lazy tour of two idle apprentices-第7章

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direction　in　which　that　journey　lay；　or　the　place　in　which　it

ended。　　It　was　a　long　day's　shaking　of　Thomas　Idle　over　the　rough

roads；　and　a　long　day's　getting　out　and　going　on　before　the　horses；

and　fagging　up　hills；　and　scouring　down　hills；　on　the　part　of　Mr。

Goodchild；　who　in　the　fatigues　of　such　labours　congratulated

himself　on　attaining　a　high　point　of　idleness。　　It　was　at　a　little

town；　still　in　Cumberland；　that　they　halted　for　the　night　…　a　very

little　town；　with　the　purple　and　brown　moor　close　upon　its　one

street；　a　curious　little　ancient　market…cross　set　up　in　the　midst

of　it；　and　the　town　itself　looking　much　as　if　it　were　a　collection

of　great　stones　piled　on　end　by　the　Druids　long　ago；　which　a　few

recluse　people　had　since　hollowed　out　for　habitations。



'Is　there　a　doctor　here？'　asked　Mr。　Goodchild；　on　his　knee；　of　the

motherly　landlady　of　the　little　Inn：　　stopping　in　his　examination

of　Mr。　Idle's　ankle；　with　the　aid　of　a　candle。



'Ey；　my　word！'　said　the　landlady；　glancing　doubtfully　at　the　ankle

for　herself；　'there's　Doctor　Speddie。'



'Is　he　a　good　Doctor？'



'Ey！'　said　the　landlady；　'I　ca'　him　so。　　A'　cooms　efther　nae　doctor

that　I　ken。　　Mair　nor　which；　a's　just　THE　doctor　heer。'



'Do　you　think　he　is　at　home？'



Her　reply　was；　'Gang　awa'；　Jock；　and　bring　him。'



Jock；　a　white…headed　boy；　who；　under　pretence　of　stirring　up　some

bay　salt　in　a　basin　of　water　for　the　laving　of　this　unfortunate

ankle；　had　greatly　enjoyed　himself　for　the　last　ten　minutes　in

splashing　the　carpet；　set　off　promptly。　　A　very　few　minutes　had

elapsed　when　he　showed　the　Doctor　in；　by　tumbling　against　the　door

before　him　and　bursting　it　open　with　his　head。



'Gently；　Jock；　gently；'　said　the　Doctor　as　he　advanced　with　a　quiet

step。　　'Gentlemen；　a　good　evening。　　I　am　sorry　that　my　presence　is

required　here。　　A　slight　accident；　I　hope？　　A　slip　and　a　fall？

Yes；　yes；　yes。　　Carrock；　indeed？　　Hah！　　Does　that　pain　you；　sir？

No　doubt；　it　does。　　It　is　the　great　connecting　ligament　here；　you

see；　that　has　been　badly　strained。　　Time　and　rest；　sir！　　They　are

often　the　recipe　in　greater　cases；'　with　a　slight　sigh；　'and　often

the　recipe　in　small。　　I　can　send　a　lotion　to　relieve　you；　but　we

must　leave　the　cure　to　time　and　rest。'



This　he　said；　holding　Idle's　foot　on　his　knee　between　his　two

hands；　as　he　sat　over　against　him。　　He　had　touched　it　tenderly　and

skilfully　in　explanation　of　what　he　said；　and；　when　his　careful

examination　was　completed；　softly　returned　it　to　its　former

horizontal　position　on　a　chair。



He　spoke　with　a　little　irresolution　whenever　he　began；　but

afterwards　fluently。　　He　was　a　tall；　thin；　large…boned；　old

gentleman；　with　an　appearance　at　first　sight　of　being　hard…

featured；　but；　at　a　second　glance；　the　mild　expression　of　his　face

and　some　particular　touches　of　sweetness　and　patience　about　his

mouth；　corrected　this　impression　and　assigned　his　long　professional

rides；　by　day　and　night；　in　the　bleak　hill…weather；　as　the　true

cause　of　that　appearance。　　He　stooped　very　little；　though　past

seventy　and　very　grey。　　His　dress　was　more　like　that　of　a　clergyman

than　a　country　doctor；　being　a　plain　black　suit；　and　a　plain　white

neck…kerchief　tied　behind　like　a　band。　　His　black　was　the　worse　for

wear；　and　there　were　darns　in　his　coat；　and　his　linen　was　a　little

frayed　at　the　hems　and　edges。　　He　might　have　been　poor　…　it　was

likely　enough　in　that　out…of…the…way　spot　…　or　he　might　have　been　a

little　self…forgetful　and　eccentric。　　Any　one　could　have　seen

directly；　that　he　had　neither　wife　nor　child　at　home。　　He　had　a

scholarly　air　with　him；　and　that　kind　of　considerate　humanity

towards　others　which　claimed　a　gentle　consideration　for　himself。

Mr。　Goodchild　made　this　study　of　him　while　he　was　examining　the

limb；　and　as　he　laid　it　down。　　Mr。　Goodchild　wishes　to　add　that　he

considers　it　a　very　good　likeness。



It　came　out　in　the　course　of　a　little　conversation；　that　Doctor

Speddie　was　acquainted　with　some　friends　of　Thomas　Idle's；　and　had；

when　a　young　man；　passed　some　years　in　Thomas　Idle's　birthplace　on

the　other　side　of　England。　　Certain　idle　labours；　the　fruit　of　Mr。

Goodchild's　apprenticeship；　also　happened　to　be　well　known　to　him。

The　lazy　travellers　were　thus　placed　on　a　more　intimate　footing

with　the　Doctor　than　the　casual　circumstances　of　the　meeting　would

of　themselves　have　established；　and　when　Doctor　Speddie　rose　to　go

home；　remarking　that　he　would　send　his　assistant　with　the　lotion；

Francis　Goodchild　said　that　was　unnecessary；　for；　by　the　Doctor's

leave；　he　would　accompany　him；　and　bring　it　back。　　（Having　done

nothing　to　fatigue　himself　for　a　full　quarter　of　an　hour；　Francis

began　to　fear　that　he　was　not　in　a　state　of　idleness。）



Doctor　Speddie　politely　assented　to　the　proposition　of　Francis

Goodchild；　'as　it　would　give　him　the　pleasure　of　enjoying　a　few

more　minutes　of　Mr。　Goodchild's　society　than　he　could　otherwise

have　hoped　for；'　and　they　went　out　together　into　the　village

street。　　The　rain　had　nearly　ceased；　the　clouds　had　broken　before　a

cool　wind　from　the　north…east；　and　stars　were　shining　from　the

peaceful　heights　beyond　them。



Doctor　Speddie's　house　was　the　last　house　in　the　place。　　Beyond　it；

lay　the　moor；　all　dark　and　lonesome。　　The　wind　moaned　in　a　low；

dull；　shivering　manner　round　the　little　garden；　like　a　houseless

creature　that　knew　the　winter　was　coming。　　It　was　exceedingly　wild

and　solitary。　　'Roses；'　said　the　Doctor；　when　Goodchild　touched

some　wet　leaves　overhanging　the　stone　porch；　'but　they　get　cut　to

pieces。'



The　Doctor　opened　the　door　with　a　key　he　carried；　and　led　the　way

into　a　low　but　pretty　ample　hall　with　rooms　on　either　side。　　The

door　of　one　of　these　stood　open；　and　the　Doctor　entered　it；　with　a

word　of　welcome　to　his　guest。　　It；　too；　was　a　low　room；　half

surgery　and　half　parlour；　with　shelves　of　books　and　bottles　against

the　walls；　which　were　of　a　very　dark　hue。　　There　was　a　fire　in　the

grate；　the　night　being　damp　and　chill。　　Leaning　against　the

chimney…piece　looking　down　into　it；　stood　the　Doctor's　Assistant。



A　man　of　a　most　remarkable　appearance。　　Much　older　than　Mr。

Goodchild　had　expected；　for　he　was　at　least　two…and…fifty；　but；

that　was　nothing。　　What　was　startling　in　him　was　his　remarkable

paleness。　　His　large　black　eyes；　his　sunken　cheeks；　his　long　and

heavy　iron…grey　hair；　his　wasted　hands；　and　even　the　attenuation　of

his　figure；　were　at　first　forgotten　in　his　extraordinary　pallor。

There　was　no　vestige　of　colour　in　the　man。　　When　he　turned　his

face；　Francis　Goodchild　started　as　if　a　stone　figure　had　looked

round　at　him。



'Mr。　Lorn；'　said　the　Doctor。　　'Mr。　Goodchild。'



The　Assistant；　in　a　distraught　way　…　as　if　he　had　forgotten

something　…　as　if　he　had　forgotten　everything；　even　to　his　own　name

and　himself　…　acknowledged　the　visitor's　presence；　and　stepped

further　back　into　the　shadow　of　the　wall　behind　him。　　But；　he　was

so　pale　that　his　face　stood　out　in　relief　again　the　dark　wall；　and

really　could　not　be　hidden　so。



'Mr。　Goodchild's　friend　has　met　with　accident；　Lorn；'　said　Doctor

Speddie。　　'We　want　the　lotion　for　a　bad　sprain。'



A　pause。



'My　dear　fellow；　you　are　more　than　usually　absent　to…night。　　The

lotion　for　a　bad　sprain。'



'Ah！　yes！　　Directly。'



He　was　evidently　relieved　to　turn　away；　and　to　take　his　white　face

and　his　wild　eyes　to　a　table　in　a　recess　among　the　bottles。　　But；

though　he　stood　there；　compounding　the　lotion　with　his　back　towards

them；　Goodchild　could　not；　for　many　moments；　withdraw　his　gaze　from

the　man。　　When　he　at　length　did　so；　he　found　the　Doctor　observing

him；　with　some　trouble　in　his　face。　　'He　is　absent；'　explained　the

Doctor；　in　a　low　voice。　　'Always　absent。　　Very　absent。'



'Is　he　ill？'



'No；　not　ill。'



'Unhappy？'



'I　have　my　suspicions　that　he　was；'　assented　the　Doctor；　'once。'



Francis　Goodchild　could　not　but　observe　that　t