' And forthwith he began to
bawl his enquiries and salutations. But Devereux called him up
peremptorily, for he wanted to hear the news--especially all about the
Walsinghams. And up came Toole, and they had a great shaking of hands,
and the doctor opened his budget and rattled away.
Of Sturk's tragedy and Nutter's disappearance he had already heard. And
he now heard some of the club gossip, and all about Dangerfield's
proposal for Gertrude Chattesworth, and how the old people were
favourable, and the young lady averse--and how Dangerfield was content
to leave the question in abeyance, and did not seem to care a jackstraw
what the townspeople said or thought--and then he came to the
Walsinghams, and Devereux for the first time really listened. The doctor
was very well--just as usual; and wondering what had become of his old
crony, Dan Loftus, from whom he had not heard for several months; and
Miss Lily was not very well--a delicacy here (and he tapped his
capacious chest), like her poor mother. 'Pell and I consulted about her,
and agreed she was to keep within doors.' And then he went on, for he
had a suspicion of the real state of relations between him and Lily, and
narrated the occurrence rather with a view to collect evidence from his
looks and manner, than from any simpler motive; and, said he, 'Only
think, that confounded wench, Nan--you know--Nan Glynn,' And he related
her and her mother's visit to Miss Lily, and a subsequent call made upon
the rector himself--all, it must be confessed, very much as it really
happened.
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