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

G I L B L A S. 181
rfceivtd by her as bis highnefs. I imparted it alfa
to tbe count de Lemos, who affured me of his J>r6-
t eft ion, in cafe the firft fecretary fhould difcOvet
the intrigue, and attempt to ruin me with his grace.
Imagining that by this precaution I had delivered
the bark of my fortune from the dangerous (helves
that environed it, my fear vani(hed, I ftill accom¬
panied the prince to the houfe of Catalina, alias
the fair Sirena, who was artful enough to invent
flratagems to keep Don Rodrigo from herembraces,
and to defraud him of thofe nights which (he was
obliged to beftow on his illuftrious rival.
CHAP. XIII.
Gil Hlai continues to aQ tbe man of conjejuence. Heart
news of bis family, which make but fmall imprej/ion
upon bins, and quarrels with Fabric:US,
IHave already obferved, that in the morning my
antechamber was ufually crowded with people
who came to make propofals, but I would not re¬
ceive them viva voce i and, according to the cuftotn
at court, or rather with a view of exhibiting my own
importance, I faid to each follicitor, “ Give in a
memorial.” I was fo much ufed to this, that one
day I anfwered in thefe words to my landlord, who
came to put me in mind of a year’s rent being due.
As for my butcher and baker, they faved me tbe
trouble of afleing their memorials, which were al¬
ways punftually delivered every month. Scipio,
who imitated me fo clofely, that the copy might
be faid to come very'near the original, behaved in
the fame manner to thofe who applied for his inte-
reft with me. I was guilty of another ridi¬
culous piece of vanity, which I don’t intend to ex-
cufe. I was fooliflt enough to talk of the grandees*
as if I had been a man in their fphere- If (for ex.
ample) I had occafion to mention the Duke of Ai
R* va;