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

G I L B L A S. 119
exerted myfelf wholly in profiting by thofe mo-
'ments of converfation which I had with the duke.
CHAP. IV.
Gil Bias gains the favour of the duke of Lerma, mbt
intrufls him with a fecret of great importance. .
Although his grace, to ufe the expreflion, only
juft appeared before me, and vanifhed again,
every day ; I infenftbly rendered myfelf fo agreeable
to his excellency, that he faid to me one after¬
noon, “ Hark’ye, Gil Bias, I like thy difpofition
and underftanding, and have a regard for thee ac¬
cordingly. Thou art a zealous faithful young fel¬
low, extremely intelligent and difcreet; fo that I
don't think 1 (hall mifplace my confidence, if I
fceltow it upon thee.” I threw myfelf on my
knees when' I heard thefe wordff1 tyd after having
refpeafully kififed one of his hands,' which he held
out to raife me up, anf.vered, “ Is it poflible" then,
thaj your excellency can deign to honour me with
fucH'extraordinary favour? 'What fecret enemies 1
twill your goodnefs raife u£ a'gairift me ! But there
is only one man vthofe hatred I dread, and that is
Don Rodrigo de Calderona.”
“Thou haft nothing to apprehend from that
quarter, (replied the duke :) 1 know Calderona^
he has been attached to me from his infancy y and
I may venture to fay, his fentiments are fo con¬
formable to mine, that he careffes thofe whom I
love, and hates thofe who difoblige me: infteati of
dreading his averfion, thou may’ft, on the confri-
ly, depend upon his friendlhip.” By this,' I could
plainly perceive, that Signior Don Rodrigo was
a cunning rogue,' who had got poffeffion of hi*
' excellency’s foul ; ’and thif l chuld not be too
, Vol. III. N cautiaa*