A Simpleton | Page 9

gain
your esteem--'they go together,' you know; you told him so." (Young
cats will scratch when least expected.) "And for me to go and tell him I
am in danger! Why, he would go wild. He would think of nothing but
me and my health. He would never make his fortune: and so then, even
when I am gone, he will never get a wife, because he has only got
genius and goodness and three thousand pounds. No, papa, I have not
told poor Christopher. I may tease those I love. I have been teasing
YOU this ever so long; but frighten them, and make them miserable?
No!"
And here, thinking of the anguish that was perhaps in store for those
she loved, she wanted to cry; it almost choked her not to. But she
fought it bravely down: she reserved her tears for lighter occasions and
less noble sentiments.
Her father held out his arms to her. She ran her footstool to him, and sat
nestling to his heart.
"Please forgive me my misconduct. I have not been a dutiful daughter
ever since you--but now I will. Kiss me, my own papa! There! Now we
are as we always were."
Then she purred to him on every possible topic but the one that now
filled his parental heart, and bade him good-night at last with a cheerful
smile.
Wyman was exact, and ten minutes afterwards Dr. Snell drove up in a
carriage and pair. He was intercepted in the hall by Wyman, and, after a
few minutes' conversation, presented to Mr. Lusignan.
The father gave vent to his paternal anxiety in a few simple but
touching words, and was proceeding to state the symptoms as he had
gathered them from his daughter; but Dr. Snell interrupted him politely,
and said he had heard the principal symptoms from Mr. Wyman. Then,
turning to the latter, he said, "We had better proceed to examine the
patient."
"Certainly," said Mr. Lusignan. "She is in the drawing-room;" and he
led the way, and was about to enter the room, when Wyman informed
him it was against etiquette for him to be present at the examination.
"Oh, very well!" said he. "Yes, I see the propriety of that. But oblige

me by asking her if she has anything on her mind."
Dr. Snell bowed a lofty assent; for, to receive a hint from a layman was
to confer a favor on him.
The men of science were closeted full half an hour with the patient. She
was too beautiful to be slurred over, even by a busy doctor: he felt her
pulse, looked at her tongue, and listened attentively to her lungs, to her
heart, and to the organ suspected by Wyman. He left her at last with a
kindly assurance that the case was perfectly curable.
At the door they were met by the anxious father, who came with
throbbing heart, and asked the doctors' verdict.
He was coolly informed that could not be given until the consultation
had taken place; the result of that consultation would be conveyed to
him.
"And pray, why can't I be present at the consultation? The grounds on
which two able men agree or disagree must be well worth listening to."
"No doubt," said Dr. Snell; "but," with a superior smile, "my dear sir, it
is not the etiquette."
"Oh, very well," said Lusignan. But he muttered, "So, then, a father is
nobody!"
And this unreasonable person retired to his study, miserable, and gave
up the dining-room to the consultation.
They soon rejoined him.
Dr. Snell's opinion was communicated by Wyman. "I am happy to tell
you that Dr. Snell agrees with me, entirely: the lungs are not affected,
and the liver is congested, but not diseased."
"Is that so, Dr. Snell?" asked Lusignan, anxiously.
"It is so, sir." He added, "The treatment has been submitted to me, and I
quite approve it."
He then asked for a pen and paper, and wrote a prescription. He assured
Mr. Lusignan that the case had no extraordinary feature, whatever; he
was not to alarm himself. Dr. Snell then drove away, leaving the parent
rather puzzled, but, on the whole, much comforted.
And here I must reveal an extraordinary circumstance.
Wyman's treatment was by drugs.
Dr. Snell's was by drugs.
Dr. Snell, as you have seen, entirely approved Wyman's treatment.
His own had nothing in common with it. The Arctic and Antarctic

poles are not farther apart than was his prescription from the
prescription he thoroughly approved.
Amiable science! In which complete diversity of practice did not
interfere with perfect uniformity of opinion.
All this was kept from Dr. Staines, and he was entirely occupied in
trying to get a position that might lead to fortune, and satisfy Mr.
Lusignan. He called