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

as a young nobleman, and assume

the manners of one. I go to public places, and tip the wink first

to one woman and then to another, till I meet with one who

returns the signal. Her I follow, and find means to speak with

her. I take the name of Don Antonio Centell�s. I plead for an

assignation, the lady is squeamish about it; I am pressing, she

is kind, et caetera. Thus it is, my fine fellow, that I contrive

to carry on my intrigues, and I would have you profit by the

hint.

 

I was too ambitious of shining like a new star dropped from the

heavens, to turn a deaf ear to such counsel; besides, there was

about me no aversion to an amour. I therefore laid a plan to

disguise myself as a young nobleman, and look out for adventures

of gallantry. There was a risk in assuming my masquerade dress at

home, lest it might be observed. I took a complete suit from my

master’s wardrobe, and made it up into a bundle, which I carried

to a barber’s, where I thought I could dress and undress

conveniently. There I tricked myself out to the best advantage.

The barber too lent a helping hand to my attire. When we thought

it adjusted to a nicety, I sauntered towards Saint Jerome’s

meadow, whence I felt morally certain that I should not return

without making an impression. But I could not even get thither,

without a proof of my own attractions.

 

As I was crossing a bye-street, a lady of genteel figure,

elegantly dressed, came out of a small house, and got into an

hired carriage standing at the door. I stopped short to look at

her, and bowed significantly, so as to convey an intimation that

my heart was not insensible. On her part, to show me that her

face was not less lovely than her person, she lifted up her veil

for a moment. In the mean time the coach set off, and I stood

stock still in the street, not a little stiffened at this vision.

A vastly pretty woman! said I to myself, bless us! this is just

what is wanting to make me perfectly accomplished. If the two

ladies who share Mogicon between them are equally handsome, the

scoundrel is in luck! I should be delighted with her for a

mistress. Ruminating on these things, I looked by chance towards

the house whence that lovely creature had glided, and saw at a

window on the ground floor an old woman beckoning me to come in.

 

I flew like lightning into the house, and found, in a very neat

parlour, this venerable and wary matron, who, taking me for a

marquis at least, dropped a low curtsey, and said — I doubt not,

my lord, but you must have a bad opinion of a woman who, without

the slightest acquaintance, beckons you out of the street; but

you will perhaps judge more favourably of me when you shall know

that I do not pay that compliment promiscuously. You look like a

man of fashion! You are perfectly in the right, my old girl,

interrupted I, stretching out my right leg, and throwing the

weight of my body on my left hip; mine is, vanity apart, one of

the best families in Spain. It must be so by your looks, replied

she, and I will fairly own that I delight in doing a kindness to

people of quality, that is my weak side. I watched you through my

window. You looked very earnestly at a lady who has just left me.

Perhaps you may have taken a fancy to her? tell me so plainly. By

the honour of my house, answered I, she has shot me through the

heart. I never saw anything so tempting; a most divine creature!

Do bring us acquainted, my dear, and rely on my gratitude. It is

worth while to do these little offices for us of the beau monde;

they are better paid than our bills.

 

I have told you once for all, replied the old woman, I am

entirely devoted to people of condition; it is my passion to be

useful to them: I receive here, for example, a certain class of

ladies, whom appearances prevent from seeing their favourites at

home. I lend them my house, and thus the warmth of their

constitutions is indulged, without risk to their characters.

Vastly well, quoth I, and you have just done that kindness to the

lady in question? No, answered she, this is a young widow of

quality, in want of an admirer; but so difficult in her choice,

that I do not know whether you will do for her, however great

your requisites may be. I have already introduced to her three

well-furnished gallants, but she turned up her nose at them. Oh!

egad, my life, exclaimed I confidently, you have only to stick me

in her skirts, I will give you a good account of her, take my

word for it. I long to have a grapple with a beauty of such

peremptory demands, they have not yet fallen in my way. Well,

then, said the old woman, you have only to come hither to-morrow

at the same hour, your curiosity shall be satisfied. I will not

fail, rejoined I; we shall see whether a young nobleman can miss

a conquest.

 

I returned to the little barber’s without looking for other

adventures, but deeply interested in the event of this.

Therefore, on the following day, I went, in splendid attire, to

the old woman’s an hour sooner than the time. My lord, said she,

you are punctual, and I take it kindly. To be sure the game is

worth the chase. I have seen our young widow, and we have had a

good deal of talk about you. Not a word was to be said; but I

have taken such a liking to you that I cannot hold my tongue. You

have made yourself agreeable, and will soon be a happy man.

Between ourselves, the lady is a relishing morsel, her husband

did not live long with her; he glided away like a shadow: she has

all the merit of an absolute girl. The good old lady, no doubt,

meant one of those clever girls, who contrive not to live single,

though they live unmarried.

 

The heroine of the assignation came soon in an hired carriage, as

on the day before, dressed very magnificently. As soon as she

came into the room, I led off with five or six coxcombical bows,

accompanied by the most fashionable grimaces. After this, I went

up to her with a very familiar air, and said — My adored angel,

you behold a gentleman of no mean rank, whom your charms have

undone. Your image, since yesterday, has taken complete

possession of my fancy; you have turned a duchess neck and heels

out of my heart, who was beginning to establish a footing there.

The triumph is too glorious for me, answered she, throwing off

her veil, but still my transports are not without alloy. Young

men of fashion love variety, and their hearts are, they say,

bandied about from one to the other like a piece of base money.

Ah! my sovereign mistress, replied I, let us leave the future to

shift for itself; and think only of the present. You are lovely,

I am in love. If my passion is not hateful to you, let it take

its course at random. We will embark like true sailors, set the

storms and shipwreck of a long voyage at defiance, and only take

the fair weather of the time present into the account.

 

In finishing this speech, I threw myself in raptures at the feet

of my nymph; and the better to hit off my assumed character,

pressed her with some little peevishness not to delay my bliss.

She seemed a little touched by my remonstrances, but thought it

too soon to yield, and giving me a gentle rebuff — Hold, said

she, you are too importunate, this is like a rake. I fear you are

but a loose young fellow. For shame, madam, exclaimed I; can you

set your face against what women of the first taste and condition

encourage? A prejudice against what is vulgarly called vice may

be all very well for citizens’ wives. That is decisive, replied

she, there is no resisting so forcible a plea. I see plainly that

with men of your order dissimulation is to no purpose; a woman

must meet you half way. Learn then your victory, added she with

an appearance of disorder, as if her modesty suffered by the

avowal; you have inspired me with sentiments such as are new to

my heart, and I only wait to know who you are, that I may take

you for my acknowledged lover. I believe you a young lord and a

gentleman, yet there is no trusting to appearances; and however

prepossessed I may be in your favour, I would not give away my

affections to a stranger.

I recollected at the moment how Don Antonio’s servant had got out

of a similar perplexity; and determining, after his example, to

pass for my master — Madam, said I to my dainty widow, I will

not excuse myself from telling you my name, it is one that will

not disparage its owner. Have you ever heard of Don Matthias de

Silva? Yes, replied she; indeed I have seen him with a lady of my

acquaintance. Though considerably improved in impudence, I was a

little troubled by this discovery. Yet I rallied my forces in an

instant, and extricated myself with a happy presence of mind.

Well then, my fair one, retorted I, the lady of your acquaintance

… . knows a lord … . of my acquaintance … . and I am

of his acquaintance; of his own family, since you must know it.

His grandfather married the sister-in-law of my father’s uncle.

You see we are very near relations. My name is Don Caesar. I am

the only son of the great Don Ferdinand de Ribera, slain fifteen

years ago, in a battle on the frontiers of Portugal. I could give

you all the particulars of the action; it was a devilish sharp

one … . but to fight it over again would be losing the

precious moments of mutual love.

 

After this discourse I got to be importunate and impassioned, but

without bringing matters at all forwarder. The favours which my

goddess winked at my snatching, tended only to make me languish

for what she was more chary of. The tyrant got back to her coach,

which was waiting at the door. Nevertheless, I withdrew, well

enough pleased with my success, though it still fell short of the

only perfect issue. If said I to myself, I have obtained

indulgences but by halves, it is because this lady, forsooth, is

a high-born dame, and thinks it beneath her quality to play the

very woman at the first interview. The pride of pedigree stands

in the way of my advancement just now, but in a few days we shall

be better acquainted. To be sure, it did not once come into my

head. that she might be one of those cunning gipsies always on

the catch. Yet I liked better to look at things on the right side

than on the wrong, and thus maintained a favourable opinion of my

widow. We had agreed at parting to meet again on the day after

the morrow; and the hope of arriving at the summit of my wishes

gave me a foretaste of the pleasures with which I tickled my

fancy.

 

With my brain full of joyous traces, I returned to my barber.

Having changed my dress, I went to attend my master at the