itary reform
neither, which is all a dodge for a lot of young Government puppies to
fill their pockets, and rule and ride over us: and my opinion always
was with the Bible, that 'tis jidgment, sir, a jidgment of God, and we
can't escape His holy will, and that's the plain truth of it."

Tom made no answer to that latter argument. He had heard that "'tis
jidgment" from every mouth during the last few days; and had mortally
offended the Brianite preacher that very morning, by answering his
"'tis jidgment" with--

"But, my good sir! the Bible, I thought, says that Aaron stayed the
plague among the Israelites, and David the one at Jerusalem."

"Sir, those was miracles, sir! and they was under the Law, sir, and
we'm under the Gospel, you'll be pleased to remember."

"Humph!" said Tom, "then, by your showing, they were better off under
the Law than we are now, if they could have their plagues stopped by
miracles; and we cannot have ours stopped at all."

"Sir, be you an infidel?"

To which there was no answer to be made.

In this case, Tom answered Heale with--

"But, my dear sir, if you don't like (as is reasonable enough) to take
the responsibility on yourself, why not go to the Board of Guardians,
and get them to put the Act in force?"

"Boord, sir? and do you know so little of Boords as that? Why, there
ain't one of them but owns cottages themselves, and it's as much as my
place is worth--"

"Your place as medical officer is just worth nothing, as you know;
you'll have been out of pocket by it seven or eight pounds this year,
even if no cholera comes."

Tom knew the whole state of the case; but he liked tormenting Heale
now and then.

"Well, sir! but if I get turned out next year, in steps that Drew over
at Carcarrow Churchtown into my district, and into the best of my
practice, too. I wonder what sort of a Poor Law district you were
medical officer of, if you don't know yet that that's why we take to
the poor."

"My dear sir, I know it, and a good deal more beside."

"Then why go bothering me this way?"

"Why," said Tom, "it's pleasant to have old notions confirmed as often
as possible--

"'Life is a jest, and all things show it;
I thought so once, but now I know it.'

What an ass the fellow must have been who had that put on his
tombstone, not to have found it out many a year before he died!"

He went next to Headley the curate, and took little by that move;
though more than by any other.