Thesetheymustseekelsewhere。
　　Fortherest，inmywayIamhonest。
　　Itaketheworldasitcomes，thatisall，and，aswomenwillbefools，Iprofitbytheirfollyandhavegrownrichuponit。
　　*Aboutsixty-threepoundssterling。
　　’Yes，Ihavegrownrich，andyetIcannotstop。
　　Ilovethemoneythatispower；butmorethanall，Ilovethewayoflife。
　　Talkofromancesandadventure！
　　Whatromanceoradventureishalfsowonderfulasthosethatcomedailytomynotice？
　　AndIplayapartineveryoneofthem，andnonethelessaleadingpartbecauseIdonotshoutandstrutupontheboards。’
　　’Ifallthisisso，whydoyouseekthehelpofanunknownlad，astrangerofwhomyouknownothing？’Iaskedbluntly。
　　’Truly，youlackexperience，’theoldmanansweredwithalaugh。
　　’DoyouthensupposethatIshouldchooseonewhowasNOTastranger——onewhomighthavetieswithinthiscitywithwhichIwasunacquainted。
　　Andasforknowingnothingofyou，youngman，doyouthinkthatIhavefollowedthisstrangetradeofmineforfortyyearswithoutlearningtojudgeatsight？
　　PerhapsIknowyoubetterthanyouknowyourself。
　　Bytheway，thefactthatyouaredeeplyenamouredofthatmaidwhomyouhaveleftinEnglandisarecommendationtome，forwhateverfolliesyoumaycommit，youwillscarcelyembarrassmeandyourselfbysufferingyouraffectionstobeseriouslyentangled。
　　Ah！haveIastonishedyou？’
　　’Howdoyouknow？’Ibegan——thenceased。
　　’HowdoIknow？
　　Why，easilyenough。
　　ThosebootsyouwearweremadeinEngland。
　　IhaveseenmanysuchwhenItravelledthere；
　　youraccentalsothoughfaintisEnglish，andtwiceyouhavespokenEnglishwordswhenyourCastilianfailedyou。
　　Thenforthemaid，isnotthatabetrothalringuponyourhand？
　　AndwhenIspoketoyouoftheladiesofthiscountry，mytalkdidnotinterestyouovermuchasatyourageithaddonewereyouheart-whole。
　　Surelyalsotheladyisfairandtall？
　　Ah！Ithoughtso。
　　Ihavenoticedthatmenandwomenlovetheiroppositeincolour，noinvariableruleindeed，butgoodforaguess。’
　　’Youareveryclever，senor。’
　　’No，notclever，buttrained，asyouwillbewhenyouhavebeenayearinmyhands，thoughperchanceyoudonotintendtostopsolonginSeville。
　　Perhapsyoucameherewithanobject，andwishtopassthetimeprofitablytillitisfulfilled。
　　Agoodguessagain，Ithink。
　　Well，sobeit，Iwillriskthat；objectandattainmentareoftenfarapart。
　　Doyoutakemyoffer？’
　　’Iinclinetodoso。’
　　’Thenyouwilltakeit。
　　NowIhavesomethingmoretosaybeforewecometoterms。
　　Idonotwantyoutoplaythepartofanapothecary’sdrudge。
　　Youwillfigurebeforetheworldasmynephew，comefromabroadtolearnmytrade。
　　Youwillhelpmeinitindeed，butthatisnotallyourduty。
　　YourpartwillbetomixinthelifeofSeville，andtowatchthosewhomIbidyouwatch，todropawordhereandahintthere，andinahundredwaysthatI
　　shallshowyoutodrawgristtomymill——andtoyourown。
　　Youmustbebrilliantandwitty，orsadandlearned，asIwish；youmustmakethemostofyourpersonandyourtalents，forthesegofarwithmycustomers。
　　Tothehidalgoyoumusttalkofarms，tothelady，oflove；butyoumustnevercommityourselfbeyondredemption。
　　Andaboveall，youngman’——andherehismannerchangedandhisfacegrewsternandalmostfierce——’youmustneverviolatemyconfidenceortheconfidenceofmyclients。
　　OnthispointI
　　willbequiteopenwithinyou，andIprayyouforyourownsaketobelievewhatIsay，howevermuchyoumaymistrusttherest。
　　Ifyoubreakfaithwithme，YOUDIE。
　　Youdie，notbymyhand，butyoudie。
　　Thatismyprice；takeitorleaveit。
　　Shouldyouleaveitandgohencetotellwhatyouhaveheardthisday，eventhenmisfortunemayovertakeyousuddenly。
　　Doyouunderstand？’
　　’Iunderstand。
　　FormyownsakeIwillrespectyourconfidence。’
　　’Youngsir，Ilikeyoubetterthanever。
　　Hadyousaidthatyouwouldrespectitbecauseitwasaconfidence，Ishouldhavemistrustedyou，fordoubtlessyoufeelthatsecretscommunicatedsoreadilyhavenoclaimtobeheldsacred。
　　Norhavethey，butwhentheirviolationinvolvesthesadandaccidentalendoftheviolator，itisanothermatter。
　　Wellnow，doyouaccept？’
　　’Iaccept。’
　　’Good。
　　YourbaggageIsupposeisattheinn。
　　Iwillsendporterstodischargeyourscoreandbringithere。
　　Noneedforyoutogo，nephew，letusstopanddrinkanotherglassofwine；thesoonerwegrowintimatethebetter，nephew。’
　　ItwasthusthatfirstIbecameacquaintedwithSenorAndresdeFonseca，mybenefactor，thestrangestmanwhomIhaveeverknown。
　　DoubtlessanypersonreadingthishistorywouldthinkthatI，thenarrator，wassowingaplentifulcropoftroublesformyselfinhavingtodealwithhim，settinghimdownasarogueofthedeepest，suchassometimes，fortheirownwickedpurposes，decoyyoungmentocrimeandruin。
　　Butitwasnotso，andthisisthestrangestpartofthestrangestory。
　　AllthatAndresdeFonsecatoldmewastruetotheveryletter。
　　Hewasagentlemanofgreattalentwhohadbeenrenderedalittlemadbymisfortunesinhisearlylife。
　　AsaphysicianIhavenevermethismaster，ifindeedhehasoneinthesetimes，andasamanversedintheworldandmoreespeciallyintheworldofwomen，I
　　haveknownnonetocomparewithhim。
　　Hehadtravelledfar，andseenmuch，andheforgotnothing。
　　Inparthewasaquack，buthisquackeryalwayshadameaninginit。
　　Hefleecedthefoolish，indeed，andevenjuggledwithastronomy，makingmoneyoutoftheirsuperstition；butontheotherhandhedidmanyakindactwithoutreward。
　　Hewouldmakearichladypaytengoldpesosforthedyeingofherhair，butoftenhewouldnursesomepoorgirlthroughhertroubleandasknocharge；yes，andfindherhonestemploymentafterit。
　　HewhoknewallthesecretsofSevillenevermademoneyoutofthembythreatofexposure，ashesaidbecauseitwouldnotpaytodoso，butreallybecausethoughheaffectedtobeaselfishknave，atbottomhisheartwashonest。
　　FormyownpartIfoundlifewithhimbotheasyandhappy，sofarasminecouldbequitehappy。
　　SoonIlearnedmyroleandplayeditwell。
　　ItwasgivenoutthatIwasthenephewofthericholdphysicianFonseca，whomhewastrainingtotakehisplace；andthis，togetherwithmyownappearanceandmanners，ensuredmeawelcomeinthebesthousesofSeville。
　　HereItookthatshareofourbusinesswhichmymastercouldnottake，fornowhenevermixedamongthefashionofthecity。
　　MoneyIwassuppliedwithinabundancesothatIcouldruffleitwiththebest，butsoonitbecameknownthatIlookedtobusinessaswellastopleasure。
　　Oftenandoftenduringsomegayballorcarnival，aladywouldglideuptomeandaskbeneathherbreathifDonAndresdeFonsecawouldconsenttoseeherprivatelyonamatterofsomeimportance，andIwouldfixanhourthenandthere。
　　Haditnotbeenformesuchpatientswouldhavebeenlosttous，since，forthemostpart，theirtimidityhadkeptthemaway。
　　InthesamefashionwhenthefestivalwasendedandIpreparedtowendhomewards，nowandagainagallantwouldsliphisarminmineandaskmymaster’shelpinsomeaffairofloveorhonour，orevenofthepurse。
　　ThenIwouldleadhimstraighttotheoldMoorishhousewhereDonAndressatwritinginhisvelvetrobelikesomespiderinhisweb，forthemostofourbusinesswasdoneatnight；
　　andstraight-waythematterwouldbeattendedto，tomymaster’sprofitandthesatisfactionofall。
　　BydegreesitbecameknownthatthoughIwassoyoungyetIhaddiscretion，andthatnothingwhichwentinatmyearscameoutofmylips；thatIneitherbrawlednordranknorgambledtoanylength，andthatthoughIwasfriendlywithmanyfairladies，therewerenonewhowereentitledtoknowmysecrets。
　　AlsoitbecameknownthatIhadsomeskillinmyartofhealing，anditwassaidamongtheladiesofSevillethattherelivednomaninthatcitysodeftatclearingtheskinofblemishesorchangingthecolourofthehairasoldFonseca’snephew，andasanyonemayknowthisreputationalonewasworthafortune。
　　ThusitcameaboutthatIwasmoreandmoreconsultedonmyownaccount。
　　Inshort，thingswentsowellwithusthatinthefirstsixmonthsofmyserviceIaddedbyonethirdtothereceiptsofmymaster’spractice，largeastheyhadbeenbefore，besideslighteninghislaboursnotalittle。
　　Itwasastrangelife，andofthethingsthatIsawandlearned，couldtheybewritten，Imightmakeataleindeed，buttheyhavenopartinthishistory。
　　Foritwasasthoughthesmilesandsilencewithwhichmenandwomenhidetheirthoughtsweredoneaway，andtheirheartsspoketousintheaccentsoftruth。
　　Nowsomefairyoungmaidorwifewouldcometouswithconfessionsofwickednessthatwouldbethoughtimpossible，didnotherstoryproveitself；
　　thesecretmurderperchanceofaspouse，oralover，orarival；
　　nowsomeageddamewhowouldwinahusbandinhisteens，nowsomewealthylow-bornmanorwoman，whodesiredtobuyanalliancewithonelackingmoney，butofnobleblood。
　　SuchIdidnotcaretohelpindeed，buttothelove-sickorthelove-deludedIlistenedwithareadyear，forIhadafellow-feelingwiththem。
　　IndeedsodeepandearnestwasmysympathythatmorethanonceIfoundtheunhappyfairreadytotransfertheiraffectionstomyunworthyself，andinfactoncethingscameaboutsothat，hadIwilledit，IcouldhavemarriedoneoftheloveliestandwealthiestnobleladiesofSeville。
　　ButIwouldnoneofit，whothoughtofmyEnglishLilybydayandnight。