He was a very young doctor, and not always sure of himself.
"Or," put in the School-master, "to condense our illustrations, if the
Idiot would kindly go out upon Broadway and encounter the truck, we
should find the three combined in him."
The landlady here laughed quite heartily, and handed the School-master
an extra strong cup of coffee.
"There is a great deal in what you say," said the Idiot, without a
tremor. "There are very few scientific phenomena that cannot be
demonstrated in one way or another by my poor self. It is the exception
always that proves the rule, and in my case you find a consistent
converse exemplification of all three branches of absent-mindedness."
"He talks well," said the Bibliomaniac, _sotto voce_, to the Minister.
"Yes, especially when he gets hold of large words. I really believe he
reads," replied Mr. Whitechoker.
[Illustration: "'WHAT ARE THE FIRST SYMPTOMS OF INSANITY?'"]
"I know he does," said the School-master, who had overheard. "I saw him
reading Webster's Dictionary last night. I have noticed, however, that
generally his vocabulary is largely confined to words that come between
the letters A and F, which shows that as yet he has not dipped very
deeply into the book."
"What are you murmuring about?" queried the Idiot, noting the lowered
tone of those on the other side of the table.
"We were conversing--ahem! about--" began the Minister, with a
despairing glance at the Bibliomaniac.
"Let me say it," interrupted the Bibliomaniac.
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