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

would have been

enough to put me in heart once more. I therefore gave myself up

to the indulgence of the most agreeable fancies. All the rules of

arithmetic from simple addition to compound interest were set in

array, to cast up what sum my salary would amount to at the end

of ten years’ service. Then there was a large allowance for

presents and gratuities from my master, whose liberal disposition

according admirably with my liberal desires, my imagination grew

quite fantastical, and extended the landmarks of my fortune over

innumerable acres of unsubstantial territory. Sleep overtook me

in the calculation, and raised a magnificent aerial mansion on

the estate where a new race of grandees was to originate.

 

I got up the next morning about eight o’clock to go and receive

my patron’s orders; but as I was opening my door to go out, what

was my surprise at meeting him in his wrapping-gown and nightcap. He was quite alone. Gil Blas, said he, on parting with your

sister last night, I promised to pass this morning with her; but

an affair of consequence will not admit of my keeping my word. Go

and assure her from me that I am deeply mortified at the

disappointment, but that I shall certainly sup with her to-night.

That is not all, added he, putting a purse into my hands and a

little shagreen case set round with diamonds; carry her my

portrait, and keep this purse of fifty pistoles, which I give you

as a mark of my early-conceived friendship. I took the picture in

one hand, and in the other the purse to which I was so little

entitled. I put my best leg foremost in my way to Laura,

muttering to myself in the transports of excessive joy: Good! the

prophecy is accomplished in the twinkling of an eye. What a

windfall to be the brother of a girl so full of beauty and

attraction! It is a pity the credit attached to the relationship

is not commensurate with the lucre and the comfort.

 

Laura, unlike most women in her profession, had a habit of early

rising. I caught her at her toilette, where, while waiting for

her illustrious foreigner, she was engrafting on her natural

beauty all the adventitious charms which the cosmetic art could

supply. Lovely Estella, said I, on accosting her, thou absolute

lodestone of the tramontanes, I may now sit down at table with my

master, since he has honoured me with a commission which gives me

that prerogative, and which I am just come to fulfil. He cannot

have the pleasure of waiting on you this morning, as he had

purposed; but to make you amends for the disappointment, he will

sup here this evening, and sends you his picture; which to all

appearance is enclosed in something more valuable than itself.

 

I put the box into her hand at once; and the lively sparkling of

the brilliants which encompassed it made her eyes sparkle and her

mouth water. She opened it out of mere curiosity, looked

carelessly at the painting as people perform a duty for which

they have little relish, then shut it, and once more fell

greedily on the jewellery. Their beauty made her eloquent; and

she said to me with the smile of a satirist — These are copies

which those mercenary things called actresses value much more

highly than originals.

 

I next acquainted her that the generous Portuguese, when giving

me charge of the portrait, recommended it to my care by a purse

of fifty pistoles. I beg you will accept of my congratulations,

said she; this nobleman begins where it is even uncommon for

others to leave off. It is to you, my divine creature, answered

I, that this present is owing; the marquis only made it on the

score of natural affection. I could be well pleased, replied she,

that he were to make you a score such presents every day. I

cannot express in what extravagance you are dear to me. From the

first moment of our meeting, I became attached to you by so

strong a tie, as time has not been able to dissolve. When I lost

you at Madrid, I did not despair of finding you again; and

yesterday, on your sudden appearance, I received you like a

deodand. In a word, my friend, heaven has created us for one

another. You shall be my husband, but we must get plenty of money

in the first instance. I shall just lend myself out to three or

four silly fellows more, and then you may live like a gentleman

on your means.

 

I thanked her in the most appropriate terms for such an instance

of extreme condescension on my behalf, and we got insensibly into

a conversation which lasted till noon. At that hour I withdrew,

to go and give my master an account of the manner in which his

present was received. Though Laura had given me no instructions

thereupon, I was not remiss in composing a fine compliment on my

way, with which I meant to launch out on her pan; but it was just

so much flash in the pan. For, when I got home the marquis was

gone out; and the fates had decreed that I should never see him

more, for reasons which will be methodically stated in the

succeeding chapter.

 

CH. XI. — A thunderbolt to Gil Blas.

 

I REPAIRED to my inn, where meeting with two men of companionable

talents, I dined and sat at table with them till the play began.

We parted; they as their business and desire pointed them; and,

for my own part, my bent was towards the theatre. It may be

proper to observe by the way, that I had all possible reason to

be in a good humour. The conversation with my chance companions

had been joyous in the extreme; the colour of my fortune was gay

and animating; yet for all that I could not help giving way to

melancholy, without either knowing why, or being able to reason

myself out of it. It was doubtless a prophetic warning of the

misfortune which threatened me.

 

As I entered the green-room, Melchior Zapata came up, and told me

in a low voice to follow him. He led me to an unfrequented part

of the house, and opened his business thus — Worthy sir, I make

it a point of conscience to give you a very serious warning. You

are aware that the Marquis de Marialva had at first taken a fancy

to Narcissa, my wife; he had even gone so far as to fix a day for

trying the relish of my rib, when that cockatrice Estella

contrived to flyblow the bill of fare, and transfer the banquet

to her own untainted charms. Judge then, whether an actress can

be gulled instead of gulling, and preserve the sweetness of her

temper. My wife has taken it deeply to heart, and there is no

species of revenge to which she would not have recourse. A fine

opportunity has offered. Yesterday, if you recollect, all our

supernumeraries were crowding together to see you. The deputy

candle-snuffer told some of the inferior comedians that he

recollected you perfectly well, and that you might be anything

but Estella’s brother.

 

This report, added Melchior, came to Narcissa’s ears to-day: she

lost no time in questioning the author; and that grub of the

interior stood to the whole story. He says that he knew you as

Arsenia’s servant, when Estella waited on her at Madrid under the

name of Laura. My wife, full of glee at this discovery, means to

acquaint the Marquis de Marialva with it, when he comes to the

play this evening; so take your measures accordingly. If you are

not Estella’s brother in good earnest, I would advise you as a

friend, and on the score of old acquaintance, to make your escape

while your skin is whole. Narcissa, satisfied in her tender mercy

with only one victim, and that of her own sex, has allowed me to

give you this notice, that you may outrun your ill luck.

 

It would have been waste of words to press the subject farther. I

returned thanks for the caution to this fretter of his hour, who

saw by my terrified aspect that I was not the man to give the

deputy candle-snuffer the lie. I did not feel the least

temptation to carry my dangerous valour such a length. I had not

even the heart to go and bid farewell to Laura, for fear she

should insist on me keeping up the farce. I could easily conceive

that so excellent an actress might get out of the scrape with

flying colours; but there seemed to be nothing for me short of a

swingeing castigation; and I was not so far gone in love as to

stand by my sweetheart at the risk of my own person. I thought of

nothing but a precipitate retreat with my household gods, or

rather goods, if such a trumpery collection of individual

property might be called so. I disappeared from the playhouse in

the twinkling of an eye; and in less time than it would have

taken to confess my sins, was my portmanteau carried off and

safely lodged with a muleteer who was to set out for Toledo at

three o’clock next morning. I could have wished myself already

with the Count de Polan, whose hospitable roof seemed my only

safe asylum. But I was not there yet; and it was impossible to

think without dread of the time remaining to be passed in a town

where I was afraid they would hunt me out without giving me a

night’s law.

 

The smell of supper drew me to my inn notwithstanding; though I

was as uneasy as a debtor who knows that a writ is out against

him. My stomach, I believe, was not sufficiently well knit that

evening for my supper to play its part as it should do. The

miserable sport of fear, I watched all the people who came into

the coffee-room, and whenever by chance they carried a gallows in

their physiognomy, which is no uncommon ensign in such places of

resort, I shuddered with horrid forebodings. After having supped

the supper of the damned, I got up from table and returned to my

carrier’s house, where I threw myself on some clean straw till it

was time to set out.

 

My patience was well tried during that interval; for a thousand

unpleasant thoughts attacked me in all directions. If I dozed now

and then, the enraged marquis stood before me, pounding Laura’s

fair face to a jelly with his fist, and turning her whole house

out at window; or to come nearer home, I heard him giving

directions for my death under the operation of a cudgel. At such

a vision I started out of my sleep, and waking, which is usually

so pleasant after a frightful dream, inspired me with more horror

than even the fictions of my entranced fancy.

 

Happily the muleteer delivered me from so dire a purgatory, by

coming to acquaint me that his mules were ready. I was

immediately on my legs, and set out radically cured, for which

heaven has my best thanks, of Laura and the occult sciences. As

we got farther from Grenada, my mind recovered its tone. I began

chatting with the muleteer, laughed at his droll stories, and

insensibly lost all my apprehensions. I slept undisturbed at

Ubeda, where we lay the first night, and on the fourth day we got

to Toledo. My first care was to inform myself of the Count de

Polan’s residence, whither I repaired under the full persuasion

that he would not suffer me to lodge elsewhere. But I reckoned

without my host. There