It was then settled that Lord Ballindine should ride over to Dunmore
on the following Friday, and if circumstances seemed to render it
advisable, that he and Martin should go on together to the attorney at
Tuam.




XXIII. DOCTOR COLLIGAN


Doctor Colligan, the Galen of Dunmore, though a practitioner of most
unprepossessing appearance and demeanour, was neither ignorant nor
careless. Though for many years he had courted the public in vain, his
neighbours had at last learned to know and appreciate him; and, at the
time of Anty's illness, the inhabitants of three parishes trusted their
corporeal ailments to his care, with comfort to themselves and profit
to him. Nevertheless, there were many things about Doctor Colligan not
calculated to inspire either respect or confidence. He always seemed
a little afraid of his patient, and very much afraid of his patient's
friends: he was always dreading the appearance at Dunmore of one of
those young rivals, who had lately established themselves at Tuam on
one side, and Hollymount on the other; and, to prevent so fatal a
circumstance, was continually trying to be civil and obliging to his
customers. He would not put on a blister, or order a black dose,
without consulting with the lady of the house, and asking permission
of the patient, and consequently had always an air of doubt and
indecision. Then, he was excessively dirty in his person and practice:
he carried a considerable territory beneath his nails; smelt equally
strongly of the laboratory and the stable; would wipe his hands on