The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane

Chapter IX. Of the serious affair that followed this adventure.

Volume One: I.9 31 advise thee as a friend to joke no more with monks, who are, generally speaking, too arch and cunning for such as thee.” chapter ix. Of the serious affair that followed this adventure. We remained in the wood the greatest part of the day, without perceiving any traveller that could make amends for the priest. At last we left it, in order to return to our cavern, confining our exploits to that ludicrous event which still constituted the subject of our discourse, when we discovered at a distance a coach drawn by four mules, advancing at a brisk trot, and escorted by three men on horseback, who seemed well armed.1 Upon this Rolando ordered his troop to halt, and held a council ; the result of which was, that they should attack the coach. We were immediately arranged according to his disposition, and march’d up to it in order of battle.—In spite of the applause I had acquired in the wood, I felt myself seized with an universal tremor, and immediately a cold sweat broke out all over my body, which I looked upon as no very favourable omen.—To crown my good luck I was in the front of the line, between the captain and lieutenant, who had stationed me there, that I might accustom myself to stand fire all at once. Rolando, observing how much nature suffered within me, looked at me askance, saying, with a fierce countenance, “Hark’ee, Gil Blas, remember to do thy duty; for if thou hang’st an arse,2 I’ll blow thy brains out.” I was too well persuaded that he would keep his word, to neglect this caution; for which reason I thought of nothing now but of recommending my soul to God. In the mean time the coach and horsemen approached, who knowing what sort of people we were, and guessing our design by our appearance, stopt within musketshot , and prepared to receive us; while a gentleman of a good mien, and richly dress’d, came out of the coach, and mounting a horse that was led by one of his attendants, put himself at their head, without any other arms than a sword and a pair of pistols.— Tho’ they were but four against nine, (the coachman remaining on his seat) they advanced towards us with a boldness that redoubled my fear: I did not fail, however, tho’ I trembled in every joint, to make ready to fire; but, to tell the truth, I shut my eyes, and turned away my head, when I discharged my carabine; and, considering the manner in which it went off, my conscience ought to be acquitted on that score. I will not pretend to describe the action; for although I was present I saw nothing, and my fear, in confounding my imagination, concealed from me the horror of the spectacle that occasion’d it.—All I know of the matter is, that after a great noise of firing , I heard my companions shout, and cry victory! victory! At that acclamation the terror, which had taken possession of my senses, dissipated, and I saw the four horsemen stretched lifeless on the field of battle. On our side we had but one man killed, Thieves take action against a coach and horsemen Volume One: I.10 33 and he was no other than the apostate, who had met with his deserts3 for apostacy and profane jest upon the scapularies. The lieutenant received a wound in the arm; but it was a very slight one, the shot having only ruffled4 the skin. Signior Rolando ran immediately to the door of the coach, in which there was a lady of about four or five and twenty years of age, who appeared very handsome, notwithstanding the melancholy condition in which she was; for she had swooned during the engagement, and was not yet recovered. While he was busied in looking after her, we took care of the booty, beginning with securing the horses of the killed, which, frighted at the noise of the firing, had run away, after having lost their riders. As for the mules they had not stirr’d, although the coachman (during the action) had quitted his place, in order to make his escape.—We alighted, and, unyoking, loaded them with some trunks we found fasten’d to the coach before and behind...