a simpleton-第24章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


tamely　by？〃

Christopher　said　nothing：　but　these　words　seemed　to　imply　a　thirst
for　admiration；　and　made　him　a　little　uneasy。

By　and　by　the　walk　put　the　swift…changing　Rosa　in　spirits；　and　she
began　to　chat　gayly；　and　hung　prattling　and　beaming　on　her
husband's　arm；　when　they　entered　Curzon　Street。　　Here；　however；
occurred　an　incident；　trifling　in　itself；　but　unpleasant。　　Dr。
Staines　saw　one　of　his　best　Kentish　patients　get　feebly　out　of　his
carriage；　and　call　on　Dr。　Barr。　　He　started；　and　stopped。　　Rosa
asked　what　was　the　matter。　　He　told　her。　　She　said；　〃We　ARE
unfortunate。〃

Staines　said　nothing；　he　only　quickened　his　pace；　but　he　was
greatly　disturbed。　　She　expected　him　to　complain　that　she　had
dragged　him　out；　and　lost　him　that　first　chance。　　But　he　said
nothing。　　When　they　got　home；　he　asked　the　servant　had　anybody
called。

〃No；　Sir。〃

〃Surely　you　are　mistaken；　Jane。　　A　gentleman　in　a　carriage！〃

〃Not　a　creature　have　been　since　you　went　out；　sir。〃

〃Well；　then；　dearest；〃　said　he　sweetly；　〃we　have　nothing　to
reproach　ourselves　with。〃　　Then　he　knit　his　brow　gloomily。　　〃It　is
worse　than　I　thought。　　It　seems　even　one's　country　patients　go　to
another　doctor　when　they　visit　London。　　It　is　hard。　　It　is　hard。〃

Rosa　leaned　her　head　on　his　shoulder；　and　curled　round　him；　as　one
she　would　shield　against　the　world's　injustice；　but　she　said
nothing；　she　was　a　little　frightened　at　his　eye　that　lowered；　and
his　noble　frame　that　trembled　a　little；　with　ire　suppressed。

Two　days　after　this；　a　brougham　drove　up　to　the　door；　and　a
tallish；　fattish；　pasty…faced　man　got　out；　and　inquired　for　Dr。
Staines。

He　was　shown　into　the　dining…room；　and　told　Jane　he　had　come　to
consult　the　doctor。

Rosa　had　peeped　over　the　stairs；　all　curiosity；　she　glided
noiselessly　down；　and　with　love's　swift　foot　got　into　the　yard
before　Jane。　　〃He　is　come！　he　is　come！　　Kiss　me。〃

Dr。　Staines　kissed　her　first；　and　then　asked　who　was　come。

〃Oh；　nobody　of　any　consequence。　　ONLY　the　first　patient。　　Kiss　me
again。〃

Dr。　Staines　kissed　her　again；　and　then　was　for　going　to　the　first
patient。

〃No；〃　said　she；　〃not　yet。　　I　met　a　doctor's　wife　at　Dr。　Mayne's；
and　she　told　me　things。　　You　must　always　keep　them　waiting；　or　else
they　think　nothing　of　you。　　Such　a　funny　woman！　　'Treat　'em　like
dogs；　my　dear；'　she　said。　　But　I　told　her　they　wouldn't　come　to　be
treated　like　dogs　or　any　other　animal。〃

〃You　had　better　have　kept　that　to　yourself；　I　think。〃

〃Oh！　if　you　are　going　to　be　disagreeable；　good…by。　　You　can　go　to
your　patient；　sir。　　Christie；　dear；　if　he　is　veryvery　illand
I'm　sure　I　hope　he　isoh；　how　wicked　I　am；　may　I　have　a　new
bonnet？〃

〃If　you　really　want　one。〃

On　the　patient's　card　was　〃Mr。　Pettigrew；　47　Manchester　Square。〃

As　soon　as　Staines　entered　the　room；　the　first　patient　told　him　who
and　what　he　was；　a　retired　civilian　from　India；　but　he　had　got　a
son　there　still；　a　very　rising　man；　wanted　to　be　a　parson；　but　he
would　not　stand　that；　bad　profession；　don't　rise　by　merit；　very
hard　to　rise　at　all；no；　India　was　the　place。　　〃As　for　me；　I　made
my　fortune　there　in　ten　years。　　Obliged　to　leave　it　nowinvalid
this　many　years；　no　TONE。　　Tried　two　or　three　doctors　in　this
neighborhood；　heard　there　was　a　new　one；　had　written　a　book　on
something。　　Thought　I　would　try　HIM。〃

To　stop　him；　Staines　requested　to　feel　his　pulse；　and　examine　his
tongue　and　eye。

〃You　are　suffering　from　indigestion；〃　said　he。　　〃I　will　write　you　a
prescription；　but　if　you　want　to　get　well；　you　must　simplify　your
diet　very　much。〃

While　he　was　writing　the　prescription；　off　went　this　patient's
tongue；　and　ran　through　the　topics　of　the　day　and　into　his　family
history　again。

Staines　listened　politely。　　He　could　afford　it；　having　only　this
one。

At　last；　the　first　patient；　having　delivered　an　octavo　volume　of
nothing；　rose　to　go；　but　it　seems　that　speaking　an　〃infinite　deal
of　nothing〃　exhausts　the　body；　though　it　does　not　affect　the　mind；
for　the　first　patient　sank　down　in　his　chair　again。　　〃I　have
excited　myself　too　muchfeel　rather　faint。〃

Staines　saw　no　signs　of　coming　syncope；　he　rang　the　bell　quietly；
and　ordered　a　decanter　of　sherry　to　be　brought；　the　first　patient
filled　himself　a　glass；　then　another；　and　went　off；　revived；　to
chatter　elsewhere。　　But　at　the　door　he　said；　〃I　had　always　a
running　account　with　Dr。　Mivar。　　I　suppose　you　don't　object　to　that
system。　　Double　fee　the　first　visit；　single　afterwards。〃

Dr。　Staines　bowed　a　little　stiffly；　he　would　have　preferred　the
money。　　However；　he　looked　at　the　Blue　Book；　and　found　his　visitor
lived　at　47　Manchester　Square；　so　that　removed　his　anxiety。

The　first　patient　called　every　other　day；　chattered　nineteen　to　the
dozen；　was　exhausted；　drank　two　glasses　of　sherry；　and　drove　away。

Soon　after　this　a　second　patient　called。　　This　one　was　a　deputy
patientCollett；　a　retired　butlerkept　a　lodging…house；　and
waited　at　parties；　he　lived　close　by；　but　had　a　married　daughter　in
Chelsea。　　Would　the　doctor　visit　her；　and　HE　would　be　responsible？

Staines　paid　the　woman　a　visit　or　two；　and　treated　her　so
effectually；　that　soon　her　visits　were　paid　to　him。　　She　was　cured；
and　Staines；　who　by　this　time　wanted　to　see　money；　sent　to　Collett。

Collett　did　not　answer。

Staines　wrote　warmly。

Collett　dead　silent。

Staines　employed　a　solicitor。

Collett　said　he　had　recommended　the　patient；　that　was　all。　　He　had
never　said　he　would　pay　her　debts。　　That　was　her　husband's
business。

Now　her　husband　was　the　mate　of　a　ship；　would　not　be　in　England　for
eighteen　months。

The　woman；　visited　by　lawyer's　clerk；　cried　bitterly；　and　said　she
and　her　children　had　scarcely　enough　to　eat。

Lawyer　advised　Staines　to　abandon　the　case；　and　pay　him　two　pounds
fifteen　shillings　expenses。　　He　did　so。

〃This　is　damnable；〃　said　he。　　〃I　must　get　it　out　of　Pettigrew；　by…
the…by；　he　has　not　been　here　this　two　days。〃

He　waited　another　day　for　Pettigrew；　and　then　wrote　to　him。　　No
answer。　　Called。　　Pettigrew　gone　abroad。　　House　in　Manchester
Square　to　let。

Staines　went　to　the　house…agent　with　his　tale。　　Agent　was
impenetrable　at　first；　but；　at　last；　won　by　the　doctor's　manner　and
his　unhappiness；　referred　him　to　Pettigrew's　solicitor；　the
solicitor　was　a　respectable　man；　and　said　he　would　forward　the
claim　to　Pettigrew　in　Paris。

But　by　this　time　Pettigrew　was　chattering　and　guzzling　in　Berlin；
and　thence　he　got　to　St。　Petersburg。　　In　that　stronghold　of
gluttony；　he　gormandized　more　than　ever；　and；　being　unable　to　talk
it　off　his　stomach；　as　in　other　cities；　had　apoplexy；　and　died。

But　long　before　this　Staines　saw　his　money　was　as　irrecoverable　as
his　sherry；　and　he　said　to　Rosa；　〃I　wonder　whether　I　shall　ever
live　to　curse　the　human　race？〃

〃Heaven　forbid！〃　said　Rosa。　　〃Oh；　they　use　you　cruelly；　my　poor；
poor　Christie！〃

Thus　for　months　the　young　doctor's　patients　bled　him；　and　that　was
all。

And　Rosa　got　more　and　more　moped　at　being　in　the　house　so　much；　and
pestered　Christopher　to　take　her　out；　and　he　declined：　and；　being　a
man　hard　to　beat；　took　to　writing　on　medical　subjects；　in　hopes　of
getting　some　money　from　the　various　medical　and　scientific
publications；　but　he　found　it　as　hard　to　get　the　wedge　in　there　as
to　get　patients。

At　last　Rosa's　remonstrances　began　to　rise　into　something　that
sounded　like　reproaches。　　One　Sunday　she　came　to　him　in　her　bonnet；
and　interrupted　his　studies；　to　say　he　might　as　well　lay　down　the
pen；　and　talk。　　Nobody　would　publish　anything　he　wrote。

Christopher　frowned；　but　contained　himself；　and　laid　down　the　pen。

〃I　might　as　well　not　be　married　at　all　as　be　a　doctor's　wife。　　You
are　never　seen　out　with　me；　not　even　to　church。　　Do　behave　like　a
Christian；　and　come　to　church　with　me　now。〃

Dr。　Staines　shook　his　head。

〃Why；　I　wouldn't　miss　church　for　all　the　world。　　Any　excitement　is
better　than　always　moping。　　Come　over　the　water　with　me。　　The　time
Jane　and　I　went；　the　clergyman　read　a　paper　that　Mr。　Brown　had
fallen　down　in　a　fit。　　There　was　such　a　rush　directly；　and　I'm　sure
fifty　ladies　went　outfancy；　all　Mrs。　Browns！　　Wasn't　that　fun？〃

〃Fun？　　I　don't　see