And had they come and got us that five minutes earlier…
““And had they come and got us that five minutes earlier, then the fault would have been mine for, after leaving Hunslett in the police station I had insisted that Sergeant MacDonald accompany me to use his authority in knocking up and obtaining service from the proprietor of the only chemist's shop in Torbay. Neither of them had been too keen on giving me the illegal help I wanted and it had taken me a full five minutes and the best part of my extensive repertoire of threats to extract from the very elderly chemist the minimum of reluctant service and a small green-ribbed bottle informatively labelled 'The Tablets.' But I was lucky and I was back aboard the Firecrest just after 10.30 p.m. ==========””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
A narrator recounts a desperate, illegal attempt to obtain medication, emphasizing the moral ambiguity and urgency of the situation.
In simple terms: Desperate procurement of illegal medication.
Key Takeaway
Moral compromise under pressure.
Themes
Moral ambiguity
Desperation
Illicit behavior
Power dynamics
Ethics
Survival
Mood
Tense
Anxious
Gritty
Type
Narrative excerpt
Confessional monologue
When to use this quote
- Emergency medical need
- Criminal underworld
- Police involvement
- Late-night illicit transaction
Key Concepts
Authority abuse
Threats
Criminal activity
Medical ethics
Practical Applications
- Narrative tension
- Character development
Questions to Reflect On
- What does this reveal about the character's values?
- How does the setting influence the moral choices?