The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane, Alain René le Sage [most read books .txt] 📗
- Author: Alain René le Sage
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bleeding, cupping, blistering, and all sorts of torments,
consequent and inconsequent. Another feather out of my poor wing!
I was obliged to pay toll to the surgeon also. After so many
purgatives, my purse was brought to such a state of debility,
that it might be considered as dead and gone; a mere skeleton,
drained of all its vital juices.
My spirits began to flag, on the contemplation of my wretched
case. In the service of my two last masters I had wedded myself
to the pomps and vanities of this wicked world; and could no
longer, as heretofore, look poverty in the face with the
sternness of a cynic. It must be owned, however, that I was in
the wrong to give way to melancholy, after experiencing so often
that fortune had never cast me down, but for the purpose of
raising me up again; so that my pitiful plight at the present
moment, if rightly considered, was only to be hailed as the
harbinger of approaching prosperity.
BOOK THE EIGHTH.
CH. I. — Gil Blas scrapes an acquaintance of some value, and
finds wherewithal to make him amends for the Count de Galiano’s
ingratitude. Don Valerio de Luna’s story.
IT seemed so strange to have heard not a syllable from Nunez
during this long interval, that I concluded he must be in the
country. I went to look after him as soon as I could walk, and
found the fact to be, that he had gone into Andalusia three weeks
ago, with the Duke of Medina Sidonia.
One morning when rubbing my eyes after a sound sleep, Melchior de
la Ronda started into my recollection; and that bringing to mind
my promise at Grenada, of going to see his nephew, if ever I
should return to Madrid, it seemed advisable not to defer
fulfilling my promise for a single day. I inquired where Don
Balthazar de Zuniga lived, and went thither straightway. On
asking if Signor Joseph Navarro was at home, he made his
appearance immediately. We exchanged bows with a well-bred
coolness on his part, though I had taken care to announce my name
audibly. There was no reconciling such a frosty reception with
the glowing portrait ascribed to this paragon of the buttery. I
was just going to withdraw in the full determination of not
coming again, when assuming all at once an open and smiling
aspect, he said with considerable earnestness: Ah! Signor Gil
Blas de Santillane, pray forgive the formality of your welcome.
My memory ill seconded the warmth of my disposition towards you.
Your name had escaped me, and was not at the moment identified
with the gentleman, of whom mention was made in a letter from
Grenada more than four months ago.
How happy I am to see you! added he, shaking hands with me most
cordially. My uncle Melchior, whom I love and honour like my
natural father, charges me, if by chance I should have the honour
of seeing you, to entertain you as his own son, and in case of
need, to stretch my own credit and that of my friends to the
utmost in your behalf. He extols the qualities of your heart and
mind in terms sufficient of themselves to engage me in your
service, though his recommendation had not been added to the
other motives. Consider me, therefore, I entreat you, as
participating in all my uncle’s sentiments. You may depend on my
friendship; let me hope for an equal share in yours.
I replied to Joseph’s polite assurances in suitable terms of
acknowledgment; so that being both of us warm-headed and sincere,
a close intimacy sprung up without waiting for common forms. I
felt no embarassment about laying open the state of my affairs.
This I had no sooner done, than he said: I take upon myself the
care of finding you a situation; meanwhile, there is a knife and
fork for you here every day. You will live rather better than at
an ordinary. This offer was sure to be well relished by an
invalid just recovering with a fastidious palate and an empty
pocket. It could not but be accepted; and I picked up my crumbs
so fast that at the end of a fortnight I began to look like a
rosy-gilled son of the church. It struck me that Melchior’s
nephew larded his lean sides to some purpose. But how could it be
otherwise? he had three strings to his bow, as holding the
undermentioned pluralities: the butler’s place, the clerkship of
the kitchen, and the stewardship. Furthermore, without meaning to
question my friend’s honesty, they do say that the comptroller of
the household and he looked over each other’s hands.
My recovery was entirely confirmed, when my friend Joseph, on my
coming in to dinner as usual one day, said with an air of
congratulation: Signor Gil Blas, I have a very tolerable
situation in view for you. You must know that the Duke of Lerma,
first minister of the crown in Spain, giving himself up entirely
to state affairs, throws the burden of his own on two
confidential persons. Don Diego de Monteser takes the charge of
collecting his rents, and Don Rodrigo de Calderona superintends
the finances of his household. These two officers are paramount
in their departments, having nothing to do with one another. Don
Diego has generally two deputies to transact the business; and
finding just now that one of them had been discharged, I have
been canvassing for you. Signor Monteser having the greatest
possible regard for me, granted my request at once, on the
strength of my testimony to your morals and capacity. We will pay
our respects to him after dinner.
We did not miss our appointment. I was received with every mark
of favour, and promoted in the room of the dismissed deputy. My
business consisted in visiting the farms, in giving orders for
the necessary repairs, in dunning the farmers, and keeping them
to time in their payments; in a word, the tenants were all under
my thumb, and Don Diego checked my accounts every month with a
minuteness which few receivers could have borne. But this was
exactly what I wanted. Though my uprightness had been so ill
requited by my late master, it was my only inheritance, and I was
determined not to sell the reversion.
One day news came that the castle of Lerma had taken fire, and
was more than half burnt down. I immediately went thither to
estimate the loss. In forming myself to a nicety, and on the
spot, respecting all the particulars of the unlucky accident, I
drew up a detailed narrative, which Monteser shewed to the Duke
of Lerma. That minister, though vexed at the circumstance, was
struck with the memorial, and inquired who was the author. Don
Diego thought it not enough to answer the question, but spoke of
me in such high terms, that his excellency recollected it six
months afterwards, on occasion of an incident I shall now relate,
had it not been for which I might never, perhaps, have been
employed at court. It was as follows: —
There lived at that time in Princes Street an elderly lady, by
name In�silla de Cantarilla. Her birth was a matter of mystery.
Some said she was the daughter of a musical instrument-maker, and
others gave her a high military extraction. However that might
be, she was a very extraordinary personage. Nature had gifted her
with the singular talent of winning men’s hearts in defiance of
time, and in contradiction to her own laws; for she was now
entering upon the fourth quarter of her century. She had been the
reigning toast of the old court, and levied tribute on the
passions of the new. Age, though at daggers drawn with beauty,
was completely foiled in its assault upon her charms; they might
be somewhat faded, but the touch of sympathy they excited in
their decline was more pleasing that the vivid glow of their
meridian lustre. An air of dignity, a transporting wit and
humour, an unborrowed grace in her deportment, perpetuated the
reign of passion, and silenced the suggestions of reason.
Don Valerio de Luna, one of the Duke of Lerma’s secretaries, a
young fellow of five-and-twenty, meeting with In�silla, fell
violently in love with her. He made his sentiments known, enacted
all the mummery of despair, and followed up the usual catastrophe
of every amorous drama so much according to the unities and
rules, that it was difficult, in the very torrent and whirlwind
of his passion, to beget a temperance that might give it
smoothness. The lady, who had her reason for not choosing to fall
in with his humour, was at a loss how to get out of the
difficulty. One day she was in hopes to have found the means by
calling the young man into her closet, and there pointing to a
clock upon the table. Mark the precise hour, said she; just
seventy-five years ago was I brought upon the stage of this
fantastical world. In good earnest, would it sit well upon my
time of life to be engaged in affairs of gallantry? Betake
yourself to reflection, my good child; stifle sentiments so
unsuitable to your own circumstances and mine. Sensible as this
language was, the spark, no longer bowing to the authority of
reason, answered the lady with all the impetuosity of a man
racked by the most excruciating torments: Cruel In�silla, why
have you recourse to such frivolous remonstrances? Do you think
they can change your charms or my desires? Delude not yourself
with so false a hope. As long as your loveliness or my delusion
lasts, I shall never cease to adore you. Well, then, rejoined
she, since you are obstinate enough to persist in the resolution
of wearying me with your importunities, my doors shall henceforth
be shut against you. You are banished, and I beg to be no longer
troubled with your company.
It may be supposed, perhaps, that after this, Don Valerio,
baffled, made good his retreat like a prudent general. Quite the
reverse! He became more troublesome than ever. Love is to lovers
just what wine is to drunkards. The swain intreated, sighed,
looked, and sighed again; when all at once, changing his note
from childish treble to the big manly voice of bluster and
ravishment, he swore that he would have by foul means what he
could not obtain by fair. But the lady, repulsing him
courageously, said with a piercing look of strong resentment,
Hold, imprudent wretch! I shall put a curb on your mad career.
Learn that you are my own son.
Don Valerio was thunderstruck at these words; the tempest of his
rage subsided. But, conjecturing that Inesilla had only started
this device to rid herself of his solicitations, he answered,
That is a mere romance of the moment to steal away from my ardent
desires. No, no, said she, interrupting him, I disclose a mystery
which should have been for ever buried, had you not reduced me to
so painful a necessity. It is six-and-twenty years since I was in
love with your father, Don Pedro de Luna, then governor of
Segovia; you were the fruit of our mutual passion: he owned you,
brought you up with care and tenderness, and having no children
born in wedlock, he had nothing to hinder him from distinguishing
your good qualities by the gifts of fortune. On my part, I have
not forsaken you; as soon as you were of an age to be introduced
into the world, I drew you into the circle of my acquaintance, to
form your manners to that polish of good company, so necessary
for a gentleman, which is only to be gained in female society.
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