Part 14

I thought myself very lucky in having got over this affair in so short a time, though it had cost me almost half I was worth. I flattered myself that, with so powerful a protector as my wife had now made, we might in future do any thing we pleased with impunity. Immediately after dinner I repaired to the judge’s house, where I thanked him for his great goodness. He received me very politely, and invited me to pay him a visit occasionally. I pretended to be extremely sensible of this honour, and, on taking leave, besought a continuance of his protection. He assured me that I might rely upon it; and, the better to convince me, he honoured us with a visit that very evening. We received him in such a manner, that if he had been Prime Minister of Spain he could not have had more respect shewn him. As he told us that he liked music, my wife and I formed a little concert for his amusement. We afterwards regaled him with fruits and sweetmeats, which he repaid the next day by a handsome present to my wife.

This superannuated gallant accustomed himself by degrees to spend every evening in a house where he was so well entertained. At last he began to find my presence troublesome to him, and to get me out of the way, he told me, one day that I was dining with him, that ’twas a pity a man of sense and learning as I was should pass his youth away in idleness; that he would think of some post that would suit me, in which I should be simple indeed if I did not speedily grow rich. I assured him that my idleness was quite contrary to my inclinations, and that he would most sensibly oblige me if he would procure me an useful occupation, in which I trusted I could acquit myself to his satisfaction. The next day he paid me another visit, and put into my hands a commission to be one of the Receivers of King’s Taxes, signifying to me, at the same time, that it would be necessary for me to repair to the precinct to which I was appointed without delay. Although I had but little inclination to this employment, I accepted it, and returned my benefactor as many thanks as if he had raised me to one of the first posts in the kingdom. My wife was scarcely better pleased at it than I was, but we resolved in secret to make trial, whether, during my absence, our amorous grey-beard would be sufficiently generous to recompense us for the loss of the German gentleman.

I accordingly took leave of Donna Maria, leaving the field open to her old Adonis. I arrived at the department to which I was appointed, entered upon my new charge, and began to exercise it; but, alas! I soon found that, without robbing, extortion, and all sorts of violence upon the poor country people, I should be reduced to worse straits than ever. In short, I did not like the business, for I could not help thinking that a robber on the highway was an honester profession. Accordingly I had determined, at the expiration of the first three months, to be requested to be recalled. That time, however, had not elapsed before my patron wrote to me of his own accord to return to Madrid. This letter caused me more joy than I had felt when he so charitably released me from prison. I gave up my post with all my heart, and returned to my patron, very curious to learn how he could have grown tired of my absence. I went to see him the first thing on my arrival, and he began immediately to complain of Donna Maria’s coquettish inclinations. “Your wife,” said he, “has one very great fault, which is, that she loves none but young sparks. In vain have I represented to her that the many visitors of this description that she receives must infallibly ruin her; she will not break off such connexions: in short she is incorrigible. My sole reason,” continued he, “for recalling you, was to inform you of her indiscretion, and to caution you to keep a better check upon her conduct, lest, in the event of any second accident happening at your house, you may not always be able to find powerful and disinterested protectors.” I understood his meaning perfectly, and promised the old man that my wife should be more guarded in her future conduct; after which, I went home, well assured that my wife would tell the story in quite a different way; as in fact she did: for no sooner had I mentioned his name, than she began to declaim against him as an avaricious old curmudgeon, who had made her none but the most insignificant presents ever since my departure.

I entered into her resentment, and permitted more young men than ever to frequent our house; which the old magistrate having remarked, he reproached me for having broken my word with him, and, as though he had made my fortune, he accused me of making him an ungrateful return for all the benefits he had conferred on me. At length we lost all patience, and, to get rid at once of so troublesome a visitor, I ordered the servants to say we were not at home whenever he called.

No sooner did he perceive that we were determined to release ourselves from his tyranny than his love was converted into hatred, and in his passion he caused us to be condemned to leave Madrid in three days, under pain of imprisonment for the remainder of our lives. He thought that by this he would undoubtedly have reduced us to implore his mercy, and do just as he pleased; but he was much mistaken, for no sooner was this unjust sentence made known to us than we guessed from whence it came, and resolved to obey it, my wife choosing rather to travel all over the world than have any thing more to do with this old rascal, and I beginning to be apprehensive that my creditors would shortly be calling upon me for the remainder of my composition money.

CHAP. LI.

_Guzman and his wife, having been obliged to leave Madrid for their exemplary and moral mode of life, proceed to Seville, where Guzman finds his Mother._

The first day we were fully employed in converting all our effects into ready money. On the second we hired four mules to carry us and our baggage, and departed from Madrid on the morning of the third, according to the sentence.

We took the road to Seville, not only to gratify my great desire to revisit my native country, but to please Donna Maria, who burned with impatience to try the effect of her charms upon the rich merchants who, I had told her, were continually arriving from Peru, laden with gold and jewels. She doubted not that she should fill her coffers at their expense. Notwithstanding our good intentions towards these gentlemen, however, we travelled very slowly for fear of fatigue; and I own that I felt a secret pleasure in surveying the country through which I had formerly passed, although it recalled to my remembrance the sad adventures of my youth. I passed the inn where I had been a servant; and at the sight of Cantillana I fancied I still smelt those excellent ragouts of mules with which I had formerly been regaled; and I did not forget the cudgelling which had been so liberally bestowed on me and the muleteer by the two officers of the Holy Brotherhood. I arrived and dined at that charming inn where they made omelets of pullets. I told my wife this story, and she laughed at it heartily. At last I reached the hermitage, where I lay the first night after I left Seville, and, transported with the recollection, I addressed the Saint in these terms: “Oh great St. Lazarus,” cried I, “when I left the steps of thy chapel ’twas with tears in my eyes, on foot, alone, and poor, but innocent; and now thou seest me return, married, and in good condition, and well mounted; but how innocent, Heaven and thou know!”

It was quite night when we arrived at Seville, so that we were obliged to take up our quarters at the first inn we came to; but the next morning I rose betimes and took lodgings in St. Batholomew-street, whither I had my baggage conveyed. The next thing I did was to ask after my mother, but I could hear no news of her until some months afterwards, when Donna Maria being on a visit to a lady with whom she had made an acquaintance, heard her name mentioned by mere chance, and was much astonished to learn that she lived very near us with a young lady who passed for her daughter. No sooner had I ascertained my mother’s residence than I flew to it, found her at home, and we embraced with sincere affection.

We related to each other in a few words the adventures that had happened to us both since our parting, each of us, however, concealing whatever we thought fit. She was very anxious, for example, to persuade me that she had brought up the young lady who lived with her, out of pure charity, having been attached to her from her earliest infancy. I pretended to believe her word implicitly, though I entertained considerable doubt whether she had not other views which she did not choose to confess. After a long conversation, I introduced Donna Maria to her. My mother received her very kindly, and embraced her in an affectionate manner not very common in a mother-in-law.

To celebrate our reunion, my mother invited us to several entertainments, which we returned; and as I had occasion for an old mouser like her to instruct my wife in the coquetries of the ladies of Seville, where the modes of gallantry differed from those at Alcala and Madrid, I proposed to her to come and live with us, representing to her how much more agreeably she might pass her time. She answered “that she could not make up her mind to desert her adopted daughter, and that she feared also she should not be able to agree long with my wife.” I endeavoured to remove the first obstacle, by consenting to receive the young lady into my family also. “You cannot think of it, my son,” said my mother. “You must know but little of women, if you think that two lively young ladies like Petronilla and Donna Maria, can live even one month together, without quarrelling themselves, and indeed setting the whole house in an uproar.”

I succeeded, however, in conquering the repugnance that my mother felt to grant my request. It is true, that she yielded at last upon my assurance that she would always find in my wife a daughter submissive to her wishes. At last she came alone to reside with us, choosing rather to leave Petronilla to herself, than to be the cause of dissensions in my family. At the beginning, all went on smoothly, and the only contention was, who should be the most complaisant. Each seemed to endeavour to anticipate the desire of the other. They addressed each other affectionately, and if this good understanding had but lasted, we could not have failed in making our fortune; but unfortunately, before the expiration of three months every thing changed, and these same ladies, who had hitherto agreed so well, now began to pursue a different conduct. My mother wished to govern despotically, which my wife would not submit to. They were constantly disputing and quarrelling, and peace was entirely banished the house. Sometimes I endeavoured to reconcile them, and to act as umpire, but this only brought upon me the fury of her whom I decided against. What made matters worse, was, that the ships which were expected from India, did not come in that year. Money became scarce, and consequently the profits of my wife’s gallantries were but trifling, in comparison with the daily expense of our establishment. Donna Maria was not one who could listen to economy, and no clothes or ornaments were good enough for her. The natural consequence of all this was, that as our funds diminished, so in proportion our vexations increased. We had placed great reliance upon the merchants from Peru, who never came at all; and my wife, to whom I had given a grand idea of the opulence and generosity of these merchants, reproached me as if I had been the cause of their delay. In short every thing fell upon me.

As good luck would have it, I happened to become acquainted with an Italian, captain of a Neapolitan galley, who by order of the Court had come to Malaga to carry the Bishop of that city to Naples; but that prelate not being ready to embark, he had come to Seville in the hopes of meeting with merchandize to freight his vessel for Italy. I met him by chance one day at a merchant’s house, and was delighted in having found a man who spoke Italian as well as myself. He was on his side equally pleased, and we became very intimate. I invited him to my house, and introduced him to my wife, who did not fail to charm him. He made me some trifling presents, which would have been more considerable if his affairs would have permitted him to remain any longer at Seville: but as he could not make the bishop wait for him, and could not bear the idea of parting from my wife, he found means to conciliate his love with his duty, by persuading her to desert me, and fly with him into Italy. After all, I believe that he did not find it a very difficult matter to prevail upon her, for she had been long out of humour with me, and hated my mother more and more every day; so that we had not an hour’s quiet for her. However that might be, I cared but little about it; and, indeed, thought myself happy and rich in having got rid of her, notwithstanding she had taken her jewels and every thing of value about the house with her; in which the captain had very honestly assisted her, before I had the least suspicion of their intentions.

CHAP. LII.

_Guzman, after his wife’s elopement, resides for some time with his mother; but at length enters into the service of a lady of quality._

I was prudent enough to keep this affair secret, knowing that all the scandal of it would be reflected upon me. I sold what remained of my property, which consisted only of some of the worst of the furniture and moveables, which my wife had condescended to leave behind, and employed the money in making merry with my friends. My mother accommodated herself as long as she could to the life I led, but at last growing tired of it, she returned to the house where she had left Petronilla, telling me that she could now live more at her ease with her, than she could expect to do with me. I offered no opposition to her plans, and we parted again in perfect good will towards each other.

You will not be surprised that a continued train of expenditure without any income, soon reduced me to my original condition of life; but an adventurer, in whatever state it may please fortune to place him, should always find resources in his wits. Mine did not now abandon me. I learnt one day that there resided in the town a rich widow, whose husband had been Governor of a city in the West Indies, and died there, leaving his lady in great affluence. This widow, who affected great devotion, had no children, but several relations of consequence; and was at this time in search of a man, to whom she could confide the management of her affairs, well knowing that places of this description are not always filled by men of probity.

This post was a great temptation to me, and I resolved to spare nothing to obtain it, knowing that my fortune was made if I could succeed. After having tormented my brains for some time to invent some stratagem to attain my ends, I learnt that her Father Confessor was a Dominican Friar, who had an absolute dominion over all her wishes, and that he must be gained over to my interest. To this end, I bought a purse, and put eight pistoles, and twenty ducats of gold in it, to which I added a ring of trifling value, and a gold seal which my mother had presented to my wife the first day she saw her. After which I laid by my sword, and put on a very plain suit of clothes. In this state I repaired to the Convent of the Dominicans, where I asked leave to speak to the Reverend Father before mentioned, who was a very favourite preacher, and had converted many. I was taken for one of his penitents, and was conducted immediately to his chamber, which I entered with an hypocritical countenance, as if afraid to cast my eyes on so sacred a person, and in a low and soft voice: “Most Reverend Father,” said I; “I have just picked up this purse which appears to be full of gold and silver coins, and although I am but a poor man, I know that I have no right to keep it. I have therefore taken the liberty of asking for you, that I might place it in the hands of your Reverence to dispose of it as you may think fit.”

The good father, charmed with so heroic an action in a person whose wants might have excused his appropriating it to himself, surveyed me from head to foot, and commended my disinterested and religious behaviour. He could not sufficiently extol me; and feeling, at the same time, a desire to render me some service, as a recompense for my virtue, he asked me a few questions as to my situation in life, and talents, that he might know what I was capable of. “Reverend Father,” said I, “I have now been at Seville for some time, entirely out of employment. I was Receiver of Taxes at Madrid; but finding myself inclined to spend my own money to assist rather than persecute the poor, I was compelled to resign that situation; from which I became steward to a nobleman, whose affairs were in great confusion. These might soon have been settled; but in proportion as I arranged them, he involved them afresh, so that after having served him four years with the utmost zeal and fidelity, I was obliged to leave him as much a beggar as when I first entered his service, and without even having received my wages.”

The Confessor listened to me with great attention; and surprised at hearing a man, whose dress did not much prepossess him in favour of his education, speak in such good terms, he asked me if I had ever studied. I told him that I had studied most assiduously with the intention of entering the church; but, that after having seriously reflected on a vocation which required so many virtues which I did not possess, I had given up such an idea. He was curious to ascertain how far I had gone in Theology; and as all my lessons were still fresh in my memory, I answered his questions in a manner which astonished him. My interview with him lasted two hours, and he was so well pleased with me, that he assured me of his friendship; and, in taking leave, told me, that on the Sunday following he would advertise the purse I had found, in his church, and that if I would call upon him on the Tuesday following, he hoped he might by that time hear of some place to suit me.

After having left his Reverence I repaired to my mother’s. “I have lost,” said I, “the purse you gave me, in which were your ring and casket, together with eight pistoles and twenty crowns in gold of my own. Happily, however, it has fallen into the hands of a Dominican Father, who will advertise it in his church on Sunday. You must therefore go there, and claim it as your property, as I do not wish to appear before his Reverence for certain reasons which I will afterwards explain.” After a little more instruction, the good woman did not fail to repair on the day fixed to the Dominican’s Church, where she heard the father publish the purse as he had promised, not forgetting to bestow the greatest eulogiums on the honesty of the poor man who had found it, and delivered it to him. My mother, who knew as well as I did the contents of the purse, had but little difficulty in getting it restored her, after leaving two pistoles with his Reverence as a reward for the honesty of the person who found it.

My purse then was restored to me with the loss of two pistoles only. Tuesday had no sooner arrived, than I waited upon the Dominican again, who received me very kindly: “My son,” said he, “a good old woman who has claimed the purse which you found, has left two pistoles with me in charge for you.” I affected to be scrupulous of receiving this present, as I had only done what was my duty, for which I did not deserve or desire to be remunerated: but the good father told me that he thought I well deserved it, and obliged me to accept of it; which, as you will suppose, I no longer refused, purely in obedience to his commands.

He then informed me that he had some better news to communicate; which was, that he had obtained for me the situation as steward in the family of one of the principal ladies in Seville. “You cannot but be happy in this family,” said he, “for the remainder of your days, if you perform your duty conscientiously, for which I entertain so good an opinion of you, that I have passed my word.” At words like these, so flattering to such a rogue, I prostrated myself at his reverence’s feet, and embraced his knees with transport. He assisted me to rise, and assured me of his protection. Then charging me with a letter to the lady, who proved to be the widow before mentioned, he told me that he had already prepared her to receive me.

I went immediately to pay my respects to my new mistress, and it was not difficult to perceive, by the reception I met with, that the Friar had told wonders of me. She addressed me, not as a man who was to be her servant, but as one of whom she already entertained the highest opinion. The good Father had also taken care to fix my salary and perquisites. She asked me if I was satisfied. I answered with a modest air, “that it was more than I deserved, but that I would endeavour to render myself worthy of her bounty by my care and fidelity in her service.” My person and conversation pleased her infinitely, and she desired me to consider myself in her service from that moment. Accordingly I had my trunk carried in that evening, in which was all I possessed.

A very handsome room was assigned me, and I remarked with pleasure, that the other servants looked upon me as their superior, and as one whom their lady would have respect paid to. All her private papers were entrusted to me, and I applied myself so assiduously in discharge of my trust, that I despatched as much business in fifteen days, as my mistress expected would have taken up six months. Overjoyed at the acquisition of so expeditious an accountant, she never saw the Dominican, but she praised me exceedingly; which afforded the good Father great pleasure, who really thought me a young man of integrity and virtue.

I was frequently obliged to consult my lady on affairs which could not be settled without her approbation, and these interviews sometimes lasted for some hours. On these occasions I always behaved myself with so much respect, softness, and insinuation, that I perceived I was daily gaining ground in her good will. At first she had fixed certain times for me to speak with her on domestic affairs; which were in the morning at her toilet, and in the evening after supper. This did not last long; for she would come into my room after dinner, under some pretence or other, and spend hours with me in discourse which had no relation to business. Her fondness for me increased daily, and I could not but foresee the happiness she designed me. I affected for a long time not to understand her kind intentions; but flesh is flesh: and she having condescended to make advances at least half way, I could not forbear meeting her the other half. She excused her frailty by saying she designed to marry me privately, and I abandoned myself entirely to my good fortune, from which I should undoubtedly have reaped considerable advantage, had I been prudent enough to maintain my ground.

CHAP. LIII.

_How Guzman suddenly loses his Mistress’s favour, and is condemned to the galleys._