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

aaS THE ADVENTURES OF
my miftrefs of your arrival.” I perceived a grel
many curious things in this clofet, which was enj
lightened by a great number of wax candleaj
but my foie view in confidering its magnificenci
was to confirm myfelf in the opinion I had a
already conceived of the lady’s rank. If all that
faw feemed to afiure me die was a perfon of thi
firft quality, when die appeared I was convince^
of it, by her noble and majeftic air. NevertheT
lefs I was miftaken.
“ Signor cavalier, (faid file) after the advancej
I have made, it would be ridiculous to conceaj
the tender fentiments I have for you, which how
ever were not infpired by that merit you havii
this day fliewn before the whole court. That
only has haftened the difeovery: for I have feefiit
you more than once, and enquired into youi:
chara&er, which pleafed me fo much, that 1 dellr
termined to follow my inclination. Don’t imajj;
gine, added the, that you have made a conqueM
of feme duchefs, 1 am no other than a widow ofj.
a fimple officer of the king’s guards: but whanf
makes your victory ftill more glorious, is the pre•*:
ierence I give you to one of the greateft lords olj'l
the kingdom. The Duke of Almeyda is in loveav.
with me, and fpares nothing to inflame me withf
a mutual paffion ; but hitherto he has been unJ
fuccefsful, and I futfer his addrefles only througlT
vanity.”
Though I found by her difeourfe that I hadj
to do with a coquet, I thought myfelf very mud®
obliged to fortune for this adventure : DonnaT
Hortenfia (fo wTas the lady called) was fiill inf
the prime of youth ; and I was dazzled with heil
beauty : befides, ftie offered me the pofleffion oa
a heart which would not yield to the addreiTea
of a duke. What a triumph was this for a yountf
Spanifli