back to the
doctor.

He had gone out, but his assistant was in. He looked at Madam
Liberality's mouth, and said that the fangs were certainly left in and
would be much better out.

"Would it hurt _very_ much?" asked Madam Liberality, trembling.

The assistant blinked the question of "hurting."

"I think I could do it," said he, "if you could sit still. Not if you
were jumping about."

"I will sit still," said Madam Liberality.

"The boy shall hold your head," said the assistant.

But Madam Liberality rebelled; she could screw up her sensitive nerves
to endure the pain, but not to be coerced by "the boy."

"I give you my word of honour I will sit still," said she, with
plaintive earnestness.

And the assistant (who had just remembered that the boy was out with
the gig) said, "Very well, miss."

We need not dwell upon the next few seconds. The assistant kept his
word, and Madam Liberality kept hers. She sat still, and went on
sitting still after the operation was over till the assistant became
alarmed, and revived her by pouring some choking stuff down her
throat. After which she staggered to her feet and put out her hand and
thanked him.

He was a strong, rough, good-natured young man, and little Madam
Liberality's pale face and politeness touched him.

"You're the bravest little lady I ever knew," he said kindly; "and you
keep your word like a queen. There's some stuff to put to the place,
and there's sixpence, miss, if you'll take it, to buy lollipops with.
You'll be able to eat them now."

After which he gave her an old pill-box to carry the fragments of her
tooth in, and it was labelled "three to be taken at bed-time."

Madam Liberality staggered home, very giddy, but very happy. Moralists
say a great deal about pain treading so very closely on the heels of
pleasure in this life, but they are not always wise or grateful enough
to speak of the pleasure which springs out of pain. And yet there is a
bliss which comes just when pain has ceased, whose rapture rivals even
the high happiness of unbroken health; and there is a keen relish
about small pleasures hardly earned, in which the full measure of
those who can afford anything they want is sometimes lacking.

Relief is certainly one of the most delicious sensations which poor
humanity, can enjoy! Madam Liberality enjoyed it to the full, and she
had more happiness yet in her cup, I fear praise was very pleasant to
her, and the assistant had praised