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

ijtf THE ADVENTURES OF
animated my hope, but in iefs than twolr'
after, I received a piece of very bad news::
journeyman apothecary in the neighbourlr
one of our cuftomers, came in to be fhavedi fct
•While I prepared the lather, faid, “ Signoi "■
ego what is the matter with your friend, th St
fquire, Marcos deObregon? Do you know ;
he is going to leave Dodor Oloroib ? Upom
anfwering in the negative, he refumed, “ T
certainly true: he is to be difmifled this c
day: his matter and mine have been juft ;!
ing on that fubjed, while I was by; and, tc l
beft of my refneinbrance, their converfation p
thus: “ Signior Apuntador, (faid the phyficii -
I have a favour to alk : being diflatisfied wit f
old uflier who has ferved me fome time, I w
to put my wife under the diredion of a faith
fevere, and’ vigilant duenna.” “ 1 underf i
you, (faid my matter, interrupting him) you 11
Occafion for Dame Melancia, who was my w •
goveraante, and has lived in the family thefi >■
weeks that I have been a widower: though;;
is very ufeful to me in houfekeeping, I yield n
to you, on account of my concern for your t
nour. You may depend upon her for the fa |
of your forehead: fhe is a jewel of a duenn t
and a very dragon to guard the chaftity of t
female fex, during the whole term of tw v
years that fhe was with my wife, who, you kr»
was both young and handfome, 1 never fau
much as the fhadow of a gallant in my hog
No, faith ! it was no place for them to f
pranks in, and let me tell you, the defund, in \,
* The duennas are difereet females of approved fide ‘
to wfiofe care the Spaniards commit the cha'.ity of | ii
wives and daughters—an office happily eicluded iromj |
land of virtuous freedom.
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