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The Case of the Howling Dog :: Гарднер Эрл Стенли
Страница: 12 из 146Dorcas, with the modifications in procedure which I have pointed out, will place you in the clear, legally. It is my advice that you follow that procedure."
Cartright whirled on Perry Mason with a display of temper.
"What if I don't choose to follow that advice?" he asked.
"Under those circumstances," said Perry Mason patiently, "you would, of course, prefer to get some other attorney — some one in whose advice you would have confidence."
Cartright paused for a moment, then suddenly nodded.
"Very well," he said, "I will be willing to follow that procedure. I want you to send the notification out right away, however."
"Just as soon as it can be prepared," said Perry Mason soothingly.
"Well, then," Cartright said, "I'm going to leave that up to you. I'm going back home. You represent my interests, Mr. Mason. You stay here and assist in getting out the proper notification, and seeing that it is delivered. Will you do that?"
"I will do that," said Perry Mason, "You can go home and get some rest, Cartright. Leave the matter in my hands."
Cartright nodded and paused with his hand on the door.
"Thank you, gentlemen," he said. "I am glad I met you. Pardon me if I seem a little upset. I haven't been sleeping much."
Then the door slammed.
"Well," said Pete Dorcas, turning to Dr. Cooper.
Dr. Cooper placed the tips of his fingers together over his paunchy stomach.
"Well," he said, the twinkle abruptly fading from his eyes, "I wouldn't want to make a diagnosis on the limited evidence available at the present time, but I should say it was a case of manic depressive psychosis."
Perry Mason grinned.
"Sounds formidable, Doctor," he said, "but doesn't that mean merely a nervous breakdown?"
"There is no such thing," said Dr. Cooper, "as a nervous breakdown. It is a popular expression, applied to various forms of functional or degenerative psychoses."
"Well," said Mason, "let's get at it another way. A man who is suffering from a manic depressive psychosis isn't insane, is he?"
"He isn't normal."
"I know, but he isn't insane."
"Well, it's a question of what you mean by insane. It isn't, of course, the degree of legal insanity which would excuse one from committing a crime, if that's what you mean.
"That isn't what I mean," said Mason. "Come on down to earth, Doctor; let's quit splitting hairs. You're not on the witness stand; you're just telling us. It's purely a functional disease, isn't it?"
"That's right.
Cartright whirled on Perry Mason with a display of temper.
"What if I don't choose to follow that advice?" he asked.
"Under those circumstances," said Perry Mason patiently, "you would, of course, prefer to get some other attorney — some one in whose advice you would have confidence."
Cartright paused for a moment, then suddenly nodded.
"Very well," he said, "I will be willing to follow that procedure. I want you to send the notification out right away, however."
"Just as soon as it can be prepared," said Perry Mason soothingly.
"Well, then," Cartright said, "I'm going to leave that up to you. I'm going back home. You represent my interests, Mr. Mason. You stay here and assist in getting out the proper notification, and seeing that it is delivered. Will you do that?"
"I will do that," said Perry Mason, "You can go home and get some rest, Cartright. Leave the matter in my hands."
Cartright nodded and paused with his hand on the door.
"Thank you, gentlemen," he said. "I am glad I met you. Pardon me if I seem a little upset. I haven't been sleeping much."
Then the door slammed.
"Well," said Pete Dorcas, turning to Dr. Cooper.
Dr. Cooper placed the tips of his fingers together over his paunchy stomach.
"Well," he said, the twinkle abruptly fading from his eyes, "I wouldn't want to make a diagnosis on the limited evidence available at the present time, but I should say it was a case of manic depressive psychosis."
Perry Mason grinned.
"Sounds formidable, Doctor," he said, "but doesn't that mean merely a nervous breakdown?"
"There is no such thing," said Dr. Cooper, "as a nervous breakdown. It is a popular expression, applied to various forms of functional or degenerative psychoses."
"Well," said Mason, "let's get at it another way. A man who is suffering from a manic depressive psychosis isn't insane, is he?"
"He isn't normal."
"I know, but he isn't insane."
"Well, it's a question of what you mean by insane. It isn't, of course, the degree of legal insanity which would excuse one from committing a crime, if that's what you mean.
"That isn't what I mean," said Mason. "Come on down to earth, Doctor; let's quit splitting hairs. You're not on the witness stand; you're just telling us. It's purely a functional disease, isn't it?"
"That's right.