The old man stands up from his chair by the fire, clutching his sides and emitting a cry of pain. Medicine bottles are on the mantelpiece; others are on a table (one of them labelled ‘Composing Draught’) and a wrapper is labelled ‘Blister Plaister’. A maid (or his much younger wife?) comes into the room and hands him a bowl of gruel. She treats him as if he were a malingerer. Her boyfriend observes from the door with amusement.