Page:The elephant man and other reminiscences.djvu/190

178 as he would listen to the details of a game of "Patience." Now and then there would be some startling "move," some such adventure as a walk to the garden gate or the bold act of sitting for an hour at the open window. After having received this report he would compliment the lady on her knitting and on the singing of her canary and would discuss with the gentleman such items of news as he had read in the paper.

On one morning visit he found them as usual. The wife was asleep, with her spectacles still in place and her hands folded over her knitting. The canary was full of song. The midday beef tea was warming on the hob. The old gentleman, having dealt with his health, became very heated on the subject of certain grievances, such as the noise of the church bells and the unseemly sounds which issued from the village inn. He characterized these and like disturbances of the peace as "outrages which were a disgrace to the country." After he had made his denunciation he said he felt better.

"Your wife, I see, is asleep," said the doctor. Yes," replied the old man; "she has been asleep, I am glad to say, for quite two hours, because the poor dear had a bad night last night." The doctor crossed the room to look at