_Guzman gives a grand entertainment to his relations, and makes
them pay pretty handsomely for it._
After dinner I desired Sayavedra to go out and purchase four good trunks
of the same size. While he was gone on this commission, Favello called
upon me, to give me an account of the conversations he had with my
relations respecting me, and he assured me all the family were charmed
with my person, especially Signor Don Bertrand my uncle. This good old
man, continued he, says that he almost fancied that it was his dear
brother he saw and heard speak, so much was he struck with your
resemblance to your father; that he regretted to find that you had
embraced the ecclesiastical life, and should propose to you to throw off
your cassock and marry one of your nieces on the mother’s side; and that
though this young lady had no property of her own, it was his intention
to provide well for her, she being his particular favourite. In
conclusion, the Captain protested to me, that my uncle had conceived a
great regard for me. All this, however, did not in the least deter me in
my intentions towards him.
I went to return the visit the next morning, first to Don Bertrand, who,
in the conversation which we had together, took occasion to observe,
that he thought that an only son, as I was, ought rather to think of
keeping up the family name than to consecrate myself to a state of life
which deprived the family of one of its best branches. I might have
answered, that he, having always been a bachelor, had himself wronged
the family quite as much as if he also had embraced the ecclesiastical
life. He then named the lady whom he had selected for my wife. To amuse
him, I pretended not to be much averse to his wishes, and made an end of
my visit by requesting his company to dine with me the next day. He
pressed hard to be excused on account of his great age; but when I
represented to him that none but relations would be of the party except
Captain Favello, the common friend of the family, he allowed himself to
be prevailed on, and promised to come, that I might be convinced, as he
was pleased to say, of the great regard he felt for a nephew whom
Heaven had sent him. After this I visited my cousins, one after another,
and they all promised to join the party. Nothing was now necessary but
to prepare a magnificent dinner for them. My landlord told me to leave
this to him, and he would undertake that my guests should be handsomely
provided for.
My major-domo, who returned home while I was speaking to the landlord,
told me that he had purchased four trunks as I desired. I looked at
them, and was well pleased. He asked me what I intended to do with them.
I told he had only to follow me, and he would soon know. I ordered him
to take our casket under his arm, and conducted him to the shop of one
of the richest goldsmiths in Genoa, whom I requested to lend me for
about twenty-four hours a rich service of silver plates and dishes, in
consideration of an honest profit, and depositing the value of the plate
in his hands. The goldsmith agreed to the proposal; we agreed as to the
sum I should pay him for the loan: and, choosing the service I liked
best, I deposited nine thousand franks with the goldsmith by way of
security. After which, I desired Sayavedra to fetch the two trunks, put
the plate in them himself, and have them carried home; which he did
accordingly.
All my relations assembled at my lodgings the next day. My landlord, who
piqued himself on being an excellent cook, gave us a specimen of his
ability in the difficult art of making ragouts, which he served up in so
delicious a style, that my cousins, and even my uncle, confessed that
they had never eaten better. If they had not expected such excellent
fare, how much more were they surprised when they saw the sideboard set
out with elegant plate, and the plates and dishes of the same metal.
They could not help observing, that a traveller ran great risk in
carrying such a service of plate about with him, and particularly in
Italy, where thieves so plentifully abound. The good Don Bertrand, who
had made the same reflections at sight of the display of silver,
applauded their opinion. “It is your own fault, my nephew,” cried he;
“you might easily have avoided living at an inn in a city where you have
so many relations. I grant you that this is the best inn in Genoa; but
that signifies nothing. You are yet young, and I, having had more
experience, would caution you against trusting to the goodness of the
locks or padlocks on your trunks, because either the landlord, landlady,
their children, or servants, always keep two or three keys to every room
in their house. If you believe me in this respect,” continued he, “since
you refuse to take up your residence at my house, you will at least send
your plate and jewels thither, where they would be in safety until your
departure, were there a million of gold.”
I thanked my uncle for his obliging anxiety; and pretending that I had
no fear of being robbed, I told him, that when I set out for Rome, I had
taken the precaution of leaving my most valuable effects in the hands of
our Ambassador, and that in respect to the plate, although it was
troublesome to a traveller, I was not sorry that I had brought it with
me, as in case of necessity I could sell it much more easily than
jewels. All the family seemed to acquiesce in this reason; and as I
mentioned the Ambassador, my cousins began to speak of that minister.
They said that they had seen him as he passed through Genoa on his road
to Rome. Upon which, to convince them that I stood well with his
Excellence, I shewed them the portrait he had presented me with. This
was quite sufficient to persuade them of the Ambassador’s great esteem
and friendship for me.
Don Bertrand, still harping upon the danger of keeping my plate at an
inn, returned once more to the charge, and I was obliged to quiet his
apprehensions by promising that I would have it all packed in the two
trunks in which I told him I usually locked it up, and send it to his
house immediately after dinner. We changed the subject, and began to
converse on my intended marriage. My uncle, addressing himself to me,
said, that I ought to think seriously of marrying in my youth, and not
to defer it to a more advanced age, to have the agonies of leaving
orphan children behind me. He then represented to me all the
disagreeables of an ecclesiastical life, and concluded his harangue by
enlarging on the perfections of the young lady whom he wished me to
marry. She is my niece by the mother’s side, added he; of noble blood,
and of ample beauty to make up for the deficiency of her fortune;
besides which, she has a mother who will cherish as the apple of her
eye, both you and your children.
As the old buck seemed so determined on this marriage, I thought it more
prudent not to profess myself averse to his wishes. “You are so
persuasive,” said I, “my dear uncle, that you have already destroyed my
taste for an ecclesiastical life; and I feel convinced that I shall be
perfectly happy in receiving a wife from your hands. Permit me, however,
to represent to you, that I already enjoy a benefice of ten thousand
crowns a year, and am in daily expectation of fifteen thousand, which
some relations of my mother, who have great influence at court, have
given me hopes of. It will be most gratifying for me, should I attain my
wishes, to have those two handsome presentations to bestow on the
children of my cousins.” They all approved highly of my resolution, and
gave me a thousand thanks in anticipation of the honour I intended them.
Towards the end of the repast, Don Bertrand asked Captain Favello if he
had received any orders for his departure. “Yes,” answered he, “and we
must set sail in three days for Barcelona. We are already very busy in
shipping our goods.” I was overjoyed at this news, which informed me
that I had no time to lose. As soon as dinner was over, I ordered my
major-domo aloud, to lock up my plate and casket, and carry them himself
to my uncle’s house. The room was cleared in less than an hour, and in
the presence of my relations, whilst I kept up the conversation with
them. I insisted on accompanying my uncle, where I had the satisfaction
of seeing, not the two trunks full of my plate, but two similar ones
that we had filled the evening before with bags of sand of nearly the
same weight, and which Sayavedra had very dexterously exchanged.
It was not possible to have made a better beginning: I continued as
successfully. Captain Favello returned at night to the inn; he told me
that he regretted the precipitate departure of the galleys, which would
so soon deprive him of my agreeable society. “It is by no means
certain,” said I, “that we shall so soon separate. We may possibly be
longer together than you imagine.” He reflected a moment on what I said,
and then asked me if I had really any idea of returning to Spain. “Yes,”
answered I; “for know, that it was not so much the pleasure of seeing my
relations that brought me to Genoa as the desire to be revenged for an
affront offered me by a Genoese who was my rival at Rome. This I tell
you,” added I, “having found you to be a man of prudence and discretion,
in whom I may confide.” Nothing further was necessary to engage Favello
in my service. “Tell me the name,” said he, with enthusiasm, “of the
rascal who has insulted you, and I ask but four and twenty hours to
fully satisfy your vengeance.” “Captain,” replied I, “I am much indebted
to you for taking up my cause so warmly; and were I in want of an
avenger I could not have a better champion than yourself. But you judge
ill of me if you think that I want either strength or courage to avenge
myself. I know where my gentleman lodges, and my blow is sure. All that
I have to request of you is, to allow my baggage to be conveyed
privately on board your galley, on the eve previous to her sailing. I
have more reasons than one for wishing that even my relations may be
ignorant of my departure, and entreat you therefore to keep it secret.”
“As to that,” replied the officer, “depend upon me.” Then alluding again
to my affair of honour, “you cannot imagine,” continued he, “how
mortified I feel, that my services should be refused in the only
opportunity that I may have of testifying my zeal for you!” He said this
with such apparent concern, that I embraced and endeavoured to console
him by saying, “that he would have many opportunities in the course of
our voyage of manifesting his friendship towards me.” With similar
mutual expressions of friendship towards each other, we parted. The
first thing I did the next morning was, to send back all the plate to
the goldsmiths by my men, who brought me in return my pistoles which
were there in pledge. Scarcely had I deposited them in safety again,
when one of my cousins called upon me to say that my uncle Don Bertrand
expected me to dine with him the next day. I did not fail to accept of
this invitation, and found the whole family assembled when I arrived at
his house. We sat down to table in good spirits, and our conversation
was lively. Before dinner was over, my major-domo, as I had previously
desired him, entered the parlour, and coming up to me with a note in his
hand, “Colonel Don Antonio,” said he, “has just been to inquire for you
at the inn, and not finding you there, has charged me to deliver this
letter.” I opened it without ceremony, and took great pains to read it
so loud that my uncle, who sat very near me, might hear every word. It
ran thus:
“I am to be married the day after to-morrow, and I shall fully
expect the pleasure of your company on the occasion. I shall never
forgive you if you refuse to join us. In addition to this, I have
another favour to beg of you: you have often shown me some
excellent jewels of your mother’s; I beseech you to lend them to
me. My mistress has not dared to bring her own to this country with
her. We request them for two days only, and promise to take great
care of them. I flatter myself that you will confer this obligation
on your friend,