“I don’t mind if I do.”
Perhaps the answer was unexpected: but Madame St. Vincent rang the bell and ordered up a cup of the beef-tea. The beef-tea proved to be “all right,” as he had observed of the medicine. Meanwhile he had continued his questions to his patient.
She had eaten some chicken for dinner, and a little sweetbread for supper. There had been interludes of refreshment: an egg beaten up with milk, a cup of tea and bread-and-butter, and so on.
“You don’t starve her,” laughed Mr. Tamlyn.
“No, indeed,” warmly replied madame. “I do what I can to nourish her.”
“What do you take to drink?” continued the doctor.
“Nothing to speak of,” interposed madame. “A drop of cold brandy-and-water with her dinner.”
“Patty thinks it is better for me than wine,” put in Lady Jenkins.
“I don’t know but it is. You don’t take too much of it?”
Lady Jenkins paused. “Patty knows. Do I take too much, Patty?”