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

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The ADVENTURES of
his mafter, “ Signior, (faid he) would you beliei
it ? we are the fobjedt of their converfation.'
“ Impoflible (cried the Perlian minifter) what c
they fay of us?” “ One of them, (replied t
fecretary) faid, Behold the grand vifir Atahnuc
perfon, that tutelary eagle, who covers Periia likl
a neft with his wings, and incelTantly watches foi
its prefervation. As a relaxation from his pain¬
ful toils, he hunts in this wood with his faithful
fceangir. How happy is that fecretary in ferving
a mafter who has fo much affeftion for him!''
Softly, (faid the other raven) foftly ; don’t to*
much extol the happinefs of that Cachemirian i
Atalmuc, ’tis true, converfes familiarly with him,
honours him with his confidence, and, I don’
doubt, intends to give him a confiderable poll i
but, before that happens, Zeangir will die of hun¬
ger. That poor devil lodges in a fmall paultry
room, where he is in want of the common
CeflarieS of life. In a word, he lives in a miferable
fnanner, though no body at court perceives
The grand vifir never thinks of inquiring into hij
ctrcumftances ; but, content with entertaining fa¬
vourable fentiments in his behalf, leaves him, iri
the mean time, a prey to poverty.’*
Herd I left off fpeaking, in order to obferve the
.duke, who afited, with a fmile, what imprefiiori
the apologue made on the mind of Atalmuc, and
if the gsand vifir Was not offended at the pre-
fumption of his fecretary. “ No, my lord, (faid I*
in great confufion at his queftion) the fable fays,
that, on the, contrary, he loaded him with fa¬
vours.” “ That was lucky, (replied the duke,
with a ferious air) fome minifters Would not like
to be fo fchooled. But (added he, breaking off
the difcourfe, and getting up) 1 believe this king
will