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

GIL B L A S.. aij
tendant hearing the noife of fwords, looked thro’
the lattice, and feeing two men engaged, waked
Don George and his valets with their cries : thefe,
as well as feveral people In the neighbourhood,
came running to part the combatants, but they
arrived too late, and found no body on the field of
battle, but a cavalier almoft without life, welter¬
ing in his blood.; and I was foon known to b»
that unfortunate perfon. I was carried to the houfe
of my aunt, whither the moft expert furgeons in
town were called to my affiftance. Bvery body
pitied my fate, and Donna Helena in particular, who
then difcovered the bottom of her foul. Her dif-
fimulation gave way to her fentiment, and fhe was
no longer that difdainful creature, who piqued
herfelf upon appearing infenfible to my pafiion.
She was now a tender lover, that abandoned her-
felf to forrow without referve. She fpent the reft
of the night in mourning with her maid, and in
curfing her coufin Don Auguftin de Oltghera,
who they concluded muft have been the author of
their tears : as in effeit it was he who had fo dif-
agreeably interrupted the ferenade. Being as great
a diffembler as his coulin, he had perceived my
intentions, without feeming to take any notice of
them ; and imagining that Ihe favoured my flame,
had committed this aftion, to (hew that he was
not quite fo paffive as the believed him to be. Ne-
verthelefs, this melancholy accident was foon for¬
gotten, by reafon of the joy that followed it. Tho’
I was dangeroully wounded, the (kill of the fur¬
geons faved my life, but I dill kept my chamber,
when my aunt Donna Eleonora went to Don
George, and demanded his daughter for me in
marriage. The father confented to this the more
Vox.. III. U willingly.