“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.