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

G I L B L A S. I27
tnent, which I now was mad with myfelf for
having hired ; and which I firmly refolved to leave,
at the month’s end. It was to no purpofe for me
flo lie down on a good bed ; my anxiety, banilhed
all rtpofe j and I paffed the night in contriving
means of hang paid by his majefty for my work.
I ftuck, on tins occafion, to Montefer’s advice,.
! and rofe with a refolution of going to pay my re-
j l^sefts to Don Roderigo de Calderona- I was in a
.very proper difpofnion to appear before fuch a'
proud man, becaufe I found 1 had occafion for his
proteQion.
I repaired then to the fecretary, whofe lodging
eommunicated with that of the duke of Lerma,
and even equalled it in magnificence: by the fur¬
niture, it would liave been a difficult matter to di-
flinguifn the niafter from the man. I fent in my
same, as the fucceffor of Don Valerio; but, for
all that, I waited in the anti-chamber upwards of
an hour. “ Mr, New Secretary, (faid I to myfelf
at this junflure) have a little patience, if you pleafe s
I find you muft dance attendance yourfelf, before
you make other people do ,fo.” The chamber
door being opened at length, I entered, and advan¬
ced towards Don Rodrigo, whp having juft finifhed
a billet doux to his charming'Sirena, was putting
it into Pedrillo's hands. ,1 had never appeared
before the archbifhop of Grenada, the Count Ga-
Kano, nor even the prime miniller, fo refpedtfully
as I prefented myfelf to the eyes of Signior de
Caldei 00a, whom 1 faluted with a bow to the very
ground, begging his proteffion in fuch fubmilfive
tesms, that I cannot remember them without a
hluib. My meannefs would, have turned to my
prejudice, in the opinion of a real gentleman : but
be was pleafed with my grovelling behaviour, and
allured