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

J2Z The ADVENTURES of
in fpite of all my fkill. “ Monfieur de SantUlaneji
(faid he with a fmile, when I had finished my
ffory) I'Tee you tiavfe be?n in youf time, a little up-i
on the' Picaro 1 anfweredi with a biufll,]
Your excellency ordered me to be fincere, and'
Thave obey ed.” I am obliged to thee for it, (he-
rtplied :) go, fny child, thou haft come off very;
cheaply. 1 am aftonifhed that thou waft not un-|
done by ill example. There are many honeftj
people who Would have turned great rogues, had
fbrtune put them to the fame trials.
“Friend Santillane, (continued the minifter) for-i
get thy paft life; and remember, that thou now*
belongeft tp the king, in. whofe fervice thou wilt'
be employed for the future. Follow me, and I;
\Vi!l make thee acquainted with the nature of thyi
office.'' He carried me inro a little clofet adjoin-"
fng to his ,pwn, where I faw, upon fheives^
twenty thick fegifttrS ih folio. “ It is here (faidl
he) Where thou muft work1, Thefe regifters com-
pofe o dictionary of all the noble families within*
the kingdoms apd principalities of the SpanifK
monarchy. Every bobkr contains, in alphabetical
Order, the abridged hiftory of eVery gentleman ; ini
which are recounted the feryicds which he and his
anceftbrs have performed to the ftate, as well as
the affairs of honour m which they have been en-
|aged. There is alfo mention made of their fory
tune, their morals, and, in a word, of all theitj
had qualities ; fo;that, when they come to folici
favours at court, I fee, with one glance of mj
pye, whether or not they deferve them. Thai
j mafy have an exafl information of all thefe thingsj
I have pcnfionarjes every where, who take cart
•* Piciroj a Spanfft word figeifying rrgne.
t®.