Gil Blas by Alain-René Lesage (best romance books of all time TXT) 📕

the best of my ability. They had no suspicion of the trick, though a good deal surprised at finding another hermit there. Lamela, taking advantage of their stupid wonder, said, in a canting tone, ‘My brethren, be not astonished at seeing me in this solitude. I have quitted a hermitage of my own in Aragón, to come hither and be a companion to the venerable and edifying brother Juan, who, at his advanced age, wants a yoke-fellow to administer to his necessities. The rustics lavished their clumsy panegyrics on the charity of Ambrose, and congratulated themselves that they might triumph over their neighbors, and boast of two holy personages residing in their country.’

“Lamela, laden with a large wallet which he had not forgotten among the number of his purchases, went for the first time to reconnoitre the town of Cuenca, which is but a very short distance from the hermitage. With a mortified exterior, by which nature had dubbed him for a cheat, and the art of making that natural deception go as far as possible by a most hypocritical and factitious array of features, he could not fail to play upon the feelings of the charitable and humane, and those whom heaven has blessed with affluence. His knapsack bore testimony to the extravagance of their pious liberalities. ‘Master Ambrose,’ said I on his return, ‘I congratulate you on your happy knack at softening the souls of all good Christians. As we hope to be saved, one would suppose that you had been a mendicant friar among the Capuchins.’

“ ‘I have done something else besides bringing in food for the convent,’ answered he. ‘You must know that I have ferreted out a certain lass called Barbara, with whom I used to flirt formerly. She is as much altered as any of us; for she also has addicted herself to a godly life. She forms a coterie with two or three other sanctified dames, who are an example to the faithful in public, and flounce over head and ears in every sort of private vice. She did not know me again at first.’ “What then, Mistress Barbara,” said I, “is it possible that you should have discharged one of your oldest friends from your remembrance, your servant Ambrose?”

“ ‘ “As I am a true Christian, Señor de Lamela,” exclaimed she, “I never thought to have turned you up in such a garb as that. By what transformation are you become a hermit?”

“ ‘ “That is more than I can tell you just now,” rejoined I. “The particulars are rather long; but I will come tomorrow evening and satisfy your curiosity. Nay, more; I will bring brother Juan, my companion, along with me.”

“ ‘ “Brother Juan,” interrupted she, “the venerable hermit who has taken up his saintly residence near this town? You do not know what you are saying; he is supposed to be more than a hundred years old.”

“ ‘ “It is very true,” said I, “that he was of that age some little while ago; but time, in deference to his sanctity, has gone backward with him; and he is grown considerably younger within these few days. He is at present just about my turn of life.”

“ ‘ “Say you so! Then let us have him too,” replied Barbara. “I perceive there is something more in this mystery than the church will be able to explain.” ’

“We did not miss our appointment with these whited sepulchres on the following night. To make our reception the more agreeable, they had laid out a sumptuous entertainment. Off went our beards and cowls, and vestments of mortification; and without any squeamishness we confessed our birth, education, and real character, to these sisters in hypocrisy. On their part, for fear of being behindhand with us in freedom from prejudice, they fairly let us see of what pretended religionists are capable, when they drop the veil of the sanctuary, and exhibit their unmanufactured faces. We spent almost the whole night at table, and got back to our grotto but a moment before daybreak. We were not long in repeating our visit; or, if the truth must be told, it was nightly for three months; till we had ate up more than two thirds of our ways and means in the company of these delicate creatures. But an unsuccessful candidate for their favor got wind of our proceedings, and prated of our whereabout in the ear of justice, which was to have been in motion towards the hermitage this very day, to lay hold of our persons. Yesterday Ambrose, while picking up eleemosynaries at Cuenca, stumbled upon one of our whining sisterhood, who gave him a note, with this caution: ‘A female friend of mine has written me this letter, which I was going to send to you by a man on purpose. Show it to brother Juan, and regulate your proceedings accordingly.’ It was this very note, gentlemen, that Lamela gave me in your presence, which occasioned us to take so abrupt a leave of our solitary dwelling.”

II

Don Raphael’s consultation with his company, and their adventures as they were preparing to leave the wood.

When Don Raphael had finished the narrative of his adventurous life, which, with all the other qualities of a romance, had the tediousness, Don Alphonso, according to the laws of good breeding, swore himself black in the face that he had been prodigiously entertained. After the usual exchange of compliments, Señor Ambrose put in his oar, with an admonitory hint to the partner of his exploits and peregrinations. “Consider, Don Raphael, that the sun is setting. It would not be amiss, me thinks, to take counsel on what we are to do.”

“You are in the right,” answered his comrade; “we must determine on the place of our destination.”

“For my own part,” replied Lamela, “I am of opinion that we should get upon the road again without loss of time, reach Requena tonight, and enter upon the territory of Valencia tomorrow, where we will go to work full tilt at