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Volume Three: IX.7 401 tugueze nobleman, who being suspected of a design to deliver Portugal from the dominion of Spain, was imprisoned in the castle of Alicant, where he now remains. As the duke of Lerma knew that an intimacy subsisted between that nobleman and me, he caused me to be arrested also, and conducted to this place: that minister believes, that I am capable of being an accomplice in such a scheme; and he could not have committed a greater outrage upon a noble Castilian. Here Don Gaston left off speaking; and I, to console him, said, “Signior Cavalier, your honour can receive no stain from this disgrace, which will, doubtless, in the end, turn to your advantage. When the Duke of Lerma shall be convinced of your innocence , he will certainly bestow upon you a considerable employment, in order to reestablish the reputation of a gentleman unjustly accused of treason.” chapter vii. Scipio finds Gil Blas in the tower of Segovia, and tells him a great deal of news. Our conversation was interrupted by Tordesillas, who coming into the chamber, addressed himself to me in these terms. “Signior Gil Blas, I have been speaking to a young man who presented himself at the prison-gate, and asked if you was not in confinement here. When I refused to satisfy his curiosity, he seemed very much morti fied. ‘Noble captain (said he, with tears in his eyes) don’t reject the humble request I make, to know if Signior de Santillane is in this place. I am his chief domestick, and you will do a charitable action, in allowing me to see him. You are looked upon in Segovia as a gentleman of great humanity; and I hope you will not refuse me the favour of conversing a moment with my dear master, who is not so guilty as unfortunate.’ In short, (continued Don Andrea) the young man expressed such a desire of seeing you, that I have promised to give him that satisfaction at night.” I assured Tordesillas, that he could not do me a greater pleasure than to admit that young man, who, probably, had something to communicate, which it imported me very much to know. I waited with impatience for the moment that was to offer my faithful Scipio to my eyes; for I did not doubt that it was he; and I was not mistaken. He was introduced into the tower in the evening; and his joy, which mine alone could equal, broke forth in extraordinary transports, when he saw me. For my part, I was so much overjoyed at sight of him, that I held out my arms, and he hugged me in his, without ceremony: the distinction between master and secretary were lost in this embrace ; so glad were they to see one another. When we were a little disengaged, I interrogated Scipio about the condition in which he left my house. “You have no house, (he replied) and, to spare you the trouble of asking unnecessary questions, I will tell you, in two words, what passed at home. 402 The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane Your effects were pillaged, as well by the soldiers, as by your own servants who looking upon you as a lost man, paid themselves their own wages with what they could carry off. Luckily for you, I had the address to save from their talons two large bags of double pistoles, which I took out of your strong box, and secured, by putting them into the custody of Salero, who will re-deliver them as soon as you shall be released from this tower, where I believe you will not be long boarded at his Majesty’s expence; because you was apprehended without the knowledge of the Duke of Lerma.” I asked how he came to know that his excellency had no hand in my misfortune. “O! as for that, (said he) I took care to be well informed: a friend of mine, who enjoys the confidence of the duke d’Uzeda, told me all the particulars of your imprisonment. ‘Calderona (said he) having discovered, by the officiousness of a valet, that Signiora Sirena , under another name, received the prince of Spain in the night-time; and that this intrigue was conducted by the Count de Lemos, with the assistance of Signior de Santillane , resolved to be revenged on them as well as upon his mistress. With this view, he went privately...

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