The Doctor Hears Something to His Advantage Sir Louis Scatcherd had told his mother that he was rather out of sorts, and when he reached Boxall Hill it certainly did not appear that he had given any exaggerated statement of his own maladies.

He certainly was a good deal out of sorts.

He had had more than one attack of delirium tremens since his father's death, and had almost been at death's door.
Nothing had been said about this by Dr Thorne at Boxall Hill; but he was by no means ignorant of his ward's state.

Twice he had gone up to London to visit him; twice he had begged him to go down into the country and place himself under his mother's care.

On the last occasion, the doctor had threatened him with all manner of pains and penalties: with pains, as to his speedy departure from this world and all its joys; and with penalties, in the shape of poverty if that departure should by any chance be retarded.