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widow was flattered. The doctor's attentions were unheeded by the
widow; and the doctor's indignation was wholly lost on his
imperturbable rival. Doctor Slammer was paralysed. He, Doctor
Slammer, of the 97th, to be extinguished in a moment, by a man
whom nobody had ever seen before, and whom nobody knew even
now! Doctor Slammer - Doctor Slammer of the 97th rejected!
Impossible! It could not be! Yes, it was; there they were. What!
introducing his friend! Could he believe his eyes! He looked again, and
was under the painful necessity of admitting the veracity of his optics;
Mrs. Budger was dancing with Mr Tracy Tupman; there was no
mistaking the fact. There was the widow before him, bouncing bodily
here and there, with unwonted vigour; and Mr Tracy Tupman hopping
about, with a face expressive of the most intense solemnity, dancing
(
as a good many people do) as if a quadrille were not a thing to be
laughed at, but a severe trial to the feelings, which it requires
inflexible resolution to encounter.
Silently and patiently did the doctor bear all this, and all the handings
of negus, and watching for glasses, and darting for biscuits, and
coquetting, that ensued; but, a few seconds after the stranger had
disappeared to lead Mrs. Budger to her carriage, he darted swiftly
from the room with every particle of his hitherto- bottled-up
indignation effervescing, from all parts of his countenance, in a
perspiration of passion.
The stranger was returning, and Mr Tupman was beside him. He
spoke in a low tone, and laughed. The little doctor thirsted for his life.
He was exulting. He had triumphed.
'
Sir!' said the doctor, in an awful voice, producing a card, and retiring
into an angle of the passage, 'my name is Slammer, Doctor Slammer,
sir - 97th Regiment - Chatham Barracks - my card, Sir, my card.' He
would have added more, but his indignation choked him.
'
Ah!' replied the stranger coolly, 'Slammer - much obliged - polite
attention - not ill now, Slammer - but when I am - knock you up.'
'You - you're a shuffler, sir,' gasped the furious doctor, 'a poltroon - a
coward - a liar - a - a - will nothing induce you to give me your card,
sir!' 'Oh! I see,' said the stranger, half aside, 'negus too strong here -
liberal landlord - very foolish - very - lemonade much better - hot
rooms - elderly gentlemen - suffer for it in the morning - cruel - cruel;'
and he moved on a step or two.
'
'
You are stopping in this house, Sir,' said the indignant little man;
you are intoxicated now, Sir; you shall hear from me in the morning,
sir. I shall find you out, sir; I shall find you out.' 'Rather you found me
out than found me at home,' replied the unmoved stranger.
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