll be as right as rain." "Well, I hope so." "There." "Now I suppose you'll want to rob a poor widow woman of her last mite?" "Well, not mites, Mrs. Beck, shillings." "10 shillings, please." "Oh, dear, I don't seem-- oh, aye, I have." "What an expensive pussycat you are, Georgina." "Thank you." " Just a minute." "You've got to take the stitches out, haven't you?" "In about 10 days." "It's very simple-- there will be plenty of time to pay you then." "When you come back to take stitches out." "You can have the money then." "I'd prefer it if I could talk to the other one." "My brother... is unavailable." "He has a habit of being unavailable when he's most needed." "That's a pity." "I've heard such good reports of him." "He sounds such... a reassuring young man." "Might I inquire as to the source of this information, Mrs. bravington?" "It wouldn't be miss westerman, by any chance?" "As a matter of fact, yes." "At the risk of sounding impertinent..." "Do you attend many coffee mornings given by miss westerman?" "We have a rota system, actually." "We share the responsibility." "Delightful." "Now, would you be kind enough to tell miss westerman at your next gathering not to recommend my brother for everything from canker to bubonic plague?" "We are, after all, three of us in the practice." "Let's get back to Percy." "What ails the little fellow?" "There's one more thing, Mr. farnon." "Can I take it then that there's no truth in the rumor?" "What rumor is that?" " That's he's thinking of setting up in practice on his own?" "That is, when you feel able to cope without him?" "James?" " Yes?" "Have you seen Tristan?" "No." "I'll find him for you." "Stout fellow." "Hello, darling." " Hello." "Gosh, you look tired." " I'm exhausted." "Seen Tristan?" "Said he had some reading to do." "Ah..." "James!" "Cuttlefish, the sovereign remedy for a blunted beak." "Thank you very much." "Good day." "See you." " Good day." "Well?" "Studying." "Any ideas, James?" "Ahem!" "I do think you might leave me alone with my work for a few minutes." "After you, James." " Thank you." "What is this?" "We don't quite know how to put this, tris." "I've got a pretty good idea." "About what?" " Don't think it's not appreciated-- the way you advise and help us when we have problems." "I don't do that much." "You're wrong." "You do an awful lot." "If anything, too much." " Certainly too much." "Oh, no, really." "Take the last couple of days." "I've had quite an easy time of it." "What about the way you reassured miss westerman?" "Yes, there is that." "And the way you helped me with Mrs. Beck?" " True." "To say nothing of fixing a fair price for the job?" "No, we won't mention that." "Then there's all the bother of setting up your own practice." "My own practice?" "You're becoming a very popular figure." "Everybody's asking for you." "If I were you, I should cash in on that, branch out on your own." "You're only young once." "I'm not qualified." " That's a small problem, for one of your ability." "I shall, of course, be sorry to lose you, blood being thicker than water..." "Or so I've always supposed." "But since you've made up your mind, I shall be obliged..." "If you make the necessary arrangements as soon as possible." "There must be some sort of misunderstanding." "I've never said-- you know-- obviously." "No, I don't know at all." "Well, I mean... perhaps in jest." "There was some mention, now that I come to think of it, but it was nothing serious." "You know how these things are." "You do not think loyalty's serious?" "That's enough, siegfried-- - do you?" "!" "I never dreamt, you know." "I think James is right." "We'll say no more about it." "I don't know." "How am I supposed to make a milk pudding without milk?" "It does present a bit of a problem." "Daft old man." "He gets later every day." "Thank you so much, Helen, my dear." "You're one in a million." "Can I get you anything else?" " No, no, no." "Good morning." " Good morning." "Can I pour you some coffee?" "No, thank you." "Wonderful breakfast." "Mrs. hall... excelled herself." "I'm sorry." "I didn't feel up to it." "Tristan, I owe you a profound apology." "No, you were perfectly right." " Please, don't interrupt." "Of course I wasn't right." "I was pompous, rude, and churlish." "No, I've been thinking-- - taking a lordly attitude," "I had absolutely no right at all-- what have you been thinking?" "Perhaps if we're not hitting it off together-- don't be absurd!" "There's no need to be dramatic." "It's perfectly simple." "James and I arranged a little charade." "Oh, did you?" " A simple little rag, regrettably, it went too far." "Entirely my fault." "I allowed my anxiety about our future together..." "The fate of our..." "Delightful little family here to..." "Well, your small indiscretion proved the fatal spark that set the whole tinderbox alight." "I know that's no excuse." "My behavior was unforgivable!" "Will you forgive me?" "You are the end, siegfried." "It's Mr. hinchcliffe." "He'd like to have a word with you." "Ahh..." "Come in, come in, my dear fellow." "You must have one of Mrs. hall's delicious cakes." "No, thanks." " What can I do for you?" "It's Dolly." "I'd like-- you want me to see her new halter?" "I shall be delighted." "Come along." "Come on." "Capital." "You'll not regret that, mark my words." "A most sensible investment." "That were only partly it, Mr. farnon." "Oh, yes?" "Something the matter?" "Naught important, but..." "She's been limping the last day or so." "Taking me an age to do my round." "You should've called me in straightaway." "I'm not made of money." "Fancy halters one day, veterinary fees the next." "The longer you delay these things, you know-- anyroad, I thought it would get better on its own." "It's got worse, though." "Which leg?" " This 'un." "Nine times out of 10, trouble's in the foot." "Well, something's perforated the sole." "Bad, is it?" "Take her straight home, and I'll be with you..." "In 10 minutes." "But I've got my round to finish." "Can't do that in 10 minutes." "If you don't get that attended to, you may not have a round to finish." "Ah, helping hand!" "Just what I need." "Come along!" "Punctured sole operation." "Herbie milkman's old nag." "Did you say, herbie?" " Our gallant milkman?" "I did, indeed." "Where is he?" "He weren't out there five minutes ago." "He'll be very soon, but not, I fear, today." "What about our milk?" "How will we manage?" "Improvise, Mrs. hall." "Use your initiative." "Come along, Tristan!" "It won't hurt her, will it?" "She'll make it perfectly clear if it does." "Steady on, old girl." "You'll be all right." "Can't do much good, can it?" "Hacking bits out of her foot?" "It's all dead tissue, herbie." "Won't do her any harm." "Honestly." "I don't like the look of it." "I'll tell you what, herbie, what about a cup of tea?" "I'm parched." "It's not time for tea." "I'll tell you what." "I'll get you a couple of beers." "Splendid, splendid." "How deep is it?" "Deeper than I thought." "Take a look." "See?" "There's the source of your trouble, right in there, that broken-off nail." "I didn't see it before." "Must have been a very long nail." "Exactly." "Let's go and find those beers." "Three months?" "Possibly two." "Certainly not less." "I can't be without Dolly." "Not all that time." "How the hell can I do my rounds without a horse?" "Have you thought of that?" "You must admit she's done you pretty well." "You can't expect her to go on forever." "I don't expect her to go on forever, Mr. farnon." "Just as long as I do, that's all." "Face facts." "I don't think you can expect more than a couple of years out of her even if the operation is successful." "That'll do me." "You just get that extra couple of years for me, that'll see me out." "I can't even guarantee that." "I wish I could." "See, if that nail has touched the navicular bone-- and I fear it may have done-- she will probably be permanently lame." "It all depends on how badly that little bone is damaged." "I see." "Then that'll be my finish." "I could never afford another horse." "You know that, don't you?" "Surely Mr. blackburn might see his way-- that to Mr. blackburn!" "I'd rather starve than accept favors of his sort." "I'll do everything in my power, herbie." "If there's anything I can do, I'll do it." "Aye?" "I believe you will." "Thank you, Mr. farnon." "Quite a collection you've got, herbie." "This should keep us going for some time." "Not for me, thank you." "We've got work to do." "It's bleeding, Mr. farnon!" "Of course it's bleeding, it's living tissue." "It's bound to bleed." "I've got a lot more to cut away yet, so if you'd rather not watch-- nay, it's my life at risk, isn't it?" "Naught's going to drag me away from that." "It's not as savage as it looks." "The foot's anesthetized, she doesn't feel a thing." "I'm simply trying to clear a route..." "For the infected material to drain away." "Forceps, Tristan!" "Oh." "Good man." "There's the culprit..." "Or what remains of it." "Must've been two inches long." "At least that." "It's gone right into the bone." "How much longer, darling?" "My arms are dropping off." "Don't be such a big baby." "Only a few more minutes." "You all right, siegfried?" " Fine." "That'll do." "Oh, that's better." "You're not still thinking about herbie?" "Kind of silly, isn't it?" "Can't get it out of my head." "Early night for me, I'm afraid." "It's not like you to get so involved." "I've rarely seen a worse case, my dear." "We have infinite faith in you." "Actually it's herbie." "He's so dependent on her." "Like an old married couple." " What do you mean by that?" "It's worse than that." "Dolly's not only his companion, she's his livelihood." "Take her away and what have you got?" "A cart without a horse, a milkman without a round..." "An old man without a job." "And no milk delivered at skeldale house." "I've no doubts some enterprising entrepreneur will soon rectify that." "Shouldn't worry on that score." "I won't have my milk delivered by anybody but herbie." "Well, we must all do what we can." "Good night to both of you!" " 'Night, siegfried." "Good night." "Good morning, Mrs. hall!" "Is it?" " Whyever not?" "I've just bicycled three miles to get milk!" "I can't do that every day, not and run the house." "I do see your problem." " When's it going to stop?" "I'm as anxious as you are that it should stop, but my present preoccupation is the lame pony, not us." "I daresay we'll survive a week or two without milk in our tea." "It's not tea I'm bothered about." "It's my legs." "I should have thought you'd enjoy a little spin in the summer sunshine." "Just the thing at this time of year." "How many days since you saw her?" "Three." "Should be seeing some change by now, one way or the other." "How is she, then?" "Sorry, herbie, no change at all." "Give it a few days more." "We'll put on a fresh dressing, of course, and" "I'm not blind..." "Only old." "And even I can see it's worse than it were." "That swelling round her foot, for one thing." "Well, yes, there is a little change, but nothing definite." "Certainly nothing to draw any firm conclusions from." "Change for the worse, though." "Well, I said I'd rather not-- and I'd rather you did!" "And it's my horse, so tell me!" "All right, herbie." "It's for the worse..." "As far as we can tell." "I thought perhaps I might..." "I don't know." "There must be some way..." "What would you do, James?" "I don't know." "This is no time for false modesty." "You're less involved than I am, so tell me." "The same as you, really." "Inspect her regularly, clean the wound, change the dressings, see if the discharge has become any cleaner." "There's no miracle cure, siegfried." "Not that I know of." "It has got worse, hasn't it?" "Much worse." "And the discharge has become thicker." "In a few days..." "She'll hardly be able to walk." "So that's it, then?" "Yes, that's it." "There's nothing more I can do." "I'm sorry, herbie." " Thank you for trying." "Three men." "Three trained men." "Two and a half, really." "Sorry." "I'll get it." "I'd have thought one of you could've done something." "The whole of darrowby without a milkman!" "Heaven knows when we'll get another." "And all she had was a nail in her foot." "She's not dead yet, Mrs. hall." "Perhaps she'll make a miraculous recovery." "It would have to be miraculous, indeed." "I'm sure everybody has done everything they can." " They certainly did." "Mrs. hall's quite right to complain." "If there is any blame, it lies entirely at my door." "Nonsense." " I treated the mare, I failed to cure her." "I don't know." "It's not a question of blame." "Of course it's not." "You're very kind, both of you." "That was herbie." "He's had Dolly put down." "Well, good." "There's no earthly point in delaying these things." "He had the knackerman round this afternoon." "He thought you'd like to know." "He sounded quite upset." "I wonder who herbie blames, eh, James?" "There we are, miss westerman." "As good as new." "You have done a good job." "Well, we do our best." " My poor boy." "He looks, if anything, better than ever." "Well, he would, wouldn't he?" "No more nasty swelling behind his ear." "One of the many things that this age is in danger of losing, Mr. herriot, is the ability to accept compliments graciously." "I didn't mean-- if you wish to learn exactly how it should be done..." "I suggest you consult your junior partner, who?" " Mr. farnon." "I don't think he'd take very kindly to being called my junior partner." "Mr. Tristan farnon!" " Ah, yes, that junior partner." "Charming young man." "Much maligned, I understand." "Now I must be going." "Ah." "Down..." "There's a good dog." "Well, miss westerman, which house is it today?" "I beg your pardon?" "For coffee." "I understand you quite often-- thank you, Mr. herriot!" "Just one more thing, miss westerman." "A little matter of money." "Another vulgarity of this age, Mr. herriot." "I never pay by cash." "If you'll be so kind as to send me a bill," "I shall be pleased to consider it." "Let me show you out." "Excuse me, hamish." "Good day to you." "It's a pleasure doing business." "Oh, hello, herbie." "Come in." "What can I do for you?" " Is Mr. farnon in?" "Afraid not, no." "Why don't you go on through?" "How have you been keeping, herbie?" "Fine." " Oh, good." "I wanted to see if he could get rid of this for me." "What is it?" " It's brand new, almost." "He knows horsey folk, don't he?" "I thought he might know someone, get a decent price for it." "I'll take it then, shall I?" "I got rid of the harness and most of the rest, but it only fetched a few quid, the lot of 'em." "But this... this is different." "Took the best part of what I had to get this." "Your Mr. farnon's idea." "Good investment, he said." ""Good investment"!" "It were the worst waste of money" "I ever come across!" "None of us were to know what would happen..." "And we are all more sorry than we can say." "I bet you are!" "But sorry doesn't pay the rent, does it?" "We'll get rid of it for you, herbie." "You'll see." "And we'll get a good price for it." "Well..." "I'll be off, then." "You won't stay for a cup of tea?" "Nay." "Thanks all the same." "I've got my allotment to get going again." "As long as you're kept busy." " It's for vegetables, Mr. herriot!" "Food to eat!" "Oh, I didn't think-- - good day to you." "Veterinary." "Poor, stubborn old man." "I thought" "I'd protected him so securely, him and Dolly." "Safe from bangs and sudden noises." "So you did." "You can't guard against every nail in darrowby." "Apparently not." "I was so pleased when I made him buy this." "I believed I'd given him the secret of eternal life." "Oh, goodness." "He'll be around for a few years yet." "He's a tough old bird." "Let's hope so." "I don't like to intrude." "There's a packed surgery out there." "I'll take it." "No, certainly not!" "I wouldn't dream of it!" "Work!" ""Apace, apace, apace, apace!" "Honest labor bears a lovely face." Don't you agree?" "What?" "Oh, definitely, yes." "After all, we're the lucky ones." "Right, then!" "Who's first?"