Patty Honeywood is supposed to represent the wife of the sufferer,
plentifully besprinkles his conversation with endearing epithets.)
When, after much persuasion and groaning, the sufferer has been
induced to take his medicine, his spouse announces the arrival of the
doctor; when, enter Mr. Bouncer, still floured as to his head, but
wearing spectacles, a long black coat, and a shirt-frill, and having
his dress otherwise altered so as to represent a medical man of the
old school. The doctor asks what sort of a night his patient has
had, inspects his <VG197.JPG> tongue with professional gravity, feels
his pulse, looks at his watch, and mysteriously shakes his head. He
then commences thrusting and poking Mr. Verdant Green in various
parts of his body, - after the manner of doctors with their victims,
and farmers with their beasts, - inquiring between each poke, "Does
that hurt you?" and being answered by a convulsive "Oh!" and a groan
of agony. The doctor then prescribes a draught to be taken every
half-hour, with the pills and blister at bed-time; and, after
covering his two fellow-actors with confusion, by observing that he
leaves his patient in admirable hands, and, that in an affection of
the heart, the application of lip-salve and warm treatment will give
a decided tone to the system, and produce soothing and grateful
emotions - takes his leave; and the folding-doors are closed on the
blushes of Miss Patty Honeywood, and Mr. Verdant Green.
[198 ADVENTURES OF MR. VERDANT GREEN]
More applause: more agreeable conversation: more ingenious
speculations. The Revd. Josiah Meek is now of opinion that the word
is either "medicine" or "suffering." Miss Helen still sagely
observes, "we shall see more in the next scene."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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