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

could exceed the mutual pledges of lasting friendship

which were exchanged between Don Balthazar and me. To draw the

cords the closer, we made an appointment for the next morning in

the great square. This plotting gentleman, after we had parted,

betook himself to his own house, without giving Violante at all

to understand that he knew more about her than she wished him. On

the following day he was punctual in the great square, and I was

not five minutes after him. We exchanged greetings with all the

warmth of old friendship; but it was a vapour to mislead on his

part, though a spark of heavenly flame on mine. In the course of

conversation, this hypocritical Don Balthazar palmed upon me a

fictitious confidence, respecting his intrigue with the lady

about whom he had been speaking the night before. He put together

a long story he had been manufacturing on that subject, and all

this to hook me in to tell him, in return, by what means I had

got acquainted with Violante. The snare was too subtle for me to

escape; I owned all with the innocence of a new-born babe. I did

not even stick at shewing the note I had received from her, and

read the contents, to the following purport: “I am going to-morrow to dine with Donna Inez. You know where she lives. It is

in the house of that confidential friend that I mean to pass some

happy moments along with you. It is impossible longer to refuse a

boon your patience has so well merited.”

 

Here indeed, said Don Balthazar, is an epistle which promises to

crown all your wishes at once. I congratulate you beforehand on

your approaching happiness. He could not help fidgeting and

wriggling a little, while he talked in these terms of his own

household; but all his hitches and wry faces passed off, and my

eyes were as fast sealed as ever. I was so full of anticipating

titillations, as not to think of noticing my new friend, who was

obliged to get off as fast as be could, for fear of betraying his

agitation in my presence. He ran to acquaint his brother-in-law

with this strange occurrence. I know not what might pass between

them: it is only certain that Don Balthazar happened to knock at

Donna Inca’s door, just when I was at that lady’s house with

Violante. We were warned who it was, and I escaped by a back door

exactly as he went in at the front As soon as I had got safe off,

the women, whom the unexpected visit of this troublesome husband

had disconcerted a little, recovered their presence of mind, and

with it so large a stock of assurance, as to stand the brunt of

his attack, and put him to a nonplus in ascertaining whether they

had hid me or smuggled me out. I cannot exactly tell you what he

said to Donna Inca and his wife; nor do I believe that history

will ever furnish any authentic particulars of the squabble.

 

In the mean time, without suspecting yet how completely I was

gulled by Don Balthazar, I sallied forth with curses in my mouth,

and returned to the great square, where I had appointed Lamela to

meet me. But no Lamela was there. He also had his little snug

parties, and the scoundrel fared better than his comrade. As I

was waiting for him, I caught a glimpse of my treacherous

associate, with a knowing smile upon his countenance. He made up

to me, and inquired, with a hearty laugh, what news of my

assignation with my nymph, under the convenient roof of Donna

Inca. I cannot conceive, said I, what evil spirit, jealous of my

joys, takes delight to nip them in their blossom: but after we

had embraced, kissed, protested, and, as it were, spoke the

prologue of our comedy, comes the peaking cornuto of a husband

(the furies fly away with him), and knocks at the door in the

instant of our encounter. There was nothing to be done but to

secure my retreat as fast as possible. So I got out at a back

door, sending to all the inhabitants of hell and its suburbs the

jealous knave, who was so uncivil as to search another lady’s

house for his own horns. I am sorry you sped so ill-favouredly,

exclaimed Don Balthazar, who was chuckling with in ward

satisfaction at my disappointment. What a mechanical rogue of a

husband! I would advise you to shew no mercy to the wittol. Oh!

you need not teach me how to predominate over such a peasant,

replied I. Take my word for it, a new quarter shall be added to

his coat of arms this very night. His wife, when I went away,

told me not to be faint-hearted for such a trifle; but to place

myself without fail under her windows at an earlier hour than

usual, for she was resolved to let me into the house; and as a

precaution against all accidents, she begged me to bring two or

three friends in my train, for fear of a surprise. What a

discreet and inventive lady! said he. I should have no objection

to being of your party. Ah! my dear friend, exclaimed I, out of

wits with joy, and throwing my arms about Don Balthazar’s neck,

how infinitely you will oblige me! I will do more, resumed he; I

know a young man, armed like another Caesar, for either field of

love or war; he shall be of our number, and you may then rely

boldly on the sufficiency of your escort.

 

I knew not in what words to thank this seeming friend, so that my

gratitude might be equivalent to his zeal. To make short of the

matter, I accepted his proffered aid. Our meeting was fixed under

Violante’s balcony early in the evening, and we parted. He went

in quest of his brother-in-law, who was the hero in question. As

for me, I walked about all day with Lamela, who had no more

misgivings than myself, though somewhat astonished at the warmth

with which Don Balthazar engaged in my interests. We slipt our

own necks completely into the noose. I own this was mere

infatuation on our parts, whose natural instinct ought to have

warned us of a halter. When I thought it proper time to present

myself under Violante’s windows, Ambrose and I took care to be

armed with small swords. There we found the husband of my fair

dame and another man, waiting for us with a very determined air.

Don Balthazar accosted me, and introducing his brother-in-law,

said: Sir, this is the brave officer whose prowess I have

extolled so highly to you. Make the best of your way into your

mistress’s house, and let no fear of the consequences be any bar

to the enjoyment of the most rapturous human bliss.

 

After a mutual interchange of compliments, I knocked at

Violante’s door. It was opened by a kind of duenna. In I went,

and without looking back after what was passing behind me, made

the best of my way to the lady’s room. While I was paying her my

preliminary civilities, the two cut-throats, who had followed me

into the house, and had banged the door after them so violently

that Ambrose was left in the street, made their appearance. You

may well suppose that then was the appeal to arms. They both fell

upon me at the same time, but I shewed them some play. I kept

them engaged on either side so fiercely, that they were sorry

perhaps not to have taken a safer road to their revenge. The

husband was run through the body. His brother-in-law, seeing him

on his travels to the shades below, made the best of his way to

the door, which the duenna and Violante had opened, to make their

escape while we were fighting. I ran after him into the street,

where I met with Lamela once more, who by dint of not being able

to get a word out of the women, running as they did for their

very lives, did not know exactly what he was to divine from the

infernal noise he had just heard. We got back to our inn. After

packing up what was best worth taking with us, we mounted our

mules, and got out of town, without waiting for daybreak or fear

of robbers.

 

It was sufficiently clear that this business was not likely to be

without its consequences, and that a hue and cry would be set up

in Toledo, which we should act like wise men to anticipate by a

retreat. We stayed the night at Vilarubia. At the inn where we

put up, some time after our arrival, there alighted a tradesman

of Toledo on his way to Segorba. We clubbed our suppers. He

related to us the tragical catastrophe of Violante’s husband; and

so far was he from suspecting us of being parties concerned, that

we inquired into particulars with the curious indifference of

common newsmongers. Gentlemen, said he, just as I was setting out

this morning, the report of this melancholy event was handed

about. Every one was on the hunt after Violante; and they say

that the corregidor, a relation of Don Balthazar, is determined

on sparing no pains to discover the perpetrators of this murder.

So much for my knowledge of the business.

 

The corregidor of Toledo and his police gave me very little

uneasiness. But for fear of the worst, I determined to

precipitate my retreat from New Castile. It occurred to me that

Violante, when hunted out of her hiding-place, would turn

informer, and in that case she might give such a description of

my person to the clerks in office as might enable them to put

their scouts upon a right scent. For this reason, on the

following day we struck out of the high road, as a measure of

safety. Fortunately Lamela was acquainted with three-fourths of

Spain, and knew by what cross paths we could get securely into

Arragon. Instead of going straight to Cuen�a, we threaded the

defiles of the mountains overhanging that town, and arrived, by

ways with which my guide was well acquainted, at a grotto looking

very much like a hermitage. In fact, it was the very place

whither you came yesterday evening to petition me for an asylum.

 

While I was reconnoitring the neighbourhood, which presented a

most delicious landscape to my view, my companion said to me, It

is six years since I travelled this way. At that time the grotto

before us afforded a retreat to an old hermit who entertained me

charitably. He made me fare as he did. I remember that he was a

holy man, and talked in such a strain as almost to wean me from

the vices and follies of this nether world. He may possibly be

still living; I will ascertain whether it be so or not. With

these words in his mouth, Ambrose, under the influence of natural

curiosity, alighted from his mule, and went into the hermitage.

He remained there some minutes, and then returned, calling after

me, and saying, Come hither, Don Raphael, come and bear witness

to a most affecting event. I dismounted immediately. We tied our

mules to a tree, and I followed Lamela into the grotto, where I

descried an old anchoret stretched at his length upon a couch,

pale and at the point of death. A white beard, very thick, hung

down to his middle, and he held a large rosary, most piously

ornamented, in his clasped hands. At the noise which we made in

coming near him, he opened his eyes, upon which death had already

begun to lay his leaden hand; and after having looked at us for a

moment,