Languages & literature > Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane > Volume 1

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GIL BLAS.
33
CHAP. VII.
3" * the behaviour of Gil Bias, when he could do no
better.
DURING the firfl: days of my captivity I was
like to link under the forrow that opprefs’d
s, and might have been faid to die by inches;
it at laft my good genius infpired me with the
it blution to diflemble : I affefted to appear lefs
t than ufual: I began to laugh and ling,
,£ jugh, God knows, with an aching heart. In a
i ird, I counterfeited fo well, that Leonarda and
: imingo were deceived, and believed that the
. d was at laft reconciled to his cage. The
: obers were of the fame opinion ; for I aflumed
£fay air when I filled wine for them, and
ngled in their converfation whenever I found
t opportunity of adding the buffoon. This
r-edom, far from difplealing, afforded them di-
i: rlio.n. “ Gil Bias, (faid the captain to me one
i suing, when I entertained them in this man-
r) thou haft done well, my lad, to baniih thy
iflancholy: lam charmed wdth thy wit and
i; mour: I find people are not known all at
}t re; for I did not think thou hadft been fo
ightly and good-natured.”
The reft joined alfo in my praife, and appear-
; fo well fatisfied with me, that, taking tiie ad¬
jutage of this good difpolition, “Gentlemen,
jlid i) allow me to tell my mind: Since my a-
lile in this place I find myfelf quite another fort
a perfon than heretofore. You have divefted
) ^ of the prejudices of education, and 1 infenli-
imbibe your difpofition : I have a tafte for
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