"No, I thank you, sir. I hope you will soon be better. Good morning."
"Stay, sir!" exclaimed the old gentleman. "I shall insist on this, if you
please," in a tone which at once convinced the surgeon that it would be
more painful to refuse than accept the fee; he accordingly took it.
"I am very much obliged to you, sir," the old gentleman then said; "for
had you not taken your fee I could not have again had the advantage of
your advice. I sent for you because I had understood that you were a pupil
of Dr. Abernethy's, for whom I could not again send, _because he would
not take his fee_, and I was so hurt that I am afraid I was rude to the
good man. I suppose he, judging from the appearances of things here,
thought I could not afford it, hence refused the fee, on which I begged
him not to be deceived by appearances, but take the fee. However, he kept
retreating and declining, till, forgetting myself a little, and feeling
vexed, I said, 'By G----, sir, I insist on your taking it,' when he
replied as fiercely, 'By G----, sir, I will not,' and hastily left the
room, closing the door after him."
This gentleman lived to the age of ninety. He was really in very good
circumstances, but lived in this humble manner to enable him to assist
very efficiently some poor relatives. The surgeon, after a while, changed
his professional visits to friendly ones, and continued them up to the old
man's death. When, however, the gentleman died, about four hundred guineas
were found in his boxes.
Sometimes Dr. Abernethy would meet with a patient who would afford a
useful lesson. A lady, wife of a distinguished musician, consulted him,
and, finding him uncourteous, said,--
"Sir, I had heard of your rudeness before I came, but I did not expect
this."