'Not remember her! ah, well. She was the handsomest girl in Barchester, anyhow. That was given up to her. Well, I didn't think to be talking of her again. Thorne, you cannot but expect that I shall go over and see Mary's child?'
'Now, Scatcherd, look here,' and the doctor, coming away from the window, where he had been standing, sat himself down by the bedside, 'you must not come over to Greshamsbury.'
'Oh! but I shall.'
'Listen to me, Scatcherd. I do not want to praise myself in any way; but when that girl was an infant, six months old, she was like to be a thorough obstacle to her mother's fortune in life. Tomlinson was willing to marry your sister, but he would not marry the child too. Then I took the baby, and I promised her mother that I would be to her as a father. I have kept my word as fairly as I have been able. She has sat at my hearth, and drunk of my cup, and been to me as my own child.
After that, I have the right to judge what is best for her. Her life is not like your life, and her ways are not as your ways--'
'Ah, that is just it; we are too vulgar for her.'
'You may take it as you will,' said the doctor, who was too much in earnest to be in the least afraid of offending his companion. 'I have not said so; but I do say that you and she are unlike in the way of living.'
'She wouldn't like an uncle with a brandy bottle under his head, eh?'
'You could not see her without letting her know what is the connexion between you; of that I wish to keep her in ignorance.'
'I never knew any one yet who is ashamed of a rich connexion. How do you mean to get a husband for her, eh?'
'I have told you of her existence,' continued the doctor, not appearing to notice what the baronet had last said, 'because I found it necessary that you should know the fact of your sister having left a child behind her; you would otherwise have made a will different from that intended, and there might have been a lawsuit, and mischief, and misery when we are gone. You must perceive that I have done this in honesty to you; and you yourself are too honest to repay me by taking advantage of this knowledge to make me unhappy.'
'Oh, very well, doctor. At any rate, you are a brick, I will say that. But I'll think of this, I'll think of it; but it does startle me to find that poor Mary has a child living so near to me.'
'And now, Scatcherd, I will say good-bye. We part as friends, don't we?'
'Oh, but doctor, you ain't going to leave me so. What am I to do? What doses shall I take? How much brandy may I drink? May I have a grill for dinner? D--- me, doctor, you have turned Fillgrave out of the house. You mustn't go and desert me.'
Dr Thorne laughed, and then, sitting himself down to write medically, gave such prescriptions and ordinances as he found to be necessary.
They announced but to this: that the man was to drink, if possible, no brandy; and if that were not possible, then as little as might be.
This having been done, the doctor again proceeded to take his leave; but when he got to the door he was called back. 'Thorne! Thorne!
About that money for Mr Gresham; do what you like, do just what you like. Ten thousand is it? Well, he shall have it. I'll make Winterbones write about it at once. Five per cent., isn't it? No, four and a half. Well, he shall have ten thousand more.'
'Thank you, Scatcherd, thank you, I am really very much obliged to you, I am indeed. I wouldn't ask it if I was not sure your money is safe.
Good-bye, old fellow, and get rid of that bedfellow of yours,' and again he was at the door.
'Thorne,' said Sir Roger once more. 'Thorne, just come back for a minute. You wouldn't let me send a present would you--fifty pounds or so,--just to buy a few flounces?'
The doctor contrived to escape without giving a definite answer to this question; and then, having paid his compliments to Lady Scatcherd, remounted his cob and rode back to Greshamsbury.
