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

GIL B L A S. Tzx
| Calatrava and St. lago, foliciting for governments
[ and viceroyalties ; bilhops v/ho, being fickly at their
own diocefes, deflred to be made, archbilhops,
oniy for the change of atr j and feme holy fa¬
thers of the orders of St. Dominic and St. Fran¬
cis, who laid claim to the mitre with great humi¬
lity. I likewife obferved fome half-pay officers,
who afted the fame part that Captain Chinchilla
had formerly performed ; that is, fpeiit all they
had in dancing attendance for a penfion. If tho
duke did not gratify all their defires, he, at leaft,
received their petitions with great affability ; and
I perceived that he anfwered very politely to thofe
who fpoke to him,
We waited patiently, until he had difpatched
• all thefe Applicants: then Don Diego faid tb him,
“ My lord, here is Gil Bias de Sarttillane, that
young man whom your excellency has chofen to
Apply the place of Don Valerio.” At thefe
words, the duke calling his eyes upon me, faid,
in a very obliging manner, “ That I had already
merited it, by the fervices I had done him.” He
afterwards carried me into his clofet, to difpourfe
with me in private, or rather, judge of my
Underflanding by my converfation. He defired to
know who I was, and the life I had hitherto led,
exaffing of me a fincere narration of the wliole.
What a detail was this for me to give 1, there was
Jto thinking of telling lies before a prime minifter
of Spain. On the other hand, I had fo many
things to tell at the expence of my vanity,' that
I could not refolve on a general confeffion. How
fliould I extricate myfelf from this embarraflTment t
I took the refolution of embellifhing the truth,
in thofe parts where it would have offended, in
its nakednefs j but he did not fail to difeover it,
M 3 in