Page:Sylvester Sound the Somnambulist (1844).djvu/267

"Indeed!"

"Every word of it."

"Very dishonourable: very."

"Add yet the fellow didd't like to have his hodour doubted! Why didd't you give be the buddy?"

The doctor very gravely commenced reading the report, but as he proceeded, his features relaxed, for the thing had been well done, and every point told.

"Well," said Tom, when the doctor had finished, "what do you thidk of it dow?"

"Why I think it most dishonest on the part of the reporter, but as I feel that this report will induce you to correct your defective pronunciation, I am not very sorry to see it in."

"Well, but do you bead to say, dow, seriously, that I prodoudce by ebs add eds id that ridiculous fashiod?"

"I do."

"Add are the ebs add the eds the odly letters which I prodoudce idcorrectly?"

"Your pronunciation, Tom, of every other letter in the alphabet is perfect. The substitution of the b and the d for the m and the n, alone renders your conversation comical, or, as you would say, cobical."

"Well! I'll certaidly see idto it. If this be the case, I'll sood get over those two fellows."

"I hope you now see the necessity for doing so. Your professional success, Tom, as I have before frequently explained to you, depends in a great measure upon that."

"Oh! I'll get over it. I'll sood badage it. But what are you goidg to do with that fellow?"

"The reporter?"

"Yes: of course you'll debadd the buddy back?"

"Not I! If I were to see him, I should certainly expostulate with him, for such practices are highly dishonourable; but I shall take no trouble about the matter."

"I bay get it, I suppose, if I cad?"

"If you can, Tom, you may!" replied the doctor, with a smile. "But I have an impression that you will find that there is, in that quarter, 'no money returned.'"

The impression on Tom's mind was of a different character, but he thought it inexpedient to explain how he intended to proceed: he, therefore, allowed that subject to drop; but, being anxious to have a point of far more importance settled, he said, with a countenance which denoted that anxiety, "Add dow let be ask you wud serious questiod. We all dide together at Scholefield's to-day. Very well. Dow I shall feel of course buch bore cobfortable if you tell be that you are satisfied, perfectly satisfied, that I was dot out of the house frob the tibe I left the drawidg-roob last dight till we left id the carriage together this mordidg. Are you or are you dot satisfied of this?"

"I am satisfied now, Tom—perfectly satisfied—that you are not the