Languages & literature > Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane > Volume 4

The adventures
had made her fuffer. Beatrice, who had a pliant,
obliging temper, eafily infinuated herfelf into the fa¬
vour, and gained the confidence of her mrftrefs. In
fliort, we agreed, all four, to admiration, and be¬
gan to enjoy a lituation worthy of envy. All our
days glided away in the molt agreeable amufements.
Antonia was naturally grave, but Beatrice and f
were very gay: and had we been otherwife, Scipio’*
preience was enough to keep off melancholy. He was
an incomparable fellow for fociety, one of thofe co¬
mical creatures, whofe appearance alone can make
a company merry.
One day, that we took a whim after dinner, to*
go and take a fiefta in the moft agreeable place of
the wood, my fecretary was in fuch good-humour,
that he banifhed all defire of fleepiag by his merry
difeourfe. “ Hyld thy tongue, friend, (faid I), or
“ if thou are refolved to keep us from taking our
“ nap, entertain us with fome ftory worthy our at-
“ tention.”
“ With all my heart, Sir, (anfwered he); fhall
“ I recount the hiftory of King Pelagius * ?” “ I
“ would rather hear thy own, (I replied) ; but that
is a pleafure thou haft not thought proper to
give me, fince we lived together, nor ever will, I
“ fuppofe.” “ And what is the reafon ? (faid he) :
“ if I have not recounted my own hiftory, it was
becaufe you never eiprefled the leaft defire to hear
* Pelagius reigned in the eighth century ; and was feme'
time in fubjeftion to the Saracens ; but putting himfelf at
the head of the Chriflians, and being declared King, took,
arms againit the infidels, whom he vanquifhed, and laid the
foundation of the kingdom of keen, in which he reigned
ijyenty years*