he would pick up the object , hold it before him and begin to tell its story without the faintest trace of emotion in his voice , while the listener tried hard to tear his gaze from the doctors ill-fitting toupee and magnified , expressionless eyes , to concentrate on the bizarre tale , to make it somehow real despite the surroundings , to pay attention as dr flynch calmly described the unbelievable brutalities behind these seemingly innocent artefacts .