Chapter 12. Intercession

  There was a knock at the office door and a recruit entered.

  This one has an open intelligent face thought Gideon.

  It was a game that he liked to play - guessing as much as he

  could about a prospective recruit before they handed him their

  papers. Tall and well nourished. The product of affluent middle

  class parents he thought. "Finn, is it son?"

  "Yes Sir." Finn replied.

  ''There'll be plenty of time for all that nonsense later, Dr. Marchant

  will be fine for now."

  Finn nodded.

  Gideon began the sight and hearing tests and looked through

  Finn's papers. He had a vague sense that he had seen Finn before.

  ''You put your occupation down as a student. What are you studying?"

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  "Anthropology."

  "If I hadn't gone into medicine, I would of chosen Anthropology.

  It's a fascinating field. Which university are you at?"

  "Oxford." Finn said.

  "Your Miriam Page's son." Gideon said.

  "My mother's shadow seems to follow me wherever I go."

  "I have Aunts and nieces who are part of your Mother's group.

  They tell me that different views on the War are causing a bit of

  friction in the suffragette movement."

  "The War isn't a total waste of time then." Finn said.

  Gideon laughed. "Have you told your Mother you're enlisting."

  "No and I don't have any intention of either. I'm travelling to St.Ives

  next week to tell my Father."

  "Your parents lead separate lives." Gideon said.

  Finn nodded.

  Gideon looked through Finn's paper work.

  "Lift up your shirt Finn. I'll have a quick listen to your chest,

  then we're almost done."

  "Can I ask you a question Dr. Marchant."

  ''Of course you can."

  "How did you lose your arm?"

  The question surprised the Doctor. He looked at Finn's face.

  There was no artifice or social awkwardness intended.

  Finn wasn't the type, he was sure of that. It was just a question.

  "I was an army surgeon in the Second Boer War in Africa."

  Gideon rubbed the stethoscope on his shirt to warm it.

  "I was attached to a field hospital that was being transported

  by train closer to the front, and Boer guerrilla's decided to blow up

  a rail bridge as we were crossing it."

  He placed the stethoscope on Finn's chest.

  "When I came home to England, my arm and some other things

  stayed behind on the Transvaal."

  "Other things?" Finn said.

  Gideon moved the stethoscope across Finn's chest.

  ''Mostly foolish ideas about the world and my place in it. Now take a

  big breath in and hold it for me."

  There was no reaction from Finn.

  "Take a big breath in and hold it for me Finn."

  There was still no movement.

  Gideon pulled back and looked at Finn to see if something

  was wrong.

  He was astonished to see Finn standing motionless - eyes open,

  appearing as if he had somehow been caught between one

  second and the next. Even more confounding, was that he could

  see himself standing with an outstretched arm listening

  to Finn's chest.

  *