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

44 THE ADVENTURES OF
myfclf to fleep, I did nothing but think of thalL
lady’s misfortune: 1 never doubted that the wajy
a perfon of quality, and looked upon her lituatioii
as the more deplorable for that reafon. I coulij
not without fhuddering reprefent to myfelf thA
horrors to which fhe was deftined, and felt myl
felf as deeply concerned for her as if 1 had beA-
attached by blood or friendlhip. At laft, afte|fr
having bewailed her hard fate, 1 began to revolt
the means of refcuing her honour from the da A
ger in which it was, and of delivering myfelf a:
the fame time from the fubterranean abode.—-j
1 recollected that the old negro was not in a con j.
dition to move, and that, fince his being takei
ill, the cook-wench kept the key of the grate.—m
TlAs reflection warmed my imaginatioh, and.
made me conceive a fcheme, which I digeited f<>
well, that I proceeded to put in practice iimnedifj!!
ately, in the following manner.
Pretending to be racked with the cholic, I bep
gan with complaints and groans; then raiflnl
my voice, uttered dreadful cries, that waked tM y
robbers, and brought them inftantly to my bed- >
fide. When they alked what made me roar f#
hideoufly, I anfwered, that I was tortured .vitat
an horrible cholic: and, the better to perfuadO,
them of the truth of what 1 faid, grinded my;
teeth, made frightful grimaces and contortion^
and writhed myfelf in a firange manner: then ij
became quiet all of a fudden, as if my pains had)
given me fome refpite.——In a moment after, l
began again to bounce upon the bed, and twiK
about my limbs: in a word, I played my part f®.
well, that the thieves, cunning as they were, all;,
lowed themfelves to be deceived, and believedj)
in good earneit, that 1 wras violently griped. In|-
a moment all of them were bufied in endeafr
votuS