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

178 The ADVENTURES of
CHAP. XII.
Catalina't real cbarafler. The perplexity and unrajinefi
of Gil Bias. 'Ibt precaution be iva: obliged to tain
for bit <nvn quiet.
JUST as I entered my own houfe, I heard ai
great noife ; and enquiring into the caufe, was;
told, Scipio that evening treated half-a-dozen of!
his friends, who fung full throat, and frequently!
broke out in loud fits of laughter ; fo that affuredly,
this repaft could not be properly ftiled the banquet;
of the feven wife men-
The mafter of the feaft, advertifed of my arrival,-
faid to his company, “ Gentlemen, ’tis only my
mafter come home j be not difturbed, but continual
your mirth ; I will go and fpeak two words to him*'
and rejoin you in a twinkling.” So faying, het
came to my apartment. “ What a hubbub is this ?i
(faid I) what fort of people are thofe you entertain
below? are they poets?” “ No indeed. Sir, if
you pleafe (he replied) it were pity to fceftow;
yoUr wine on fuch company. 1 make a better
ufe of it. There is among my guefts a very rich
young fellow, who wants for his money an em-r
ployment by your intereft ; and for him alone I;
give this'entertainment: at every draught he drinks,;
I raife the gratification you are to receive, ten pi-
ftoles, and will make him drink till day.” “ If
that be the cafe, (I replied) go back to thy friends,-
and don’t fpare the wine in my cellar.”
I did not think this a proper feafon to talk with
him about Catalina ; but next morning when I got
up, I fpoke to him in this manner : “Friend Scipio,'
thou knoweft how we live together ; I treat thee
more like a comrade than a dcmeftic ; and of eon-
fequence thou wilt be to fciame in deceiving me as