The Small House at Allington, Anthony Trollope [best ebook reader for chromebook .txt] 📗

I have said before, made up her mind with great firmness that she was not in love with him. I may certainly say that there was nothing in the world as to which she was so certain as she was of this.

And now, in these days, Dr. Crofts did not come over to Allington very often. Had any of the family in the Small House been ill, he would have been there of course. The squire himself employed the apothecary in the village, or if higher aid was needed, would send for Dr. Gruffen. On the occasion of Mrs. Dale’s party, Crofts was there, having been specially invited; but Mrs. Dale’s special invitations to her friends were very few, and the doctor was well aware that he must himself make occasion for going there if he desired to see the inmates of the house. But he very rarely made such occasion, perhaps feeling that he was more in his element at the workhouse and the hospital.

Just at this time, however, he made one very great and unexpected step towards success in his profession. He was greatly surprised one morning by being summoned to the Manor House to attend upon Lord De Guest. The family at the Manor had employed Dr. Gruffen for the last thirty years, and Crofts, when he received the earl’s message, could hardly believe the words. “The earl ain’t very bad,” said the servant, “but he would be glad to see you if possible a little before dinner.”

“You’re sure he wants to see me?” said Crofts.

“Oh, yes; I’m sure enough of that, sir.”

“It wasn’t Dr. Gruffen?”

“No, sir; it wasn’t Dr. Gruffen. I believe his lordship’s had about enough of Dr. Gruffen. The doctor took to chaffing his lordship one day.”

“Chaffed his lordship;⁠—his hands and feet, and that sort of thing?” suggested the doctor.

“Hands and feet!” said the man. “Lord bless you, sir, he poked his fun at him, just as though he was nobody. I didn’t hear, but Mrs. Connor says that my lord’s back was up terribly high.” And so Dr. Crofts got on his horse and rode up to Guestwick Manor.

The earl was alone, Lady Julia having already gone to Courcy Castle. “How d’ye do, how d’ye do?” said the earl. “I’m not very ill, but I want to get a little advice from you. It’s quite a trifle, but I thought it well to see somebody.” Whereupon Dr. Crofts of course declared that he was happy to wait upon his lordship.

“I know all about you, you know,” said the earl. “Your grandmother Stoddard was a very old friend of my aunt’s. You don’t remember Lady Jemima?”

“No,” said Crofts. “I never had that honour.”

“An excellent old woman, and knew your grandmother Stoddard well. You see, Gruffen has been attending us for I don’t know how many years; but upon my word⁠—” and then the earl stopped himself.

“It’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good,” said Crofts, with a slight laugh.

“Perhaps it’ll blow me some good, for Gruffen never did me any. The fact is this; I’m very well, you know;⁠—as strong as a horse.”

“You look pretty well.”

“No man could be better⁠—not of my age. I’m sixty, you know.”

“You don’t look as though you were ailing.”

“I’m always out in the open air, and that, I take it, is the best thing for a man.”

“There’s nothing like plenty of exercise, certainly.”

“And I’m always taking exercise,” said the earl. “There isn’t a man about the place works much harder than I do. And, let me tell you, sir, when you undertake to keep six or seven hundred acres of land in your own hand, you must look after it, unless you mean to lose money by it.”

“I’ve always heard that your lordship is a good farmer.”

“Well, yes; wherever the grass may grow about my place, it doesn’t grow under my feet. You won’t often find me in bed at six o’clock, I can tell you.”

After this Dr. Crofts ventured to ask his lordship as to what special physical deficiency his own aid was invoked at the present time.

“Ah, I was just coming to that,” said the earl. “They tell me it’s a very dangerous practice to go to sleep after dinner.”

“It’s not very uncommon at any rate,” said the doctor.

“I suppose not; but Lady Julia is always at me about it. And, to tell the truth, I think I sleep almost too sound when I get to my armchair in the drawing-room. Sometimes my sister really can’t wake me;⁠—so, at least, she says.”

“And how’s your appetite at dinner?”

“Oh, I’m quite right there. I never eat any luncheon, you know, and enjoy my dinner thoroughly. Then I drink three or four glasses of port wine⁠—”

“And feel sleepy afterwards?”

“That’s just it,” said the earl.

It is not perhaps necessary that we should inquire what was the exact nature of the doctor’s advice; but it was, at any rate, given in such a way that the earl said he would be glad to see him again.

“And look here, Doctor Crofts, I’m all alone just at present. Suppose you come over and dine with me tomorrow; then, if I should go to sleep, you know, you’ll be able to let me know whether Lady Julia doesn’t exaggerate. Just between ourselves, I don’t quite believe all she says about my⁠—my snoring, you know.”

Whether it was that the earl restrained his appetite when at dinner under the doctor’s eyes, or whether the midday mutton chop which had been ordered for him had the desired effect, or whether the doctor’s conversation was more lively than that of the Lady Julia, we will not say; but the earl, on the evening in question, was triumphant. As he sat in his easy-chair after dinner he hardly winked above once or twice; and when he had taken the large bowl of tea, which he usually swallowed in a semi-somnolent condition, he was quite lively.

“Ah, yes,” he said, jumping up and rubbing his eyes; “I think I do feel lighter. I enjoy a snooze after dinner; I do indeed; I like