The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane, Alain René le Sage [most read books .txt] 📗
- Author: Alain René le Sage
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curiosity; and in every fresh room we went into, I had occasion
to admire the kindness of Don Caesar and his son towards me. I
was struck, among other things, with two apartments, which were
as elegantly furnished as they could be, without misplaced
magnificence. One of them was hung with tapestry, the celebrated
manufacture of the Low Countries; the velvet bed and chairs were
still very handsome, though in the fashion of the time when the
Moors possessed the kingdom of Valencia. The furniture of the
other room was in the same taste; to wit, an old suit of
hangings, made of yellow Genoa damask, with a bed and arm-chairs
to match, fringed with blue silk. All these effects, which would
have furnished but a sorry display in an upholsterer’s shop, made
no contemptible appearance in their present situation.
After having rummaged over every article of the paraphernalia, my
secretary and myself returned to the dining-room, where the cloth
was laid for two; we sat down; and in an instant they served up
so delicious an olla podrida, that we could not help revolving on
the various turns of the fate below which had parted the good
Archbishop of Valencia from his cook. We had in truth a most
catholic and ravenous appetite; a circumstance which added new
zest to our praises and enjoyments. Between every succeeding help
my servants, with all the alacrity of fresh and holiday service,
filled our large glasses to the brim with wine, the choicest
vintage of La Mancha. Scipio, not thinking it genteel to express
aloud the inward chucklings of his heart at our dainty fare,
winked and nodded his delight, and spoke by signs, which I
returned with the like dumb eloquence of overflowing
satisfaction. The remove was a dish of roast quails, flanking a
little leveret in high order, just kept long enough; for this we
left our hash, good as it was, and gorged ourselves to a surfeit
on the game. When we had eaten as if we had never eaten before,
and pledged one another in due proportion, we rose from table and
went into the garden to look out for some cool, pleasant spot,
and take our afternoon’s nap voluptuously.
If hitherto my secretary had goggled satisfaction at what he had
seen, he stared wider and grinned broader at this vista vision of
the garden. He scarcely allowed the comparison to be in favour of
the Escurial. The reason of its extreme niceness was that Don
Caesar, who came backwards and forwards to Lirias, took pleasure
in improving and ornamenting it. All the walks well gravelled and
lined with orange trees, a large reservoir of white marble, with
a lion in bronze spouting water like a dolphin’s deputy in the
middle, the beauty of the flower borders, the profusion and
variety of the fruit trees; such pretty particulars as these made
Scipio smack his lips and snuff the air; but his raptures reached
their summit at the gradual descent of a long walk, leading to
the bailiff’s cottage, and over-arched by the interwoven boughs
of the trees planted on each side. While eulogizing a place so
well adapted for a refuge from the intenseness of the heat, we
made a halt, and sat down at the foot of an elm, where sleep
required very little cunning to entangle two high-fed, half-tipsy
blades, just risen from so voluptuous and voracious a repast.
In about two hours we were startled out of our sleep by the
report of musketry, popping so near the head-quarters of our
repose that we apprehended the camp to be attacked. On the alert!
was the first idea that invaded our dozing minds. That we might
procure the most authentic intelligence, in what direction the
enemy was approaching, we directed our march towards the
bailiff’s tenement. There were collected eight or ten
clodhoppers, all friends and neighbours, assembled on the green
for the purpose of honouring my arrival, just communicated to the
vacant senses of the said clodhoppers, by a discharge of fire-arms, whose barrels and furniture might thank me for the unusual
favour of a thorough cleaning. The greater part of them were
acquainted with my person, having seen me more than once at the
castle, while engaged in the business of my stewardship. No
sooner did they set eyes on me, than they all shouted in unison:
Long life to our new lord and master! welcome to Lirias! Then
they loaded once again, and fired another volley in honour of the
occasion. My habits and manners were softened down to the most
condescending urbanity, though with a decorous infusion of
distance, lest any degrading constructions might he put upon too
unlimited a freedom of address. With respect to my protection, I
promised it according to the customary charter of newly-installed
possessors; and went so far as to throw them a purse of twenty
pistoles: and this, in my opinion, was the point of all others in
my conduct which touched their hearts most nearly. After this
benefaction, I left them at liberty to waste as much powder as
they pleased, and withdrew with my secretary into the wood, where
we walked to and fro till night-fall, without being at all tired
of our rural prospect: so many charms had the view of a
landscape, heightened by the substantial beauties of ownership in
fee-simple, to our elevated and delighted imaginations.
The cook, the under-cook, and the scullion were not resting upon
their oars all this time: they were working hard to fit up for us
an artifice of belly timber more magnificent that what we had
already demolished; so that we were over head and ears in
amazement, when on our return to the room where we had dined, we
saw on the table a dish of four roast partridges, with a
smothered rabbit on one side, and a fricasseed capon on the
other. The second course consisted of pigs’ ears, jugged game,
and chocolate cream. We drank deeply of the most delicious wines,
and began to think of going to bed, when it became a matter of
doubt whether we could sit up any longer. Then my people, with
lighted candles before me, led the way to the best bed-room,
where they were all most officious in assisting to undress me:
but when they had tendered me my gown and nightcap, I dismissed
them with an authoritative undulation of my hand, signifying that
their services were dispensed with for the remainder of that
night.
Thus I sent them all about their business, keeping Scipio for a
little private conference between ourselves; and I led to it by
asking him what he thought of my reception, as arranged by order
of my noble patrons. Indeed and indeed, answered he, the human
heart could not devise anything more delicious. I only wish we
may go on as we have begun. I have no wish of the kind, re plied
I: it is contrary to my principles to allow that my benefactors
should put themselves to so much expense on my account; it would
be a downright fraud upon their benevolence. Besides, I could
never feel myself at home with servants in the pay of other
people; it is just like living in a lodging or an inn. Then it is
to be remembered, that I did not come hither to live upon so
expensive a scale. What occasion have we for so large an
establishment of servants? Our utmost want, with Bertrand, is a
cook, a scullion, and a footman. Though my secretary would not
have been at all sorry to table for a continuance at the governor
of Valencia’s expense, he did not oppose his own luxurious taste
to my moral delicacy, but conformed at once to my sentiments, and
approved the reduction I was meditating to introduce. That point
being decided, he left my chamber, and betook himself to his
pillow in his own.
CH. IV. — A journey to Valencia, and a visit to the lords of
Leyva. The conversation of the gentlemen, and Seraphina’s
demeanour.
I GOT my clothes off as soon as possible, and went to bed, where,
finding no great inclination to sleep, I communed with my own
thoughts. The mutual attachment between the lords of Leyva and
myself was uppermost in the various topics of my contemplation.
With my heart full of their late kindness, I determined on
setting out for their residence the next day, and quenching my
impatience to thank them for their favours. Neither was it a
slender gratification to anticipate another interview with
Seraphina; though there was somewhat of alloy in that pleasure:
it was impossible to reflect without shuddering, that I should at
the same time have to encounter the glances of Dame Lorenza
Sephora, who might not be greatly delighted at the renewal of our
acquaintance, should her memory happen to stumble upon the
circumstances connected with a certain box on the ear. With my
mind exhausted by all these different suggestions, my eyelids at
length closed, and the sun had peeped in at my window long before
they turned upon their hinges.
I was soon out of bed; and dressed myself with all possible
expedition, in the earnest desire of prosecuting my intended
journey. Just as I had finished my hasty operations, my secretary
came into the room. Scipio, said I, you behold a man on the point
of setting out for Valencia. I ought to lose no time in paying my
respects to those noblemen to whom I am indebted for my little
independence. Every moment of delay in the performance of this
duty throws a new weight of ingratitude on my conscience. As for
you, my friend, there is no necessity for your attendance; stay
here during my absence; I shall come back to you within the space
of a week. Heaven speed you, sir! answered he — be sure you do
not slight Don Alphonso and his father — they seem to me to
thrill with the kindly vibrations of friendship, and to be
unbounded in their acknowledgment of obligation: gratitude and
benevolence are so uncommon in people of rank, that they deserve
to be made the most of where found. I sent a message to Bertrand,
to hold himself in readiness for setting out, and took my
chocolate while he was harnessing the mules. When all was
prepared, I got into my carriage, after having directed my people
to consider my secretary as master of the house in my absence,
and to obey his orders as if they were my own.
I got to Valencia in less than four hours, and drove at once to
the governor’s stables, where I alighted and left my equipage. On
going to the house, I was informed that Don Caesar and his son
were together. I did not wait for an introduction, but went in
without ceremony; and addressing myself to both of them,
Servants, said I, never send in their names to their masters;
here is an old piece of family furniture, not ornamental indeed,
but of a fashion when gratitude was neither out of date nor out
of countenance. These words were accompanied with an effort to
throw myself on my knees; but they anticipated my purpose, and
embraced me one after the other with all possible evidence of
sincere affection. Well, then, my dear Santillane, said Don
Alphonso, you have been at Lirias to take possession of your
little property. Yes, my lord, answered I; and my next request
is, that you would be pleased to take it back again. What is your
reason for that? replied he. Is there anything about it at all
offensive to your taste? Not in the place itself, rejoined I: on
the contrary, that is everything that my heart can wish; the only
fault I have
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