The adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane

Front matter

QassP£L|3S7 l&SS fTHE

ADVENTURES

SANTILLANE.

Chap. I. — The birth and education of Gil Bias Page i

Chap. II. — Gil Bias' alarm on his road to Pegnaflor; his adventures on his arrival in that town ; and the character of the men with whom he supped 2 Chap. III.— -The muleteer's temptation on the road; its consequences, and the situation of Gil Bias between Scylla and Charybdis 6

Chap. IV. — Description of the subterraneous dwelling and its contents 8

Chap. V.. — The arrival of the banditti in the subterraneous retreat, with an account of their pleasant conversation 9 Chap. VI. — The attempt of Gil Bias to escape, and its success 13 Chap. VII. — Gil Bias, not being able to do what he likes, does what he can 15 Chap. VIII. — Gil Bias goes out with the gang, and performs an exploit on the highway 16 Chap. IX. — A more serious incident 17 Chap. X. — The lady's treatment from the robbers. The event of the great design conceived by Gil Bias 19 Chap. XL — The history of Donna Mencia de Mosquera 21 Chap. XII. — A disagreeable interruption 25 Chap. XIII. — The lucky means by which Gil Bias escaped from prison, and his travels afterwards 27 Chap. XIV. — Donna Mencia's reception of him at Burgos 29 Chap. XV. — Gil Bias dresses himself to more advantage, and receives a second present from the lady. His equipage on setting out from Burgos 31 Chap. XVI. — Shewing that prosperity will slip through a man's fingers 33 Chap. XVII. — The measures Gil Bias took after the adventure of the ready-furnished lodging 36

Chap. V. — Sequel of the foregoing adventure. Gil Bias retires from practice

and from the neighbourhood of Valladolid ca

C hap. VI. — His route from Valladolid, with a description of his fellow-traveller 5 7 Chap. VII. — The journeyman barber's story 58

Chap. VIII. — The meeting of Gil Bias and his companion with a man soaking

crusts of bread at a spring, and the particulars of their conversation 71

Chap. IX. — The meeting of Diego with his family; their circumstances in life ;

great rejoicings on the occasion ; the parting scene between him and Gil Bias 73

Chap. I. — The arrival of Gil Bias at Madrid. His first place there 76

Chap. II. — The astonishment of Gil Bias at meeting Captain Rolando in Madrid ; and that robber's curious narrative 79 Chap. III. — Gil Bias is dismissed by Don Bernard de Castil Blazo, and enters into the service of a beau 82 Chap. IV. — Gil Bias gets into company with his fellows ; they shew him a ready road to the reputation of wit, and impose on him a singular oath 87 Chap. V. — Gil Bias becomes the darling of the fair sex, and makes an interesting acquaintance 90 Chap. VI. — The prince's company of comedians 94 Chap. VII. — History of Don Pompeyo de Castro 97 Chap. VIII. — An accident, in consequence of which Gil Bias was obliged to look out for another place 100 Chap. IX. — A new service, after the death of Don Matthias de Silva 103 Chap. X. — Much such another as the foregoing 105

CONTENTS.

Chap. XL — A theatrical life and an author's life Page 107

Chap. XII. — Gil Bias acquires a relish for the theatre, and takes a full swing

of its pleasures, but soon becomes disgusted 109

Book The Fourth

Chap. I. — Gil Bias not being able to reconcile himself to the morals of the actresses, quits Arsenia, and gets into a more reputable service 1 1 1

Chap. II. — Aurora's reception of Gil Bias. Their conversation 114

Chap. III. — A great change at Don Vincent's. Aurora's strange resolution 116 Chap. IV. — The Fatal Marriage ; a Novel 119 Chap. V. — The behaviour of Aurora de Guzman on her arrival at Salamanca 135 Chap. VI. — Aurora's devices to secure Don Lewis Pacheco's affections 141 Chap. VII. — Gil Bias leaves his place, and goes into the service of Don Gonzales Pacheco 145 Chap. VIII. — The Marchioness of Chaves : her character, and that of her company 152 Chap. IX. — An incident that parted Gil Bias and the Marchioness of Chaves. The subsequent destination of the former 155 Chap. X. — The history of Don Alphonso and the fair Seraphina 157 Chap. XL — The old hermit turns out an extraordinary genius, and Gil Bias finds himself among his former acquaintance 165

Book The Fifth

Chap. I.— History of Don Raphael 168

Chap. II. — Don Raphael's consultation with his company, and their adventures

as they were preparing to leave the wood 208

Book The Sixth

Chap. I. — The fate of Gil Bias and his companions after they took leave of the Count de Polan. One of Ambrose's notable contrivances set off by the manner of its execution 211

Chap. II. — The determination of Don Alphonso and Gil Bias, after this adventure 217

CONTENTS.

Chap. III. — An unfortunate occurrence, which terminated to the high delight of Don Alphonso. Gil Bias meets with an adventure which places him all at once in a very superior situation Page 219

Book The Seventh

Chap. I. — The tender attachment between Gil Bias and Dame Lorenza Sephora 220

Chap. II. — What happened to Gil Bias after his retreat from the Castle of Leyva, shewing that those who are crossed in love are not always the most miserable of mankind. 226

Chap. III. — Gil Bias becomes the archbishop's favourite, and the channel of all his favours 229

Chap. IV. — The archbishop is afflicted with a stroke of apoplexy. How Gil Bias gets into a dilemma, and how he gets out 233

Chap. V. — The course which Gil Bias took after the archbishop had given him his dismissal. His accidental meeting with the licentiate who was so deeply in his debt ; and a picture of gratitude in the person of a parson 235

Chap. VI. — Gil Bias goes to the play at Grenada. His surprise at seeing one of the actresses, and what happened thereupon 237

Chap. VII. — Laura's story 241

Chap. VIII. — The reception of Gil Bias among the players at Grenada ; and another old acquaintance picked up in the green-room 249

Chap. IX. — An extraordinaiy companion at supper, and an account of their conversation 25 1

Chap. X. — The Marquis de Marialva gives a commission to Gil Bias. That faithful secretary acquits himself of it as shall be related 252

Chap. XI— A thunderbolt to Gil Bias 254

Chap. XII. — Gil Bias takes lodgings in a ready-fumished house. He gets acquainted with Captain Chinchilla. That officer's character arid business at Madrid 256

Chap. XIII. — Gil Bias comes across his dear friend Fabricio at court. Great ecstasy on both sides. They adjourn together, and compare notes ; but their conversation is too curious to be anticipated 260

Chap. XIV. — Fabricio finds a situation for Gil Bias in the establishment of Count Galiano, a Sicilian nobleman 266

Chap. XV. — The employment of Gil Bias in Don Galiano's household 268

Chap. XVI. — An accident happens to the Count de Galiano's monkey ; his lordship's affliction on that occasion. The illness of Gil Bias, and its consequences 271

CONTENTS.

Tordesillas at the drawing-room, and adjourns with them to a more convenient

place. The story of Don Gaston and Donna Helena de Galisteo concluded.

Santillane renders some service to Tordesillas Page 417

Chap. XIV. — Santillane's visit to poet Nunez, the company and conversation 420

Book The Twelfth

Chap. I. — Gil Bias sent to Toledo by the minister. The purpose of his journey and its success 421

Chap. II. — Santillane makes his report to the minister, who commissions him to send for Lucretia. The first appearance of that actress before the court 425

Chap. III. — Lucretia's popularity, her appearance before the king, his passion, and its consequences 426

Chap. IV. — Santillane in a new office 428

Chap. V. — The son of the Genoese is acknowledged by a legal instrument, and named Don Henry Philip de Guzman. Santillane establishes his household, and arranges the course of his studies 429

Chap. VI. — Scipio's return from New Spain. Gil Bias places him about Don Henry's person. That young nobleman's course of study. His career of honour, and his father's matrimonial speculation on his behalf. A patent of nobility conferred on Gil Bias against his will 430

Chap. VII. — An accidental meeting between Gil Bias and Fabricio. Their last conversation together, and a word to the wise from Nunez 432

Chap. VIII. — Gil Bias finds that Fabricio's hint was not without foundation. The king's journey to Saragossa 433

Chap. IX. — The revolution of Portugal, and disgrace of the prime minister 434

Chap. X. — A difficult, but successful, weaning from the world. The minister's employment in his retreat 435

Chap. XL — A change in his lordship for the worse. The marvellous cause, and melancholy consequences, of his dejection 436

Chap. XII. — The proceedings at the castle of Loeches after his lordship's death, and the course which Santillane adopted 438

Chap. XIII. — The return of Gil Bias to his seat. His joy at finding his god-daughter Seraphina marriageable ; and his own second venture in the lottery of love „o 354

Chap. XIV.— A double marriage, and the conclusion of the history --g

C -.«.. x-.^. — is w jir^ x^o witn the fair Antonia ; the style and manner

of the ceremony ; the persons assisting thereat ; and the festivities ensuing

CONTENTS.

Chap. X. — The honeymoon (a very dull time for the reader as a third person)

enlivened by the commencement of Scipio's story Page 363

Chap. XI. — Continuation of Scipio's story 375

Chap. XII. — Conclusion of Scipio's story 382

Book The Eleventh

Chap. I. — Containing the subject of the greatest joy that Gil Bias ever felt, followed up, as our greatest pleasures too generally are, by the most melancholy event of his life. Great changes at court, producing, among other important revolutions, the return of Santillane 392

Chap. II. — Gil Bias arrives in Madrid, and makes his appearance at court; the king is blessed with a better memory than most of his courtiers, and recommends him to the notice of his prime minister. Consequences of that recommendation 395

Chap. III. — The project of retirement is prevented, and Joseph Navarro brought upon the stage again, by an act of signal service 398

Chap. IV. — Gil Bias ingratiates himself with the Count of Olivarez 399

Chap. V. — The private conversation of Gil Bias with Navarro, and his first employment in the service of the Count d'Olivarez 401

Chap. VI. — The application of the three hundred pistoles, and Scipio's commission connected with them. Success of the state paper mentioned in the last chapter 404

Chap. VII. — Gil Bias meets with his friend Fabricio once more ; the accident, place, and circumstances described, with the particulars of their conversation together 406

Chap. VIII. — Gil Bias gets forward progressively in his master's affections. Scipio's return to Madrid, and account of his journey 408

Chap. IX. — How my lord duke married his only daughter, and to whom, with the bitter consequences of that marriage 410

Chap. X. — Gil Bias meets with the poet Nunez by accident, and learns that he has written a tragedy, which is on the point of being brought out at the theatre royal. The ill fortune of the piece, and the good fortune of its author 41 1

Chap. XI. — Santillane gives Scipio a situation ; the latter sets out for New Spain 413

Chap. XII. — Don Alphonso de Leyva comes to Madrid; the motive of his HAP. X\ ^mey g severe affliction to Gil Bias, and a cause of rejoicing subsequent ' \ lordship's affliction _m xu*. — — -

quences .

CONTENTS.

Chap. III. — Preparations for the marriage of Gil Bias. A spoke in the wheel of Hymen Page 313

Chap. IV. — The treatment of Gil Bias in the tower of Segovia. The cause of his imprisonment 314

Chap. V. — His reflections before he went to sleep that night, and the noise that waked him 316

Chap. VI. — History of Don Gaston de Cogollos and Donna Helena de Galisteo 318

Chap. VII. — Scipio finds Gil Bias out in the tower of Segovia, and brings him a budget of news 325

Chap. VIII. — Scipio's first journey to Madrid : its object and success. Gil Bias falls sick. The consequence of his illness 327

Chap. IX. — Scipio's second journey to Madrid. Gil Bias is set at liberty on certain conditions. Their departure from the tower of Segovia, and conversation on their journey 329

Chap. X. — Their doings at Madrid. The rencounter of Gil Bias in the street, and its consequences 331

Book The Tenth

Chap. I. — Gil Bias sets out for the Asturias, and passes through Valladolid, where he goes to see his old master, Doctor Sangrado. By accident he comes across Signor Manuel Ordonnez, governor of the hospital 333

Chap. II. — Gil Bias continues his journey, and arrives in safety at Oviedo. The condition of his family. His father's death, and its consequences 338

Chap. III. — Gil Bias sets out for Valencia, and arrives at Lirias ; description of his seat ; the particulars of his reception, and the characters of the inhabitants he found there 343

Chap. IV. — A journey to Valencia, and a visit to the lords of Leyva. The conversation of the gentlemen, and Seraphina's demeanour 346

Chap. V. — Gil Bias goes to the play, and sees a new tragedy. The success of the piece. The public taste at Valencia 348

Chap. VI. — Gil Bias, walking about the streets of Valencia, meets with a man of sanctity, whose pious face he has seen somewhere else. What sort of man this man of sanctity turns out to be 351

Chap. VII. — Gil Bias returns to his seat at Lirias. Scipio's agreeable intelligence, and a reform in the domestic arrangements 354

Chap. VIII. —The loves of Gil Bias and the fair Antonia 356

Chap. IX. — Nuptials of Gil Bias with the fair Antonia ; the style and manner of the ceremony ; the persons assisting thereat ; and the festivities ensuing

CONTENTS.

Book The Eighth

Chap. I. — Gil Bias scrapes an acquaintance of some value, and finds wherewithal to make him amends for the Count de Galiano's ingratitude. Don Valerio de Luna's story Page 276

Chap. II. — Gil Bias is introduced to the Duke of Lerma, who admits him among the number of his secretaries, and requires a specimen of his talents, with which he is well satisfied 279

Chap. III. — All is not gold that glitters. Some uneasiness resulting from the discovery of that principle in philosophy, and its practical application to existing circumstances 281

Chap. IV. — Gil Bias becomes a favourite with the Duke of Lerma, and the confidant of an important secret 284

Chap. V. — The joys, the honours, and the miseries of a court life, in the person of Gil Bias 285

Chap. VI. — Gil Bias gives the Duke of Lerma a hint of his wretched condition. That minister deals with him accordingly 287

Chap. VII. — A good use made of the fifteen hundred ducats. A first introduction to the trade of office, and an account of the profit accruing therefrom 290

Chap. VIII. — History of Don Roger de Rada 291

Chap. IX. — Gil Bias makes a large fortune in a short time, and behaves like other wealthy upstarts 295

Chap. X. — The morals of Gil Bias become at court much as if they had never been at all. A commission from the Count de Lemos, which, like most court commissions, implies an intrigue 299

Chap. XL — The Prince of Spain's secret visit, and presents to Catalina 303

Chap. XII. — Catalina's real condition a worry and alarm to Gil Bias. His precautions for his own ease and quiet 305

Chap. XIII. — Gil Bias goes on personating the great man. Pie hears news of his family: a touch of nature on the occasion. A grand quarrel with Fabricio 307

Book The Ninth

Chap. I. — Scipio's scheme of marriage for Gil Bias. The match, a rich goldsmith's daughter. Circumstances connected with this speculation 309

Chap. II. — In the progress of political vacancies, Gil Bias recollects that there is such a man in the world as Don Alphonso de Leyva, and renders him a , service from motives of vanity 271

H£ °LIV SD /*

HISTORY OF GIL BLAS

OF SANTILLANE.

Chapter. I. — The birth and education of Gil Bias

My father, Bias of Santillane, after having borne arms for a lone time in the Spanish service, retired to his native place.* Therehe married a chamber maid who was not exactly m her teens, and I made my debut on this sSe ten months alter marriage. They afterwards went to live at OWedo whefe m mother got into service, and my father obtained a situation equally adaptedto his capacities as a squire As their wages were their fortune, I m ght Imve tS my education as I could, had it not been for an uncle of mine in the lown a canon, by name Gil Perez. He was my mother's eldest brZer and mv 3' father. Figure to yourself a little fellow, three feet and a ha 2 affairs™ uncleTTh?!^ 11 * head *» nk dee P between his shoulders, and ?'you havemy uncle to the life For the rest of his qualities, he was an ecclesiastic and of ~!!S ofnothi ng but good living, I mean in the flesh a weU as in the tjmt, with the means of which good living his stall, no lean one, provide!

He took me home to his own house from my infancy, and ran the risk of mv

Si^ U & bou^nf him " S ° bl ' iS J a kd ' " hat be'resolved to cu vate m^ !v!nf i t ° Ught me a pnmer ' and undertook my tuition as far as reading went : which was not amiss for himself as well as for me • sfnce bv teSh nf

T,^i^:^: d ^bT : ea ; nin T- which had ^S &

cTvJ" V? Y ff t0 ha T taUght me Latin ' to ™e expense but, alas - poor onlsil LttlTZ Sklm r d A 6 firSt Prind P leS ° f k in the wffi Srsl chaer though on a .llT ^ f ^ ™ S the m ° St ignorant memb er of the canons T 3 f . J6C l nvoIvm g as many possibilities as there were

canons I presume not to pledge myself for anything like certaintv t! il

r 6 ° rder ° f P nesth00d ^hout the troublesome ceremony T an e P xaml"

L?I w^ f^f * herefor ^ to P Iac « me under the correction of a master so hatT was sent to Doctor Godinez, who had the reputation of bein™ ' '

GIL BLAS.

accomplished pedant of Oviedo. I profited so well under his instructions, that, by the end of five or six years I could read a Greek author or two, and had no very inadequate conception of the Latin poets. Besides my classical studies, I applied to logic, which enabled me to become an expert arguer. I now fell in love with discussions of all kinds to such an excess, that I stopped his Majesty's subjects on the high road, acquaintance or strangers, no matter ! and proposed some knotty point of controversy. Sometimes I fell in with a clan of Irish, and an altercation never comes amiss to them ! That was your time, if you are fond of a battle. Such gestures ! such grimaces ! such contortions ! Our eyes sparkling, and our mouths foaming ! Those who did not take us for what we affected to be, philosophers, must have set us down for madmen.

But let that be as it will, I gained the reputation of no small learning in the town. My uncle was delighted, because he prudently considered that I should so much the sooner cease to be chargeable to him. Come here, Gil Bias, quoth he one day, you are got to be a fine fellow. You are past seventeen, and a clever lad ; you must bestir yourself, and get forward in the world. I think of sending you to the university of Salamanca : with your wit you will easily get a good post. I will give you a few ducats for your journey, and my mule, which will fetch ten or twelve pistoles at Salamanca, and with such a sum at setting out, you will be enabled to hold up your head till you get a situation.

He could not have proposed to me anything more agreeable : for I was dying to see a little of life. At the same time, I was not such a fool as to betray my satisfaction ; and when it came to the hour of parting, by the sensibility I discovered at taking leave of my dear uncle, to whom I was so much obliged, and by calling in the stage effect of grief, I so softened the good soul, that he put his hand deeper into his pocket than he would have done, could he have pried into all that was passing in the interior of my hypocritical little heart. Before my departure I took a last leave of my papa and mamma, who loaded me with an ample inheritance of good advice. They enjoined me to pray to God for my uncle, to go honestly through the world, not to engage in any ill, and above all, not to lay my hands on other people's property. After they had lectured me for a good while, they made me a present of their blessing, which was all my patrimony and all my expectation. As soon as I had received it, I mounted my mule, and saw the outside of the town.

Ch. II. — Gil Bids' alarm o?i his road to Pegnaflor ; his adventures on his anival in that town ; and the character of the men with whom he supped.

Here I am, then, on the other side of Oviedo, on the road to Pegnaflor, with the world before me, as yet my own master, as well as master of a bad mule and forty good ducats, without reckoning on a little supplementary cash purloined from my much-honoured uncle. The first thing I did was to let my mule go as the beast liked, that is to say, very lazily. I dropped the rein, and taking out my ducats, began to count them backwards and forwards in my hat. I was out of my wits for joy, never having seen such a sum of money before, and could not help looking at it and sifting it through my fingers. I had counted it over about the twentieth time, when all at once my mule, with head raised, and ears pricked up, stood stock still in the middle of the high road. I thought to be sure, something was the matter ; looked about for a cause, and perceivin . a hat upon the ground, with a rosary of large beads, at the same time heard 11S lugubrious voice pronounce these words : Pray, honoured master, have pity c Wit a poor maimed soldier ! Please to throw a few small pieces into this hat ; yo| shall be rewarded for it in the other world. I looked immediately on the sidj lordshlp e s t a l &X. < 2iS e proceeded, and saw, just by a thicket, twenty or thirty pacg

quences J \

AD VENTURES A T PEGNAFL GR.

from me, a sort of a soldier, who had mounted the barrel of a confounded long carbine on two cross sticks, . and seemed to be taking aim at me. At a sight which made me tremble for the patrimony of the Church committed to my care, I stopped short, made sure of my ducats, and taking out a little small change, as I rode by the hat, placed to receive the charity of those quiet subjects who had not the courage to refuse it, dropped in my contribution in detail, to convince the soldier how nobly I dealt by him. He was satisfied with my liberality, and gave me a blessing for every kick I gave my mule in my impatience to get out of his way ; but the infernal beast, without partaking in the slightest degree of my impatience, went at the old steady pace. A long custom of jogging on fair and softly under my uncle's weight had obliterated every idea of that motion called a gallop.

The prospect of my journey was not much improved by this adventure as a specimen. I considered within myself that I had yet some distance to Salamanca, and might, not improbably, meet with something worse. My uncle seemed to have been very imprudent not to have consigned me to the care of a muleteer. That, to be sure, was what he ought to have done ; but his notion was, that by giving me his mule, my journey would be cheaper ; and that entered more into his calculation than the dangers in which I might be involved on the road. To retrieve his error, therefore, I resolved, if I had the good luck to arrive safe at Fegnaflor, to offer my mule for sale, and take the opportunity of a muleteer going to Astorga, whence I might get to Salamanca by a similar conveyance. Though I had never been out of Oviedo I was acquainted with the names of the towns through which I was to pass. ; a species of information I took care to procure before my setting out.

I got safe and sound to Pegnaflor, and stopped at the door of a very decentlooking inn. My foot was scarcely out of the stirrup before the landlord was at my side, overwhelming me with public-house civility. He untied my cloakbag with his own hands, swung it across his shoulders, and ushered my Honour into a room, while one of his men led my mule to the stable. This landlord, the most busy prattler of the Asturias, ready to bother you impertinently about his own concerns, and, at the same time, with a sufficient portion of curiosity to worm himself into the knowledge of yours, was not long in telling me that his name was Andrew Corcuelo ; that he had seen some service as a sergeant in the army, which he had quitted fifteen months ago, and married a girl of Castropol, who, though a little tawny or so, knew how to make both ends meet as well as the best of them. He told me a thousand things besides which he might just as well have kept private. Thinking himself entitled, after this voluntary confidence, to an equal share of mine, he asked me in a breath, and without further preface, whence I came, whither I was going, and who I was. To all this I felt myself bound to answer, article by article, because, though rather abrupt in asking them, he accompanied each question with so apologetic a bow, beseeching me with so submissive a grimace not to be offended at his curiosity, that I was drawn in to gratify it whether I would or no. Thus by degrees did we get into a long conversation, in the course of which I took occasion to hint that I had some reasons for wishing to get rid of my mule, and travel under convoy of a muleteer. He seemed on the whole to approve of my plan, though he could not prevail with himself to tell me so briefly ; for he introduced his remarks by descanting on all the possible and probable mischances to which travellers are liable on the road, not omitting an awkward story now and then. I thought the fellow would never have done. But the conclusion of the argument was, that if I wanted to sell my mule, he knew an honest jockey who would take it off my hands. I begged he would do me the favour to fetch him, .vhich was no sooner said than done.

1 *

L

GIL BLAS.

On his return he introduced the purchaser, with a high encomium on his integrity. We all three went into the yard, and the mule was brought out to show paces before the jockey, who set himself to examine the beast from head to foot. His report was bad enough. To be sure, it would not have been easy to make a good one ; but if it had been the pope's mule, and this fellow was to cheapen the bargain, it would have been just the same : nay, to speak with all due reverence, if he had been asked to give an opinion of the pope's great toe, from that disparaging habit of his, he would have pronounced it no better than the toe of any ordinary man. He laid it down, therefore, as a principle, that the mule had all the defects a mule could have : appealing to the landlord for a confirmation of his judgment, who, doubtless, had reasons of his own for not controverting his friend's assertion. Well ! says the jockey, with an air of indifference, What price have you the conscience to ask for this devil of an animal ? After such a panegyric, and master Corcuelo's certificate, whom I was fool enough to take for a fair-dealing man and a good judge of horse-flesh, they might have had the mule for nothing. I therefore told the dealer that I threw myself on his mercy : he must fix his own sum, and I should expect no more. On this he began to affect the gentleman, and answered that I had found out his weak side when I left it to his honour. He was right enough in that ! his honour was his weak side ! for instead of bidding up to my uncle's estimate of ten or twelve pistoles, the rascal had the impudence to offer three ducats, which I accepted with as light a heart as if I had got the best of the bargain.