The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane, Alain René le Sage [most read books .txt] 📗
- Author: Alain René le Sage
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walked about town arm in arm, attended by Chilindron, Don Lewis’s
footman, and myself. We loitered about the gates of the
university, looking at some posting bills and advertisements of
new publications. There were a good many people amusing
themselves, like us, with reading over the contents of these
placards. Among the rest my eye was caught by a little fellow,
who was giving his opinion very learnedly on the works exposed to
sale. I observed him to be heard with profound attention, and
could not help remarking how amply he deserved it in his own
opinion. He was evidently a complete coxcomb, of an arrogant and
dictatorial stamp, the common curse of your gentry under size.
This new translation of Horace, said he, announced here to the
public in letters of a yard long, is a prose work, executed by an
old college author. The students have taken a great fancy to the
book; so as to carry off four editions. But not a copy has been
bought by any man of taste! His criticisms were scarcely more
candid on any of the other books; he mauled them every one
without mercy. It was easy enough to see he was an author! I
should not have been sorry to have staid out his harangue, but
Don Lewis and Don Felix were not to be left in the lurch. Now
they took as little pleasure in this gentleman’s remarks as they
felt interest in the books which he was Scaligerising, so that
they took a quiet leave of him and the university.
We returned home at dinner-time. My mistress sat down at table
with Pacheco, and dexterously turned the conversation on her
private concerns. My father, said she, is a younger branch of the
Mendoza family, settled at Toledo, and my mother is own sister to
Donna Kimena de Guzman, who came to Salamanca some days ago on an
affair of business, with her niece Aurora, only daughter of Don
Vincent de Guzman, whom possibly you might be acquainted with.
No, answered Don Lewis, but I have often heard of him, as well as
of your cousin Aurora. Is it true what they say of her? Her wit
and beauty are reported to be unrivalled. As for wit, replied Don
Felix, she certainly is not wanting, for she has taken great
pains to cultivate her mind. But her beauty is by no means to be
boasted of; indeed, we are thought to be very much alike. If that
is the case, exclaimed Pacheco, she cannot be behindhand with her
reputation. Your features are regular, your complexion almost too
fine for a man; your cousin must be an absolute enchantress. I
should like to see and converse with her. That you shall, if I
have any interest in the family, and this very day too, replied
the little Proteus of a Mendoza. We will go and see my aunt after
dinner.
My mistress took the first opportunity of changing the topic, and
conversing on indifferent subjects. In the afternoon, while the
two friends were getting ready to go and call on Donna Kimena, I
played the scout, and ran before to prepare the duenna for her
visitors. But there was no time to be lost on my return, for Don
Felix was waiting for me to attend Don Lewis and him on their way
to his aunt’s. No sooner had they stepped over the threshold than
they were encountered by the adroit old lady, making signs to
them to walk as softly as possible. Hush! hush! said she, in a
low voice, you will waken my niece. Ever since yesterday she has
had a dreadful headache, but is just now a little better; and the
poor girl has been taking a little sleep for the last quarter of
an hour. I am sorry for this unlucky accident, said Mendoza, I
was in hopes we should have seen my cousin. Besides, I meant to
have introduced my friend Pacheco. There is no such great hurry
on that account, answered Ortiz with a significant smile, and if
that is all, you may defer it till to-morrow. The gentlemen did
not trouble the old lady with a long visit, but took their leave
as soon as they decently could.
Don Lewis took us to see a young gentleman of his acquaintance,
by name Don Gabriel de Pedros. There we stayed the remainder of
the day, and took our suppers. About two o’clock in the morning
we sallied forth on our return home. We had got about half-way,
when we stumbled against something on the ground, and discovered
two men stretched at their length in the street. We concluded
they had fallen under the knife of the assassin, and stopped to
assist them, if yet within reach of assistance. As we were
looking about to inform ourselves of their condition, as nearly
as the darkness of the night would allow, the patrole came up.
The officer took us at first for the murderers, and ordered his
people to surround us; but he mended his opinion of us on the
sound of our voices, and by favour of a dark lantern held up to
the faces of Mendoza and Pacheco. His myrmidons, by his
direction, examined the two men, whom our fancies had painted as
in the agonies of death, but it turned out to be a fat licentiate
with his servant, both of them overtaken in their cups, and not
dead, but dead drunk. Gentlemen, exclaimed one of the posse, this
jolly fellow is an acquaintance of mine. What! do you not know
Signor Guyomer the licentiate, head of our university? With all
his imperfections he is a great character, a man of superior
genius. He is as staunch as a hound at a philosophical dispute,
and his words flow like a gutter after a hail-storm. He has but
three foibles in which he indulges; intoxication, litigation, and
fornication. He is now returning from supper at his Isabella’s,
whence, the more is the pity, the drunk was leading the drunk,
and they both fell into the kennel. Before the good licentiate
came to the headship this happened continually. Though manners
make the man, honours, you perceive, do not always mend the
manners. We left these drunkards in custody of the patrole, who
carried them safe home, and betook ourselves to our lodging and
our beds.
Don Felix and Don Lewis were stirring about mid-day. Aurora de
Guzman was the first topic of their conversation. Gil Blas, said
my mistress to me, run to my aunt, Donna Kimena, and ask if there
is any admission for Signor Pacheco and me to-day, we want to see
my cousin. Off I went to acquit myself of this commission, or
rather to concert the plan of the campaign with the duenna. We
had no sooner laid our heads together to the purpose intended,
than I was once more at the elbow of the false Mendoza. Sir,
quoth I, your cousin Aurora has got about wonderfully. She
enjoined me from her own lips to acquaint you, that your visit
could not be otherwise than highly acceptable, and Donna Kimena
desired me to assure Signor Pacheco, that any friend of yours
would always meet with an hospitable reception.
These last words evidently tickled Don Lewis’s fancy. My mistress
saw that the bait was swallowed, and prepared herself to haul the
prey to shore. Just before dinner, a servant made his appearance
from Signora Kimena, and said to Don Felix — My lord, a man from
Toledo has been inquiring after you, and has left this note at
your aunt’s house. The pretended Mendoza opened it, and read the
contents aloud to the following effect — “If your father and
family still live in your remembrance, and you wish to hear of
their concerns, do not fail, on the receipt of this, to call at
the Black Horse, near the university.” I am too much interested,
said he, in these proffered communications, not to satisfy my
curiosity at once. Without ceremony, Pacheco, you must excuse me
for the present; if I am not back again here within two hours,
you may find your way by yourself to my aunt’s; I will join the
party in the evening. You recollect Gil Blas’ message from Donna
Kimena, the visit is no more than what will be expected from you.
After having thrown out this hint, he left the room, and ordered
me to follow him.
It can scarcely be necessary to apprize the reader, that instead
of marching down to the Black Horse, we filed off to our other
quarters. The moment that we got within doors, Aurora tore off
her artificial hair, washed the charcoal from her eyebrows,
resumed her female attire, and shone in all her natural charms, a
lovely dark-complexioned girl. So complete indeed had been her
disguise that Aurora and Don Felix could never have been
suspected of identity. The lady seemed to have the advantage of
the gentleman even in stature, thanks to a good high pair of
heels, to which she was not a little indebted. It was her first
business to heighten her personal graces with all the
embellishments of art; after which she looked out for Don Lewis,
in a state of agitation, compounded of fear and of hope. One
instant she felt confident in her wit and beauty; the next she
anticipated the failure of her attempt. Ortiz, on her part, set
her best foot foremost, and was determined to play up to my
mistress. As for me, Pacheco was not to see my knave’s face till
the last act of the farce, for which the great actors are always
reserved, to unravel the intricacy of the plot; so I went out
immediately after dinner.
In short, the puppet-show was all adjusted against Don Lewis’s
arrival. He experienced a very gracious reception from the old
lady, in amends for whose tediousness he was blessed with two or
three hours of Aurora’s delightful conversation. When they had
been together long enough, in popped I, with a message to the
enamoured spark. My lord, my master Don Felix begs you ten
thousand pardons, but he cannot have the pleasure of waiting on
you here this evening. He is with three men of Toledo, from whom
he cannot possibly get away. Oh! the wicked little rogue,
exclaimed Donna Kimena; as sure as a gun then he is going to make
a night of it. No, madam, replied I, they are deeply engaged in
very serious business. He is really distressed that he cannot pay
his respects, and commissioned me to say everything proper to
your ladyship and Donna Aurora. Oh! I will have none of his
excuses, pouted out my mistress, he knows very well that I have
been indisposed, and might shew some slight degree of feeling for
so near a relation. As a punishment, he shall not come near me
for this fortnight. Nay, madam, interposed Don Lewis, such a
sentence is too severe. Don Felix’s fate is but too pitiable, in
having been deprived of your society this evening.
They bandied about their fine speeches on these little topics of
gallantry for some time, and then Pacheco withdrew. The lovely
Aurora metamorphosed herself in a twinkling, and resumed her
swashing outside. The grass did not grow under her feet while she
was running to the other lodging. I have a million of apologies
to make, my dear friend, said she to Don Lewis, for not giving
you the meeting at my aunt’s; but there was no getting rid of the
tiresome people I was with. However, there is one comfort, you
have had so much the more leisure to look about you, and
criticise my cousin’s beauty. Well! and how do you like her! She
is a most lovely creature, answered Pacheco. You were in
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