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242 He would certainly not allow the whole weight to fall on the shoulders of his friend Dr. Thorne: he also would stay at any rate that night by the sick man's bedside. By the following morning some change might be expected.'

'I say, Dr. Thorne,' said her ladyship, calling the doctor into the housekeeping-room, in which she and Hannah spent any time that they were not required up stairs; 'just come in, doctor: you couldn't tell him we don't want him any more, could you?'

'Tell whom?' said the doctor.

'Why—Mr. Rerechild: mightn't he go away, do you think?'

Dr. Thorne explained that Mr. Rerechild certainly might go away if he pleased; but that it would by no means be proper for one doctor to tell another to leave the house. And so Mr. Rerechild was allowed to share the glories of the night.

In the mean time the patient remained speechless; but it soon became evident that Nature was using all her efforts to make one final rally. From time to time he moaned and muttered as though he was conscious, and it seemed as though he strove to speak. He gradually became awake, at any rate to suffering, and Dr. Thorne began to think that the last scene would be postponed for yet a while longer.

'Wonderful strong constitution—eh, Dr. Thorne? wonderful!' said Mr. Rerechild.

'Yes; he has been a strong man.'

'Strong as a horse, Dr. Thorne. Lord, what that man would have been if he had given himself a chance! You know his constitution of course.'

'Yes; pretty well, I've attended him for many years.'

'Always drinking, I suppose; always at it—eh?'

'He has not been a temperate man, certainly.'

'The brain, you see, clean gone—and not a particle of coating left to the stomach; and yet what a struggle he makes—interesting case, isn't it?'

'It's very sad to see such an intellect so destroyed.'

'Very sad, very sad indeed. How Fillgrave would have liked to have seen this case. He is a clever man, is Fillgrave—in his way, you know.'

'I'm sure he is,' said Dr. Thorne.

'Not that he'd make anything of a case like this now—he's not, you know, quite—quite—perhaps not quite up to the new time of day, if one may say so.'

'He has had a very extensive provincial practice,' said Dr. Thorne.

'Oh, very—very; and made a tidy lot of money too, Dr.