When the service was finished I thanked them for the trouble they had taken and was coming away, when one of them stopped me.
"Pardon me, Caballero," he said, "but will you do me the favour to tell me where you come from ?" "I am from Australia." "From Austria! so then you come from Austria ?" "No, sir, from Australia." "But 'Australia'-- where is it ?" "It is a rich colony of England of immense importance." "But where is it ?" he persisted.
"_Dios mio!_" I exclaimed aghast, "it is in China." But his friend interposed.

"The gentleman is talking in fun," he said.
"Thou knowest, Pepe, where is Australia, where is Seednay, and Melboornay, where all the banks have broken one after the other in a bankruptcy colossal." "_Ya me figuraba donde era_," Pepe replied, as I edged uncomfortably away.
During my journey across China it was not often that I was called upon to make use of my profession.

But I was pleased to be of some service to this rich banker.

He wished to consult me professionally, because he had heard from the truthful lips of rumour of the wonderful powers of divination given to the foreign medical man.

What was his probable tenure of life?
That was the problem.