第10章

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。