160 A SEVERE INTERROGATOR. CHAP. ix. 



time prepared a lag of forgetfulness, into which he 

 put all the disagreeable things that were said to him ; 

 and once there, he remembered them no more. Ed- 

 ward believed that his visitor belonged to the medical 

 profession, and that he was connected with a neigh- 

 bouring dispensary.* 



One day the visitor arrived, and without looking 

 at the specimens, he went directly up to Edward and 

 asked, "Well, how are you getting on?" "Very 

 poorly/' was the answer. "And no wonder!" said 

 the visitor. " How?" "How !" he almost shouted, 

 "because the people here don't believe in such a 

 thing. I am sure of it from what I know and have 

 heard myself." 



" But if they would only come !" 



" Come ? that's the very thing. It seems they'll 

 not come. And although they did, what satisfactory- 

 evidence is there that what they see is the result of 

 your own unaided and individual labour ? You are 

 quite a stranger here. You should have had some 

 persons of high standing in the city to take you 

 under their patronage : say the professors of both 

 colleges, or the provost and town-council. Oh ! you 

 needn't shake your head and look at the floor. It 

 would have been much better." 



" I never considered myself in a position," said 

 Edward, " to ask such a favour." 



* It was afterwards found tliat the visitor was Dr. Cadenhead, 

 one of the principal physicians and oculists of the city. 



