So things went on for years, and those years were years of sorrow. We
must not ascribe to our doctor's enemies the sufferings and sickness,
and deaths that occurred. The four frail little ones that died would
probably have been taken had Lady Arabella been more tolerant of Dr
Thorne. But the fact was, that they did die; and that the mother's
heart then got the better of the woman's pride, and Lady Arabella
humbled herself before Dr Thorne. She humbled herself, or would have
done so, had the doctor permitted her. But he, with his eyes full of
tears, stopped the utterance of her apology, took her two hands in his,
pressed them warmly, and assured her that his joy in returning would be
great, for the love that he bore to all that belonged to Greshamsbury.
And so the seven-and-sixpenny visits were recommenced; and the great
triumph of Dr Fillgrave came to an end.

Great was the joy in the Greshamsbury nursery when the second change
took place. Among the doctor's attributes, not hitherto mentioned, was
an aptitude for the society of children. He delighted to talk to
children, and to play with them. He would carry them on his back,
three or four at a time, roll with them on the ground, race with them
in the garden, invent games for them, contrive amusements in
circumstances which seemed quite adverse to all manner of delight; and,
above all, his physic was not nearly so nasty as that which came from
Silverbridge.

He had a great theory as to the happiness of children; and though he
was not disposed altogether to throw over the precepts of
Solomon--always bargaining that he should, under no circumstances, be
himself the executioner--he argued that the principal duty which a
parent owed to a child was to make him happy. Not only was the man to
be made happy--the future man, if that might be possible--but the