Languages & literature > Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane > Volume 3

GIL B L A S. 3
While 1 enjoyed the happinefs of my coadition,
love, as if he had been jealous of what fortune
had done for me, had a mind that I fhould owe
fome favours to him alfo 5 arid produced in the
heart of dame Lorenca Sephora, chief waiting-
woman to Seraphina, a violent inclination for
mailer Steward. My cpnqueft (to relate things
like a faithful hiftorian) glanced upon her fiftieth
year j but a lively look, an agreeable countenance,
and two fine eyes, which (he knew how to ufe
to the bed advantage, might be faid to make her
Itill'pafs for the objeft of an intrigue. I could have
wiihed only for a few rofes in her complexion, for
fhe was extiemely pale; a circumftance which I
did not fail to attribute to the audetiity of celi¬
bacy.
The lady praflifed upon me a long time, by
looks, in which her pafiion was painted: but in-
flead of anfwering her glances, I at firft feemed
net to perceive her defign; by which behaviour,
I appeared to her as a novice in gallantry; a dif-
covery that fhe did not diilike. Imagining, there¬
fore, that fhe ought no longer to confine herfelf to
the language of the eyes, with a young man whom
fhe believed lefs knowing than he was; during
the very firft converfation we had together, fhs
declared her fentiments in form, that 1 might not
be ignorant of them for the future. This file per¬
formed like one who had been at fiihool. She
feigned to he difconcerted while file fpoke to me,
and after having freely expreffed all that fhe had
to fay, hid her face, to make me believe fhe was
afhamed of letting me fee her weaknefs. There
was no refilling; and though I was determined
more by vanity than inclination, 1 ftiewed my-
felf very fenfible of her aftedlion : I even af-
B z Itifted