y of light shining through the ruddy medium of choice old burgundy.
His neckerchief and shirt-frill were ever of the whitest, his clothes of
the blackest and sleekest, his gold watch-chain of the heaviest, and
his seals of the largest. His boots, which were always of the brightest,
creaked as he walked. Perhaps he could shake his head, rub his hands,
or warm himself before a fire, better than any man alive; and he had a
peculiar way of smacking his lips and saying, 'Ah!' at intervals while
patients detailed their symptoms, which inspired great confidence. It
seemed to express, 'I know what you're going to say better than you do;
but go on, go on.' As he talked on all occasions whether he had anything
to say or not, it was unanimously observed of him that he was 'full of
anecdote;' and his experience and profit from it were considered, for
the same reason, to be something much too extensive for description. His
female patients could never praise him too highly; and the coldest of
his male admirers would always say this for him to their friends, 'that
whatever Jobling's professional skill might be (and it could not be
denied that he had a very high reputation), he was one of the most
comfortable fellows you ever saw in your life!'

Jobling was for many reasons, and not last in the list because his
connection lay principally among tradesmen and their families, exactly
the sort of person whom the Anglo-Bengalee Company wanted for a medical
officer. But Jobling was far too knowing to connect himself with the
company in any closer ties than as a paid (and well paid) functionary,
or to allow his connection to be misunderstood abroad, if he could help
it. Hence he always stated the case to an inquiring patient, after this
manner:

'Why, my dear sir, with regard to the Anglo-Bengalee, my information,
you see, is limited; very limited. I am the medical officer, in
consideration of a certain monthly payment. The labourer is worthy of
his hire; BIS DAT QUI CITO DAT'--('classical scholar, Jobling!' thinks
the patient, 'well-read man!')--'and I receive it regularly. Therefore
I am bound, so far as my own knowledge goes, to speak well of the
establishment.' ('Nothing can be fairer than Jobling's conduct,' thinks
the patient, who has just paid Jobling's bill himself.) 'If you put
any question to me, my dear friend,' says the doctor, 'touching the
responsibility or capital of the company, there I am at fault; for I
have no head for fig