This novel centers around a doctor of a broken marriage who is
convinced there’s something bad about him, deep down, an urge to
destroy. He tries to run away from himself, first by quitting medical
practice, where he sees himself as enjoying the destruction of disease.
He becomes a consultant and sets up a night club for lonely people.
Again he quits this, feeling he might have been motivated by the same
need to cause harm and enjoy pain.
A
lifeline plot revolves around the murder of an old drunk woman by three
teenagers one night. Afterwards there is a new young “patient” in
Setter’s club. Initially Setter suspects him of knowing something about
the murder. Later, he is convinced that Sammy was the one who did the
most in killing the woman. He pays close attention to Sammy and then
gets him to confess his act. He does not inform the authorities, however
takes it upon himself to wield judgment—death. First he takes Sammy to
France so that Sammy could enjoy himself. He tests Sammy further and
realizes that Sammy has no conscience, has no dreams, and could kill
again in the right circumstances. He then carries out judgment by
advising Sammy to take a certain amount of alcoholic drink and a certain
amount of his doctor’s prescription, that he would feel better the next
morning. Sammy follows his advice and is discovered dead the next
morning.
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