'A man's business, like his name, is his own affair, senor,' I answered,
setting my host down in my mind as one of those who disgrace our art by
plying openly for patients that they may capture their fees. 'Still, I
will tell you. I am also a physician, though not yet fully qualified,
and I seek a place where I may help some doctor of repute in his daily
practice, and thus gain experience and my living with it.'
'Ah is it so? Well, senor, then you will look in vain yonder,' and
again he nodded towards the physician's house. 'Such as he will take no
apprentice without the fee be large indeed; it is not the custom of this
city.'
'Then I must seek a livelihood elsewhere, or otherwise.'
'I did not say so. Now, senor, let us see what you know of medicine, and
what is more important, of human nature, for of the first none of us can
ever know much, but he who knows the latter will be a leader of men--or
of women--who lead the men.'
And without more ado he put me many questions, each of them so shrewd
and going so directly to the heart of the matter in hand, that I
marvelled at his sagacity. Some of these questions were medical, dealing
chiefly with the ailments of women, others were general and dealt more
with their characters. At length he finished.
'You will do, senor,' he said; 'you are a young man of parts and
promise, though, as was to be expected from one of your years, you lack
experience.
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