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

encouragement: but yet he

may flatter himself that, if anything beyond common civility had

been granted at all, it would have been to him only. Well! Who

says to the contrary? interrupted Don Matthias in a bantering

way. I agree with you, that the lady is a very pretty behaved

young lady. On my part, I am a very pretty behaved young

gentleman. Ergo, you may rest assured that nothing took place

between us but what was pretty and well behaved. Indeed! This is

too much, interrupted Don Lope in his turn; let us lay aside this

unseasonable jesting. You are an impostor. Donna Clara never gave

you an appointment by night. Her reputation shall not be

blackened by your ribaldry. But prudence and delicacy forbid my

describing what must pass between you and me. With this retort on

his lips, he looked contemptuously round, and withdrew with a

menacing aspect, which anticipated serious consequences to my

judgment. My master, whose courage was better than his cause,

held the threats of Don Lope in derision. A blockhead! exclaimed

he, bursting into a loud fit of laughter. Our knights-errant used

to tilt for the beauty of their mistresses, this fellow would

engage in the lists for the forlorn hope of virtue in his; he is

more ridiculous than his prototypes.

 

Velasco’s retiring, in vain opposed by Moncade, occasioned no

interruption to the merriment. The party, without thinking

further about it, kept the ball up briskly, and did not part till

they had made free with the next day. We went to bed, that is, my

master and myself, about five o’clock in the morning. Sleep sat

heavy on my eyelids, and, as I thought, was taking permanent

possession thereof; but I reckoned without my host, or rather

without our porter, who came and waked me in an hour, to say that

there was a lad inquiring for me at the door. Oh! thou infernal

porter, muttered I indistinctly, through the interstices of a

long yawn, do you consider that I have but now got to bed? Tell

the little rascal that I am just asleep; he must come again by-and-by. He insists, replied Cerberus, on speaking with you

instantly; his business cannot wait. As that was the case I got

up, put on nothing but my breeches and doublet, and went down-stairs, swearing and gaping. My friend, said I, be so good as to

let me know what urgent affair procures me the honour of seeing

you so early? I have a letter, answered he, to deliver personally

into the hands of Signor Don Matthias, to be read by him without

loss of time; it is of the last consequence to him — pray show

me into his room. As I thought the matter looked serious, I took

the liberty of disturbing my master. Excuse me, said I, for

waking you, but the pressing nature … . What do you want?

interrupted he, just in my style with the porter. Sir, said the

lad who was at my elbow, here is a letter from Don Lope de

Velasco. Don Matthias looked at the cover, broke it, and after

reading the contents, said to the messenger of Don Lope — My

good fellow, I never get up before noon, let the party be ever so

agreeable; judge whether I can be expected to be stirring by six

in the morning for a small-sword recreation. You may tell your

master, that if he chooses to kick his heels at the spot till

half-past twelve, we will come and see how he looks there —

carry him that answer. With this flippant speech he plunged down

snugly under the bed clothes and fell fast asleep again as if

nothing had happened.

 

Between eleven and twelve he got up and dressed himself with the

utmost composure, and went out, telling me that there was no

occasion for my attendance: but I was too much on the tenterhooks

about the result to mind his orders. I sneaked after him to Saint

Jerome’s meadow, where I saw Don Lope de Velasco waiting for him.

I took my station to watch them; and was an eye-witness to all

the circumstances of their rencounter. They saluted, and began

their fierce debate without delay. The engagement lasted long.

They exchanged thrusts alternately, with equal skill and mettle.

The victory, how ever, was on the side of Don Lope: he ran my

master through, laid him helpless on the ground, and made his

escape, with apparent satisfaction at the severe reprisal. I ran

up to the unfortunate Don Matthias, and found him in a most

desperate situation. The sight melted me. I could not help

weeping at a catastrophe to which I had been an involuntary

contributor. Nevertheless, with all sympathy, I had still my

little wits about me. Home went I in a hurry, without saying a

word. I made up a bundle of my own goods and chattels,

inadvertently slipping in some odd articles belonging to my

master: and when I had deposited this with the barber, where my

dress as a fine gentleman was still lodged, I published the news

of the fatal accident. Any gaper might have it for the trouble of

listening; and above all, I took care to make Rodriguez

acquainted with it. He would have been extremely afflicted, but

that his own proceedings in this delicate case required all his

attention. He called the servants together, ordered them to

follow him, and we went all together to Saint Jerome’s meadow.

Don Matthias was taken up alive, but he died three hours after he

was brought home. Thus ended the life of Signor Don Matthias de

Silva, only for having taken a fancy to reading supposititious

love-letters unseasonably.

 

CH. IX. — A new service, after the death of Don Matthias de

Silva.

 

Some days after the funeral, the establishment was paid up and

discharged. I fixed my head-quarters with the little barber, in a

very close connection with whom I began to live. It seemed to

promise more pleasure than with Melendez. As I was in no want of

money, it was time enough to think of another place: besides, I

had got to be rather nice on that head. I would not go into

service any more, but in families above the vulgar. In short, I

was determined to inquire very strictly into the character of a

new place. The best would not be too good; such high pretensions

did the late valet of a young nobleman think himself entitled to

assume above the common herd of servants.

 

Waiting till fortune should throw a situation in my way, worthy

to be honoured by my acceptance, I thought I could not do better

than to devote my leisure to my charming Laura, whom I had not

seen since the pleasant occurrence of our double discovery. I

could not venture on dressing as Don Caesar de Ribera; it would

have been an act of madness to have assumed that style but as a

disguise. Besides that my own suit was not much out of condition,

all smaller articles had propagated miraculously in the aforesaid

bundle. I made myself up, therefore, with the barber’s aid, as a

sort of middle man between Don Caesar and Gil Blas. In this demi-character, I knocked at Arsenia’s door. Laura was alone in the

parlour where we had met last. Ah! is it you? cried she, as soon

as she saw me; I thought you were lost. You have had leave to

come and see me for this week: but it seems you are modest, and

do not presume too much on your license.

 

I made my apology on the score of my master’s death, with my own

engagements consequent thereupon; and I added, in the spirit of

gallantry, that in my greatest perplexities, my lovely Laura had

always been foremost in my thoughts. That being so, said she, I

have no more reproaches to make; and I will frankly own that I

have thought of you. As soon as I was acquainted with the

untimely end of Don Matthias, a plan occurred to me, probably not

quite displeasing to you. I have heard my mistress say some time

ago, that she wanted a sort of man of business; a good

arithmetician, to keep an exact account of our outgoings. I fixed

my affections on your lordship; you seem exactly calculated for

such an office. I feel myself, answered I, a steward by

inspiration. I have read all that Aristotle has written on

finance; and as for reducing it to the modern system of book-keeping … . But, my dear girl, there is one impediment in the

way. What impediment? said Laura. I have sworn, replied I, never

again to live with a commoner: I have sworn by Styx, or something

else as binding. If Jupiter could not burst the links of such an

oath, judge whether a poor servant ought not to be bound by it.

What do you mean by a commoner? re joined the impetuous abigail:

for what do you take us actresses? Do you take us for the ribs of

the limbs of the law? for attorneys’ wives? I would have you to

know, my friend, that actresses rank with the first nobility;

being only common to the uncommon, and therefore, though common,

uncommonly illustrious.

 

On that footing, my uncommon commoner, said I, the post you have

destined for me is mine: I shall not lower my dignity by

accepting it. No, to be sure, said she: backwards and forwards

between a puppy of fashion and a she-wolf of the stage; why, it

is exactly preserving an equilibrium of rank in the creation. We

are sympathetic animals, just on a level with the people of

quality. We have our equipages in the same style; we give our

little suppers on the same scale; and on the broad ground we are

just of as much use in civil society. In fact, to draw a parallel

between a marquis and a player through the space of four and

twenty hours, they are just on a par. The marquis, for three-fourths of the time, ranks above the player by political courtesy

and sufferance: the player, during his hour on the stage,

overtops the marquis in the part of an emperor or a king, which

he better knows how to enact. Thus there seems to be a balance

between natural and political nobility, which places us at least

on a level with the live lumber of the court. Yes, truly, replied

I, you are a match for one another, there is no gainsaying it.

Bless their dear hearts! the players are not men of straw, as I

foolishly believed, and you have made my mouth water to serve

such a worshipful fraternity. Well, then! resumed she, you have

only to come back again in two days. That time will be sufficient

to incline my mistress in your favour; I will speak up for you.

She is a little under my influence; I do not fear bringing you

under this roof.

 

I thanked Laura for her good dispositions. My gratitude took the

readiest way to prove itself to her comprehension; and my tender

thrillings expressed more than words. We had a pretty long

conversation together, and it might have lasted till this time,

if a little skipping fellow had not come to tell my nymph of the

side scenes that Arsenia was inquiring for her. We parted. I left

the house, in the sweet hope of soon living there scot-free; and

my face was shown up again at the door in two days. I was looking

out for you, said my accomplished scout, to assure you that you

are a messmate at this house. Come, follow me; I will introduce

you to my mistress. At these words, she led me into a suite of