"I shall rejoice to furnish your zeal with fuller opportunities,"Mr. Bulstrode answered; "I mean, by confiding to you the superintendence of my new hospital, should a maturer knowledge favor that issue, for I am determined that so great an object shall not be shackled by our two physicians. Indeed, I am encouraged to consider your advent to this town as a gracious indication that a more manifest blessing is now to be awarded to my efforts, which have hitherto been much with stood. With regard to the old infirmary, we have gained the initial point--I mean your election. And now I hope you will not shrink from incurring a certain amount of jealousy and dislike from your professional brethren by presenting yourself as a reformer.""I will not profess bravery," said Lydgate, smiling, "but Iacknowledge a good deal of pleasure in fighting, and I should not care for my profession, if I did not believe that better methods were to be found and enforced there as well as everywhere else.""The standard of that profession is low in Middlemarch, my dear sir,"said the banker. "I mean in knowledge and skill; not in social status, for our medical men are most of them connected with respectable townspeople here. My own imperfect health has induced me to give some attention to those palliative resources which the divine mercy has placed within our reach. I have consulted eminent men in the metropolis, and I am painfully aware of the backwardness under which medical treatment labors in our provincial districts.""Yes;--with our present medical rules and education, one must be satisfied now and then to meet with a fair practitioner.
As to all the higher questions which determine the starting-point of a diagnosis--as to the philosophy of medial evidence--any glimmering of these can only come from a scientific culture of which country practitioners have usually no more notion than the man in the moon."Mr. Bulstrode, bending and looking intently, found the form which Lydgate had given to his agreement not quite suited to his comprehension. Under such circumstances a judicious man changes the topic and enters on ground where his own gifts may be more useful.
"I am aware," he said, "that the peculiar bias of medical ability is towards material means. Nevertheless, Mr. Lydgate, I hope we shall not vary in sentiment as to a measure in which you are not likely to be actively concerned, but in which your sympathetic concurrence may be an aid to me. You recognize, I hope; the existence of spiritual interests in your patients?""Certainly I do. But those words are apt to cover different meanings to different minds.""Precisely. And on such subjects wrong teaching is as fatal as no teaching. Now a point which I have much at heart to secure is a new regulation as to clerical attendance at the old infirmary.
The building stands in Mr. Farebrother's parish. You know Mr. Farebrother?""I have seen him. He gave me his vote. I must call to thank him.
He seems a very bright pleasant little fellow. And I understand he is a naturalist.""Mr. Farebrother, my dear sir, is a man deeply painful to contemplate.
I suppose there is not a clergyman in this country who has greater talents." Mr. Bulstrode paused and looked meditative.
"I have not yet been pained by finding any excessive talent in Middlemarch," said Lydgate, bluntly.
"What I desire," Mr. Bulstrode continued, looking still more serious, "is that Mr. Farebrother's attendance at the hospital should be superseded by the appointment of a chaplain--of Mr. Tyke, in fact--and that no other spiritual aid should be called in.""As a medial man I could have no opinion on such a point unless I knew Mr. Tyke, and even then I should require to know the cases in which he was applied." Lydgate smiled, but he was bent on being circumspect.
"Of course you cannot enter fully into the merits of this measure at present. But"--here Mr. Bulstrode began to speak with a more chiselled emphasis--"the subject is likely to be referred to the medical board of the infirmary, and what I trust I may ask of you is, that in virtue of the cooperation between us which Inow look forward to, you will not, so far as you are concerned, be influenced by my opponents in this matter.""I hope I shall have nothing to do with clerical disputes," said Lydgate.
"The path I have chosen is to work well in my own profession.""My responsibility, Mr. Lydgate, is of a broader kind.
With me, indeed, this question is one of sacred accountableness;whereas with my opponents, I have good reason to say that it is an occasion for gratifying a spirit of worldly opposition.
But I shall not therefore drop one iota of my convictions, or cease to identify myself with that truth which an evil generation hates.
I have devoted myself to this object of hospital-improvement, but Iwill boldly confess to you, Mr. Lydgate, that I should have no interest in hospitals if I believed that nothing more was concerned therein than the cure of mortal diseases. I have another ground of action, and in the face of persecution I will not conceal it."Mr. Bulstrode's voice had become a loud and agitated whisper as he said the last words.
"There we certainly differ," said Lydgate. But he was not sorry that the door was now opened, and Mr. Vincy was announced.
That florid sociable personage was become more interesting to him since he had seen Rosamond. Not that, like her, he had been weaving any future in which their lots were united; but a man naturally remembers a charming girl with pleasure, and is willing to dine where he may see her again. Before he took leave, Mr. Vincy had given that invitation which he had been "in no hurry about,"for Rosamond at breakfast had mentioned that she thought her uncle Featherstone had taken the new doctor into great favor.
Mr. Bulstrode, alone with his brother-in-law, poured himself out a glass of water, and opened a sandwich-box.
