The Man from Yesterday

Dr. Waite: Speaking of recoveries, do you see that fellow in the cloak? The one just leaving with his friend.

Rene Gaudin: Oh, yes.

Sylvia Suffolk: What is he? Who was it?

Dr. Waite: A patient of mine. Should have been dead long ago but hangs on in the most astonishing way. Absolutely refuses to die. I've never seen such determination. He lives like a mechanical man; always does the same thing at the same minute every day. You could set your watches by the two of them.

Sylvia Suffolk: Two of them?

Dr. Waite: Yes, the American with him. He's quite as amazing as the Britisher. He's not even sick and yet he sticks by his friend. Damon and Pythias, we call them.

Rene Gaudin: War combatives?

Dr. Waite: Yes, they escaped together from Germany or something.

Sylvia Suffolk: Oh, what a terrible way to live. Hasn't he anything to live for?

Dr. Waite: He's a case of "cherchez la femme"; and he's got plenty of cherchez-ing to do because no one knows where the woman is. Came back home and found her gone. Actually glad, I think, that he didn't find her. He wants to get well first. You know - not trade on her pity and all that rot. I told him once that he couldn't live another three weeks and yet, there he went just now. As a scientific man, I confess - it's a little upsetting! It's absolutely ruining my professional reputation!