Also, the woman with whom he lived was not generally believed
to be his lawful wife. Hence the public fought shy of his nostrums; and
it was a standing riddle how he managed to avoid putting up his
shutters. More nefarious practices no doubt, said the relentless VOX
POPULI.--Seen near at hand, he was a tall, haggard-looking fellow of
some forty years of age, the muscles on his neck standing out like those
of a skinny old horse.
Here, his gratuitous assumption of a common bond drew a cold: "Pray,
what reason have you to think that?" from Mahony. And without waiting
for a reply he again said good night and turned to go.
The man accepted the rebuff with a meekness that was painful to see.
"Thought, comin' on you like this, you were a case like my own. No
offence, I'm sure," he said humbly. It was evident he was well used to
getting the cold shoulder. Mahony stayed his steps. "What's the matter
with you?" he asked. "Aren't you well? There's a remedy to be found for
most ills under the sun."
"Not for mine! The doctor isn't born or the drug discovered that could
cure me."
The tone of bragging bitterness grated anew. Himself given to the vice
of overstatement, Mahony had small mercy on it in others. "Tut, tut!"
he deprecated.
There was a brief silence before the speaker went on more quietly:
"You're a young man, doctor, I'm an old one." And he looked old as he
spoke; Mahony saw that he had erred in putting him down as merely
elderly.
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