XXXVII. THAT OF DR. FARLEY, M.D., SPECIALIST IN LITTLE TOES.

 Ever heard of Dr. Farley,

Doctor Farley, sir, M.D.,

Living in the street of Harley,

Street of Harley, Number Three?

Years ago the simple fact is,

Simple fact is, don't you know,

He had but a tiny practice,

Tiny practice, down at Bow.

Consultations¹ for a shilling,

For a shilling, sir, with pills;

For this sum he e'en was willing,

Willing, sir, to cure all ills.

Pains in "tum-tums" he would cure a,

Cure a man of, in a night,

With Ip. Cac. and Aqua pura

(Aqua pura his delight).

He was, too, a skilful² surgeon,

Skilful surgeon, yet his fee—

Seldom was it known to verge³ on,

Even verge on, two and three.

Work at this rate wasn't paying,

Wasn't paying—what surprise?

So he sold his practice, saying,

Saying, "I must specialize."

"That's the way to pick up money,

Pick up money, so I'm told."

So he did it. Now—it's funny,

Funny, but—he rolls in gold.

His success himself surprises,

Much surprises, for he knows

That he only specialises,

Specialises, little toes.

 

When swells⁴ in their little tootsies,

Little tootsies, suffer pain,

Unto him they bring their footsies,

Footsies, to put right again;

For they say, sir, "None but he, sir,

He, sir, understands the toe."

Earls and Dukes wait every day, sir,

Every day, sir, in a row.

This the history of Farley,

Doctor Farley, sir, M.D.,

Others—in the street of Harley—

Others like him there may be.

There's a moral to this story,

To this story, if you're wise:

If you'd win both wealth and glory,

Wealth and glory—Specialize.

1 consultations   

n.磋商（会议）( consultation的名词复数 )；商讨会；协商会；查找

参考例句：

• Consultations can be arranged at other times by appointment. 磋商可以通过预约安排在其他时间。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Consultations are under way. 正在进行磋商。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 skilful   

(=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的

参考例句：

• The more you practise,the more skilful you'll become.练习的次数越多，熟练的程度越高。
• He's not very skilful with his chopsticks.他用筷子不大熟练。

3 verge   

n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• She was on the verge of bursting into tears.她快要哭出来了。

4 swells   

增强( swell的第三人称单数 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情）

参考例句：

• The waters were heaving up in great swells. 河水正在急剧上升。
• A barrel swells in the middle. 水桶中部隆起。