Staines　paid　the　woman　a　visit　or　two；　and　treated　her　so
  effectually；　that　soon　her　visits　were　paid　to　him。　　She　was　cured；
  and　Staines；　who　by　this　time　wanted　to　see　money；　sent　to　Collett。
  Collett　did　not　answer。
  Staines　wrote　warmly。
  Collett　dead　silent。
  Staines　employed　a　solicitor。
  Collett　said　he　had　recommended　the　patient；　that　was　all。　　He　had
  never　said　he　would　pay　her　debts。　　That　was　her　husband's
  business。
  Now　her　husband　was　the　mate　of　a　ship；　would　not　be　in　England　for
  eighteen　months。
  The　woman；　visited　by　lawyer's　clerk；　cried　bitterly；　and　said　she
  and　her　children　had　scarcely　enough　to　eat。
  Lawyer　advised　Staines　to　abandon　the　case；　and　pay　him　two　pounds
  fifteen　shillings　expenses。　　He　did　so。
  〃This　is　damnable；〃　said　he。　　〃I　must　get　it　out　of　Pettigrew；　by…
  the…by；　he　has　not　been　here　this　two　days。〃
  He　waited　another　day　for　Pettigrew；　and　then　wrote　to　him。　　No
  answer。　　Called。　　Pettigrew　gone　abroad。　　House　in　Manchester
  Square　to　let。
  Staines　went　to　the　house…agent　with　his　tale。　　Agent　was
  impenetrable　at　first；　but；　at　last；　won　by　the　doctor's　manner　and
  his　unhappiness；　referred　him　to　Pettigrew's　solicitor；　the
  solicitor　was　a　respectable　man；　and　said　he　would　forward　the
  claim　to　Pettigrew　in　Paris。
  But　by　this　time　Pettigrew　was　chattering　and　guzzling　in　Berlin；
  and　thence　he　got　to　St。　Petersburg。　　In　that　stronghold　of
  gluttony；　he　gormandized　more　than　ever；　and；　being　unable　to　talk
  it　off　his　stomach；　as　in　other　cities；　had　apoplexy；　and　died。
  But　long　before　this　Staines　saw　his　money　was　as　irrecoverable　as
  his　sherry；　and　he　said　to　Rosa；　〃I　wonder　whether　I　shall　ever
  live　to　curse　the　human　race？〃
  〃Heaven　forbid！〃　said　Rosa。　　〃Oh；　they　use　you　cruelly；　my　poor；
  poor　Christie！〃
  Thus　for　months　the　young　doctor's　patients　bled　him；　and　that　was
  all。
  And　Rosa　got　more　and　more　moped　at　being　in　the　house　so　much；　and
  pestered　Christopher　to　take　her　out；　and　he　declined：　and；　being　a
  man　hard　to　beat；　took　to　writing　on　medical　subjects；　in　hopes　of
  getting　some　money　from　the　various　medical　and　scientific
  publications；　but　he　found　it　as　hard　to　get　the　wedge　in　there　as
  to　get　patients。
  At　last　Rosa's　remonstrances　began　to　rise　into　something　that
  sounded　like　reproaches。　　One　Sunday　she　came　to　him　in　her　bonnet；
  and　interrupted　his　studies；　to　say　he　might　as　well　lay　down　the
  pen；　and　talk。　　Nobody　would　publish　anything　he　wrote。
  Christopher　frowned；　but　contained　himself；　and　laid　down　the　pen。
  〃I　might　as　well　not　be　married　at　all　as　be　a　doctor's　wife。　　You
  are　never　seen　out　with　me；　not　even　to　church。　　Do　behave　like　a
  Christian；　and　come　to　church　with　me　now。〃
  Dr。　Staines　shook　his　head。
  〃Why；　I　wouldn't　miss　church　for　all　the　world。　　Any　excitement　is
  better　than　always　moping。　　Come　over　the　water　with　me。　　The　time
  Jane　and　I　went；　the　clergyman　read　a　paper　that　Mr。　Brown　had
  fallen　down　in　a　fit。　　There　was　such　a　rush　directly；　and　I'm　sure
  fifty　ladies　went　outfancy；　all　Mrs。　Browns！　　Wasn't　that　fun？〃
  〃Fun？　　I　don't　see　it。　　Well；　Rosa；　your　mind　is　evidently　better
  adapted　to　diversion　than　mine　is。　　Go　you　to　church；　love；　and
  I'll　continue　my　studies。〃
  〃Then　all　I　can　say　is；　I　wish　I　was　back　in　my　father's　house。
  Husband！　friend！　companion！I　have　none。〃
  Then　she　burst　out　crying　violently；　and；　being　shocked　at　what　she
  had　said；　and　at　the　agony　it　had　brought　into　her　husband's　face；
  she　went　off　into　hysterics；　and　as　his　heart　would　not　let　him
  bellow　at　her；　or　empty　a　bucket　on　her　as　he　would　on　another
  patient；　she　had　a　good　long　bout　of　them：　and　got　her　way；　for　she
  broke　up　his　studies　for　that　day；　at　all　events。
  Even　after　the　hysterics　were　got　under；　she　continued　to　moan　and
  sigh　very　prettily；　with　her　lovely；　languid　head　pillowed　on　her
  husband's　arm；　in　a　word；　though　the　hysterics　were　real；　yet　this
  innocent　young　person　had　the　presence　of　mind　to　postpone　entire
  convalescence；　and　lay　herself　out　to　be　petted　all　day。　　But　fate
  willed　it　otherwise：　while　she　was　sighing　and　moaning；　came　to　the
  door　a　scurrying　of　feet；　and　then　a　sharp；　persistent　ringing　that
  meant　something。　　The　moaner　cocked　eye　and　ear；　and　said；　in　her
  every…day　voice；　which；　coming　so　suddenly；　sounded　very　droll；
  〃What　is　that；　I　wonder？〃
  Jane　hurried　to　the　street…door；　and　Rosa　recovered　by　magic；　and；
  preferring　gossip　to　hysterics；　in　an　almost　gleeful　whisper；
  ordered　Christopher　to　open　the　door　of　the　study。　　The　Bijou　was
  so　small　that　the　following　dialogue　rang　in　their　ears：
  A　boy　in　buttons　gasped　out；　〃Oh；　if　you　please；　will　you　ast　the
  doctor　to　come　round　directly；　there's　a　haccident。〃
  〃La；　bless　me！〃　said　Jane；　and　never　budged。
  〃Yes；　miss。　　It's　our　missus's　little　girl　fallen　right　off　an
  i…chair；　and　cut　her　head　dreadful；　and　smothered　in　blood。〃
  〃La；　to　be　sure！〃　And　she　waited　steadily　for　more。
  〃Ay；　and　missus　she　fainted　right　off；　and　I've　been　to　the　regler
  doctor；　which　he's　out；　and　Sarah；　the　housemaid；　said　I　had　better
  come　here；　you　was　only　just　set　up；　she　said；　you　wouldn't　have　so
  much　to　do；　says　she。〃
  〃That　is　all　SHE　knows；〃　said　Jane。　　〃Why；　our　masterthey　pulls
  him　in　pieces　which　is　to　have　him　fust。〃
  〃What　an　awful　liar！　　Oh；　you　good　girl！〃　whispered　Dr。　Staines　and
  Rosa　in　one　breath。
  〃Ah；　well；〃　said　Buttons；　〃any　way；　Sarah　says　she　knows　you　are
  clever；　'cos　her　little　girl　as　lives　with　her　mother；　and　calls
  Sarah　aunt；　has　bin　to　your　'spensary　with　ringworm；　and　you　cured
  her　right　off。〃
  〃Ay；　and　a　good　many　more；〃　said　Jane；　loftily。　　She　was　a
  housemaid　of　imagination；　and　while　Staines　was　putting　some　lint
  and　an　instrument　case　into　his　pocket；　she　proceeded　to　relate　a
  number　of　miraculous　cures。　　Dr。　Staines　interrupted　them　by
  suddenly　emerging；　and　inviting　Buttons　to　take　him　to　the　house。
  Mrs。　Staines　was　so　pleased　with　Jane　for　cracking　up　the　doctor；
  that　she　gave　her　five　shillings；　and；　after　that；　used　to　talk　to
  her　a　great　deal　more　than　to　the　cook；　which　judicious　conduct
  presently　set　all　three　by　the　ears。
  Buttons　took　the　doctor　to　a　fine　house　in　the　same　street；　and
  told　him　his　mistress's　name　on　the　wayMrs。　Lucas。　　He　was　taken
  up　to　the　nursery；　and　found　Mrs。　Lucas　seated；　crying　and
  lamenting；　and　a　woman　holding　a　little　girl　of　about　seven；　whose
  brow　had　been　cut　open　by　the　fender；　on　which　she　had　fallen　from
  a　chair；　it　looked　very　ugly；　and　was　even　now　bleeding。
  Dr。　Staines　lost　no　time；　he　examined　the　wound　keenly；　and　then
  said　kindly　to　Mrs。　Lucas；　〃I　am　happy　to　tell　you　it　is　not
  serious。〃　　He　then　asked　for　a　large　basin　and　some　tepid　water；
  and　bathed　it　so　softly　and　soothingly　that　the　child　soon　became
  composed；　and　the　mother　discovered　the　artist　at　once。　　He
  compressed　the　wound；　and　explained　to　Mrs。　Lucas　that　the
  principal　thing　really　was　to　avoid　an　ugly　scar。　　〃There　is　no
  danger；〃　said　he。　　He　then　bound　the　wound　neatly　up；　and　had　the
  girl　put　to　bed。　　〃You　will　not　wake　her　at　any　particular　hour；
  nurse。　　Let　her　sleep。　　Have　a　little　strong　beef…tea　ready；　and
  give　it　her　at　any　hour；　night　or　day；　she　asks　for　it。　　But　do　not
  force　it　on　her；　or　you　will　do　her　more　harm　than　good。　　She　had
  better　sleep　before　she　eats。〃
  Mrs。　Lucas　begged　him　to　come　every　morning；　and；　as　he　was　going；
  she　shook　hands　with　him；　and　the　soft　palm　deposited　a　hard
  substance　wrapped　in　paper。　　He　took　it　with　professional　gravity
  and　seeming　unconsciousness；　but；　once　outside　the　house；　went　home
  on　wings。　　He　ran　up　to　the　drawing…room；　and　found　his　wife
  seated；　and　playing　at　reading。　　He　threw　himself　on　his　knees；　and
  the　fee　into　her　lap；　and；　while　she　unfolded　the　paper　with　an
  ejaculation　of　pleasure；　he　said；　〃Darling；　the　first　real　patient
  the　first　real　fee。　　It　is　yours　to　buy　the　new　bonnet。〃
  〃Oh；　I'm　so　glad！〃　said　she；　with　her　eyes　glistening。　　〃But　I'm
  afraid　one　can't　get　a　bonnet　fit　to　wearfor　a　guinea。〃
  Dr。　Staines　visited　his　little　patient　every　day；　and　received　his
  guinea。　　Mrs。　Lucas　also　called　him　in　for　her　own　little　ailments；
  and　they　were　the　best　possible　kind　of　ailments：　for；　being
  imaginary；　there　was　no　limit　to　them。
  Then　did　Mrs。　Staines　turn　jealous　of　her　husband。　　〃They　never　ask
  me；〃　said　she；　〃and　I　am　moped　to　death。〃
  〃It　is　hard；〃　said　Christopher；　sadly。　　〃But　have　a　little
  patience。　　Society　will　come　to　you　long　before　practice　comes　to
  me。〃
  About　two　o'clock　one　afternoon　a　carriage　and　pair　drove　up；　and　a
  gorgeous　footman　delivered　a　card〃Lady　Cicely　Treherne。〃
  Of　course　Mrs。　Staines　was　at　home；　and　only　withheld　by　propriety
  from　bounding　into　the　passage　to　meet　her　school…fellow。　　However；
  she　composed　herself　in　the　drawing…room；　and　presently　the　door
  was　opened；　and　a　very　tall　young　woman；　richly　but　not　gayly
  dressed；　drifted　into　the　room；　and　stood　there　a　statue　of
  composure。
  Rosa　had　risen　to　fly　to　her；　but　the　reverence　a　girl　of　eighteen
  strikes　into　a　child　of　twelve　hung　about　her　still；　and　she　came
  timidly　forward；　blushing　and　sparkling；