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Chapter XVI. Shews that we ought not to trust too much to prosperity.
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50 The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane with boots, and a portmanteau to hold my linnen and cash, I cleared with my landlord, and early next morning, set out from Burgos, on my way to Madrid. chapter xvi. Shews that we ought not to trust too much to prosperity. We slept the first night at Duennas, and arriving at Valladolid, the day following about four a clock in the afternoon, alighted at an inn, which seemed one of the best in town. I left the care of my mules to my lacquey, and going up stairs into a chamber whither I ordered a servant of the house to bring my portmanteau, felt myself a little fatigued, and without taking off my boots, threw myself on the bed, where I fell asleep insensibly. It being almost night when I wakened, I called for Ambrose, who was gone out, but returned in a little time; when I ask’d where he had been, he replied with a pious air, that he was just come from church, where he had been to return thanks to heaven, for having preserved him from all evil accidents on the road from Burgos even unto Valladolid: I approved of his conduct, and bade him order a fowl to the fire for my supper. At that very instant, my landlord entered with a taper in his hand, lighting in a lady who seemed more handsome than young, and very richly dressed: she was squired by an old usher, and a little blackamoor carried her train. I was not a little surprised when this lady, after having made a low courtesy, asked if I was not Signior Gil Blas of Santillane , to which I had no sooner answered in the affirmative, than she quitted her attendant , and embraced me with a transport of joy that redoubled my astonishment. “Blessed be heaven (cried she) for this meeting! You are the person, Signior Cavalier, you are the very person I was in quest of!” At this preamble, I thought of the parasite at Pennaflor; and began to look upon the lady as a downright bite;1 when I was induced to think more favourably of her, by what followed. “I am (added she) cousin-germain2 to Donna Mencia of Mosquera, who has been so much obliged to you; and received a letter from her this morning, importing that having heard you was going to Madrid, I would oblige her very much, by treating you handsomely, provided you should pass this way: I have been running all over the town these two hours, inquiring from inn to inn, about all the strangers that arrived; and by the description your landlord gave me of you, I imagined you might be the deliverer of my cousin. Ah! now that I have found you (continued she) you shall see how sensible I am of the services you have done my family, and in particular, to my dear cousin! You shall come to my house immediately, (if you please) where you will be more conveniently lodged than here.” I would have excused myself, by representing to the lady, that I should incommode her family; but there was no resisting her importunities: there was a coach waiting for us at the door, in which she took care to see my portmanteau secured; “Because (said she) there are a Volume One: I.16 51 great many rogues in Valladolid:” an observation I found but too true! In short, I went into the coach along with her and her squire, and suffered myself to be carried away from the inn, to the mortification of the landlord, who by these means found himself disappointed of the money which he expected I would spend at his house. Our coach having rolled some time, stopped at a pretty large house, where we alighted and went up stairs into a handsome apartment lighted by twenty or thirty wax-candles. We passed through a good many servants, of whom the lady asked if Don Raphael was come yet; and was answered in the negative; upon which, addressing herself to me, “Signior Gil Blas, (said she) I have a brother whom I expect this evening from a villa we have two leagues from this: he will be very agreeably surprised to find in this house, a gentleman to whom our whole family is so much indebted.” She had scarce spoke these words, when we heard a noise below, which (we were...