The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane, Alain René le Sage [most read books .txt] 📗

next day. I flew like a

harpy to the royal treasury, where they paid me down upon the

nail the sum drawn for in my order. Ambition and vanity now

obtained complete empire over my soul. My paltry lodging was fit

only for secretaries of an inferior cast, unpractised in the

mysterious language of birds; for which reason, my grand suite of

apartments fortunately being vacant, I engaged them for the

second time. My next business was to send for an eminent tailor,

who arrayed the pretty persons of all the fine gentlemen in town.

He took my measure, and then introduced me to a draper, who sold

me five ells of cloth, the exact quantity, as he said, to make a

suit for a man of my size. Five ells for a light Spanish dress!

Whither did this draper and tailor expect to go? … . But we

must not be uncharitable. Tailors who have a reputation to

support require more materials for the exercise of their genius

than the vulgar snippers of the shopboard. I then bought some

linen, of which I was very bare; an assortment of silk stockings,

and a laced hat.

 

With such an equipage, there was no doing without a footman; so

that I desired Vincent Ferrero, my landlord, to look out for one.

Most of the foreigners who were recommended to his lodgings, on

their arrival at Madrid, were wont to hire Spanish servants; and

this was the means of turning his house into a register office.

The first who offered was a lad of so mortified and devotional an

aspect, that I would have nothing to say to him; he put me in

mind of Ambrose de Lamela. I am quite out of conceit, said I to

Ferrero, with these pious coat-brushers; I have been taken in by

them already.

 

I had scarcely turned virtue in a livery out of doors, when

another came upstairs. This seemed to be a good sprightly fellow,

with as little mock modesty as if he had been bred at court, and

a certain something about him which indicated that he did not

carry principle to any dangerous excess. He was just to my mind.

His answers to my questions were pat and to the purpose: he

evinced a talent for intrigue beyond my most sanguine hopes. This

was exactly the subject for my purpose; so I fixed him at once.

Neither had I any reason to repent of my bargain; for it was very

soon evident that further off I must have fared worse. As the

duke had allowed me to solicit on behalf of my friends, and it

was my design to push that permission to the utmost, a staunch

hound was necessary to put up the game; or in phrase familiar to

dull capacities, an active chap, with a turn for routing out and

bringing to my market all palm-tickling petitioners for the

loaves and fishes of the prime minister. This was just where

Scipio shone most; for my servant’s name was Scipio. He had lived

last with Donna Anna de Guevara, the Prince of Spain’s nurse,

where he had ample scope for the exercise of that accomplishment.

 

As soon as he became acquainted with my credit at court and the

use to which I meant to put it, he took the field like his great

ancestors, and began the campaign without the loss of a day.

Master, said he, a young gentleman of Grenada is just come to

Madrid; his name is Don Roger de Rada. He has been engaged in an

affair of honour which compels him to throw himself on the Duke

of Lerma’s protection, and he is well disposed to come down

handsomely for any grace and favour he may obtain. I have talked

with him on the subject. He had a mind to have made friends with

Don Rodrigo de Calderona, whose influence had been represented to

him in magnificent terms: but I dissuaded him, by pointing out

that secretary’s method of selling his good offices for more than

their weight in gold; whereas, on the contrary, you would be

satisfied with any decent expression of gratitude for yours, and

would even do the business for the mere pleasure of doing it, if

you were in circumstances to follow the bent of your own generous

and disinterested temper. In short, I talked to him in such a

strain, that you will see the gentleman early to-morrow morning.

How is all this, Master Scipio? said I. You must have transacted

a great deal of business in a short time. You are no novice in

back-stairs influence. It is very strange that you have not

feathered your own nest. That ought not to surprise you at all,

answered he. I love to make money circulate; not to hoard it up.

 

Don Roger de Rada came according to his appointment. I received

him with a mixture of courtly plausibility and ministerial pride.

My worthy sir, said I, before I engage in your interests, I wish

to know the nature of the affair which brings you to court;

because it may be such as to preclude me from speaking to the

minister in your favour. Give me, therefore, if you please, the

particulars faithfully, and rest assured that I shall enter

warmly into your interests, if they are proper to be espoused by

a man who moves in my sphere. My young client promised to be

sincere in his representation, and began his narrative in the

following words.

 

CH. VIII. — History of Don Roger de Rada.

 

DON ANASTASIO DE RADA, a gentleman of Grenada, was living happily

in the town of Antequera, with Donna Estephania his wife, who

united every charm of person and mind with the most

unquestionable virtue. If her affection was lively towards her

husband, his love for her was violent beyond all bounds. He was

naturally prone to jealousy; and though wantonness could never

assume such a semblance as his wife’s, his thoughts were not

quite at rest upon the subject. He was apprehensive lest some

secret enemy to his repose might make some attempt upon his

honour. His eye was turned askance upon all his friends, except

Don Huberto de Hordales, who frequented the house without

suspicion in quality of Estephania’s cousin, and was the only man

in whom he ought not to have confided.

 

Don Huberto did actually fall in love with his cousin, and

ventured to make his sentiments known, in contempt of

consanguinity and the ties of friendship. The lady, who was

considerate, instead of making an outcry which might have led to

fatal consequences, reproved her kinsman gently, represented to

him the extreme criminality of attempting to seduce her and

dishonour her husband, and told him very seriously that he must

not flatter himself with the most distant hope.

 

This moderation only inflamed the seducer’s appetite the more.

Taking it for granted that, as a woman who had been accustomed to

save appearances, she only wanted to be more strongly urged, he

began to adopt little freedoms of more warmth than delicacy; and

had the assurance one day to put the question home to her. She

repulsed him with unbridled indignation, and threatened to refer

the punishment of his offence to Don Anastasio. Her suitor,

alarmed at such an intimation, promised to drop the subject; and

Estephania in the candour of her soul forgave him for the past.

 

Don Huberto, a man totally devoid of principle, could not feel

his passion to be foiled, without entertaining a mean spirit of

revenge. He knew the weak side of Don Anastasio’s temper. This

was enough to engender the blackest design that ever scoundrel

plotted. One evening as he was walking alone with this misguided

husband, he said with an air of extreme uneasiness: My dear

friend, I can no longer live without unburdening my mind; and yet

I would be for ever silent, but that you value honour far above a

treacherous repose. Your acute feelings and my own, on points

which concern domestic injuries, forbid me to conceal what is

passing in your family. Prepare to hear what will occasion you as

much grief as astonishment. I am going to wound you in the

tenderest part.

 

I know what you mean, interrupted Don Anastasio, in the first

bunt of agony; your cousin is unfaithful. I no longer acknowledge

her for my cousin, replied Hordales with impassioned vehemence; I

disown her, as unworthy to share my friend’s embraces. This is

keeping me too long upon the rack, exclaimed Don Anastasio: say

on, what has Estephania done? She has betrayed you, replied Don

Huberto. You have a rival to whom she listens in private, but I

cannot give you his name; for the adulterer, under favour of

impenetrable darkness, has escaped the ken of those who watched

him. All I know is, that you are duped: of that fact I am well

assured. My own share in the disgrace is a sufficient pledge of

my veracity. Her infidelity must be palpable indeed, when I turn

Estephania’s accuser.

 

It is to no purpose, continued he, watching the successful

impression of his discourse, it is to no purpose to discuss the

subject further. I perceive your indignation at the treacherous

requital of your love, and your thoughts all aiming at a just

revenge. Take your own course. Heed not in what relation to you

your victim may stand: but convince the whole city that there is

no earthly being whom you would not sacrifice to your honour.

 

Thus did the traitor exasperate a too credulous husband against

an innocent wife; depicting in such glowing colours the infamy in

which he would be plunged if he left the insult unpunished, as to

heighten his anger into madness. Behold Don Anastasio, with his

mind completely overturned; as if goaded by the furies. He

returned homewards with the frantic design of murdering his ill-fated wife. She was just going to bed when he came in. He kept

his passion under for a time, and waited till the attendants had

withdrawn. Then, unrestrained by the fear of vengeance from

above, by the vulgar scorn which must recoil upon an honourable

family, by natural affection for his unborn child, since his wife

was near her time, he approached his victim, and said to her in a

furious tone of voice: Now is your hour to die, wretch as you

are! One moment only is your own, which my relenting pity leaves

you to make your peace with heaven. I would not that your soul

should perish eternally, though your earthly honour is for ever

lost.

 

At these words he drew his dagger. Estephania, just speechless

with terror, throwing herself at his feet, besought him with

uplifted hands and inarticulate agony, to tell her why he raised

his arm against her life. If he suspected her fidelity, she

called heaven to attest her innocence.

 

In vain, in vain, replied the infuriated murderer; your treason

is but too well proved. My information is not to be contradicted:

Don Huberto … . Ah! my lord, interrupted she with eager

haste, you must hold your trust aloof from Don Huberto. He is

less your friend than you imagine. If he has said aught against

my virtue, believe him not. Restrain that infamous tongue,

replied Don Anastasio. By appealing against Hordales, you condemn

yourself. You would ruin your relation in my esteem, because he

is acquainted with your misconduct. You would invalidate his

evidence against you; but the artifice is palpable, and only

whets my appetite for vengeance. My dear husband, rejoined the

innocent Estephania, while her tears flowed in torrents, beware

of this blind rage. If you follow its instigation, you will

perpetrate a deed for which you will hate yourself, when

convinced of its injustice. In the name of heaven, compose your