at his own word for a 'miserable
sinner'--which, as they told their master, no respectable man would call
himself--and in the most business-like manner they set to to remove him
to a better world; and now they have succeeded."

"Poor man! After all, one must be rather sorry for him. If old Joe came
stumping after me for half an hour, I should have no interest in this
life left."

"My dear, they stumped after him the whole day long, and at night they
danced a hornpipe outside his hut. He became convinced that the Prince
of Evil was come, in that naval style, to fetch him; and he drank
everything he could lay hands on, to fortify him for the contest. The
end, as you know, was extremely sad for him, but highly satisfactory
to them, I fear. They have signified their resolution to attend his
funeral; and Mordacks has said, with unbecoming levity, that if
they never were drunk before--which seems to me an almost romantic
supposition--that night they shall be drunk, and no mistake."

"All these things, my dear," replied Mrs. Upround, who was gifted with
a fine vein of moral reflection, "are not as we might wish if we ordered
them ourselves. But still there is this to be said in their favor, that
they have a large tendency toward righteousness."

CHAPTER XLVII

A TANGLE OF VEINS

Human resolution, energy, experience, and reason in its loftiest form
may fight against the doctor; but he beats them all, maintains at least
his own vitality, and asserts his guineas. Two more resolute men than
Mr. Mordacks and Sir Duncan Yordas could scarcely be found in those
resolute times. They sternly resolved to have no sort of doctor; and yet
within three days they did have one; and, more than that, the very one
they had positively vowed to abstain from.

Dr. Stirbacks let everybody know that he never cared two flips of his
thumb for anybody. If anybody wanted him, they must come and seek him,
and be thankful if he could find time to hear their nonsense. For he
understood not the system only, but also the nature of mankind. The
people at the Thornwick did not want him. Very good, so much the better
for him and for them; because the more they wanted him, the less
would he go near them. Tut! tut! tut! he said; what did he want with
crack-brained patients?

All this compelled him, with a very strong reluctance, to be dragged
into that very place the very same day; and he saw that he was not come
an hour too soon. Sir Duncan was lyi