XXIX
ON EARNING SIXPENCE
Behold our doctor on crutches and having his foot in a sling; deprived also of all burgundies, by the heartless mandate of another doctor. Behold him also in controversy with his daughter.
"You are perfectly insane," said that lady. "Doctor Beaver said quite distinctly that if you so much as moved your leg for the next three days, he wouldn't be answerable for the consequences."
"Haven't I been saying for the last three years that Beaver is an ignorant old quack?" inquired the doctor.
"And now," pursued his daughter, "because a drunken old woman comes round and raves at you, smelling of gin like a—like a cistern, you calmly propose to crawl out and go all the way to Burbidge Street, because her daughter happens to object to the locum. I'm quite sure he's a very decent locum; quite the nicest we've ever had. He's engaged to a school-mistress, and he knitted that waistcoat himself."
"The locum is a blasted young pup," responded Doctor Brink.
"Heavens!" cried his daughter, "whatever is the matter with this locum?"
"He's giving 'em real drugs," said the doctor, with gloom.
"What if he is?" argued James; "I don't suppose it'll kill 'em."