"Well, well! There is more than one way to the woods," said Dr. Henry. "How would you like to come to the Cure and study with me?"
"Like it?" said Eben. The words spoke a great deal.
"Then you think it would do, eh?"
"It would be the next thing to perfect happiness," said Eben, "but, you see, doctor, there is a lion in the way."
"How so?"
"I must help my mother and Flora," said Eben. "I must at least try to earn my own living, if I can do no more. I should never feel it right to be living on them, as I must do while I was studying."
"I think that lion can be got out of the way, or at least tamed," said Dr. Henry, smiling. "My plan for taming him is this: I want a young man in the office, not as bookkeeper—Mr. Liston attends to all that—but some one to take care of the mails, and attend to the library, and ring the bells, and help the people out of the stage, and carry their things to their rooms, and, in short, do a hundred and one odd jobs which I can't think of now. I want a trusty, well-mannered person—trusty, because he must occasionally take a good deal of responsibility, and well-mannered, because he must meet with ladies and gentlemen. They say I am sometimes a bit of a bear myself," added the doctor, smiling. "I don't know how that is, but, at any rate, I mean to be the only bear in the house. I think you could do all these things, and do them well, and yet have plenty of time to study. We have an excellent medical library, and Dr. Rose will always be at hand to help you. So you will be earning your living and something besides, and your health will gain by the change. Well, what do you say? Have I tamed your lion for you?"
"It seems too good to be true," said Eben "Do you really mean it?"
"I am not apt to say more than I mean," returned the doctor. "Oh, it is no such great favour. I mean to have you earn your living, I assure you, and besides, I shall expect you to take hold and help me when you got your education."
"As if I could ask anything better than that!" said Eben. "Oh, Dr. Henry, you don't know how I have dreamed of such a chance as this, and never dared to hope for it, and now, in the very darkest time, when I couldn't see anything before me but—"