FIRST MEETING WITH ROBERT SIEVIER 



a mad chuckle : " What will keep the cold out will keep 

 the heat out." It was the same, but to a less extent, 

 with regard to his waistcoats. On the occasion of the 

 trousers incident, I had to take my turn for an hour 

 or two a day holding him down. He had every 

 possible combination of d.t.'s — green beetles and red 

 centipedes, in fact, the whole of the insect world, on 

 his bed. 



There was another doctor I met in Brisbane. He 

 was a delightful fellow, only taking on the whisky at 

 intervals. He had a most professional appearance, 

 never out of his frock-coat or tall hat. Rather curi- 

 ously he was very like that good fellow, Dr Taylor, 

 the racing doctor, who used to be in attendance at the 

 Park Meetings and died a year or two ago. It doesn't 

 matter about the name of this Brisbane doctor. He 

 had recently come out from England. I could see 

 him walking about by himself on occasions, looking 

 very sad, but there was no suggestion of this when 

 he talked to me. " I think I have got a good job, 

 old man," he said to me one day. " I am going up- 

 country to take charge of a man's practice for eight 

 or nine months ; he's going to England to touch some 

 money." He seemed cheered about it, although there 

 was no suggestion that he was short and a job a 

 necessity. After a drink I had to go round to the 

 Theatre Royal ; there was a band rehearsal and they 

 were playing the waltz from Olivette. Nellie Stewart 

 — so well known since in England — and Howard 

 Vernon were to play in it. " That damned waltz," 

 he muttered, but listened with his face transfigured : I 

 never saw a man change so much. But when it was 

 finished he touched my hand, saying: "For God's 

 sake, let's have a big drink. I won't tell you the story 

 now, but — that waltz ! " A tear was in his eye when 



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