Two Years Ago, Volume II | Page 4

will be hardly settled: but a cup of coffee, and an exceedingly good cigar, I think my establishment may furnish you by seven o'clock to-night;--if you think them worth walking down for."
Tom, of course, said something civil, and made his appearance in due time. He found the coffee ready, and the cigars also; but the Major was busy, in his shirt sleeves, unpacking and arranging jars, nets, microscopes, and what not of scientific lumber; and Tom proffered his help.
"I am ashamed to make use of you the first moment that you become my guest."
"I shall enjoy the mere handling of your tackle," said Tom; and began breaking the tenth commandment over almost every article he touched; for everything was first-rate of its kind.
"You seem to have devoted money, as well as thought, plentifully to the pursuit."
"I have little else to which to devote either; and more of both than is, perhaps, safe for me."
"I should hardly complain of a superfluity of thought, if superfluity of money was the condition of it."
"Pray understand me. I am no Dives; but I have learned to want so little, that I hardly know how to spend the little which I have."
"I should hardly have called that an unsafe state."
"The penniless Faquir who lives on chance handfuls of rice has his dangers, as well as the rich Parsee who has his ventures out from Madagascar to Canton. Yes, I have often envied the schemer, the man of business, almost the man of pleasure; their many wants at least absorb them in outward objects, instead of leaving them too easily satisfied, to sink in upon themselves, and waste away in useless dreams."
"You found out the best cure for that malady when you took up the microscope and the collecting-box."
"So I fancied once. I took up natural history in India years ago to drive away thought, as other men might take to opium, or to brandy-pawnee: but, like them, it has become a passion now and a tyranny; and I go on hunting, discovering, wondering, craving for more knowledge; and--_cui bono_? I sometimes ask--"
"Why, this at least, sir; that, without such men as you, who work for mere love, science would be now fifty years behind her present standing-point; and we doctors should not know a thousand important facts, which you have been kind enough to tell us, while we have not time to find them out for ourselves."
"_Sic vos non vobis_--"
"Yes, you have the work, and we have the pay; which is a very fair division of labour, considering the world we live in."
"And have you been skilful enough to make science pay you here, in such an out-of-the-way little world as that of Aberalva must be?"
"She is a good stalking-horse anywhere;" and Tom detailed, with plenty of humour, the effect of his microscope and his lecture on the drops of water. But his wit seemed so much lost on Campbell, that he at last stopped almost short, not quite sure that he had not taken a liberty.
"No; go on, I beg you; and do not fancy that I am not interested and amused too, because my laughing muscles are a little stiff from want of use. Perhaps, too, I am apt to take things too much _au grand sérieux;_ but I could not help thinking, while you were speaking, how sad it was that people were utterly ignorant of matters so vitally necessary to health."
"And I, perhaps, ought not to jest over the subject: but, indeed, with cholera staring us in the face here, I must indulge in some emotion; and as it is unprofessional to weep, I must laugh as long as I dare."
The Major dropped his coffee-cup upon the floor, and looked at Thurnall with so horrified a gaze, that Tom could hardly believe him to be the same man. Then recollecting himself, he darted down upon the remains of his cup: and looking up again--"A thousand pardons; but--did I hear you aright? cholera staring us in the face?"
"How can it be otherwise? It is drawing steadily on from the eastward week by week; and, in the present state of the town, nothing but some miraculous caprice of Dame Fortune's can deliver us."
"Don't talk of Fortune, sir! at such a moment. Talk of God!" said the Major, rising from his chair, and pacing the room. "It is too horrible! Intolerable! When do you expect it here?"
"Within the month, perhaps,--hardly before. I should have warned you of the danger, I assure you, had I not understood from you that you were only going to stay a fortnight."
The Major made an impatient gesture.
"Do you fancy that I am afraid for myself? No; but the thought of its coming to--to the poor people in the town, you know. It is too dreadful. I have seen it