A WICKED Old Man finding himself ill sent for a Physician, who
prescribed for him and went away. Then the Wicked Old Man sent for
another Physician, saying nothing of the first, and an entirely1
different treatment was ordered. This continued for some weeks,
the physicians visiting him on alternate days and treating him for
two different disorders2, with constantly enlarging doses of
medicine and more and more rigorous nursing. But one day they
accidently met at his bedside while he slept, and the truth coming
out a violent quarrel ensued.
"My good friends," said the patient, awakened3 by the noise of the
dispute, and apprehending4 the cause of it, "pray be more
reasonable. If I could for weeks endure you both, can you not for
a little while endure each other? I have been well for ten days,
but have remained in bed in the hope of gaining by repose5 the
strength that would justify6 me in taking your medicines. So far I
have touched none of it."
