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

aj* The ADVENTURES of
of fpeaking to the duke. “ My lord, (faid Scipio,
pfefenting to his excellency the pacquet with which
he was intrufted) one of your moft faithful fer-
vants, ft retched upon- It raw, in a difmal dungeon
of the.tower of Segovia, moft humbly intreats
your grace to read this letter, which a turnkey, out
of pity, gave him liberty and means to write.”
The minifter opened, and perufed the letter : but
although he beheld in it a pidture capable of meltingi
the moft obdurate foul, far from feeming affe&ed-
at my diftrefs, he raifed his voice, and, in the
hearing of feveral perfons prefent, faid to the cou¬
rier, with a furious air j <( Friend, tell Santillane,
that he has a great deal of ailuranee to addrefs
himfelf to me, after the unworthy aftion he has
committed, and for which he is fo juftly chaftifed.
He is a wretch who muft not depend upon my,
protedtion ; for I abandon him to the refentment
of the king.”
Scipio, in fpite of all his effrontery, was difcon-l
certed at this difeourfe ; but, notwiihftanding his
confufion, endeavoured to intercede for me. “ My
lord, (he refumed), the poor, prifoner will die .of fc
grief, when he hears the anfwer of your excel¬
lency.” The duke made no reply to my medi¬
ator, but by a ftern look, and turned :his back upon
him. It was thus.the minifter treated me, the
better to conceal the part he had in the anioj
rous intrigue of the prince of Spain : and this
ought to be a warning to all little agents, whom
noblemen, life in their fecret and dangerous ncgor
tiations.
. When my fescretary returned to Segovia, and
made me acquainted with the fuccefs of his com,-
- million, I was replunged into the dire abyfs qf
defpondeney, in wbifth I found royfclf tlie.ftrft -
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