ThenheembracedmeandcalledontheAlmightytotakemeinHiscare，andweparted。
Ineversawhimmore，forthoughhewasbutmiddle-aged，withinayearofmygoingmyfatherdiedsuddenlyofadistemperoftheheartinthenaveofDitchinghamchurch，ashestoodthere，neartheroodscreen，musingbymymother’sgraveoneSundayaftermass，andmybrothertookhislandsandplace。
Godresthimalso！
Hewasatrue-heartedman，butmorewrappedupinhisloveformymotherthanitiswellforanymantobewhowouldlookatlifelargelyanddorightbyall。
Forsuchlove，thoughnaturaltowomen，isapttoturntosomethingthatpartakesofselfishness，andtocausehimwhobearsittothinkallelseofsmallaccount。
Hischildrenwerenothingtomyfatherwhencomparedtomymother，andhewouldhavebeencontenttolosethemeveryoneiftherebyhemighthavepurchasedbackherlife。
Butafterallitwasanobleinfirmity，forhethoughtlittleofhimselfandhadgonethroughmuchtowinher。
OfmyvoyagetoCadiz，towhichportIhadlearnedthatdeGarcia’sshipwasbound，thereislittletobetold。
WemetwithcontrarywindsintheBayofBiscayandweredrivenintotheharbourofLisbon，wherewerefitted。
ButatlastwecamesafelytoCadiz，havingbeenfortydaysatsea。
A
NowIshalldwellbutbrieflyonalltheadventureswhichbefellmeduringtheyearorsothatIremainedinSpain，forwereItosetouteverythingatlength，thishistorywouldhavenoend，oratleastminewouldfindmebeforeIcametoit。
ManytravellershavetoldofthegloriesofSeville，towhichancientMoorishcityIjourneyedwithallspeed，sailingthereuptheGuadalquiver，andIhavetotelloflandsfromwhichnootherwandererhasreturnedtoEngland，andmustpressontothem。
Tobeshortthen；foreseeingthatitmightbenecessaryformetostopsometimeinSeville，andbeingdesiroustoescapenoticeandtobeatthesmallestexpensepossible，IbethoughtmethatitwouldbewellifIcouldfindmeansofcontinuingmystudiesofmedicine，andtothisendIobtainedcertainintroductionsfromthefirmofmerchantstowhosecareIhadbeenrecommended，addressedtodoctorsofmedicineinSeville。
Theselettersatmyrequestweremadeoutnotinmyownnamebutinthatof’Diegod’Aila，’forI
didnotwishittobeknownthatIwasanEnglishman。
Nor，indeed，wasthislikely，exceptmyspeechshouldbetrayme，for，asIhavesaid，inappearanceIwasverySpanish，andthehindranceofthelanguagewasonethatlessenedeveryday，sincehavingalreadylearneditfrommymother，andtakingeveryopportunitytoreadandspeakit，withinsixmonthsIcouldtalkCastilianexceptforsomeslightaccent，likeanativeoftheland。
AlsoIhaveagiftfortheacquiringoflanguages。
WhenIwascometoSeville，andhadplacedmybaggageinaninn，notoneofthemostfrequented，IsetouttodeliveraletterofrecommendationtoafamousphysicianofthetownwhosenameIhavelongforgotten。
ThisphysicianhadafinehouseinthestreetofLasPalmas，agreatavenueplantedwithgracefultrees，thathasotherlittlestreetsrunningintoit。
DownoneoftheseIcamefrommyinn，aquietnarrowplacehavinghouseswithpatiosorcourtyardsoneithersideofit。
AsIwalkeddownthisstreetI
noticedamansittingintheshadeonastoolinthedoorwayofhispatio。
Hewassmallandwithered，withkeenblackeyesandawonderfulairofwisdom，andhewatchedmeasIwentby。
NowthehouseofthefamousphysicianwhomIsoughtwassoplacedthatthemansittingatthisdoorwaycouldcommanditwithhiseyesandtakenoteofallwhowentinandcameout。
WhenIhadfoundthehouseI
returnedagainintothequietstreetandwalkedtoandfrothereforawhile，thinkingofwhattaleIshouldtelltothephysician，andallthetimethelittlemanwatchedmewithhiskeeneyes。
AtlastIhadmadeupmystoryandwenttothehouse，onlytofindthatthephysicianwasfromhome。
HavinginquiredwhenImightfindhimIleft，andoncemoretooktothenarrowstreet，walkingslowlytillIcametowherethelittlemansat。
AsIpassedhim，hisbroadhatwithwhichhewasfanninghimselfslippedtothegroundbeforemyfeet。
Istoopeddown，lifteditfromthepavement，andrestoredittohim。
’Athousandthanks，youngsir，’hesaidinafullandgentlevoice。
’Youarecourteousforaforeigner。’
’Howdoyouknowmetobeaforeigner，senor？’Iasked，surprisedoutofmycaution。
’IfIhadnotguesseditbefore，Ishouldknowitnow，’heanswered，smilinggravely。
’YourCastiliantellsitsowntale。’
Ibowed，andwasabouttopasson，whenheaddressedmeagain。
’Whatisyourhurry，youngsir？
Stepinandtakeacupofwinewithme；itisgood。’
Iwasabouttosayhimnay，whenitcameintomymindthatIhadnothingtodo，andthatperhapsImightlearnsomethingfromthisgossip。
’Thedayishot，senor，andIaccept。’
Hespokenomore，butrising，ledmeintoacourtyardpavedwithmarbleinthecentreofwhichwasabasinofwater，havingvinestrainedaroundit。
Herewerechairsandalittletableplacedintheshadeofthevines。
Whenhehadclosedthedoorofthepatioandwewereseated，herangasilverbellthatstooduponthetable，andagirl，youngandfair，appearedfromthehouse，dressedinaquaintSpanishdress。
’Bringwine，’saidmyhost。
Thewinewasbrought，whitewineofOportosuchasIhadnevertastedbefore。
’Yourhealth，senor？’
Andmyhoststopped，hisglassinhishand，andlookedatmeinquiringly。
’Diegod’Aila，’Ianswered。
’Humph，’hesaid。
’ASpanishname，orperhapsanimitationSpanishname，forIdonotknowit，andIhaveagoodheadfornames。’
’Thatismyname，totakeortoleave，senor？’——AndIlookedathiminturn。
’AndresdeFonseca，’herepliedbowing，’aphysicianofthiscity，wellknownenough，especiallyamongthefair。
Well，SenorDiego，I
takeyourname，fornamesarenothing，andattimesitisconvenienttochangethem，whichisnobody’sbusinessexcepttheirowners’。
Iseethatyouareastrangerinthiscity——noneedtolooksurprised，senor，onewhoisfamiliarwithatowndoesnotgazeandstareandaskthepathofpassers-by，nordoesanativeofSevillewalkonthesunnysideofthestreetinsummer。
Andnow，ifyouwillnotthinkmeimpertinent，Iwillaskyouwhatcanbethebusinessofsohealthyayoungmanwithmyrivalyonder？’
Andhenoddedtowardsthehouseofthefamousphysician。
’Aman’sbusiness，likehisname，ishisownaffair，senor，I
answered，settingmyhostdowninmymindasoneofthosewhodisgraceourartbyplyingopenlyforpatientsthattheymaycapturetheirfees。
’Still，Iwilltellyou。
Iamalsoaphysician，thoughnotyetfullyqualified，andIseekaplacewhereImayhelpsomedoctorofreputeinhisdailypractice，andthusgainexperienceandmylivingwithit。’
’Ahisitso？
Well，senor，thenyouwilllookinvainyonder，’andagainhenoddedtowardsthephysician’shouse。
’Suchashewilltakenoapprenticewithoutthefeebelargeindeed；itisnotthecustomofthiscity。’
’ThenImustseekalivelihoodelsewhere，orotherwise。’
’Ididnotsayso。
Now，senor，letusseewhatyouknowofmedicine，andwhatismoreimportant，ofhumannature，forofthefirstnoneofuscaneverknowmuch，buthewhoknowsthelatterwillbealeaderofmen——orofwomen——wholeadthemen。’
Andwithoutmoreadoheputmemanyquestions，eachofthemsoshrewdandgoingsodirectlytotheheartofthematterinhand，thatImarvelledathissagacity。
Someofthesequestionsweremedical，dealingchieflywiththeailmentsofwomen，othersweregeneralanddealtmorewiththeircharacters。
Atlengthhefinished。
’Youwilldo，senor，’hesaid；’youareayoungmanofpartsandpromise，though，aswastobeexpectedfromoneofyouryears，youlackexperience。
Thereisstuffinyou，senor，andyouhaveaheart，whichisagoodthing，fortheblundersofamanwithaheartoftencarryhimfurtherthanthecunningofthecynic；alsoyouhaveawillandknowhowtodirectit。’
Ibowed，anddidmybesttoholdbackmysatisfactionathiswordsfromshowinginmyface。
’Still，’hewenton，’allthiswouldnotcausemetosubmittoyoutheofferthatIamabouttomake，formanyaprettierfellowthanyourselfisafterallunlucky，orafoolatthebottom，orbadtemperedanddestinedtothedogs，asforaughtIknowyoumaybealso。
ButItakemychanceofthatbecauseyousuitmeinanotherway。
Perhapsyoumayscarcelyknowityourself，butyouhavebeauty，senor，beautyofaveryrareandsingulartype，whichhalftheladiesofSevillewillpraisewhentheycometoknowyou。’
’Iammuchflattered，’Isaid，’butmightIaskwhatallthesecomplimentsmaymean？
Tobebrief，whatisyouroffer？’
’Tobebriefthen，itisthis。
IaminneedofanassistantwhomustpossessallthequalitiesthatIseeinyou，butmostofallonewhichIcanonlyguessyoutopossess——discretion。
Thatassistantwouldnotbeill-paid；thishousewouldbeathisdisposal，andhewouldhaveopportunitiesoflearningtheworldsuchasaregiventofew。
Whatsayyou？’
’Isaythis，senor，thatIshouldwishtoknowmoreofthebusinessinwhichIamexpectedtoassist。
Yourofferssoundtooliberal，andIfearthatImustearnyourbountybythedoingofworkthathonestmenmightshrinkfrom。’
’Afairargument，but，asithappens，notquiteacorrectone。
Listen:youhavebeentoldthatyonderphysician，towhosehouseyouwentbutnow，andthese’——hereherepeatedfourorfivenames——
’arethegreatestoftheirtribeinSeville。
Itisnotso。
Iamthegreatestandtherichest，andIdomorebusinessthananytwoofthem。
Doyouknowwhatmyearningshavebeenthisdayalone？
I
willtellyou；justovertwenty-fivegoldpesos，*morethanalltherestoftheprofessionhavetakentogether，Iwillwager。
YouwanttoknowhowIearnsomuch；youwanttoknowalso，why，ifIhaveearnedsomuch，Iamnotcontenttorestfrommylabours。
Good，I
willtellyou。
Iearnitbyministeringtothevanitiesofwomenandshelteringthemfromtheresultsoftheirownfolly。
Hasaladyasoreheart，shecomestomeforcomfortandadvice。
Hasshepimplesonherface，shefliestometocurethem。
Hassheasecretloveaffair，itisIwhohideherindiscretion；Iconsultthefutureforher，Ihelphertoatonethepast，Idoctorherforimaginaryailments，andoftenenoughIcureherofrealones。
HalfthesecretsofSevilleareinmyhands；didIchoosetospeakI
couldsetascoreofnoblehousestobroilandbloodshed。
ButIdonotspeak，Iampaidtokeepsilent；andwhenIamnotpaid，stillIkeepsilentformycredit’ssake。
Hundredsofwomenthinkmetheirsaviour，Iknowthemformydupes。
Butmarkyou，Idonotpushthisgametoofar。
Alovephiltre——ofcolouredwater——Imaygiveataprice，butnotapoisonedrose。
