s 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
out--fancy, 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-