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522 The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane leave of the two ladies, assuring them, that they should soon have an order from court to repair to Madrid. chapter ii. Santillane gives an account of his commission to the minister, who employs him to bring Lucretia to Madrid. The arrival of that actress, and her appearance at court. At my return to Madrid, I found the Count-Duke very impatient to know the success of my journey. “Gil Blas, (said he) hast thou seen this same actress? Is she worth bringing to court?” “My lord, (I replied) fame, which usually praises beauties more than they deserve, has not said enough in commendation of young Lucretia; she is an admirable creature, both as to her person and talents.” “Is it possible! (cried the minister, with an interior satisfaction which I read in his eyes, and which made me believe that he had sent me to Toledo on his own account) is it possible that she can be so amiable?” “When you have seen her, (answered I) you will own, that no elogium can do justice to her charms.” “Santillane, (said his Excellency) give me a faithful relation of thy journey; I shall be very glad to hear it.” To satisfy my master, I then recounted all, even the history of Laura inclusively. I told him, that this actress had Lucretia by the marquis of Marialva, a Portugueze nobleman, who stopping at Grenada on his travels, fell in love with her. In short, when I had recounted to his Grace every thing that happened between the two actresses and me, he said, “I am overjoyed to hear that Lucretia is the daughter of a man of quality; that circumstance interests me still more in her behalf; she must be brought to town. But (added he) continue as thou hast begun; let not me appear in it; every thing must pass in the name of Gil Blas de Santillane.” I went and told Carnero, that his Excellency desired him to expedite an order, by which the King received into his company Estella and Lucretia, two actresses of Toledo . “Aha! Signior de Santillane, (said Carnero, with a satirical smile) yes, you shall be served immediately, since, in all appearance, you interest yourself for these two ladies.” At the same time, he wrote an order with his own hand, and delivered it to me expedited ; so that I sent it instantly to Estella by the same lacquey who had attended me to Toledo. Eight days after, the mother and daughter arriving at Madrid, took lodgings hard by the Prince’s company, and their first care was to give me notice of it by a billet. I visited them immediately, where, after a thousand offers of service on my side, and as many acknowledgements on theirs, I left them to prepare for their first public appearance , which I wished might be brilliant and successful. They advertised themselves as two new actresses, whom the Prince’s company had Volume Four: XII.3 523 received by an order from court; and they began with a comedy which they had often acted at Toledo with applause. In what part of the world are new sights disregarded? The playhouse was that day filled with an extraordinary concourse of spectators; and you may well imagine, that I did not fail to be there. I suffered a little before the piece began; and prepossessed as I was in favour of the talents both of mother and daughter , I trembled for them, so much was I interested in their success. But scarce had they opened their mouths, when my fear was banished by the applause which they received. Estella was looked upon as a consummate comic actress, and Lucretia as a prodigy in tender parts.1 This last captivated all hearts. Some admired the beauty of her eyes, others were touched by the sweetness of her voice; and every body struck with the graces and brilliancy of her youth, went away enchanted by her appearance.2 The Count-Duke being more interested than I imagined in the first essay of this actress , was at the play that evening; and I saw him go out about the end of the performance , seemingly very well satisfied with our two new players. Curious to know if he was really affected with their success, I followed him home, and going into his closet just after him, “Well, my Lord, (said I) is your Excellency satisfied...

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