A week before the inquiry, Andrew went to London to make arrangements for his defence. He was alone: he had told Denny and Hope that he would prefer to be alone. He felt very miserable. He could not believe that he, Andrew Manson, was in this situation - a situation which every doctor feared. Why should the Council wish to disqualify him from practising? He had done nothing shameful! In fact, he had done something that deserved praise: he had cured Mary Boland!

A lawyer named Hopper, suggested by Denny, agreed to defend Andrew at the inquiry. Andrew considered Hopper a weak, stupid man, and they nearly had a quarrel at their first meeting. Andrew wanted to ask Sir Robert Abbey, his only influential friend in London, to help him, but Hopper objected to this because Abbey was a member of the General Medical Council. The lawyer also refused to allow Andrew to call Stillman as a witness, because he was afraid that Stillman's presence might anger the members of the Council.

'What does that matter?' Andrew cried. 'I haven't done anything wrong! I'm not ashamed of my actions! I want the Council to know the truth. I want to prove to them that I saved this girl's life by sending her to Stillman - that my action was right and wise.'

'Dr Manson,' Hopper cried, 'I warn you not to talk like that at the inquiry! If you address the Council in that manner, they will certainly disqualify you! I advise you to say as little as possible. Simply answer their questions.'

Andrew realized that he must try to control his feelings.

On the evening before the inquiry, while out for a walk, Andrew came to the open doorway of a church. He entered. It was dark inside. He sat down in the back seat, and remembered how Christine used to read a prayer book when she was unhappy. He rarely went to church, but now here he was, like a man resting at the end of a journey. He prayed in silence: 'God, don't let them disqualify me! Don't let them disqualify me!' He remained there for perhaps half an hour. Then he rose and went to his hotel.

Next morning, he woke feeling sick with anxiety. He ate no breakfast. His case was to be heard at 11 o'clock, and Hopper had told him to arrive early.

He reached the offices of the General Medical Council as the clock was striking eleven.