Are there likely to be good
doctors at this place?"
"It is a great watering-place, chiefly for rheumatic complaints, and
that is all very well for the elder boy. As to the little one, he is
in as critical a state as I ever saw, and—- His mother is an
excellent linguist, that is one good thing."
"Yes; it would be very trying for her to have a foreigner to attend
the boy in such a state, however skilled he might be," said Lord
Fordham. "I think we might make up our minds to stay with them till
they can get some one from England."
Dr. Medlicott caught at the words.
"It rests with you," he said. "Of course I am your property and Mrs.
Evelyn's, but I should like to tell you why this is more to me than a
matter of common humanity. I went up to study in London, a simple,
foolish lad, bred up by three good old aunts, more ignorant of the
world than their own tabby cat. Of course I instantly fell in with
the worst stamp of fellows, and was in a fair way of being done for,
body and soul, if one of the lecturers, after taking us to task for
some heartless, disgusting piece of levity, seeing perhaps that it
was more than half bravado on my part and nearly made me sick,
managed to get me alone. He talked it out with me, found out the
innocent-hearted fool I was, cured me of my false shame at what the
good old souls at home had taught me, showed me what manhood was,
found a good friend and a better lodging for me, in short, was the
saving of me.
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