More than that, Mrs.Tolbridge, there is no greater compliment that you can pay to a physician you have sent for, than to have him find you in bed." The doctor's wife laughed.

She thought, but she did not say so, that probably this old lady had paid her husband a great many compliments.
"Well, Miss Panney," she said, rising, "what report shall I make ?" The old lady took off her night-cap, and replaced it with her ordinary headgear of lace and ribbons.
"Have you heard anything," she asked, "of the young man who is coming to Cobhurst ?" "No," said Mrs.Tolbridge, "nothing at all." "Well," continued Miss Panney, "I think the doctor knows something about him through old Butterwood.

I have an idea that I know something about him myself, but I wanted to talk to the doctor about him.

Of course this is a mere secondary matter.

My back has been troubling me a good deal lately, but as the doctor is so pushed, I won't ask him to come here on purpose to see me.