Part 4 (1/2)
”Agreed, sir; with the doctor's consent or without,” cried the lawyer, grasping the extended hand. ”By George, we must begin to make our preparations at once! and as for the doctor--Oh, here he is!”
For there was a double knock, and directly after Mrs Dunn, appearing very much agitated, ushered in the doctor, who did not look quite so cool as he did when he left.
”Oh!” he e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed, ”I was afraid from Mrs Dunn's manner that something was wrong.”
”No, doctor, nothing,” said the lawyer. ”We only want to ask you what you think of our young friend here being taken to spend the winter in Turkey.”
”Admirable!” said the doctor, ”if it could be managed.”
”Oh, Doctor Shorter!” wailed Mrs Dunn, ”I thought you would stop this mad plan.”
”There, madam, there!” cried the lawyer; ”what did I say?”
”But he is not fit to move,” cried Mrs Dunn, while the boy's cheeks were flushed, and his eyes wandered eagerly from speaker to speaker.
”Only with care,” said the doctor. ”I should not take a long sea trip, I think; but cross to Paris, and then go on gently, stopping where you pleased, to Brindisi, whence the voyage would be short.”
”The very thing!” cried the lawyer, giving one emphatic blow with his nose. ”What do you say, professor?”
”It is the plan I had arranged if I had gone alone,” was the reply; ”and I think if Doctor Shorter will furnish us with the necessary medicines--”
”He requires change more than medicines,” said the doctor. ”Care against exertion, and--there, your own common sense will tell you what to do.”
”Doctor! doctor! doctor!” sobbed Mrs Dunn; ”I didn't think it of you.
What's to become of me?”
”You, madam?” replied the doctor. ”You can read and write letters to our young friend here, and thank Heaven that he has friends who will take him in charge and relieve him from the risk of another winter in our terrible climate.”
”Hear, hear!” and ”No, no!” cried the lawyer. ”Doctor Shorter, ours is not a bad climate, and I will not stand here and listen to a word against it. Look at me, sir! Thirty years in Sergeant's Inn--fog, rain, snow, and no suns.h.i.+ne; and look at me, sir--look at me!”
”My dear sir,” said the doctor smiling, ”you know the old saying about one man's meat being another man's poison? Suppose I modify my remark, and say terrible climate for our young friend. You are decided, then, to take him?”
”Certainly,” said the professor.
”To Turkey?”
”Turkey in Asia, sir, where I propose to examine the wonderful ruins of the ancient Greek and Roman cities.”
”And hunt up treasures of all kinds, eh?” said the doctor smiling.
”I hope we may be fortunate enough to discover something worthy of the search.”
”But, let me see--the climate; great heat in the plains; intense cold in the mountains; fever and other dangers. You must be careful, gentlemen.
Brigands--real brigands of the fiercest kind--men who mean heavy ransoms, or chopped-off heads. Then you will have obstinate Turks, insidious and tricking Greeks, difficulties of travel. No child's play, gentlemen.”
”The more interest, sir,” replied the professor, ”the greater change.”
”Well,” said the doctor, ”I shall drop in every day till you start, and be able to report upon our friend's health. Now, good day.”