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

out and

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