She gave me the telephone number of a very eminent man in Blackrock Clinic, where there was no danger of me casting anyone as a wifty-wafty new ager.

He's a single life, 35 years old.

Instantly a little vapour arose from it, as happens when one disturbs nitric acid, and this sight did not increase my hopes, already faint enough, of the efficacy of the treatment.

It was not what you would picture as a typical meeting with a naval officer. In fact, it was about as navy as an Abbott and Costello movie.