speak out
if I like it; can't I, mamma?"

"I should think Dr Crofts knows that by this time, my dear."

"I don't know. There are some things gentlemen are very slow
to learn. But you must sit down, Dr Crofts, and make yourself
comfortable and polite; for you must understand that you are not
master here any longer. I am out of bed now, and your reign is over."

"That's the gratitude of the world, all through," said Mrs Dale.

"Who is ever grateful to a doctor? He only cures you that he may
triumph over some other doctor, and declare, as he goes by Dr
Gruffen's door, 'There, had she called you in, she'd have been dead
before now; or else would have been ill for twelve months.' Don't
you jump for joy when Dr Gruffen's patients die?"

"Of course I do--out in the market-place, so that everybody shall
see me," said the doctor.

"Lily, how can you say such shocking things?" said her sister.

Then the doctor did sit down, and they were all very cosy together
over the fire, talking about things which were not medical, or only
half medical in their appliance. By degrees the conversation came
round to Mrs Eames and to John Eames. Two or three days since, Crofts
had told Mrs Dale of that affair at the railway station, of which up
to that time she had heard nothing. Mrs Dale, when she was assured
that young Eames had given Crosbie a tremendous thrashing--the
tidings of the affair which had got themselves substantiated at
Guestwick so described the nature of the encounter--could not
withhold some meed of applause.

"Dear boy!" she said, almost involuntarily. "Dear boy! it came from
the honestness of his heart!" And then she gave special injunctions
to the doctor,--injunctions which were surely unnecessary,--that no
word of the matter should be whispered before Lily.

"I was at the manor, yesterday," said the doctor, "and the earl would
talk about nothing but Master Johnny. He says he's the finest fellow
going." Whereupon Mrs Dale touched him with her foot, fearing that
the conversation might be led away in the direction of Johnny's
prowess.

"I am so glad," said Lily. "I always knew that they'd find John out
at last."

"And Lady Julia is just as fond of him," said the doctor.

"Dear me!" said Lily. "Suppose they were to make up a match!"

"Lily, how can you be so absurd?"

"Let me see; what relation would he be to us? He would certainly be
Bernard's uncle, and Uncle Christopher's half brother-in-law.
Wouldn't it be