A famous doctor once attended a little boy who was dangerously ill. Thanks to his skill and care this young patient recovered, and was soon able to get up and run about again. The child's mother was very grateful, and she called on the doctor to thank him for what he had done for her son.
“Doctor,”she said.“You have saved my little boy's life. I do not know how to thank you enough. I feel that money alone cannot repay you, so I have made this little purse with my own hands, as a sign of my gratitude. I hope you will accept it.”
The doctor drew himself up and said coldly,“Madam, little presents like that are very nice between friends, but a doctor needs to be paid properly for his attentions.”
The lady was too surprised and hurt to reply for a moment. Then she said quietly,“Perhaps you will tell me what your fee is, doctor?”
“Fifty pounds,”he answered.
The lady opened the little purse that she had made and took out four fifty-pound bank notes. She handed one of them to the doctor, and put the other three back into the purse. She put the purse into her handbag, and saying good morning to the doctor, she went out of the room.