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348 The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane the Count Galiano, nor even the prime minister, so respectfully as I presented myself to the eyes of Signior de Calderona, whom I saluted with a bow to the very ground, begging his protection in such submissive terms, that I cannot remember them without a blush. My meanness would have turned to my prejudice, in the opinion of a real gentleman: but he was pleased with my groveling behaviour, and assured me, obligingly enough, that he would let slip no opportunity of doing me service. I thanked him with great demonstrations of zeal for his favourable sentiments of me; and having vowed eternal attachment to him, took my leave for fear of incommoding him; and begged he would excuse me, if I had interrupted him in his important affairs. As soon as I had acted this mean part, I went to my office, where I finished the task which had been imposed. The duke, who did not fail to come thither in the morning, was no less pleased with the end, than he had been with the beginning of my work; and said: “This is extremely well: write as well as thou canst this abridged history in the register of Catalonia: after which, thou shalt take another information out of the porto-folio, and manage it in the same manner.” I had a pretty long conversation with his excellency, and was charmed with his sweetness, and familiarity of behaviour . What a difference was there between him and Calderona! They were two figures strongly contrasted. I dined that day in an eating-house for a moderate expence; and resolved to go thither incognito every evening, until I should see the effect of my complaisance and servility. I had money sufficient to maintain me three months, during which I resolved to work at a venture; proposing, as the shortest follies are the least prejudicial, to abandon the court and all its tinsel, if I should receive no salary before the expiration of that term. This, therefore, was my plan. I spared nothing, during two months, to please Calderona; but he took so little notice of my endeavours, that despairing of success, I changed my conduct towards him; and exerted myself wholly in profiting by those moments of conversation which I had with the duke. chapter iv. Gil Blas gains the favour of the duke of Lerma, who intrusts him with a secret of great importance. Although his grace, to use the expression, only just appeared before me, and vanished again, every day; I insensibly rendered myself so agreeable to his excellency , that he said to me one afternoon, “Hark’ye, Gil Blas, I like thy disposition and understanding, and have a regard for thee accordingly. Thou art a zealous faithful young fellow, extremely intelligent and discreet; so that I don’t think I shall misplace my confidence, if I bestow it upon thee.” I threw myself on my knees, when I heard these words; and after having respectfully kissed one of his hands, which he held out Volume Three: VIII.4 349 to raise me up, answered, “Is it possible then, that your excellency can deign to honour me with such extraordinary favour? What secret enemies will your goodness raise up against me! But there is only one man whose hatred I dread, and that is Don Rodrigo de Calderona.” “Thou hast nothing to apprehend from that quarter, (replied the duke:) I know Calderona ; he has been attached to me from his infancy; and I may venture to say, his sentiments are so conformable to mine, that he caresses those whom I love, and hates those who disoblige me: instead of dreading his aversion, thou mayest, on the contrary, depend upon his friendship.” By this, I could plainly perceive, that Signior Don Rodrigo was a cunning rogue, who had got possession of his excellency’s soul; and that I could not be too cautious with him. “To begin (added the duke) with putting thee in possession of my confidence, I will disclose to thee a design which I have projected; for it is necessary that thou shouldst be informed of it, that thou mayst acquit thyself the better of the commissions in which I intend to employ thee. I have a long time beheld my authority in general respected, my decisions blindly followed, and commissions, employments, governments, viceroyalties, and benefices, disposed of, according to my wish. I may...

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