The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane - Alain René le Sage (best fiction books of all time .txt) 📗

inwards, with the

sharp-pointed, turn-up chin of a pantaloon.

 

This whole arrangement of structure and symmetry did not exactly

make up the complete model of a nobleman according to the ideas

of ancient art; nevertheless, as I believed him to be in a temper

of mind favourable to the gratification of my wishes, I looked at

his defects with an indulgent eye, and found him a man very much

to my satisfaction. One of the best points about him was, that he

received the public at large with the utmost affability and

complacency, holding out his hand for petitions with as much good

humour as if he were the person to be obliged, and this was a

sufficient set-off against anything untoward in the expression of

his countenance. In the mean time, when in my turn I came forward

to pay my respects and make myself known to him, he darted at me

a glance of rude dislike and frightful menace; then turning his

back, without condescending to give me audience, retired into his

closet. Then it was that the ugliness of this nobleman’s features

appeared in all the extravagance of caricature: so that I made

the best of my way out of the saloon, thunderstruck at so savage

a reception, and quite at a loss how to conjecture what might be

the consequence.

 

Having got back to Scipio, who was waiting for me at the door —

Can you guess at all, said I, what sort of a greeting mine was?

No, answered he, not as to the minute particulars; but with

respect to the substance, easily enough: the minister, ready upon

all occasions to fall in with the fancies of his royal master,

must of course have made you a handsome offer of an ostensible

and lucrative situation. That is all you know about the matter,

replied I; and then went on to acquaint him circumstantially with

all that passed. He listened to me with serious attention, and

then said — The count could not have recollected your person; or

rather, he must have been deceived by a fortuitous resemblance

between you and some impertinent suitor. I would advise you to

try another interview; I will lay a wager he will look on you

more kindly. I adopted my secretary’s suggestion, and stood for a

second time in the presence of the minister; but he, behaving to

me still worse than at first, puckered up his features the moment

my unlucky countenance came within his ken, just as if it was

connected with some lodged hate and certain loathing, which of

force swayed him to offend, himself being offended; after this

significant demonstration, he turned away his glaring eyeballs,

and withdrew without uttering a word.

 

I was stung to the quick by so hostile a treatment, and in a

humour to set out immediately on my return to Valencia; but to

that project Scipio uniformly opposed his steady objections, not

knowing how for the life of him to part with those flattering

hopes which fancy had engendered in his brain. Do you not see

plainly, said I, that the count wishes to drive me away from

court? The monarch has testified in his presence some sort of

favourable intention towards me, and is not that enough to draw

down upon me the thorough hatred of the monarch’s favourite? Let

us drive before the wind, my good comrade; let us make up our

minds to put quietly into port, and leave the open sea and the

honours of the flag in the possession of an enemy with whom we

are too feeble to contend. Sir, answered he, in high resentment

against the Count of Olivarez, I would not strike so easily. I

would go and complain to the king of the contempt in which his

minister held his recommendation. Bad advice, indeed, my friend,

said I; to take so imprudent a step as that, would soon bring

bitter repentance in the train of its consequences. I do not even

know whether it is safe for me to remain any longer in this town.

 

At this hint, my secretary communed a little with his own

thoughts; and, considering that in point of fact we had to do

with a man who kept the key of the tower of Segovia in his

pocket, my fears became naturalized in his breast. He no longer

opposed my earnest desire of leaving Madrid, and I determined to

take my measures accordingly on the very next day.

 

CH. III. — The project of retirement is prevented, and Joseph

Navarro brought upon the stage again, by an act of signal

service.

 

ON my way home to my lodgings I met Joseph Navarro, whom the

render will recollect as on the establishment of Don Balthasar de

Zuniga, and one of my old friends. I made my bow first at a

distance, then went up to him, and asked whether he knew me

again, and if he would still be so good as to speak to a wretch

who had repaid his friendship with ingratitude. You acknowledge

then, said he, that you have not behaved very handsomely by me?

Yes, answered I; and you are fully justified in laying on your

reproaches thick and threefold: I deserve them all, unless indeed

my guilt may be thought to have been atoned by the remorse of

conscience attendant on it. Since you have repented of your

misconduct, replied Navarro, embracing me, I ought no longer to

hold it its remembrance. For my part, I knew not how to hug

Joseph close enough in my arms; and we both of us resumed our

original kind feelings towards one another.

 

He had heard of my imprisonment and the derangement of my

affairs; but of what followed he was totally ignorant I informed

him of it; relating word for word my conversation with the king,

without suppressing the minister’s late ungracious reception of

me, any more than my present purpose of retiring into my

favourite obscurity. Beware of removing from the scene of action,

said he: since the sovereign has shown a disposition to befriend

you, there are always uses to be made of such a circumstance.

Between ourselves, the Count of Olivarez has something rather

unaccountable in his character: he is a very good sort of

nobleman, but rather whimsical withal: sometimes, as on the

present occasion, he acts in a most offensive manner, and none

but himself can furnish a clue to disentangle the intricate

thread of his motives and their results. But however this may be,

or whatever reasons might have swayed him to give you so scurvy a

reception, keep your footing here, and do not budge; he will not

be able to hinder you from thriving under the royal shelter and

protection; take my word for that! I will just give a hint upon

the subject this evening to Signor Don Balthasar de Zuniga, my

master; he is uncle to the Count of Olivarez, and shares with him

in the toils and cares of office. Navarro having given me this

assurance, inquired where I lived, and then we parted.

 

It was not long before we met again; for he came to call on me

the very next day. Signor de Santillane, said he, you are not

without a protector; my master will lend you his powerful

support: on the strength of the good character which I have given

your lordship, he has promised to speak to his nephew, the Count

of Olivarez, in your behalf; and I doubt not but he will

effectually prepossess him in your favour. My friend Navarro not

meaning to serve me by halves, introduced me two days afterwards

to Don Balthasar, who said with a gracious air: Signor de

Santillane, your friend Joseph has pronounced your panegyric in

terms which have won me over completely to your interest. I made

a low obeisance to Signor de Zuniga, and answered, that to the

latest period of my life I should entertain the most lively sense

of my obligation to Navarro, for having secured to me the

protection of a minister, who was considered, and that for the

best reasons possible, as the presiding genius, the greater

luminary, or, as it were, the eye and mind of the ministerial

council. Don Balthasar, at this unexpected stroke of flattery,

clapped me on the shoulder with an approving chuckle, and

returned my compliment by a more significant intimation: You may

call on the Count of Olivarez again to-morrow, and then you will

have more reason to be pleased with him.

 

For the third time, therefore, did I make my appearance before

the prime minister, who, picking me out from among the mob of

suitors, cast upon me a look conveying with it a simper of

welcome, from which I ventured to draw a good omen. This is all

as it should be, said I to myself; the uncle has brought the

nephew to his proper bearings. I no longer anticipated any other

than a favourable reception, and my confidence was fully

justified. The count, after having given audience to the

promiscuous crowd, took me with him into his closet, and said

with a familiar address: My friend Santillane, you must excuse

the little disquietude I have occasioned you merely for my own

amusement; it was done in sport, though it was death to you, for

the sole purpose of practising on your discretion, and observing

to what measures your disgust and disappointment would incite

you. Doubtless you must have concluded that your services were

displeasing to me; but on the contrary, my good fellow, I must

confess frankly, that, as far as appears at present, you are

perfectly to my mind. Though the king my master had not enjoined

me to take charge of your fortunes, I should have done so of my

own free choice. Besides, my uncle, Don Balthasar de Zuniga, to

whom I can refuse nothing, has requested me to consider you as a

man for whom he particularly interests himself: that alone would

be enough to fix my confidence in you, and make me most sincerely

your friend.

 

This outset of my career produced so lively an impression on my

feelings, that they became unintelligibly tumultuous. I threw

myself at the minister’s feet, who insisted on my rising

immediately, and then went on to the following effect: Return

hither to-day after dinner, and ask for my steward: he will

acquaint you with the orders which I shall have given him. With

these words his excellency broke up the conference to hear mass,

according to his constant custom every day after giving audience:

he then attended the king’s levee.

 

CH. IV. — Gil Blas ingratiates himself with the Count of

Olivarez.

 

I DID not fail returning after dinner to the prime minister’s

house, and asking for his steward, whose name was Don Raymond

Caporis. No sooner had I made myself known, than paying his

civilities to me in the most respectful manner, Sir, said he,

follow me if you please: I am to do myself the honour of shewing

you the way to the apartment which is ordered for you in this

family. Having spoken thus, he led me up a narrow staircase to a

gallery communicating with five or six rooms, which composed the

second story belonging to one wing of the house, and were

furnished neatly, but without ostentation. You behold, resumed

he, the lodging assigned you by his lordship, where you will

always have a table of six persons, kept at his expense. You will

be waited on by his own servants; and there will always be a

carriage at your command. But that is not all: his excellency

insisted on it in the most pointed manner, that you should be

treated in every respect with the same attention as if you

belonged to the house of Guzman.