Roundabout Papers - Penn State University

Thackeraymy feet: for they are cold, very cold: and it seems as ifneither wine nor worsted will warm ‘em.In this past year’s diary is there any dismal day notedin which you have lost a friend? In mine there is. I donot mean by death. Those who are gone, you have.Those who departed loving you, love you still; and youlove them always. They are not really gone, those dearhearts and true; they are only gone into the next room:and you will presently get up and follow them, andyonder door will close upon you, and you will be nomore seen. As I am in this cheerful mood, I will tellyou a fine and touching story of a doctor which I heardlately. About two years since there was, in our or someother city, a famous doctor, into whose consultingroomcrowds came daily, so that they might be healed.Now this doctor had a suspicion that there was somethingvitally wrong with himself, and he went to consultanother famous physician at Dublin, or it may beat Edinburgh. And he of Edinburgh punched hiscomrade’s sides; and listened at his heart and lungs;and felt his pulse, I suppose; and looked at his tongue;and when he had done, Doctor London said to DoctorEdinburgh, “Doctor, how long have I to live?” And DoctorEdinburgh said to Doctor London, “Doctor, you maylast a year.”Then Doctor London came home, knowing that whatDoctor Edinburgh said was true. And he made up hisaccounts, with man and heaven, I trust. And he visitedhis patients as usual. And he went about healing, andcheering, and soothing and doctoring; and thousandsof sick people were benefited by him. And he said not aword to his family at home; but lived amongst themcheerful and tender, and calm, and loving; though heknew the night was at hand when he should see themand work no more.And it was winter time, and they came and told himthat some man at a distance—very sick, but very rich—wanted him; and, though Doctor London knew that hewas himself at death’s door, he went to the sick man;for he knew the large fee would be good for his childrenafter him. And he died; and his family never knew untilhe was gone, that he had been long aware of the inevi-167