“I thank you, monsieur,” returned the Judge; “but we keep the young
man in pain. Remarkable, thou wilt please to provide linen for lint
and bandages.”

This remark caused a cessation of the compliments, and induced the
physician to turn an inquiring eye in the direction of his patient.
During the dialogue the young hunter had thrown aside his overcoat,
and now stood clad in a plain suit of the common, light-colored
homespun of the country, that was evidently but recently made. His
hand was on the lapels of his coat, in the attitude of removing the
garment, when he suddenly suspended the movement, and looked toward
the commiserating Elizabeth, who was standing in an unchanged posture,
too much absorbed with her anxious feelings to heed his actions. A
slight color appeared on the brow of the youth.

“Possibly the sight of blood may alarm the lady; I will retire to
another room while the wound is dressing.”

“By no means.” said Dr. Todd, who, having discovered that his patient
was far from being a man of importance, felt much emboldened to
perform the duty. “The strong light of these candles is favorable to
the operation, and it is seldom that we hard students enjoy good
eyesight.”

While speaking, Elnathan placed a pair of large iron-rimmed spectacles
on his face, where they dropped, as it were by long practice, to the
extremity of his slim pug nose; and, if they were of no service as
assistants to his eyes, neither were they any impediment to his
vision; for his little gray organs were twinkling above them like two
stars emerging from the envious cover of a cloud. The action was