Middlemarchno innuendo in her remark, since his spare time and per-
sonal narrative had never been charged for. So he replied,
humorously—
‘Well, Lydgate is a good-looking young fellow, you
know.’
‘Not one that I would employ,’ said Mrs. Mawmsey.
‘OTHERS may do as they please.’
Hence Mr. Gambit could go away from the chief grocer’s
without fear of rivalry, but not without a sense that Lydgate
was one of those hypocrites who try to discredit others by
advertising their own honesty, and that it might be worth
some people’s while to show him up. Mr. Gambit, however,
had a satisfactory practice, much pervaded by the smells of
retail trading which suggested the reduction of cash pay-
ments to a balance. And he did not think it worth his while
to show Lydgate up until he knew how. He had not indeed
great resources of education, and had had to work his own
way against a good deal of professional contempt; but he
made none the worse accoucheur for calling the breathing
apparatus ‘longs.’
Other medical men felt themselves more capable. Mr.
Toller shared the highest practice in the town and belonged
to an old Middlemarch family: there were Tollers in the law
and everything else above the line of retail trade. Unlike
our irascible friend Wrench, he had the easiest way in the
world of taking things which might be supposed to annoy
him, being a well-bred, quietly facetious man, who kept a
good house, was very fond of a little sporting when he could
get it, very friendly with Mr. Hawley, and hostile to Mr. Bul-