"WHERE'S the good of going on grumble, grumble, grumble, all the day
long?" said the strong Man to the Invalid. "Why, you get petted and have
extra nice things to eat, beautiful bunches of grapes, and boiled
chickens, and I don't know what."
"If you were _me_, you would not talk like that," said the Invalid, in a
poor sick weak voice. "I'd eat dry bread, and never ask to be petted at
all if I were strong, like you."
The Strong Man laughed, as if he didn't believe the Invalid.
"I have to work hard all day, and nobody seems to care a bit whether I'm
tired or not," said he. "But if you only have a finger ache, everybody
is running about trying to find something to do you good. And they come
and read to you, and bring you flowers, and--and--"
"You just take my place for a day or two, and see how you'd like it,"
said the Invalid.
"Um--well, I shouldn't like to be ill, you know," said the Strong Man.
"I shouldn't like to lie in bed, nor have the doctor coming to see me,
because he'd give me nasty stuff to take."
"I'll be your doctor," said the Invalid. "But you must lie in bed. Come,
take my place."
The Strong Man was ashamed to refuse.
"Well, now you are comfortable, I suppose," said the Invalid, tucking
him in. "You must try to doze a little."
[Illustration: Lith. Emrik & Binger, Haarlem.]
"But I'm not sleepy," said the Strong Man.
"You'll soon be tired, and go to sleep," said the Invalid. "I'm going
away, but shall be back in an hour or two."
When he went away, the place seemed dreadfully dull. Not a sound was to
be heard except the barking of a dog in a farm-yard near, and the cluck
cluck of some hens.
"Dear, dear," said the Strong Man, "this is very tiresome."
Presently an old lady looked in.
"Poor dear, poor dear," said she, "I will read a nice book to you."
So she sat down and read out of a book. But the Strong Man didn't care
about the book, and he thought the old lady stupid.
Then she went away, and by-and-by, a kind old gentleman came in with
some chicken, and a glass of wine, and some beautiful white bread.
"Here," said he, "Take this, it will do you good."
But the Strong Man didn't feel hungry, and he was tired and cross by
this time, so he wouldn't have any of it. Then some more people came in,
and talked to him, and told him the Invalid had gone to see the reapers,
and tried to be kind to him. Then at last everybody stole away on
tiptoe, and left him alone.
Then the Invalid came back. But by that time the Strong Man had had
quite enough of being shut up in a sick room, so he jumped up, and ran
to the door.
"I see you are not much to be envied," said he to the Invalid. "I don't
think I shall ever envy anybody again so long as I have health and
strength."