He shall give you his advice gratis." "Thank you! thank you!" cried Blaize, transported with delight.
"Wait here a moment, and I will ascertain whether he will see you," replied Parkhurst.
So saying, he quitted the porter, who amused himself during his absence by studying the labels affixed to the jars and bottles on the shelves.
He had much ado to restrain himself from opening some of them, and tasting their contents.
Full a quarter of an hour elapsed before the apothecary appeared.
"I am sorry to have detained you so long," he said; "but I had more difficulty with the doctor than I expected, and for some time he refused to see you on any terms, because he has a violent antipathy to Doctor Hodges, whom he regards as a mere pretender, and whose patient he conceives you to be." "I am not Doctor Hodges' patient," returned Blaize; "and I regard him as a pretender myself." "That opinion will recommend you to Doctor Bottesham," replied Parkhurst; "and since I have smoothed the way for you, you will find him very affable and condescending.

He has often heard me speak of your master; and if it were not for his dislike of Doctor Hodges, whom he might accidentally encounter, he would call upon him." "I wish I could get my master to employ him instead of the other," said Blaize.
"I wish so too," cried Parkhurst, eagerly.

"Do you think it could be managed ?" "I fear not," returned Blaize.
"There would be no harm in making the trial," replied Parkhurst.

"But you shall now see the learned gentleman.

I ought to apprise you that he has two friends with him--one a young gallant, named Hawkswood, whom he has recently cured of the distemper, and who is so much attached to him that he never leaves him; the other, a doctor, like himself, named Martin Furbisher, who always accompanies him in his visits to his patients, and prepares his mixtures for him.