"Not much now. He has been in a great deal at times. But it made no difference, pain or no pain, to his sweetness of temper. He will lie resigned and quiet, the drops pouring down his face with the agony, never an impatient word escaping him. One day I heard him tell Bessy that angels were around him, helping him to bear it. We may be sure, Arnold, when so extraordinary a change as that takes place in the temperament, the close of life is not far off." "Very true--as an ordinary rule," acquiesced Dr. Knox. "And now, how can I help you in this trouble?" "In this trouble?--not at all," returned Mr. Tamlyn, rousing himself, and speaking energetically, as if he meant to put the thought behind him. "_This_ trouble no earthly being can aid me in, Arnold; and I don't think there's any one but yourself I'd speak to of it: it lies too deep, you see; it wrings the soul. I could die of this trouble: I only fret at the other." "And what is the other?" "Shuttleworth won't stay." "Won't he!" "Shuttleworth says the kind of practice is not what he has been accustomed to, and the work's too hard, and he does not care how soon he leaves it. And yet Dockett has come on surprisingly, and takes his share now. The fact is, Arnold, Shuttleworth is just as lazy as he can hang together: he'd like to treat a dozen rose-water patients a-day, and go through life easily. My belief is, he means to do it." "But that will scarcely bring grist to his mill, will it?" cried Dr. Knox. "His mill doesn't want grist; there's the worst of it," said Tamlyn. "The man was not badly off when he came here: but since then his only brother must go and die, and Shuttleworth has come into all his money. A thousand a-year, if it's a penny." "Then, I certainly don't wonder at his wanting to give up the practice," returned the doctor, with a smile. "That's not all," grumbled old Tamlyn. "He wants to take away Bessy." "To take away Bessy!" "The two have determined to make themselves into one, I believe. Bessy only hesitated because of leaving poor Bertie. That impediment will not be in her way long." He sighed as he spoke. Dr. Knox did not yet see what he was wanted for: and asked again. "I've been leading up to it," said Mr. Tamlyn. "You must come back to me, Arnold." "On the same terms as before?" inquired the doctor, after a pause. "Nonsense. You'd say 'No,' off-hand, if I proposed _them_. In Shuttleworth's place." "Of course, Mr. Tamlyn, I could not come--I would not come unless it were made worth my while. If it were, I should like it of all things." "Yes, just so; that's what I mean. Don't you like your post in London?" "I like it very well, indeed. And I have had no doubt that it will lead to something better. But, if I saw a fair prospect before me here, I should prefer to come back to Lefford."