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Chapter X. The commission that the Marquis de Marialva gave to Gil Blas, and the manner in which that faithful secretary acquitted himself of it.
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312 The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane chapter x. The commission that the Marquis de Marialva gave to Gil Blas, and the manner in which that faithful secretary acquitted himself of it. The marquis was not yet come home from the lodgings of his actress; and I found his valets de chambre playing at primero,1 in his apartment, expecting his return. I made up to them, and we amused ourselves in making merry till two o’clock in the morning, when our master arrived. He was a little surprised to see me, and said with a gracious air, which made me guess that he returned very well satisfied with his evening ’s pleasure, “How, Gil Blas! not yet a-bed?” I answered, that I was first willing to know what orders he had for me. “I shall, perhaps, (he resumed) give you a commission to-morrow morning; but it will be time enough then to tell you the particulars. Mean while, you may go to rest; and henceforth remember, that I dispense with your attendance in the evening, having occasion for no body but my valets de chambre.” After this explanation, which at bottom gave me a good deal of pleasure, since it spared me a piece of subjection which I should have sometimes felt in a very disagreeable manner, I left the Marquis in his apartment, and retiring to my garret, went to bed; but having no inclination to sleep, it came into my head, that I should follow the advice which Pythagoras gives us,2 of recollecting at night all that we have done in the day, in order to applaud our good, and condemn our bad actions. I did not find my conscience clear enough to be satisfied with my conduct; but reproached myself with having supported the imposture of Laura. In vain did I suggest as an excuse, that I could not in honour give the lye to a girl, who had nothing in view, but to do me a pleasure; and that, in some shape, I found myself under a necessity of being an accomplice in the cheat. Little satisfied with this apology, I answered, that I ought not then to have pushed things so far; and that I must have a great deal of impudence to live with a nobleman, whose confidence I so ill repaid. In short, after a severe examination, I concluded, that if I was not a rogue, I was next kin to it. From thence passing to the consequences, I represented to myself, that I played a very high game, in deceiving a man of quality, who, for my sins, would perhaps soon discover the trick. A reflection so judicious terrified me not a little; but the ideas of pleasure and interest soon dissipated my fear. Besides, the prophecy of the man with the elixir, would have been sufficient to remove my doubts. I gave myself up, therefore , to the most agreeable fancies: I formed new rules of arithmetick, to reckon within myself the sum to which my wages would amount at the end of ten years service. To this I added the gratifications which I should receive from my master; and measuring them by his liberal disposition, or rather by my own desires, I had an intemperance of imagination, (if I may be allowed the expression) which set no bounds to my fortune. I was gradually lulled by so much wealth, and fell asleep, in the very act of building castles in Spain. Next day, I got up at eight o’clock in the morning, to go and receive my patron’s or- Volume Three: VII.10 313 ders; but as I opened my door to go out, I was very much surprised to see him appear before me all alone, in his night-cap and morning-gown. “Gil Blas, (said he) last night, when I left your sister, I promised to be with her this morning; but an affair of consequence hinders me from keeping my word. Go and assure her from me, that I am very much mortified at the disappointment; and tell her, I shall certainly sup with her in the evening. This is not all, (added he, putting into my hand a purse with a little shagreen box3 enriched with diamonds) carry this my picture to her, and keep this purse of fifty pistoles, which I give as a mark of the friendship I...