“My dear doctor,” cried Mr. Query, his face beaming with conscious innocence, “I haven't been guilty of any mis-statement about you, I can take my oath. I heard that there was a report of your drinking, and all I did was to tell people I didn't believe it, nor know anything about it, and to inquire were it originated. Oh, I assure you, doctor, I haven't slandered you in any manner.”
“You are a poor fool!” exclaimed Dr. Harvey, perplexed and angry. “If you had gone about town telling everybody that you saw me drunk, daily, you couldn't have slandered me more effectually than you have.”
“Oh, I beg your pardon,” cried Mr. Query, very sad; “but I thought I was doing you a service!”
“Save me from my friends!” exclaimed the doctor, bitterly. “An enemy could not have done me as much injury as you have done. But I now insist on knowing who first mentioned the report to you.”
“Oh, I am not at liberty to say that.”
“Then I shall hold you responsible for the scandal—for the base lies you have circulated. But if you are really an honest man, and my friend, you will not hesitate to tell me where this report originated.”
After some reflection, Mr. Query, who stood in mortal fear of the indignant doctor, resolved to reveal the secret, and mentioned the name of his informant, Mrs. Simmons. As Dr. Harvey had not heard her spoken of before, as connected with the report of his intemperance, he knew very well that Mr. Query's “friendly investigations” had been the sole cause of his loss of practice. However, to go to the roots of this Upas tree of scandal, he resolved to pay an immediate visit to Mrs. Simmons.
This lady could deny nothing; but she declared that she had not given the rumour as a fact, and that she had never spoken of it except to Mr. Query. Anxious to throw the responsibility of the slander upon others, she eagerly confessed that, on a certain occasion upon entering a room in which were Mrs. Guild and Mrs. Harmless, she overheard one of these ladies remark that “Dr. Harvey drank more than ever,” and the other reply, that “she had heard him say he could not break himself, although he knew his health suffered in consequence.”
Thus set upon the right track, Dr. Harvey visited Mrs. Guild and Mrs. Harmless without delay.
“Mercy on us!” exclaimed those ladies, when questioned respecting the matter, “we perfectly remember talking about your drinking coffee, and making such remarks as you have heard through Mrs. Simmons. But with regard to your drinking liquor, we never heard the report until a week ago, and never believed it at all.”