“Walk right in, sir! come in, Dr. Morrell,” said Mr. Gerrish. “Mrs. Munger and Mrs. Gerrish you know. Present you to Miss Kilburn, who has come to make her home among us after a prolonged residence abroad. Dr. Morrell, Miss Kilburn.”
“No, there's nobody sick here, in one sense,” said Putney, when the doctor had greeted the ladies. “But we want your advice all the same. Mrs. Munger is in a pretty bad way morally, Doc.”
“Don't you mind Mr. Putney, doctor!” screamed Mrs. Gerrish.
Putney said, with respectful recognition of the poor woman's attempt to be arch, “I'll try to keep within the bounds of truth in stating the case, Mrs. Gerrish.”
He went on to state it, with so much gravity and scrupulosity, and with so many appeals to Mrs. Munger to correct him if he were wrong, that the doctor was shaking with laughter when Putney came to an end with unbroken seriousness. At each repetition of the facts, Annie's relation to them grew more intolerable; and she suspected Putney of an intention to punish her. “Well, what do you say?” he demanded of the doctor.
“Ha, ha, ha! ah, ha, ha.” laughed the doctor, shutting his eyes and throwing back his head.
“Seems to consider it a _laughing_ matter,” said Putney to Mrs. Munger.
“Yes; and that is all your fault,” said Mrs. Munger, trying, with the ineffectiveness of a large woman, to pout.
“No, no, I'm not laughing.” began the doctor.
The doctor went off again. Then, “I beg--I _beg_ your pardon, Mrs. Munger,” he resumed. “But it isn't a professional question, you know; and I--I really couldn't judge--have any opinion on such a matter.”
“No shirking,” said Putney. “That's what Mrs. Munger said to me.”
“Of course not,” gurgled the doctor. “You ladies will know what to do. I'm sure _I_ shouldn't,” he added.
“Well, I must be going,” said Putney. “Sorry to leave you in this fix, Doc.” He flashed out of the door, and suddenly came back to offer Annie his hand. “I beg your pardon, Annie. I'm going to make Ellen bring me round. Good morning.” He bowed cursorily to the rest.
“Wait--I'll go with you, Putney,” said the doctor.
Mrs. Munger rose, and Annie with her. “We must go too,” she said. “We've taken up Mr. Gerrish's time most unconscionably,” and now Mr. Gerrish did not urge her to remain.