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

OF GIL BLAS.
9T
morning early, defired me to leave his Houle. I
quitted it with dildain, and went into a church be¬
longing to the Dominicans, where, while 1 heard
mafs, an old mendicant came, and ailced alms of me.
I took two or three maravedis out of my pocket, and
giving them to him, faid, “ Friend, pray to God to
“ fend me fome good place : if your prayer is heard,
“ you fliall not repent of your devotion, and may
“ depend upon my gratitude.”
At thefe words the beggar viewed me very atten¬
tively, and anfwered with a ferious air; “ What
“ pod would you have r” “ 1 could wifli, (faid I)
“ to be a lacquey in lome good family.” He then
alked if my occaiions were preffing. “ They cannot
“ be more fo (1 refumed :) for, if I have not the good
“ fortune of being fettled very foon, there is no rne-
“ dium; I mud either die of hunger, or betake my-
“ felf to your trade.” “ If you are reduced to fuch
“ neceffity, (laid he) you, who are not at all calculated
“ for our bufinefs, mud be in a very difagreeable
" dtuation : but were you in the lead accudomed
“ to our way of life, you would prefer it to fervitude,
“ which is without contradiction inferior to beg-
“ gary. Neverthelefs, fince you chufe to be a fer-
“ vant, rather than to live a free and independent
“ life, as I do, you dial! have a mader immediately.
“ Notwithdanding my appearance, I can be of ufe
“ to you: therefore come hither to-morrow at the
“ fame hour.”
Refolved to be pundtual, I returned next day to
the fame place, where I had not been long, before
the mendicant, coming up to me, bid me take the
trouble to follow him. I did fo; he rondudted me
to a cellar not far from the church; and this was
Vot.. IV J-