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

iSS -Th. AD VENTURE'S of
creature: but, luckily, that you dop’t
“ No, faith, my child ! (faid I) we courtiers only
marry for the fake of marrying, and look for
beauty no where, bub in the wives of our friends.
If it happens to center in our own, we take, fo
little notice of it, that is but juft in them to pu-
nifti us for our negleft ”
“ This is not all, (refumed Scipio) Slgnior Ga¬
briel invites you to fupper to night and we have
agreed, that you fhall not talk of marriage. There
will be feveral merchants of his acquaintance pte-
fent at the entertainment, where you (hall appear
only as a Ample gueft : and to-morrow he will
fup with you in the fame manner. By this, you
may fee that he wants to ftudy your temper, before
he proceeds: fo that you muft be upon your gu»td
before him ” “ Zooks! (faid I> with an air of
confidence) let him examine me as narrowly as he
pleafes; I fhall Jofe nothing by his fcrutiny.”
All this was punctually executed : I repaired
to the houfe of the. goldfmith, who received me as
familiarly as if we had already vifited one another
feveral times. He was an honeft citizen, polite
* bajia porfiar, as the faying is. He introduced
me to Signiora Eugenia his wife, and young Ga-
briela his daughter, to whom I paid abundance of
compliments, without infringing the treaty. I fa^d
a great many nothings in very fpecious words,
according to the cuftom of courtiers.
Gabriela (no difparagement to my feeretary)
appeared not at all difagreeabie ; whether on ac¬
count of her being richly drefled, or that I locl.td
upon her through the dowry, l know not. What
a fine houfe did Signior Gabriel poflefs : I be¬
lieve
* Even to obftinacy.