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

a young fellow much in my good graces, very capable in business, and will be found irreproachable in his conduct. In a word, I would as soon answer for him as myself.”

“That being the case,” replied Caporis, “he has only to repair immediately to Seville: the ships are to sail for South America in a month. I shall give him a letter at his departure for a man who will put him in the way of making a fortune, without the slightest interference in his excellency’s dues and profits, which ought to be held sacred by him.”

Scipio, delighted with his berth, was in haste to set out for Seville, with a thousand crowns, with which I furnished him, to make purchases of wine and oil in Andalusia, and enable him to trade on his own bottom in the West Indies. And yet, overjoyed as he was to make a voyage, and as he hoped his fortune therewithal, he could not part from me without tears; and the separation raised the waters even from my dry fountains.

XII

Don Alphonso de Leyva comes to Madrid⁠—The motive of his journey a severe affliction to Gil Blas, and a cause of rejoicing subsequent thereon.

No sooner had I parted with Scipio than one of the minister’s pages brought me a note conceived in the following terms: “If Señor de Santillane will take the trouble of calling at the sign of Saint Gabriel, in the street of Toledo, he will there see a friend who is not indifferent to him.”

“Who can this nameless friend possibly be?” said I to myself. “What can be the meaning of all this mystery? Obviously to occasion me the pleasure of a surprise.” I attended the summons immediately, and on my arrival at the place appointed, was not a little astonished to find Don Alphonso de Leyva there. “Is it possible!” exclaimed I: “you here, my lord?”

“Yes, my dear Gil Blas,” answered he with a close compression of my hand in his, “it is Don Alphonso himself.”

“Well! but what brings you to Madrid?” said I.

“You will be not a little startled,” rejoined he, “and no less vexed at the occasion of my journey. They have taken my government of Valencia from me, and the prime minister has sent for me to give an account of my conduct.”

For a whole quarter of an hour I was like a man stupefied; then, recovering the powers of speech, “Of what,” said I, “are you accused?”

“I know nothing at all about it,” answered he; “but my disgrace is probably owing to a visit paid about three weeks ago to the Cardinal Duke of Lerma, who was banished about a month since to his seat at Denia.”

“Yes, indeed!” cried I in a pet, “you may well attribute your misfortune to that imprudent visit: there is no occasion to look out for causes and effects elsewhere; but give me leave to say that you have not acted with your usual good sense, in claiming acquaintance with that favorite out of favor.”

“The leap is taken, and the neck broken,” said he; “and I have nothing to do but to make the best of a bad bargain: I shall retire with my family to our paternal estate at Leyva, where the remnant of my days will glide away in peace and obscurity. What taunts and teases me is the requisition of appearing before a haughty minister, who may receive me with all the insolence of office. How humiliating to the pride of a Spaniard! And yet it is a measure of necessity; but before the degrading ceremony took place, I wanted to talk it over with you.”

“Sir,” said I, “do not announce your arrival to the minister, till I have ascertained the nature of the reports to your discredit, for there are few evils without a remedy. Whatever may be your alleged crimes, you will give me leave, if you please, to act in the affair as gratitude and friendship shall dictate.” With this assurance, I left him at his inn, and promised to let him hear from me soon.

As I had taken no active part in state affairs since the two memorials, in which my eloquence was so signally displayed, I went to look for Carnero, with a view to inquire whether Don Alphonso’s government was really taken from him. He answered in the affirmative, but professed not to know the reason. Finding how things stood, I determined to apply at headquarters, and to learn the grounds of grievance from his lordship’s own mouth.

My spirits were really harassed, so that there was no need of putting on the trappings and the suits of woe, to attract my lord duke’s notice. “What is the matter, Santillane?” said he as soon as he saw me. “I perceive a marked unhappiness on your countenance, and tears just ready to trickle down your cheeks. Has anyone behaved ill to you? Tell me, and you shall have your revenge.”

“My lord,” answered I in a melancholy tone, “even though my grief would seek to hide itself, it must have vent: my despair is past endurance. The report goes that Don Alphonso is no longer governor of Valencia; a severer stroke could not have been inflicted on me.”

“What say you, Gil Blas?” replied the minister in astonishment: “what interest can you take in this Don Alphonso and his government?” On this question, I detailed at length my obligations to the lords of Leyva, and modestly stated my own interference with the Duke of Lerma, to obtain the appointment for my friend.

When his excellency had heard me through with the most polite and kind attention, he spoke thus: “Make yourself easy, Gil Blas. Besides my entire ignorance of what you have just told me, I must own that I considered Don Alphonso as the cardinal’s creature. Only put yourself in my place: was not the visit to his eminence a most suspicious circumstance? Yet I am willing to believe that, owing his