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

aoS The ADVENTURES of
•her pride will givef you the pleafure of bearing
them.” 4‘ Ah ! my dear Felicia ! (cried I, in a
tranfpcrt of grief) why do you defcribe the ob-
ftacles which I have to furmount I I am aflaflina-
ted by your information ! deceive me rather than
drive me to defpair.” So faying, I took one of
her hands, and .prefflng it in mine, put upon her
finger a diamond worth three hundred piftoles, ac¬
companied by fiich moving expreffions, as brought
the tears into her eyes.
She was too much affefled by my difcourfe, and
too well fatisfied with my behaviour, to leave me
altogether without confolation. She began to
fmooth the difficulties a little, (hying, “ Signipr,
what I have reprefemed ought not to deprive you
of hope; your rival, ’tis tree, is not hated; he
is at liberty to come and vifit his coufin, and talk
to her whenever he pleafes; and this is a circum-
fiance favourable for you. Their being acquflom-
ed to fee one another every day, renders their
converfation a little languid ; they feem to part
without pain, and meet again without pleafure: one
would think they are already married. In a
word, I don't perceive that my miftrefs has a
violent paffion for Don Auguftin : befides, as to
perfonal ■qualifications, there is a difference be¬
tween you and him, that rouft turn to your ac¬
count, in the eyes of fuch a delicate young lady as
Donna Helena. Be not difcouraged, therefore :
continue your gallantry, which I will fecond;
and I will not let flip one opportunity of making
every thing you do to pleafe her, tend to' your
advantage with my miftrefs. In vain (hall (he at¬
tempt to difguife her fentiments, I will foon dif-
COver them in fpite of her diflimulation.”
After