Many sentences were pronounced in that darkened room, and the prisoners often needed cheering.

Another instance of the metaphorical use of nouns could be observed here (sentence, prisoner). These words are commonly associated with the court of justice, not with the doctor’s consulting-room. Their use in this context stresses the hopelessness of Dick’s position. The word “verdict” used above plays the same role.

8. “One cannot ascertain the extact amount of injury inflicted by the sword-cut.”

Note a vast difference in the vocabulary used by the doctor and by Dick. A careful selection of dry unemotional terms characterizes all the doctor’s remarks. Professional coolness and indifference of a successful practitioner are felt beyond his measured speech. It is all the more evident, as contrasted with Dick’s informal emotional utterances: “Verdict?” “What do you make of it?” etc.

Dick went into the street, and was rapturously received by Binkie.

Binkie wagged his tail joyously.

Thus we see that the only living being that was with him at the moment was his dog. This stroke in the narration accentuates Dick’s loneliness.

11. “We’ve got it very badly, little dog!”

12. “We’re to be shut up…”

The use of the pronoun “we” is of interest here. It might simply reflect the usual address to a dog, it might reflect Dick’s attempt to share his tragedy with someone if only a dog.

13. “How could it have come without any warning?”

“Could + Perfect Infinitive” expresses Dick’s incredulity, his refusal to believe in the coming blindness.

Note that “could” is used to express doubt, incredulity only in interrogative and negative sentences.

14. “We’re to be shut up in the dark… and we shan’t see anybody, and we shall never have anything we want…”

We observe here such an arrangement of similarly built clauses (parallel constructions) which is called climax. It means that each clause (phrase or sentence) is more significant in meaning than the previous one. The stylistic value of this figure of speech is emphasis. And indeed the emotional tone of this sentence where each clause surpasses the previous one in intensity of expression is suggestive of great nervous strain.

<== попередня сторінка	\|	наступна сторінка ==>
The doctor wrapped himself in a mist of words.	\|	DISCUSSION OF THE TEXT

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