When, therefore, she found that he had been dismissed, and that a stranger was to be sent for in his place, her heart sank low within her.
"But, doctor," she said, with her apron up to her eyes, "you ain't going to leave him, are you?"
Dr Thorne did not find it easy to explain to her ladyship that medical etiquette would not permit him to remain in attendance on her husband after he had been dismissed and another physician called in his place.
"Etiquette!" said she, crying. "What's etiquette to do with it when a man is a-killing hisself with brandy?"
"Fillgrave will forbid that quite as strongly as I can do."
"Fillgrave!" said she. "Fiddlesticks! Fillgrave, indeed!"
Dr Thorne could almost have embraced her for the strong feeling of thorough confidence on the one side, and thorough distrust on the other, which she contrived to throw into those few words.
"I'll tell you what, doctor; I won't let the messenger go. I'll bear the brunt of it. He can't do much now he ain't up, you know. I'll stop the boy; we won't have no Fillgraves here."
This, however, was a step to which Dr Thorne would not assent. He endeavoured to explain to the anxious wife, that after what had passed he could not tender his medical services till they were again asked for.
"But you can slip in as a friend, you know; and then by degrees you can come round him, eh? can't you now, doctor? And as to the payment—"