the place, and I will keep
you no longer from those who can afford to lay out blood and money in
flebotomy and cautery."

The old physician had naturally a hot temper; he had often during this
battle of words mastered it with difficulty, and now it mastered him.
The most dignified course was silence; he saw this, and drew himself up,
and made loftily for the door, followed close by his little boy and big
basket.

But at the door he choked, he swelled, he burst. He whirled and came
back open-mouthed, and the little boy and big basket had to
whisk semicircularly not to be run down, for de minimis non curat
Medicina-even when not in a rage.

"Ah! you reject my skill, you scorn my art. My revenge shall be to leave
you to yourself; lost idiot, take your last look at me, and at the sun.
Your blood be on your head!" And away he stamped.

But on reaching the door he whirled and came back; his wicker tail
twirling round after him like a cat's.

"In twelve hours at furthest you will be in the secondary stage of
fever. Your head will split. Your carotids will thump. Aha! And let but
a pin fall, you will jump to the ceiling. Then send for me; and I'll not
come." He departed. But at the door-handle gathered fury, wheeled and
came flying, with pale, terror-stricken boy and wicker tail whisking
after him. "Next will come--CRAMPS of the STOMACH. Aha!

"Then--BILIOUS VOMIT. Aha!

"Then--COLD SWEAT, and DEADLY STUPOR.

"Then--CONFUSION OF ALL THE SENSES.

"Then--BLOODY VOMIT.

"And after that nothing can save you, not even I; and if I could I would
not, and so farewell!"

Even Denys changed colour at threats so fervent and precise; but Gerard
only gnashed his teeth with rage at the noise, and seized his hard
bolster with kindling eye.

This added fuel to the fire, and brought the insulted ancient back from
the impassable door, with his whisking train.

"And after that--MADNESS!

"And after that--BLACK VOMIT

"And then--CONVULSIONS!

"And then--THAT CESSATION OF ALL VITAL FUNCTIONS THE VULGAR CALL
'DEATH,' for which thank your own Satanic folly and insolence.
Farewell." He went. He came. He roared, "And think not to be buried in
any Christian church-yard; for the bailiff is my good friend, and I
shall tell him how and why you died: felo de se! felo de se! Farewell."

Gerard sprang to his feet on the bed by some supernatural gymnastic
power excitement lent him, and seeing him so moved, the vindictive
orator came bac