The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane

Chapter V. His reflections before he went to sleep, and an account of the noise that waked him.

388 The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane ing locked the door, we sat down at table, opposite to one another. “Let us begin (said he) with what is most needful. You must have a good appetite, after a fast of two days.” So saying, he loaded my plate with victuals, imagining, that he served one half starved; and really he had reason to think I would stuff myself with his ragouts. Nevertheless, I baulked his expectation; and how much soever my condition required food, I could not swallow a morsel; so much did I take to heart my present situation. To dispel the cruel images which incessantly afflicted me, my keeper, in vain, exhorted me to drink, by extolling the excellence of his wine. Had he given me nectar, I should have drank it without pleasure, at that time. He perceived my chagrin, and changing his battery,7 began to recount, in a pleasant manner, the history of his own marriage.8 But I heard his narration with such absence of thought, that when it was ended, I could not have repeated one word of what he said. He concluded, that he undertook too much, in attempting to divert my sorrow that evening; and when supper was over, got up, saying : “Signior de Santillane, I will leave you to your repose, or rather, to muse at leisure upon your misfortune. But, I repeat it again, it will not be of long duration: the King is naturally good: when his wrath subsides, and he shall reflect upon the deplorable situation , in which he believes you to be, he will think you sufficiently punished.” So saying , Mr. Keeper went down stairs, and sent up his servants to uncover the table. They carried off every thing, even to the candles, and I went to bed by the melancholy light of a lamp that was fixed to the wall. chapter v. His reflections before he went to sleep, and an account of the noise that waked him. Ispent two hours at least, in reflecting upon what Tordesillas had told me. I am con- fined here, then, said I to myself, for having contributed to the pleasures of the heir apparent. How imprudent was I, in doing services of that kind, to so young a prince: for, his tender years alone make me guilty. Had he been in a more advanced age, the king would, perhaps, have laughed at that which now incenses him so much. But who can have given such a piece of information to that monarch, without fearing the resentment of the prince, or that of the Duke of Lerma, who will, doubtless, revenge his nephew the Count de Lemos. How then has the king discovered it? that I cannot comprehend. Hither my doubts always returned. The idea, however, that afflicted me most, that drove me to despair, and from which my mind could not detach itself, was the pillage to which I concluded my effects had been abandoned. My strong box! cried I, my dear riches, what is become of you? into whose hands are you fallen? alas! I have lost you, even in less time than that in which you were amassed! I painted to myself the disor- Volume Three: IX.5 389 der that must then reign in my house; and, on that subject, made reflections, every one more melancholy than another. The confusion of so many different thoughts, threw me into an oppression that became favourable; and sleep, which had avoided me the preceding night, shed his influence over my senses. To this, the goodness of the bed, the fatigue which I had undergone, as well as the vapours of the victuals and wine, contributed. I enjoyed a profound sleep, and, probably, the day would have surprized me in this condition, had I not been waked, all of a sudden, by a noise pretty extraordinary for a prison. I heard the sound of a guitarre, accompanied with a man’s voice. I listened with attention, and hearing no more, believed it was a dream: but, in a moment , my ear was struck again with the sound of the instrument, and the same voice, that sung the following verses. Ay de mi! un ano felice Parece un soplo ligero; Però sin dicha un instante Es un siglo de tormento.* My sorrow was increased by this couplet, which seemed to have been made on purpose for me. I have but too...