He began life as assistant to my father, and when his health failed
purchased the practice from him for a miserable sum, which, as he was
practically in possession, my father was obliged to accept. From that
time forward his success met with no check. By no means a master of his
art, Sir John supplied with assurance what he lacked in knowledge, and
atoned for his mistakes by the readiness of a bluff and old-fashioned
sympathy that was transparent to few.

In short, if ever a _faux bonhomme_ existed, Sir John Bell was the man.
Needless to say he was as popular as he was prosperous. Such of the
practice of Dunchester as was worth having soon fell into his hands,
and few indeed were the guineas that slipped out of his fingers into the
pocket of a poorer brother. Also, he had a large consulting connection
in the county. But if his earnings were great so were his spendings, for
it was part of his system to accept civic and magisterial offices and to
entertain largely in his official capacities. This meant that the money
went out as fast as it came in, and that, however much was earned, more
was always needed.

When I visited Dunchester to make inquiries I made a point of calling on
Sir John, who received me in his best "heavy-father" manner, taking
care to inform me that he was keeping Lord So-and-so waiting in his
consulting-room in order to give me audience. Going straight to the
point, I told him that I thought of starting to practise in Dunchester,
which information, I could see, pleased him little.

"Of course, my dear boy," he said, "you being your father's son I should
be delighted, and would do everything in my power to help you, but at
the same time I must point out that were Galen, or Jenner, or Harvey
to reappear on earth, I doubt if they could make a decent living in