an his usual
courtesy--something, perhaps, amounting almost to cordiality. He
had been supplanted, _quoad_ doctor, in the house of this rich,
eccentric, railway baronet, and he would show that he bore no malice
on that account.

So he smiled blandly as he took off his hat, and in a civil speech he
expressed a hope that Dr Fillgrave had not found his patient to be in
any very unfavourable state.

Here was an aggravation to the already lacerated feelings of the
injured man. He had been brought thither to be scoffed at and scorned
at, that he might be a laughing-stock to his enemies, and food
for mirth to the vile-minded. He swelled with noble anger till he
would have burst, had it not been for the opportune padding of his
frock-coat.

"Sir," said he; "sir:" and he could hardly get his lips open to give
vent to the tumult of his heart. Perhaps he was not wrong; for it may
be that his lips were more eloquent than would have been his words.

"What's the matter?" said Dr Thorne, opening his eyes wide, and
addressing Lady Scatcherd over the head and across the hairs of the
irritated man below him. "What on earth is the matter? Is anything
wrong with Sir Roger?"

"Oh, laws, doctor!" said her ladyship. "Oh, laws; I'm sure it ain't
my fault. Here's Dr Fillgrave in a taking, and I'm quite ready to
pay him,--quite. If a man gets paid, what more can he want?" And she
again held out the five-pound note over Dr Fillgrave's head.

What more, indeed, Lady Scatcherd, can any of us want, if only
we could keep our tempers and feelings a little in abeyance? Dr
Fillgrave, however, could not so keep his; and, therefore, he did
want something more, though at the present moment he could have
hardly said what.

Lady Scatcherd's courage was somewhat resuscitated by the presence of
her ancient trusty ally; and, moreover, she began to conceive that
the little man before her was unreasonable beyond all conscience in
his anger, seeing that that for which he was ready to work had been
offered to him without any work at all.

"Madam," said he, again turning round at Lady Scatcherd, "I was
never before treated in such a way in any house in Barchester--
never--never."

"Good heavens, Dr Fillgrave!" said he of Greshamsbury, "what is the
matter?"

"I'll let you know what is the matter, sir," said he, turning round
again as quickly as before. "I'll let you know what is the matter.
I'll publish this, sir, to the medical world;" and as he shrie