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Volume Four: XII.6 529 at least a knight of St. Jago or Alcantara. When I asked his commands, “Signior de Santillane, (answered he, after having made several bows, which smelled strongly of his profession) understanding that your worship is the person who chooses masters for Signior Don Henry, I am come to offer my service; my name is Martin Ligero, and I have (thank heaven) some reputation. It is not my custom to come and sollicit for scholars; that is the province of little obscure dancing-masters. I usually wait until I am sent for; but as I have taught the Duke de Medina Sidonia, Don Lewis de Haro,2 and some other noblemen of the family of Guzman, to which I am as it were a servant born, I thought it my duty to anticipate your message.” “I find by your discourse, (said I) that you are the man we want. How much do you take per month?” “Four double pistoles (answered he) is the current price, and I give but two lessons per week.” “Four doubloons a month! (cried I) that is a great deal.” “How! a great deal! (replied he with an air of astonishment) you would give a pistole a month to a master of philosophy.” There was no resisting such a pleasant reply, at which I laughed heartily, and asked Signior Ligero, if he really thought a man of his profession preferable to a master of philosophy. “Doubtless! (said he) we are of much greater use than those gentlemen. What is a man before he has passed through our hands? what but an ill-licked cub? but our lessons mould him by little and little into a due form.3 In a word, we teach him to move gracefully, giving him attitudes and airs of dignity and importance.” I yielded to the arguments of this dancing-master whom I hired for Don Henry, at the rate of four double pistoles a month, since that was the price of great masters of his art. chapter vi. Scipio returning from New-Spain, Gil Blas settles him in the service of Don Henry. The studies of that young nobleman, with the honours which were conferred upon him, and an account of the lady to whom he was married. Gil Blas becomes noble in spite of himself. Ihad not as yet compleated the half of Don Henry’s family, when Scipio returned from Mexico. I asked him if he was satisfied with his voyage, and he answered, “I have reason to be so; since, with three thousand ducats in specie, I have brought over twice as much in merchandize of the consumption1 of this country.” “I congratulate thee, my child, (I replied.) Thy fortune is now begun; and it is in thy power to compleat it, by returning to the Indies next year; or if thou preferest an agreeable post at Madrid, to the trouble of going so far to amass wealth, thou hast nothing to do but to speak, I have one at thy service.” “Egad, (said the son of Coscolina) there is no room 530 The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane for hesitation. I would much rather execute a good employment near you, than expose myself anew to the perils of a long voyage. Pray, master, explain yourself, what post do you intend for your humble servant?” For his better information, I recounted to him the story of the young nobleman whom the Count-Duke had introduced into the family of Guzman; and after having told him, that the minister had chosen me governor to Don Henry, I promised to make him valet de chambre to that adopted son. Scipio, who asked no better, willingly accepted the post, and acquitted himself in it so well, that in less than three or four days, he acquired the confidence and friendship of his new master. I imagined that the pedagogues whom I had chosen to teach the son of the Genoese would find their Latin thrown away, believing one at his age undisciplinable. But I was much mistaken. He easily comprehended and retained all that was shewn to him, and his masters were very well satisfied with his capacity. I ran eagerly to impart this piece of news2 to the Duke, who received it with excessive joy. “Santillane, (cried he transported ) I am ravished to hear that Don Henry has such a memory and penetration! I perceive my own blood in him; and what...

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