"Well, I was talking to Judge Lee the other day, and he told me some good stories about lawyers--characteristic stories, you know. So I thought I would work up a little series--lawyers, doctors, ministers and so on, and see how nearly I could reach the characteristics of the professions through the stories I tell of them; not much of an idea, perhaps--but I know a man who will buy the stuff." Ernestine was smiling in a knowing little way. "Do you want to begin with something really characteristic?" she asked. "That's it. Something to strike the nail on the head, first blow." "Then lead off with the story of Pasteur's forgetting to go to his own wedding. There's the most characteristic doctor story I know of." "That's a direct insult," laughed Karl. "Why, not at all, Karl," protested Mrs. McCormick, "every one knows you were on hand for _your_ wedding." "Yes, and a good thing he was," declared Ernestine. "I don't think I should have been as meek and gentle about it as the bride of Pasteur. I fancy I would have said: 'Oh, really now--if it's so much trouble, we'll just let it go.'" "No, Ernestine," said Mrs. McCormick, seriously, after the laugh, "I don't believe you would have said that,"--and then they laughed again. "Well, it's a good story," she insisted; "and characteristic. I believe after all that Pasteur was a chemist and not a doctor, but the doctors have appropriated him, so the story will be all right." "If you want to tell some stories about Pasteur," said Karl, "tell about his refusing the royal decoration. He told the Emperor that the honour and pleasure of doing such work as his was its own reward, and that no decoration was needed. That story made a great hit in the scientific world." "But is it characteristic?" asked Georgia, slyly. "Well," he laughed, "it ought to be." "Another one of the independent kind," said Parkman, "is on Bilroth. He was summoned to appear at a certain hour before the Emperor of Austria. Bilroth was with a very sick patient until the eleventh hour and arrived a little late in business clothes. The scandalised chamberlain protested, telling him he could not go in like that. Whereupon Bilroth blustered out: 'I have no time to spare. Tell His Majesty if he wishes to see me, I am here. If he wants my dress suit, I will have a boy bring it around.'" "Did he get in?" asked Mrs. McCormick, anxiously. "I think he did, although undoubtedly Miss McCormick will be too modern to say so."