little table, got up to lock the door, and Lady Scatcherd had no
alternative but to pass through it before the last edict was obeyed.

Lady Scatcherd, with slow step, went downstairs and again sought
counsel with Hannah, and the two, putting their heads together,
agreed that the only cure for the present evil was to found in a
good fee. So Lady Scatcherd, with a five-pound note in her hand, and
trembling in every limb, went forth to encounter the august presence
of Dr Fillgrave.

As the door opened, Dr Fillgrave dropped the bell-rope which was in
his hand, and bowed low to the lady. Those who knew the doctor well,
would have known from his bow that he was not well pleased; it was
as much as though he said, "Lady Scatcherd, I am your most obedient
humble servant; at any rate it appears that it is your pleasure to
treat me as such."

Lady Scatcherd did not understand all this; but she perceived at once
that the man was angry.

"I hope Sir Roger does not find himself worse," said the doctor. "The
morning is getting on; shall I step up and see him?"

"Hem! ha! oh! Why, you see, Dr Fillgrave, Sir Roger finds hisself
vastly better this morning, vastly so."

"I'm very glad to hear it; but as the morning is getting on, shall I
step up to see Sir Roger?"

"Why, Dr Fillgrave, sir, you see, he finds hisself so much hisself
this morning, that he a'most thinks it would be a shame to trouble
you."

"A shame to trouble me!" This was the sort of shame which Dr
Fillgrave did not at all comprehend. "A shame to trouble me! Why Lady
Scatcherd--"

Lady Scatcherd saw that she had nothing for it but to make the whole
matter intelligible. Moreover, seeing that she appreciated more
thoroughly the smallness of Dr Fillgrave's person than she did the
peculiar greatness of his demeanour, she began to be a shade less
afraid of him than she had thought she should have been.

"Yes, Dr Fillgrave; you see, when a man like he gets well, he can't
abide the idea of doctors: now, yesterday, he was all for sending for
you; but to-day he comes to hisself, and don't seem to want no doctor
at all."

Then did Dr Fillgrave seem to grow out of his boots, so suddenly did
he take upon himself sundry modes of expansive attitude;--to grow out
of his boots and to swell upwards, till his angry eyes almost looked
down on Lady Scatcherd, and each erect hair bristled up towards the
heavens.

"This is very singular, very singular, Lady Scatcherd; very sing