He spoke low and rapidly--hardly above his breath; but the black
eyes, unclosing, flashed upon him.
"So you have come back!" said Rosa's weak voice. "You stayed away an
eternity!"
Her coquettish displeasure and the asperity of her accent contrasted
so oddly with her vehemently expressed attachment for her husband
and extolment of his virtues, that Mrs. Sutton regarded her in
speechless amazement. She submitted to his kiss, without returning
it--even raising her hand pettishly as to repel further endearments.
"I should have died of the blue devils if Aunt Rachel hadn't, by the
merest accident, heard that I was ailing, and driven over, like the
Good Samaritan she is, to take pity upon me in my destitution; to
pour oil--not cod-liver--into my wounds, and wine into my mouth. She
is better than all the men-doctors that were ever created; so if
you have brought your bearded Esculapius home with you, you may tell
him, with my compliments, that I won't see him yet awhile. He was an
old beau of mine, and I hope I have too much respect for what I used
to be, to let him get a glimpse of me until Dr. Sutton has set me up
in better flesh and looks. She brought me some enchanting jelly--one
of her magical preparations for the amelioration of human misery,
and I am to have a bowl of her unparalleled chicken-broth for
dinner. I wish dinner-time were come! the very thought makes me
ravenous. I am to do nothing for a week, but eat, drink, and sleep,
at the end of which period I shall be dismissed as thoroughly cured.
So, Mr. Chilton, you can go back to your beloved clients whenever
you please!"
To Mrs. Sutton's apprehension this was an infelicitous introduction
of herself to the husband's toleration. Certainly, she did not know
many men who would have parried the thrusts at themselves with the
dexterity he manifested, and acknowledged her merits and kindly
offices willingly and gracefully. He did not apologize for his
protracted absence, nor insist upon conveying his physician to the
sick-chamber; but he chatted for five minutes or thereabouts upon
such topics as he knew would entertain the captious invalid, and
finally arose from the bed-side, where he had been sitting, fondling
her hot hands, with a good-humored laugh.
"But all the while I am enjoying myself here, the hirsute Galen
aforesaid is munching the invisible salad of the solitary in the
parlor! I am to eject him incontinently, am I? My conscience will
not let me withhold the admission, when I do this, that my wife's
judgment in the matter of medical attendants is vastly superior to
mine. While Mrs. Sutton is so good as to remain with you, you are
right in thinking that you have need of no other physician."