The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane

Chapter XVI. An accident happens to Count Galiano’s baboon, which is the cause of great affliction to that nobleman. Gil Blas falls sick; the consequence of his distemper.

334 The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane chapter xvi. An accident happens to Count Galiano’s baboon, which is the cause of great affliction to that nobleman. Gil Blas falls sick; the consequence of his distemper. About this time, the repose of the family was strangely disturbed by an accident which will seem trifling to the reader; though it turned out a very serious matter to the servants, and especially to me: Cupid, that baboon of which I have made mention , that animal so beloved by our master, attempting one day to leap from one window to another, acquitted himself so ill in the performance, that he fell down into the court, and dislocated his leg. The Count no sooner understood this misfortune, than he uttered such piercing cries, that they were heard all over the neighbourhood; and in the excess of his grief, attacking all his servants without exception, he had well nigh made a clean house. His fury, however, was limited to cursing our negligences, and abusing us, without sparing terms of reproach. He sent immediately for those surgeons who were most expert in fractures and dislocated bones; and who having visited the patient’s leg, and reduced it, and applied bandages accordingly. But though all of them assured him there was no danger, my master retained one of them in the house, to be always near the animal, until it was perfectly cured. I should be to blame if I passed over in silence the grief and anxiety which preyed upon the heart of the Sicilian nobleman, during the whole time of the cure. Will it be believed, that all the day he did not stir from his dear Cupid? He was always present when it was dressed, and got out of bed to visit him two or three times every night. But the most troublesome circumstance of all was, that every domestick in the family, and I in particular, were always up, that we might be at hand, to be sent wheresoever it should be thought proper, for the service of this ape. In a word, we had no rest in the house, till such time as this plaguy beast, having recovered of his fall, betook himself again to his usual caperings and tumblings. After this, can we refuse to credit the report of Suetonius, when he says Caligula loved his horse to such a degree, that he bestowed upon him a house richly furnished, with officers to serve him, and even designed to make him consul?1 My patron was no less charmed with his baboon, which he would willingly have created a corregidor, had it been in his power. An unlucky circumstance for me was, that I had surpassed all the valets in demonstrations of concern, that I might, in so doing, make my court to my master; and undergone such fatigue in behalf of Cupid, that I fell sick upon it, and was seized with such a violent fever, that I lost my senses, and know not how I was managed for fifteen days; during which, I was in a manner between life and death. This only I know, that my youth struggled so successfully against the fever, and perhaps against the remedies that were administred, that, at length, I recovered my understanding. The first use I made of it, was to perceive that I was not in my own chamber; and wanting to Volume Three: VII.16 335 know the reason, I asked it of an old woman who attended me: but she replied, that I must not speak; for the physician2 had expresly forbid it. When we are in good health, we commonly laugh at the doctor; but when we are sick, we calmly submit to his prescription. I thought proper, therefore to hold my tongue, how much soever I longed to converse with my nurse; and was engaged in reflections on this subject, when two spruce beaus entered, dressed in velvet, with very fine ruffled linen. I imagined they were two noblemen, friends of my master, who out of consideration for him, came to see me. On this supposition, I made an effort to sit up, and shewed my respect by taking off my cap: but my nurse laid me all along again, and told me, that these gentlemen were my physician and apothecary.3 The doctor coming to the bed-side, felt my pulse, considered my countenance, and observing all the symptoms of...