"
"Silence, you witch!" said Lawton, with difficulty suppressing a laugh.
"Is this the manner in which to address an officer?"
"Who called me the filthy Elizabeth Flanagan?" cried the washerwoman,
snapping her fingers contemptuously. "I can remimber a frind for a year
and don't forgit an inimy for a month."
But the friendship or enmity of Mrs. Flanagan was alike indifferent to
the surgeon, who could think of nothing but his loss; and Lawton was
obliged to explain to his friend the apparent manner in which it
had happened.
"And a lucky escape it was for ye, my jewel of a doctor," cried Betty,
as the captain concluded. "Sargeant Hollister, who saw him face to face,
as it might be, says it's Beelzeboob, and no piddler, unless it may be
in a small matter of lies and thefts, and sich wickedness. Now a pretty
figure ye would have been in cutting up Beelzeboob, if the major had
hanged him. I don't think it's very 'asy he would have been under
yeer knife."
Thus doubly disappointed in his meal and his business, Sitgreaves
suddenly declared his intention of visiting the Locusts, and inquiring
into the state of Captain Singleton. Lawton was ready for the excursion;
and mounting, they were soon on the road, though the surgeon was obliged
to submit to a few more jokes from the washerwoman, before he could get
out of hearing.
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