ckminster? How is her Ladyship?"

"Her Ladyship is not very well; and when I heard that you were coming to
town, I strongly urged her to see you, Mr. Huxter," Pen said. Old Huxter
felt, if he had a hundred votes for Clavering, he would give them all to
Pen.

"There is an old friend of yours in the carriage--a Clavering lady,
too--will you come out and speak to her?" asked Pen. The old surgeon
was delighted to speak to a coroneted carriage in the midst of the full
Strand: he ran out bowing and smiling. Huxter junior, dodging about
the district, beheld the meeting between his father and Laura, saw the
latter put out her hand, and presently, after a little colloquy with
Pen, beheld his father actually jump into the carriage, and drive away
with Miss Bell.

There was no room for Arthur, who came back, laughing, to the young
surgeon, and told him whither his parent was bound. During the whole of
the journey, that artful Laura coaxed, and wheedled, and cajoled him so
adroitly, that the old gentleman would have granted her anything; and
Lady Rockminster achieved the victory over him by complimenting him
on his skill, and professing her anxiety to consult him. What were
her Ladyship's symptoms? Should he meet her Ladyship's usual medical
attendant? Mr. Jones was called out of town? He should be delighted to
devote his very best energies and experience to her Ladyship's service.

He was so charmed with his patient, that he wrote home about her to his
wife and family; he talked of nothing but Lady Rockminster to Samuel,
when that youth came to partake of beefsteak and oyster-sauce and
accompany his parent to the play. There was a simple grandeur, a polite
urbanity, a high-bred grace about her Ladyship, which he had never
witnessed in any woman. Her symptoms did not seem alarming; he had
prescribed--Spir: Ammon: Aromat: with a little Spir: Menth: Pip: and
orange-flower, which would be all that was necessary.

"Miss Bell seemed to be on the most confidential and affectionate
footing with her Ladyship. She was about to form a matrimonial
connexion. All young people ought to marry. Such were her Ladyship's
words; and the Countess condescended to ask respecting my own family,
and I mentioned you by name to her Ladyship, Sam, my boy. I shall look
in to-morrow, when, if the remedies which I have prescribed for her
Ladyship have had the effect which I anticipate, I shall probably follow
them up by a little Spir: Lavend: Comp:--and s