Gum, you stand in your place by Dr.
Ashton every Sunday, and read out to us of the loving mercy of God: will you urge your wife to this little work of charity for His sake ?" Jabez Gum evidently did not know what to answer.

On the one hand, he could hardly go against the precepts he had to respond to as clerk; on the other, there was his scorn and hatred of the disreputable Arab.
"He's such a loose character, sir," he debated at length.
"Possibly: when he is well.

But he is ill now, and could not be loose if he tried.

Some one _must_ go in now and then to see after him: it struck me that perhaps your wife would do it, for humanity's sake; and I thought I'd ask her before going further." "She can do as she likes," said Jabez.
Mrs.Gum--as unresisting in her nature as ever was Percival Elster--yielded to the prayer of the surgeon, and said she would do what she could.

But she had never shown more nervousness over anything than she was showing as she gave her answer.
"Then I will step indoors and give you a few plain directions," said the surgeon.