The Rector and The Doctor’s Family

and done his duty, and with the lamps lighted in the drag, and the frosty wind blowing keen on his face, and the lights of Carlingford cheering him on in the distance, was once more returning, an impatience, somewhat akin to Nettie’s, suddenly came upon the doctor. Akin, yet different; for in his case it was an impulse of sensation, an inspiration of the exhilarating speed and energy of motion with which he flew through the bracing air, master of himself, his horse, and the long sweep of solitary road before him. Again it occurred to Dr. Rider to dash forward to St. Roque’s and carry off Nettie, oppose it who would. The idea pleased him as he swept along in the darkness, its very impossibility making the vision sweeter. To carry her off at a stroke, in glorious defiance of circumstances, and win happiness and love, whatever might ensue. In the flush of the moment the doctor suddenly asked himself whether this, after all, were not the wisest course? whether, whatever might come of it, happiness was not worth the encounter of the dark array of troubles behind? and whether to precipitate everything by a sudden conclusion might not be the best way of solving all the intricacies of the matter? He was still in this mood when he arrived at his own house, where dinner, as usual, was not improved by having been ready for an hour. The lamp was not lighted when he came in, and only the cold reflection of the street lights outside, with a parti-coloured gleam at the corner window from his own red and blue professional ensign at the surgery door, lighted the solitary little room, where he looked in vain even for so much as a note or letter to bring some shadow of human fellowship to his home; the fire smouldering dully, the big chair turned with a sullen back against the wall, as if nobody ever sat there⁠—though Nettie had once and forever appropriated it to her use⁠—everything in such inhuman trim and good order disgusted the doctor. He rang his bell violently for the lights and refreshments which were so slow of coming, and, throwing himself into that chair, bit his nails and stared out at the lamplight in the rapid access of thought that came upon him. The first thing that disturbed him in this was the apparition of a figure outside peering in with some anxiety at the blank windows⁠—somebody who was evidently curious to know whether the doctor had yet come home. The unhappy doctor started, and rang his bell once more with furious iteration. He knew what was coming. Somebody else, no doubt, had taken ill, without any consideration for young Rider’s dinner, which, however, a man must manage to swallow even when tormented with importunate patients, and in love. But the knock of the untimely visitor sounded at the much-assailed door before Mary, sulky and resistant, had been able to arrange before the hungry doctor the half-warm half-cold viands which his impatience would not permit to be duly “heated up;” and he had just seated himself to dispose of the unsatisfactory meal when the little groom, who was as tired as his master, opened the door for Mrs. Smith from St. Roque’s. Mrs. Smith was a familiar periodical visitor at Dr. Rider’s. She had not ceased to hold to that hasty and unwise financial arrangement into which the doctor was persuaded to enter when Fred’s pipe had exasperated the landlady into rebellion. He had supplemented the rent at that exciting moment rather than have Nettie disturbed; and now that poor Fred’s pipe was extinguished forever, the doctor still paid the imposition demanded from him⁠—half because he had no time to contest it, half because it was, however improper and unnecessary, a kind of pleasure to do something for Nettie, little as she knew and deeply as she would have resented it. Dr. Rider’s brows cleared up at sight of Nettie’s landlady. He expected some little private anecdotes of her and her ways, such as no one else could give him. He gave Mrs. Smith a chair with a benignity to which she had no personal claim. Her arrival made Dr. Rider’s beefsteak palatable, though the cookery and condition of the same were, to say the least, far from perfect. Mrs. Smith evidently was a little embarrassed with the gracious reception she received. She twisted the corner of her shawl in her fingers as if it had been that apron with which women of her class habitually relieve their feelings. She was in a false position. She came with the worst of news to the melancholy lover, and he treated her as if she brought some special message or favour from the lady of his thoughts.

“Well, Mrs. Smith, and how are you all at the cottage?” said the doctor, applying himself leisurely to his beefsteak.

“Well, doctor, nothing to brag of,” said Mrs. Smith, fixing her eyes upon the fringe of her shawl. “I haven’t nothing to say that’s pleasant, more the pity. I don’ know, sir, how you’ll take it when you come to hear; but it’s come very hard upon me. Not for the sake of the lodgings, as’ll let again fast enough, now the poor gentleman’s sad fate is partly forgotten; but you know, doctor, a body gets attached-like when one set of people stays long enough to feel at home; and there ain’t many young ladies like Miss if you were to search the country through. But, now she’s really give in to it herself, there ain’t no more to be said. I never could bring myself to think Miss would give in till tonight when she told me; though Smith he always said, when the stranger gentleman took to coming so constant, as he knew how it would be.”

“For heaven’s sake, what do you mean?” cried Dr. Rider, pushing away his plate, and rising hurriedly from that dinner which was fated never to