“I think Mr. Ritchie went too far in the end,” he added, recapitulating the main incidents of his indictment of the dentist. “I dare say a couple of my molars were showing signs of wear and tear, and so were all the better for being filled in properly; and it is quite likely that the gulf between the other two was the better for being bridged over--possibly a flake or two needed to be ground away from one of the grinders at the back--but I am sure that the time occupied in correcting some of the other irregularities which he perceived, but which had never caused me a moment's inconvenience, might have been better spent. I often thought so; but I said nothing until he calmly advised me to have six of my upper jaw painlessly extracted, apparently for no other reason than to show me how the new system of injecting cocaine, or something, worked, and that he could do what he called 'crown work' with the best dentists at Brindlington--then I thought it time to speak out, and I did speak out.” “And what did you say to him?” I inquired, for I longed to be put in touch with the phraseology of a “first aid” parson when speaking out. “I didn't spare him: I told him just what I thought of him.” “And what did that amount to? Nothing grossly offensive, I hope.” “I wasn't careful of my words; I did not weigh them. If they sounded offensive to him I cannot help it.” “What did you say to him, as nearly as you can recollect? I'm rather a connoisseur of language and I may be able to relieve your mind, if you have any uneasiness on the subject of the man's feelings when you had done with him. What did you say to him?” “I told him plainly that I thought he had gone too far; and now, looking at the whole transaction from a purely impersonal standpoint, I am not disposed to withdraw a single word of what I said. He did go too far--I honestly believe it. You will understand that it is not easy for one to take up an attitude of complete detachment in considering a matter such as this in all its bearings; but I think that I have disciplined myself sufficiently to be able to consider it in an unprejudiced spirit, and really I do believe that he went too far.” “If he did, you certainly did not,” said I. “Has he sent you in his bill?” “It is not his bill that matters--it only comes to £5, 11s. 6d. What I objected to was his implication that I had not a sound tooth in my head--I that have been accustomed during the past five years to crack nuts--not mere filberts, mind, but the sort that come from Brazil--at all the school feasts without the need for crackers! Just think of it! Oh yes, he certainly went too far.” I agreed with him; I had no idea that there was so much enterprise in all Mallingham.