The Lunatic at Large

An anxious young doctor sees a generous fee within reach, but the responsibility attached to it makes him hesitate. In J. Storer Clouston's comic novel, Dr Twiddel receives an offer to accompany a wealthy patient abroad after a serious illness. His unpaid bills make the money tempting, while his confident friend Robert Welsh treats his doubts as obstacles to be talked away. Their conversation sets the story moving through a mixture of financial need, bravado and questionable schemes.

Elsewhere in the story, Mr Bunker tries to shake off a persistent pursuer during a cab chase through London. Taking refuge in Twiddel's consulting room, he discovers a clothing bill bearing the name Francis Beveridge and finds himself puzzling over an unexpected connection. The humour comes through sharp dialogue, social pretensions and the gap between outward assurance and private confusion. Readers interested in comic intrigue can follow these encounters for their quick shifts of advantage and their carefully observed human vanity.