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

in a silver shower.

 

Out of conceit as I was with the intrinsic value of ladies’

favours, this was not to be scoffed at; and as our Mercury in

petticoats came the next day to tell Scipio that it only depended

on me to be introduced that very evening, I dropped in between

eleven and twelve o’clock. The knowing one received me without

bringing a candle, and led me by the hand into a very neat

apartment, where the two ladies were sitting on a satin sofa,

dressed in the most elegant taste. As soon as they saw me enter,

they got up and welcomed me in a style of such superior breeding,

as would not have disgraced the highest rank. The aunt, whose

name was Signora Mencia, though with the remains of beauty, had

no attractions for me. But the niece had a million, for she was a

goddess in mortal form. And yet, to examine her critically, she

could not have been admitted for a perfect beauty; but then there

was a charm above all rules of symmetry, with a tingling and

luxurious warmth about her, that seized on men’s hearts through

their eyes, and prevented their brains from being too busy.

 

Neither were my senses proof against so dazzling a display. I

forgot my errand as proxy, and spoke on my own private individual

account, with the enthusiasm of a raw recruit in the tender

passion. The dear little creature, whose wit sounded in my ears

with three times its actual acuteness, under favour of her

natural endowments, made a complete conquest of me by her

prattle. I began to launch out into foolish raptures, when the

aunt, to bring me to my bearings, led the conversation to the

point in hand: Signor de Santillane, I shall deal very explicitly

with you. On the high encomiums I have heard of your character,

you have been admitted here, without the affectation of making

much ado about trifles: but do not imagine that your views are

the nearer their termination for that. Hitherto I have brought my

niece up in retirement, and you are, as it were, the very first

male creature on whom she has ever set eyes. If you deem her

worthy of being your wife, I shall feel myself highly honoured by

the alliance: it is for you to consider whether those terms suit

you; but you cannot have her on cheaper.

 

This was proceeding to business with a vengeance! It put little

Cupid to flight at once: or else he was just going to try one of

his sharpest arrows upon me. But a truce with the Pantheon! A

marriage so bluntly proposed dispelled the fairy vision: I sunk

back at once into the count’s plodding agent; and changing my

tone, answered Signora Mencia thus: Madam, your frankness

delights me, and I will meet it half-way. Whatever rank I may

hold at court, lower than the highest is too low for the peerless

Catalina. A far more brilliant offer waits her acceptance; the

Prince of Spain shall be thrown into her toils. Surely it was

enough to have refused my niece, replied the aunt sarcastically;

such compliments are sufficiently unpleasing to our sex; it could

not be necessary to make us your unfeeling sport. I really am not

in so merry a mood, madam! exclaimed I: it is a plain matter of

fact; I am commissioned to look out for a young lady of merit

sufficient to engage the prince’s heart, and receive his private

visits; the object of my search is in your house, and here his

royal highness shall fix his quarters.

 

Signora Mencia could scarcely believe her cars; neither were they

grievously offended. Nevertheless, thinking it decent to be

startled at the immorality of the proceeding, she replied to the

following effect: Though I should give implicit credit to what

you tell me, you must understand that I am not of a character to

take pleasure in the infamous distinction of seeing my niece a

prince’s concubine. Every feeling of virtue and of honour revolts

at the idea … . What a simpleton you are with your virtue and

honour! interrupted I. You have not a notion above the level of a

tradesman’s wife. Was there ever anything so stupid as to

consider affairs of this kind with a view to their moral

tendency? It is stripping them of all their beauty and

excellence. In the magic lanthorn of plenty, pleasure, and

preferment, they appear with all their brightest gloss. Figure to

yourself the heir to the monarchy at the happy Catalina’s feet;

fancy him all rapture and lavish bounty; nor doubt but that from

her shall spring a hero, who shall immortalize his mother’s name,

by enrolling his own in the unperishable records of eternal fame.

 

Though the aunt desired no better sport than to take me at my

word, she affected not to know what she had best do; and

Catalina, who longed to have a grapple with the Prince of Spain,

affected not to care about the matter; which made it necessary

for me to press the siege closer; till at length Signora Mencia,

finding me chop-fallen and ready to withdraw my forces, sounded a

parley, and agreed to a convention, containing the two following

articles. Imprimis, if the Prince of Spain, on the fame of

Catalina’s charms, should take fire, and determine to pay her a

nightly visit, it should be my care to let the ladies know when

they might expect him. Secondo, that the prince should be

introduced to the said ladies as a private gentleman, accompanied

only by himself and his principal purveyor.

 

After this capitulation, the aunt and niece were upon the best

terms possible with me: they behaved as if we had known one

another from our cradles; on the strength of which I ventured on

some little familiarities, which were not taken at all unkindly;

and when we parted, they embraced me of their own accord, and

slabbered me over with inexpressible fondness. It is marvellous

to think with what facility a tender connection is formed between

persons in the same line of trade, but of opposite sexes. It

might have been suspected by an eye-witness of my departure, in

all the plenitude of warm and repeated salutation, that my visit

had been more successful than it was.

 

The Count de Lemos was highly delighted when I announced the

long-expected discovery. I spoke of Catalina in terms which made

him long to see her. The following night I took him to her house,

and he owned that I had beat the bush to some purpose. He told

the ladies, he had no doubt but the Prince of Spain would be

fully satisfied with my choice of a mistress, who, on her part,

would have reason to be well pleased with such a lover; that the

young prince was generous, good-tempered, and amiable; in short,

he promised in a few days to bring him in the mode they enjoined,

without retinue or publicity. That nobleman then took leave of

them, and I withdrew with him. We got into his carriage, in which

we had both driven thither, and which was waiting at the end of

the street. He set me down at my own door, with a special charge

to inform his uncle next day of the new game started, not

forgetting to impress strongly how conducive a good bag of

pistoles would be to the successful accomplishment of the

adventure.

 

I did not fail on the following morning to go and give the Duke

of Lerma an exact account of all that had passed. There was but

one thing kept back. I did not mention Scipio’s name, but took

credit to myself for the discovery of Catalina. One makes a merit

of any dirty work in the service of the great.

 

Abundant were the compliments paid me on this occasion. My good

friend Gil Blas, said the minister with a bantering air, I am

delighted that with all your talents you have that besides of

discovering kind-hearted beauties; whenever I have occasion for

such an article, you will have the goodness to supply me. My

lord, answered I with mock gravity like his own, you are very

obliging to give me the preference; but it may not he

unseasonable to observe that there would be an indelicacy in my

administering to your excellency’s pleasures of this description.

Signor Don Rodrigo has been so long in possession of that post

about your person, that it would be manifest injustice to rob him

of it. The duke smiled at my answer; and then changing the

subject, asked whether his nephew did not want money for this new

speculation. Excuse my negligence! said I; he will thank you to

send him a thousand pistoles. Well and good! replied the

minister; you will furnish him accordingly, with my strict

injunction not to be niggardly, but to encourage the prince in

whatever pleasurable expenses his heart may prompt him to

indulge.

 

CH. XI. — The Prince of Spain’s secret visit, and presents to

Catalina.

 

I WENT to the Count de Lemos on the spur of the occasion, with

five hundred double pistoles in my hand. You could not have come

at a better time, said that nobleman. I have been talking with

the prince; he has taken the bait, and burns with impatience to

see Catalina. This very night he intends to slip privately out of

the palace, and pay her a visit; it is a measure determined on,

and our arrangements are already made. Give notice to the ladies,

through the medium of the cash you have just brought; it is

proper to let them know they have no ordinary lover to receive;

and a matter of course that generosity in princes should be the

herald of their partialities. As you will be of our party, take

care to be in the way at bed-time: and as your carriage will be

wanted, let it wait near the palace about midnight.

 

I immediately repaired to the ladies. Catalina was not visible,

having just gone to lie down. I could only speak with Signora

Mencia. Madam, said I, forgive my appearance here in the day-time, but there was no avoiding it; you must know that the Prince

of Spain will be with you to-night; and here, added I, putting my

pecuniary credentials into her hand, here is an offering which he

lays on the Cytherean shrine, to propitiate the divinities of the

temple. You may perceive, I have not entangled you in a

sleeveless concern. You have been excessively kind indeed,

answered she; but tell me, Signor de Santillane, does the prince

love music? To distraction, replied I. There is nothing he so

much delights in as a fine voice, with a delicate lute

accompaniment So much the better, exclaimed she in a transport of

joy; you give me great pleasure by saying so; for my niece has

the pipe of a nightingale, and plays exquisitely on the lute:

then her dancing is in the finest style! Heavens and earth!

exclaimed I in my turn, here are accomplishments by wholesale,

aunt; more than enough to make any girl’s fortune! Any one of

those talents would have been a sufficient dowry.

 

Having thus smoothed his reception, I waited for the prince’s

bed-time. When it was near at hand, I gave my coachman his

orders, and went to the Count de Lemos, who told me that the

prince, the sooner to get rid of the people about him, meant to

feign a slight indisposition, and even to go to bed, the better

to cajole his attendants; but that he would get up an hour

afterwards, and go through a private door to a back staircase

leading into the court-yard.

 

Conformably with their previous arrangements, he fixed